Black Powder: Waterloo segment

Addicted as I am to 28mil wargaming, playing Waterloo with Black Powder rules is usually confined to setting up specific segments and phases of the battle. For this game the focus was on D'Erlon's corps' attack east of the Brussels road.

The Corp's mission was to get at least 4 infantry battalions in good order breakthrough the allied line and make it over the edge of the dun coloured mat by the end of move 8.



These 3 infantry divisions had the support of Kellerman's III Cav Corps with a brigade each of Dragoons and Cuirassiers, and their own 1st Corps cav - 2 light cavalry brigades.



They also had a portion of the French heavy batteries - 2 heavy batteries and 2 medium batteries. With hindsight, I should have made these all heavies...

They also had a corps skirmish screen to secure the left flank of the attack from the defenders of La Haie Sainte.

The Anglo-Allies were defending with Kempt's 8th and Ompteda's 2nd KGL Infantry brigades, a strong skirmish screen including Rifles in the sandpit, Divisional Foot and RHA batteries. A small light cavalry brigade was in immediate support, and, further back, both Somerset's Guards and Ponsonby's Union brigades of heavy cavalry, also with attached RHA.

The French spent the first 3 turns bombarding the covered allied line, only really driving off one foot battery but doing no real damage to the infantry. The French plan was to focus on the right flank, where the ridge had no covering hedges and was furthest from the British heavies.

Attempting to make up for the time lost in futile bombardment, one of the light cavalry brigades essayed the desperate expedient of charging the guns...

Which promptly evaded, allowing the cavalry to follow up on the infantry to their rear, the 39th Dorsets, who were unable to form square in response. However the doughty Dorsets stood their ground and the cavalry were sent reeling with heavy casualties!

Meanwhile the KGL moved a battalion forward off the ridge to support the Riflemen in the sandpit.

Similarly the British Light cav came forward to deter any more effrontery from the French Chasseurs!

But the French Hussars were still game for a fight - in the drawn combat both sets of cavaliers had to withdraw, leaving space for the French infantry columns to move up...

The allied skirmish line and horse gunners did their best to disorder and break up the huge columns..

Initially inflicting heavy casualties...

Yet implacably on the French columns advanced...

Assaulting the Dorsets once again...

And their supporting guns...

Eyeball to eyeball across the ridge.

Attacking all along Kempt's Brigade...

Allied reinforcements were rushed to the scene of crisis - more horse guns...

Ompteda sent across what he could spare of the KGL, and even Somerset's Heavies moved to the flank of any potential penetration... 

But the French had heavy cav moving up too!

However, by move 7, the key decision would be determined by the Poor Bloody Infantry!

The French dogfaces launched their assaults with grim determination...

And withstood the withering musketry, only to be bloodily hurled back in the assaults, too late to regroup and try again to break through...

With hindsight, I had asked too much of the gallant French. Next time I will give them more time and more firepower!