General d'Armee action in Belgium 1815

Yesterday Steve and I played a fairly large General d'Armee game using quite a large portion of my Hundred Days collection. The scenario was an escalating engagement with the French in strength attempting to capture a road junction with more troops for each side arriving as the game developed.

The French forces were:

• 1st Infantry brigade: Four battalions of line supported by a battery of 6lb guns
• 2nd Infantry brigade: Four battalions of line
• 3rd Infantry brigade: Four battalions of line supported by a battery of 6lb guns
• 4th Infantry brigade: Four battalions of line
• 1st Cavalry brigade: One regiment of Hussars (Campaign grenadiers) one regiment of Chasseurs (Campaign)
• 2nd Cavalry brigade [arrive turn 5]: One regiment of Chevaux-leger Lanciers (Campaign) one regiment of Chasseurs (Campaign)
• 3rd Cavalry brigade [arrive turn 7]: Two regiments of Hussars (Campaign, grenadiers)

The Anglo-allied forces were:

• 1st British brigade: Two battalions of line, one small battalion of 95th Rifles
• 1st Hanoverian brigade: Four battalions of recruits
• 1st KGL brigade: Three battalions of line, one battalion of Lights, supported by a battery of 9lb guns
• 1st Cavalry brigade [arrive turn 3]: Three regiment of Light Dragoons (Campaign)
• 2nd British brigade [arrive turn 5]: Two battalions of line, one battalion of Highlanders (Grenadiers) 
• 2nd Cavalry brigade [arrive turn 7 into reserve]: Two regiments of Dragoons (Battle, grenadiers)

Initial deployments

The KGL artillery causes the first unit to retreat with heavy casualties

Aided by the KGL skirmishers the artillery causes a second unit to retreat with heavy casualties

French infantry push on in the center against the Hanoverians

The Royal Welch and Lincolnshire's defend on the left  

The Hanoverians are hard pushed in the centre

On the British right the KGL stand fast

The second British brigade arrives

French cavalry stream onto the field

Weakened French division pushes on against the KGL 

Break through in the centre as a French column crashes home and the Hanoverians rout.

With heavy casualties the Hanoverian Landwehr regroup behind friends

Those KGL guns need silencing, so the Hussars throw themselves upon them 

The Hussars recoil, so the Chasseurs push on

Supported by infantry on both flanks and Light Dragoons to the rear the guns again see off their harassers

The KGL are now under a lot more pressure, one battalion is broken but the others hold firm.

View across the battlefield

French Chevaux Legere and Chasseurs exploit the gap left by the Hanoverians, close range cannister fire eliminates the Lincolnshires

The Gordon Highlanders push on

As do the Somerset's

Hard pressed Hanoverian Landwehr hold the farm

The Royal Welch are hard pressed, a French column from the 85th charges their flank, but, the Frenchmen refuse to close to contact!

Steady KGL troops refuse to budge

Another view along the battlefield, the Union Brigade are moving to counter the French cavalry exploiting the breakthrough.

Like the KGL, on the other flank the battered Royal Welch also refuse to budge

At the end of about six hours game time both armies were well and truly battered and both Steve and I thought that the opponent had the upper edge. But, as the French had not taken their objective I'm happy to concede defeat.