Situation Room: May 2023

Wednesday, 10 May 2023

Game 107 : Quatre Bras : take 2

After the first game, we decided to turn the sides around and play again to see what might happen differently, if anything.

Cutting to the chase, we found that the key to Quatre Bras is the Bossu wood. In both games, we found that if the Allies could at least contest the wood, it stopped an efficient French deployment in front of Quatre Bras. This time the fight was also bloody with at least 3 btns dispersing in firefights.

A nice column of Allies moving to reinforce QB at the top of the pic, just off table.

The French have taken Gemioncourt and now are deploying to attack QB which is just off pic at the bottom. Bossu wood is just off screen to the right. At this point the French are struggling to totally secure their left flank because of the wood.

The Fench are preparing a co-ordinated assault on QB in middle left of the pic. You can just see Bossu wood at the bottom. The French are trying to force through cavalry anyway, taking heavy casualties in the attempt. Shortly after, Bossu woods was secured by the French.

The assault taken from the French left. With Bossu wood secured, the French have three infantry divisions ready to attack.

This is the same assault, pictured from the French right flank. The Allies wood "check" the first division, but the second division would sweep through.

French Formations	Losses %			Allied Formations	Losses%
French Formations	Infantry	Cavalry	Artillery	Allied Formations	Infantry	Cavalry	Artillery
II Corps : Reille	-	-	6	Wellington

5^th Div : Bachelu	-	-	16	1^st Div : Cooke	-	-	0
1^st Brigade	19	-	-	1^st Brigade	0	-	-
2^nd Brigade	17	-	-	2^nd Brigade	0	-	-

6^th Div : Jerome	-	-	0	3^rd Div : Alten	-	-	0
1^st Brigade	0	-	-	5^th Brigade	0	-	-
2^nd Brigade	5	-	-	1^st Han Brigade	0	-	-

7^th Div : Foy	-	-	3	2^nd DB Div : Perponcher	-	-	2
1^st Brigade	9	-	-	1^st Brigade	21	-	-
2^nd Brigade	28	-	-	2^nd Brigade	9	-	-

2^nd Cav Div : Pire	-	-	13	Bruns. Div : Brunswick	-	-	0
1^st Brigade	-	53	-	Avant Garde	3	0	-
2^nd Brigade	-	9	-	Light Brigade	67	-	-
				Line Brigade	0	-	-
IIIC Corps : Kellerman
11^th Cav Div : L’Heritier	-	-	33	DB Light Cav : Merlen	-	19	-
1^st Brigade	-	5	-
2^nd Brigade	-	0	-
				Reserve Corps
12^th Cav Div : D’Hurbal	-	-	0	5^th Div : Picton	-	-	50
1^st Brigade	-	0	-	8^th Brigade	53	-	-
2^nd Brigade	-	0	-	9^th Brigade	8	-	-
				5^th Han Brigade	3	-	-

The high losses in some Brigades can be attributed to the light infantry. On the French side it was Bachelu fighting in the wood, on the Allies it was the Dutch Jaegers, Brunswick lights and Advanced Guard. It was a great fight. Next time it is back to 1800 and Hohenlinden.