Pennies From Heaven!

I’ve been on the lookout from some modular tables to make a 6X4 folding terrain table set.  I saw some such tables at BJ’s Wholesale club.  They were about $40 each.  I decided to “think about it” and did not purchase them.  When I finally resolved to take the plunge, when i went back, they were all sold out.  Every last one of them.  They did have 30″X6′ but that was not as useful for everyday use.  While searching online, Amazon sent me an e-mail showing a 2’X4′ adjustable height table.  Also while looking, there was a note on the screen saying that my Citi rewards points could be used.  $140 is a lot for tables, even with the free shipping.  So I linked my card to see what I had.  As it turns out I had enough points for $148 worth of credit.  So, I shall have my free tables in 2 days!  I guess the old saying is really true that  “Good things come to those who wait.”  At least in this case it works.

Quatre Bras Allied Order of Battle

It’s been a couple of weeks.  I’ve been busy planning a birthday party for my daughter.  The skills I’ve honed in the hobby are being put to good use.  Several minecraft paper craft figures have been made for a custom Minecraft cake that I’ll be making tonight?  What does this have to do with the Allied order of battle?  Not much except it explains why no pictures have materialized and that I am just now getting to the issue at hand.

In order of appearance:

On the board:

2nd Division Perponcher

1st brigade 24 Figures green.  Dutch Jager regiment 12 figures regulars

2nd brigade 2 regiments each of 24 figures regulars (This brigade was the size of a division!)

Cavalry brigade Merlin 12 figures light

1 field artillery stand

5th division Picton

2 brigades of veteran infantry 24 figures each.

1 rifle regiment 12 figures veteran

1 Landwehr brigade green 24 figures

1 field artillery stand

Brunswick legion Duke of Brunswick

1 brigade of line infantry regulars 24 figures

2 regiments of light infantry 12 figures each regular

1 brigade of light cavalry 12 figures regular

1 field artillery stand

3rd division Alten

2 brigades of infantry regular (Hannover and English) 24 figures each

1 regiment of rifles 12 figures regular

1 field artillery stand

Guards division Cooke

2 brigades of guards veteran grenadiers 24 figures each

1 field artillery stand

I’ve made a few shifts from the real order of battle.  The jagers in the 3rd division and the Brunswick advant guarde both had some rifles.  I’ve chosen to shift them to the jagers (KGL) for balance purposes.  I don’t want the allies to have a preponderance of rifle regiments at the outset of the battle.

Quatre Bras French Order of Battle

It is getting pretty close to the 16th of June.  I should probably get my order of battles down in writing.  I’ll start here with the French.

5th Division Foy 2 Line brigades each of 24 figures 1 light regiment of 12 figures

6th Division Jerome 2 line brigades each of 24 figures 3 light regiments each of 12 figures

9th Division Bachleu 2 line brigades each of 24 figures

Cavalry Division Pire 1 lancer brigade 1 chasseurs brigade

1 heavy battery 1 field battery 1 horse battery

Cavalry Division Kellerman 1 currasier brigade 1 dragoon brigade

CinC Marshal Ney  2nd in command Marshal Reille

The units are not strict 1 for 1 matches with the actual battle in terms of numbers.  Line units, for instance, represent about 2000 men though some will represent slightly more or less.  The artillery was a bit tricky for the French as each stand represents 2 actual batteries.  Since they had 3 field batteries, 1 heavy battery and  1 horse battery it was somewhat difficult to assign numbers to each unit but we must consider that the French had some of the best gunners in the world at the time.  So giving them 1 battery of each, if nothing else, the number of guns represented (48) are close in number  that actually fought in the battle (46).

I’ve had no time to setup and take photos of my troops.  As for progress, I am finishing up the last unit of Brunswickers.  I only have 2 units of British guards to paint for the infantry.  Then it is 5 stands of Allied artillery, a few allied generals and 2 French generals.

Sometimes it’s good to be a pack rat!

