Battle of Waterloo 2020 Wargame Replay
Battle of Waterloo 2020 Wargame Replay
Here's a video describing the wargame re-encatment in exciting extensive play-by-play detail
Here's brief rundown of the battle.
Wargame used was the classic boardgame /counters /dice designed, 'Wellington's Victory', which came out almost half a century ago :0
The two popular first two editions were from SPI and then TSR, a recent 3rd edition failed to meet expectations for a well honed remake of the game.
The wargame map is quite huge - a composite of 4 maps needed for the full scale battle scenario.
The actual battle was fought June 18th, 1815, along a range of gentle-sloped hills.
Three armies were involved. Napoleon's French army had invaded Belgium a few days earlier with the intent to split apart and either destroy, rout, or drive back one or both of two of the European 7th Coalition's Allied armies (the Army of the Low Countries led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine commanded by Field Marshal Blucher) stationed along the Belgian/French border, and subsequently then advance to capture the capital, Brussels.
If the strategical operation succeeded, Napoleon hoped the 7th Coalition would abandon or suspend its joint military operation that was aimed at invading France in the Summer of 1815, and restoring Louis XVIII back upon the French throne.
Due to his army not being fully joined by dawn of June 18th, and because of the unfavourable muddy ground conditions caused by more tropical rain downpours the previous day and overnight, Napoleon delayed his plans to attack The French army spent the morning hours assembling into well set-up battle positions, ready to strike north, to capture Brussels, just 12 miles away.
Wellington's army was blocking the French intentions. His troops were deployed upon the domineering hill of Mont St.Jean, next to the Brussels highway that ran north to south, and straddled a hill range running east to west along a secondary road running through the town of Ohain - to the east of his left flank - and on towards the town of Wavre about 8 miles further east.
At Wavre, Blucher was gathering his army of four Army Corps, of which three had participated in the brutal defeat at the Battle of Ligny two days before when they faced Napoleon. Through messengers conveying a retreat and reunification plan between Wellington and Blucher's armies, a trap was set to destroy Napoleon.
Wellington's role in the plan, was to hold his position until the Prussians made their risky flanking march with three of their corps, from Wavre, intending to link up with Wellington's left flank, and drive into the French right flank. The two Allied commanders had enormous faith in each and risked everything on their gambit. If either of them failed, the other army was certainly doomed to a catastrophic defeat.
Wellington's mission was to hold on and block the French attack.
Blucher's mission was to arrive in the battle with a significant portion of his army to drive back the French right flank.
The Allied armies' combined mission; join together and destroy Napoleon's army.
Napoleon's mission was to destroy or rout Wellington's army.
In my solitaire replay, I added many conditional strategic army movement / objective options and variants for each side. I divided the battle into main phases of activity, ie, In the initial first French random strategic movement, there was a 30% chance the battle would start with Jerome leading with an attack on Hougoumont - while other possibilities included a wide flanking attack, or a full scale attack by most of Reille's Corps on the chateau, etc,
The other phases had variants for D'Erlon Corps attacking as it did at Waterloo, or being more cautious, or swinging in a flanking move to the east, etc,,,,,
Meanwhile, the French reserves of the cavalry corps and Imperial Guard, were set to ONLY move dependent on what successes the two French infantry corps made during their phases. Lobau's VI Corps was triggered to move IF and when the Prussian Army showed up (each Prussian Corps had variants of showing up earlier or later than they did historically).
Certain army restrictions were in place to reflect the historical accuracy of the event. Basically, the French were limited to moving a certain number of brigades each turn representing 15 minutes of time, while Wellington's army was severely restricted in independent unit movements - reflecting the overall lack of experience and cohesion that was inherent in his motley mix of multi-national troops. To reflect the Prussians steamroller superhuman entry into the battle, the Prussians had zero restrictions on numbers of units they could move.
My movement, combat, and morale house-rules made for very realistic in-battle outcomes and results.
I had several further mini-historical optimal events that were designed to activate conditionally, such as; army morale level, French Grand Battery, Allied army strongpoints of Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte, special troop bonuses, ie - Imperial Guard, Prussiam morale, French artillery, British infantry fire, British Heavy Cavalry charges, scouts, skirmishers, French bombardment fire-zones (very interesting) - and much more, etc etc.
