This week the suggestion was to get our 4 active club members around the table. So, I supplied all the minis, terrain, lists and rules know-how for a game of our much beloved Blucher.
It was 1815 and there would be French vs Prussians on the field. The French were attacking and trying to grab 2 objectives or, much more likely, break their opponent by routing 6 units of Prussians.
The above image shows the French light cavalry division awaiting their commands from their central position. Two French infantry corps were sent left while one held the right.
The Prussians amassed their cavalry on their left flank then sort of jumbled all their infantry in a mixed pile elsewhere to hold the objective ... and get in a muddle.
This game focused on the cavalry quite heavily ... especially on its misuse.
As stated the French, supported by good MO dice, drove their attack toward the objective on their far left. Eight brigades on infantry surged forward as the drums sounded. The artillery had been formed into a battery in the centre.
On the French right, their objective was guarded by 4 brigades and one battery. These guns were sighted by the Emperor himself which was evidenced when country battery fire saw the destruction of the advancing Prussian cavalry's horse battery. The French, over confident, misjudged the charge distance and faced a single charge not in prepared positions. This passed with limited damage.
The Prussian cavalry had used ALL their MO points to push this quick charge. As can be seen above, they were totally isolated with no infantry support - and now no guns. The French formed into square and the Prussians were no so close, the squares began to fire volleys. This is exactly the way that cavalry should never be used.
In fact, later in the game, these infantry were so unscathed by this "assault" they attacked the flank and rear of Prussian cavalry in columns - destroying one unit.
Meanwhile, the real deal was happening on the left. The French halted to pour devastating skirmish fire into the Prussians. Their guns responded but the French were winning. Charges resulted in several Prussian units sheltering behind their lines with only a single hit left. Unfortunately, the French could not reach these units. As the game progressed, the French assault left few of their enemy without damage.
The Prussian general used many MO points to pull back his cavalry. Only half this force remained functional with the remainder sheltering out of gunshot on the hill - but unable to play a further role.
Then, Napoleon judged the time ripe for a counter thrust. The light cavalry burst from their reserve position. This halted the piecemeal Prussian advance in the centre. They had retained their largest corps as a reserve and now struggled to find the MO to bring these troops forward and plug the yawning central gap. Their misuse of cavalry demanded command points (MO) each turn to extricate these troops from their peril.
The French released one unit of chasseurs to run down some infantry then threaten the guns.
The remained of the French light turned to attack the wounded Prussian cavalry. Now three French attacked two Prussian but it was a seesaw battle. The French cavalry were blunted but none were routed. At the bottom of the above picture, the defending infantry now threaten the cavalry flank.
And the French 10th Hussar stand defiant and victorious on the field. Elsewhere the French attack had done its work. The Prussians reached 6 broken units while the French had only taken 2 (or 3?) of their 5 required. But, as stated above, the Prussian battlefield was littered with units struggling to remain under command with many soldiers streaming across the fields.
So there it was, a tale about cavalry, but the main part of the battle was really about infantry ...
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