Blucher 1815

After some time, I returned to Blucher. I still prefer this set of rules to any other Napoleonic set - even Lasalle 2. They allow rules to operate in the background while players focus on the game. 

My good friend Nic played the Prussians while I played the French. It was a 200 point game. The French had 11 units of foot, three foot batteries, 3 units of heavy cavalry and one horse battery. 

The Prussians were fielding 1 Grenadier unit, 4 line, 6 landwehr and 3 reserve units. Along with this they had 3 foot batteries, 1 horse battery, 3 light cavalry and 1 landwehr cavalry units. Quite a large force. 

The French units were the attackers and moved first. They also had a glut of MO points allowed them to take several key positions in the terrain. 

Unfortunately, rumours of the Emperor put the Prussians into a stupor of inactivity. They had very few MO in the first three turns of the game.

They did push one corps up onto a hill that held the objective ... 

... and march into a town where the other lay. 

By this time the French infantry were well down the field, especially on the left and in the centre. 8 of their 11 infantry units were aimed at taking the objective on the hill. By pressing up they could also command a narrow gap between a marsh and forest that reduced the Prussian ability to deploy forces into the centre of the table. 

French fire was withering while Prussian cannons seemed unable to make a significant dent into the French. The MO drought led to a piecemeal advance on toward the French right. This led to the loss of one infantry to French cannon and the isolation of a reserve infantry brigade. 

Into this gap the French heavy brigade pounded forward ... 1 dragoon followed by 2 cuirassier and a horse battery. 

In the centre, 2 French infantry units advanced down from the hill to plug a narrow gap in the terrain (mentioned above.) The Prussians could not easily deploy their cavalry and certainly not in force. 

The French decided to hold spending MO on their left. Three infantry units and one battery would hold this side with their flank anchored on a wood. Little action would occur here other than the isolated Prussian reserve unit was whittled away by accurate skirmish and cannon fire (especially when forced into prepared - or square - formation.) This is also show below from a soldier's view. 

The Prussians needed their MO elsewhere and these troops were never really utilised in the game ... at some times they marched forward then back again. 

The French heavy cavalry column pushed into position. Two were sent further forward, riding over a battery before turning and attacked the rear of the Prussian centre. 

French troops formed up and laid a withering fire upon the Prussians who held the hill. Soon these retreated ... 

To be replaced by reserves which were hurriedly moved from the centre. 

The Prussians surged forward relying on their numbers to sway the battle through repeated bayonet charges. They were unwilling to engage in shooting against the French. 

After several charges the French stood firm then released scything volleys into the Prussians who stood staggered directly to their front. Losses were mounting. 

Above shows the result of French heavy cavalry movements. The dragoons and one cuirassier were behind Prussian lines. The Lithuanian Dragoons (blue centre right) had stood up to two direct charges from French cuirassiers but had been hurled back by infantry not in square. 

Now they faced a terrible decision ... to ride forward or turn to face the cavalry attack. 

The French again pressed forward with their centre ... now a little battered but in quite good condition. One headed through marshy ground to flank the Prussian held hill and, ultimately, threaten the objective. 

The French right was now a scene of inactivity. Note the yawning gap on the upper left of the image where the heavy cavalry had rode. 

The game was called at this point. The Prussians were dangerous close to break point and the French units in the rear of the line had begun to rout more units from the field. French infantry were still vital enough to press the attack while the Prussian had almost no units that had not taken at least a third or more of the hits. The French had won the day!