Counters from the actual game - were mostly modded by me, and other types I custom made or borrowed from other games......
The Battle of Waterloo, 2020 Replay
11.15 am
Napoleon's French (blue) army preparing to attack northwards against Wellington's Allied (red /multi-coloured) army.
11.15 am
The battle starts at 11.15 am, as Napoleon's first strike is launched against Wellington's right flank at the forward strongpoint position of Hougoumont. Napoleon's brother, Jerome Bonaparte directs one of his two infantry brigades to make a rapid assault whish succeeds in catching the British defenders off-guard at the north main gate of the complex. The attack is foiled and the French attackers lose their commander, General Bauduin, killed in the close combat at the gate entrance.
1.15 pm
Fighting rages on for the next two hours at Hougoumont. General Reille commits another division from his II Corps to support the first assault by Jerome's now fully committed division. The French have succeeded in driving back the Hanoverian and Nassauer battalions that were defending the woods and orchard areas. British defenders in the walled garden and buildings barely hold on, even with considerable reinforcements of two British Foot Guard battalions. Losses n both sides begin to mount.
Crisis for the Hougoumont defenders
2.15 pm
In the next hour, Hougoumont is almost surrounded as the French attackers capture the garden and threaten to overwhelm the British garrison still manning the buildings and the wall. But, a timely intervention
2.30 pm
By 2.30 pm, heavy losses suffered have forced the French attack on Hougoumont to retreat back into the cover of the woods. The defenders have taken heavy losses too, but have survived and secure their perimeter when the KGL infantry brigade of Duplat comes to the rescue with a counter-attack that finally pushes back the French who were on the verge of victory.
In the meantime, Napoleon has set-up a Grand Battery position in his center which commences a barrage against Wellington's center.
* Variant house-rule activated - the French Grand Battery CAN fire at Wellington's troops that are behind the intervening ridge along the Ohain road, into a large fire zone extending about a mile wide and half a mile deep. Too much words would be required to further explain its game mechanics > but it worked perfectly *
D'Erlon's French I Corps of four infantry divisions move-up in preparation for a massive assault on Wellington's center and his entire left flank, and is designated to start the attack at 3 pm. At the same time, Napoleon receives news of the Prussians marching to the battlefield from the east. In response, the reserve VI Corps of Lobau is sent to the French right flank, behind two French light cavalry divisions that race ahead to the same area, half a mile west of the Paris Woods.
* Variant house rules activated; I was keen on a number of solitaire-game strategic battle variations to the game I had set-up being activated, but the historical variants which had a 30% chance (by random die rolls) of taking place, kept prevailing; such as, D'Erlon's attack going forward with only a brigade of cavalry support, instead of my variants which included an east-side flank attack, and an entire cavalry corps in direct support. The variant for an hour extra of French Grand Battery bombardment was activated. Other interesting variants failed to activate, such as; the Prussians arriving an hour or so earlier > due to the historical early morning bakery fire incident at Wavre not happening or being less impactful as it was on the Prussian IV Corps movement through the town, and the Prussian I Corps was kept back as it was historically, instead of rashly rushed ahead to link with Wellington's army by early afternoon. *
3.00 pm
D'Erlon's I Corps attack smashes into Wellington front line - at his center and across his left flank.
Just below the Allied center, the German garrison defending the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte is quickly surrounded by the French battalions of Gen.Quiot. Above the, a French Cuirassier brigade charges the two brigades of Germans positioned west of the crossroads. Gen.Durette's Division drives back many of the Nassauers of Saxe-Weimar's Brigade, from the collection of farmhouses and hamlets on Wellington's extreme left flank. The two French divisions of Donzelot and Marcognet crash into the Dutch-Belgian brigade of General Bijlandt, and force it back, whereupon General Picton's two Highland Brigades advance on the French infantry appearing on the ridge line ahead. Intensive infantry firefights breakout across the sector.
3.30 pm
Wellington's two British Heavy Cavalry Brigades charge.the French infantry and cavalry with varying successful results while suffering heavy losses among its own regiments..General Best's Hanoverian Brigade is forced back as is Pack's Highland Brigade along the eastern half of the Ohain ridge. La Haye Sainte is still besieged by the French.