I’m moving along quite well with my Quatre Bras project.  I’ve made some adjustments to the Brunswick AAR.  The final tally for them should be 1 Line Brigade, 2 Light Regiments, 1 Light Cavalry Brigade and 1 artillery battery.  This cuts down on my painting a bit and I don’t have to paint any drummers!  The command figure is a Hussar waving his saber complete with shako and tall plume…the uniform of the Duke of Brunswick.

Speaking of commanders, I was stumped as to what figure I would use for the Prince of Orange.  It seems that “Slender Billy” had a hybrid uniform.  He wore a Dutch Hussars uniform with a dolman and a bicorne common to most generals and marshals of the time – a head swap I suppose would do.  While rummaging through my bag of Old Glory French command looking for a couple of suitable figures for Reille and Foy (generic generals really), I came across a figure with a bicorne and a dolman slunk across his shoulder.  He even has stripes sculpted on the side of his pants.  Billy!  I’ve found you!

DF-Like Rules posted

As the title says!  You can find them in the “Old School” section of this blog.

Enjoy!

 

Mini Quatre Bras

Our second attempt at my Don Fetaherstone-Like rules was using a scenario from One Hour Wargames based on Quatre Bras.  The red side gets a full compliment of troops randomly determined.  They choose two to start the game with.  The other troops arrive in pairs on turn 3 and turn 5.   The blue side also gets a full compliment of troops.  They move on the board via the North-South road on turn 1.  As we were simulating Qautre Bras, we decided the French should have to remove a unit bringing their initial total to 5.

The order of battle is as follows:

Red had 3 line infantry, 1 light infantry, 1 heavy cavalry and 1 light cavalry.

Blue had 3 line infantry, 2 light infantry and 1 artillery.  I played the blue side and elected to eliminate 1 of the light infantry units.

The battle started with my troops entering the board in march column I had enough room to enter the artillery, 1 line unit and my light infantry.  red had setup with a light unit in the woods and a line unit partially garrisoning the town at the cross roads.  With the exception of the artillery firing and some skirmishing in the woods, not much happened until about turn 5.

The situation at the beginning of turn 5. Skirmishing in the woods with turn 3 reinforcements (Red) just moving into position.

The battle opened well enough for Blue.  I elected to use the French plan.  I sent 1 brigade around the pond while the rest of my forces advanced up the center.  The light infantry attacked through the woods.  Firing opened up all along the line.  I scored some lucky hits on the Red cavalry and drove them back.  the following turn I would deliver another lucky volley and the cavalry would be reduced to just 4 figures.   The battle in the woods and in the center swayed back and forth.  As the turn 5 reinforcements arrived and the Red infantry took up position between the town and the woods, I managed to score many its on the Red light infantry.  It was below 50% strength while I was still above 50%.  Things couldn’t look better right?  The next picture tells all.

Blue infantry in the center only barely manage to rally and only with the help from the officer nearby. The flanking infantry broke from a charge from the light cavalry.

My light infantry failed a subsequent morale check and fled the woods.  The following turn, it failed again and left the game.  Red’s light infantry made the morale check, despite taking heavy casualties and held the woods.  The two relatively fresh Red infantry units pressed the attack and delivered many casualties while my volleys did little.  the artillery scored hits throughout the game, only missing twice.  However, with only 10 rounds of ammo, by game’s end, it only had 1 or two shots left.

The game played out like the actual battle.  For those not paying attention, notice that the random setup gave Red cavalry and Blue none.  Blue had artillery while Red had none.  The units reacted like units under fire.  Any unit that takes casualties during the previous turn must make a morale check before moving.  At one point, I had the opportunity to flank a Red infantry unit but my own infantry barely passed morale and were not allowed to move.

We ironed out most if not all of the wrinkles in the rules.  The one last problem/omission is what happens if a unit that is due to make a morale check is charged before it has a chance to move.  The solution is to throw the morale check immediately.  If it passes then apply the die result to the charge reaction table and see how the unit behaves.

The rules are now uploaded and can be found in the “Old School” section of this site.