Thursday 18 June 2015

In Homage to Waterloo

Today as all good wargamers know is the 200th anniversary of Waterloo. I had hoped to be there for the celebrations but the gods conspired against me. However a good friend of mine has gone so hopefully I'll be able to show some of his photos on the blog in the not too distant future.

This morning I received a note from my brother  - he has no interest in wargaming but is aware of my passion. In this email he sent me the following letter that appears to have been circulated across the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Powerful stuff






In homage to the brave souls who fought at Waterloo the Shed saw a full house of seven players to play a 10mm Napoleonic Battle (using Black Powder rules).

The scenario loosely based on the engagement of Quatre Bras saw several Brigades of British Infantry and Cavalry defend a crossroad from a numerically superior French force.

The following pictures illustrate the scenes as they unfold.

A further write up of the game can be found here

http://quatrebraswargame.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/not-quite-quatre-bras-at-shed.html

and another here

http://wargaminggallimaufry.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/quatre-bras.html

On with my own....

I decided the game would start with the players who arrived first - in this case British left flank and French right flank. The objective to hold the crossroads by the end of the evening.

I was playing in this game and so the write up is going to be quite slim. I was so engrossed at my end commanding the left French flank I hardly saw what was happening at the other end of the table.


The British centre soon took control of the crossroads - with the Highlanders commanding the farmhouse



British Light cavalry stream towards the action..


The British heavy Horse advance on the left centre


With two regiments of Imperial Guard advancing in column towards the centre


Lines of troops across the field jockey for position


French assault troops gather to advance in the centre - supported by the heavy cavalry.

Below: the Left flank of the French push forward to confront the newly arrived British right flank



Birds eye view of the action...




On the left the French cavalry force the British to advance into the woods and take the protection afforded by the square formation


More French arrive on the South western road


The centre advances



Onward the British Heavy cavalry


The British right flank protected by Men in Skirts and Green jackets


The Battle starts - fierce exchanges of fire around the farmhouse



Casualties begin to pile up...red counters


In the centre the French lines are forced into squares by advancing British cavalry





Unleash the Curassiers !!


Its starting to get frantic in the centre but those red coats wont move.


The British hold on valiantly




The French form line and pour fire into the squares...many red coats are driven from the field


The assault on the centre has just bogged down and the clock is ticking

 

Evening falls (OK we ran out of time) - The British held on...
 
 
 
Great fun was had by all.
 
Until next time
 

 
 
 

2 comments:

  1. another great game . black powder gets all those unplayed with figures out of their boxes again . :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really enjoyed this game and is it fate that one of the 10mm manufacturers has launched a new range of Waterloo British the same week?

    Thank you, as ever!

    ReplyDelete