4.00 pm
La Haye Sainte has been captured by the French. The Hanoverian Brigade launches a failed counter-attack to retake the farmhouse which is firmly defended by the French victors. .Only Kempt's Highland Brigade remains on the ridge east of the crossroads, as Marcognet's French division line up along the Ohain road. From Wellington's reserves in the center, Lambert's British infantry brigade and three Dutch-Belgian cavalry brigades advance towards the victorious French.napoleon's Grand Battery resumes bombarding Wellington's center, gradually inflicting mountain losses in the Allied army. Napoleon sends Milhaud's IV Cavalry Corps to exploit the breakthrough along the Ohain road.
4.30 pm
Wellington's reserves that were sent to retake the lost ground on his Left are stopped by heavy French infantry and supporting artillery fire now set-up on the ridge. Milhaud's cuirassier brigades are stopped by Lambert's battalion squares. Jaquinot's Lancers which had earlier helped drive back the British Heavy Dragoons counter-attack, make a sudden charge at the crossroads and destroy a KGL battery. The remains of the brigades of Bij;landt and Pack's Highlanders are forced back as are Best's Hanoverians,.
4.35 pm
The Prussian IV Corps commanded by General Bulow begin their breakout from the Paris Woods to attack Count Lobau's VI Corps and two supporting light cavalry divisions.
5.20 pm
Napoleon switches his focus to Wellinton'Right Flank, and directs Bachelu's infantry Division, from Reille's Corps, to capture Mont St.Jean Hill. Kellermann's III Cavalry Corps is sent ahead to disrupt the Allied front line in the sector, but the Allied infantry squares hold them back - except for one battalion of Maitland's Foot Guards which is routed. At the same time, the French Grand Battery's bombardment intensifies.on Mont St.Jean Hill. The Chateau of Hougoumont has been set on fire by French howitzers.
Wellington's left wing has completely collapsed along the Ohain road when Marshal Ney leads the Imperial Guard Light Cavalry Division to successfully drive back Picton's last Highland brigade that had still held out at the center - during the action, both Picton and Kempt are seriously injured. Lambert's brigade is decimated while too far up alone near the Ohain road where three French horse batteries have deployed,
5.50 pm
A renewed French attack by Foy's weakened battalions against Hougoumont's orchard makes some gains against the depleted KGL battalions but is soon forced back. The French Grand Battery ceases firing upon Mont St.Jean Hill as Bachelu's infantry division marches up the slope and onto the plateau where his battalion columns exchange volleys with the British and German line infantry battalions waiting to meet them.
Kellermann's cavalry have retreated into the valley where they meet more reserves sent by Napoleon to crack Wellington's right flank. Priot to falling back, several of his Dragoon regiments launched surprise ambush attacks that overran and routed several of Wellington's infantry battalions.
General Guyot's entire Imperial Guard Heavy Cavalry Division is galloping up to Mont St.Jean Hill while a few hundred yards east of them, the eight battalions of the Young Guard have been committed by Napoleon and are advancing to support Bachelu's attack.
6.30 pm
Bulow's
Prussian IV Corps has finally broken Lobau's defensive line on the
French right flank, and forces it to conduct a fighting retreat back to
the village of Plancenoit over a mile away. The Prussian II Corps is
moving closely behind Bulow. Two miles north-east, Zieten's I Prussian Corps Advance Guard arrives at the town of Ohain - ihese Prussians move to join Wellington's forces, instead of move south to join Bulow's troops.
6.40 pm
D'Erlon's corps has complete control of the ridge along the Ohain road east of the crossroads. The three French horse batteries set up among them fire deadly salvoes of canister into the Allied defenders, wiping out Lambert's brigade and have forced back the survivors of Picton and Bijlandt's battalions to a second line almost half a mile north where they shelter in valleys. The French also repel attacks launched along the Brussels highway, by the Nassau brigade of Kruse, and Merlen's Dutch-Belgian cavalry brigade.
The Young Guard attack strikes Wellington's worn out defenders on the eastern half of Mont St.Jean Hill. At the crossroads, Ompteda's KGL brigade almost ceases to exist, andthe Hanoverians to their right are barely holding on while the Prince of Orange encourages them to remain inposition. The Brunswick Legion is rushed up from the reserve line to stabilize the center. Nearby the Earl of Uxbridge, who is with his last squadrons of British Heavy cavalry in the center.helps organize a last ditch stand.
On the west side of the Mont St.Jean plateau, Halkett's British brigade has suffered heavy losses and has been forced back by the charges of Guyot's Imperial Guard Heavy cavalry. Allied light cavalry brigades make counter-attacks that are thrown back. A large gap opens up in Wellington's line in the sector. Just in time, the Detmers' Dutch-Belgian infantry brigade arrives on the scene and helps Halkett's survivors halt the victorious French Empress Dragoons cavalry rampaging any further.
6.50 pm
Ney launches the P{olish Lancer squadron north of the crossroads, in pursuit of the defeated Allied counter-attack. The Lancers overrun all opposition and finally becomes entangled in the Allied Left flank's secondary line before finally forced to retreat.
Equally glorious, is the charge of Napoleon's Empress Dragoons on the Mont St.Jean plateau, which has surged over the crest to the west of the Young Guard attack. These veteran Guard Dragoons over-run several Allied units before being stopped by several hastily formed Allied squares on the hill's reverse slope.
To the west of the plateau. French infantry battalion and supporting artillery, forces Captain Mercer's artillerymen to retreat from their guns, on the left of Maitland's hard pressed British Foot Guards square.
The Prussian I Corps' cavalry brigade of Treskow has been galloping far ahead to help the crumbling Allied center, arrives in Wellington's rear-line at Mont St.Jean village.
7.15 pm
Although Wellington has personally closed the gap in his right flank, the Allied center is retreating from the French. The Brunswick counter-attack has been mostly pushed back by the French Young Guard battalions formed in squares at and west of the crossroads. The Prince of Orange has been killed while heroically rallying the Hanoverian survivors still on the plateau. Their sacrificial last stand gives time for Detmers Dutch-belgians, and Halkett's rallying brigade, to make an organized counter-attack in infantry squares, to retake the plateau.
The advance guard of the Prussian I Corps had arrived east of Wellington's Left flank an hour earlier. Its infantry has joined with Wellington's left and is attacking D'Erlon's French squares on the eastern end of the ridge they are barely still control.
7.30 pm
Napoleon decides to make a hard choice based on the fact that Wellington's center and right flank has somehow managed to not only stabilize its critical situation, but then aunch a counterattack that recaptures the plateau of Mont St.Jean and slowly pushes back the French Young Guard.
The French have a last reserve of four fresh elite Imperial Guard infantry brigades. Napoleon can use them to try and crack Wellington's thin line, or against the onconming Prussians.
8.00 pm
Napoleon orders the entire Grand Battery to imber their guns, and
move south to deploy east of the Brussels highway facing east, to target
the oncoming hordes of Prussians now arriving to overrun the French
Right flank, recapturing all the gains D'Erlon's infantry had made
earlier. Supported by the arriving Prussians, Vivian's Hussar Brigade chases away D'Erlon's infantry from the Ohain road area. The Brunswickers bravely recapture the crossroads, while the reorganized brigades of Halkett and Detmers push back the French from the Mont St.Jean plateau. Wellington's losses are too heavy for him to consider advancing against the French center which is still strong enough to defeat such a bold move..He instead has his infantry remain along the hillcrest in formidable looking squares.
8.10 pm
Napoleon directs his Middle and Old Guard infantry, to face east and support Lobau's exhausted troops that have set-up in and around the village of Plancenoit, hoping to hold back the relentless Prussian advance. Rather than risk losing his army by ignoring the growing Prussian threat, Napoleon determines holding them back will avoid a certain defeat. As the sun sets, the Prussians are preparing a final major assault to crush Napoleon's center and right wing.
8.15 pm
With night time coming soon, the Prussians make a three-pronged attack plan to try and crush Napoleon's center in the last hour of fading evening light.
Now that most of Pirch's II Prussian Corps has arrived, Blucher gives it the mission, as the central spearhead, to capture a dominant hilltop north of Plancenoit village. Lobau's survivors of his 20th Division occupy the hilltop along with several batteries and a battalion of the Middle Guard. If this hilltop is captured, the Prussians can strike ahead to the Brussels highway, or set-up an artillery position that would wreak havoc on Napoleon's center.
Bulow's IV Corps is assigned to form the north and south prongs of the Prussian attack plan. His brigade of Losthin forms the north attack wing, and is assigned to cross open country moving up the gentle slope towards the Brussels highway, in between La Belle Alliance and La Haye Sainte. Opposing them are remnants of D'Erlon's Corps, and the French Grand Battery with most of its seventy guns pointed at their attack columns. Prince William leads a force of Prussian cavalry in support to the north of Losthin.
Bulow's south wing is composed of Ryssel's infantry brigade. Their unenviable mission is to storm the village of Plancenoit and then breakthrough to the Brussels highway in the French army's rear, thus cutting off their line of retreat. Lobau's battered 19th Division garrison the village and set-up roadblocks in the narrow streets. One Middle Guard battalion posted at the St.Catherine's Church boosts the village defenders' morale.
By 8.15 pm, 35,000 Prussians, supported by their artillery, start their advance to crush the thin line of French defenders opposing them. But Napoleon has wisely strengthened the sector by deploying his last fresh troops in close support. The French Imperial Middle Guard moves forward as a tactical reserve for the village of Plancenoit and the hill position north of it.
8.20 pm
Within 10 minutes of advancing uphill, Losthin's attack in the north is taking heavy losses from long range fire alone being rained down by the Grand Battery ahead of them. Losthin's advance is halted and ordered to retreat. The French gunners cheer loudly in the twilight.
8.25 pm
Pirch forms his infantry into heavy assault columns which move quickly to attack the French hill position. They overrun the batteries and scatter Lobau's battalions, but are stopped by the Middle Guard battalion situated on the hilltop. Against all odds, the Guard battalion beats back numerous Prussian attempts to capture the hilltop. Other Middle Guard battalions arrive to stiffen the resistance. The Prussian battalions take heavy losses and their morale is shattered, and they all rout away together back to their starting positions. Some of their battalions veer south to join the attack on the village of Plancenoit.
8.40 pm
Ryssel's brigade takes the southern prong of the Prussian assault into the outskirts of Plancenoit and drives back the French 10th Division defenders. The Prussians reach the village church and engage in fierce close combat with the Middle Guard battalion defending it. Heavy hand-to-hand fighting breaks out at the church entrance and graveyard, but the French finally prevail, Several Old and Middle Guard battalions advance from the tactical reserve positions.
8.50 pm
In the village of Plancenoit, the veteran French guardsmen charge through the dark streets and with bayonets, root out the Prussians from burning buildings in brutal house-to-house fighting. More Old Guard battalions are pushed forward to secure the area. They shout out, "Vive l'empereur!" during the entire advance.
9.00 pm
The Prussian attack has been halted, and its commanders order a full scale retreat as the French solidify their own defensive line.
9.30 pm
The battle ends in a draw; Napoleon has failed to defeat Wellington's army and capture Brussels. Wellington and Blucher have joined their armies finally, but have not destroyed Napoleon's army.
The Battle at Wavre can be heard in the distance, where Marshal Grouchy is finally pushing his French army wing of 33,000 troops, against the Prussian III Corps rearguard.
The Allied army commanders are determined to continue the battle the next day.
Wellington sends a staff officer to the town of Hal 8 miles away, with orders for his commander of the detachment of 17,000 troops stationed there, to march to the battlefield immediately. Field-Marshal Blucher has 20,000 more fresh troops that are still moving to the battlefield. Their obvious plan of battle for the next day will be to overwhelm the French army if it does not retreat overnight.
With the two Allied armies now combined, Napoleon sees his significant disadvantages, with fewer troops, less artillery, and caught in a vice between his two opponents. Though the battle is a draw, retreat seems to be the only option in order to avoid a disastrous second day of battle.
Hey man. The game that you talked about is different cause, I thought the game I know was Napoleon total war it has the battle of Waterloo but I didn't know that it was That different. Also check out napoleon total war and play it and record some footage of it. Hope you have a computer.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for visiting and posting comment, I was curious about trying Napoleon Total War. It looks like fun. I'll see about playing it at some point, and making a video.
DeleteI like Norbsoft's 'Scourge of War' Waterloo series - it's a bit like Total War, but though it's not perfect its action looks realistic.