As promised. Day 2 - In 7 hours today with another short bar break for lunch we played 7 more moves in the game getting us to about 5:00PM in game time.
The long struggle for Hougomont continued until turn 13 when the last of its 3 Built Up Areas fell to the French. The allied troops massed north of the chateau did not launch any attacks to recover it. The action west of Hougomont continued in a desultory style but was certainly enlivened by a disordered British square managing to cause the rout of 2 French cavalry regiments.
Once Hougomont had fallen the French launched a series of cavalry attacks up the ridge between the chateau and La Haye Saint. This forced the British infantry into square, routed a battalion and overran some artillery. An attempt by the other half of Lobua’s corps to exploit the cavalry’s success was broken up by accurate British fire.
D'Erlon's attack was not making headway at the sunken road. So the French commanders withdrew to the valley floor to reorganise, mass their artillery and await the arrival of reinforcements from Lobau’s corps before once again risking an attack on the ridge.
On the allied left a continuing series of cavalry melees ended with some victories for the French but they too withdrew to support the planned attack on the ridge.
The middle guard and the old guard finally took position near La Belle Alliance whilst I threw the Young Guard into Plancenoit just as the first brigades of Prussians arrived on the eastern edge of the table. The Guard Light cavalry charged and drove the vanguard Prussian cavalry brigade of the field. Given that the Prussians had arrived before the planned second attack on the ridge could be launched by D’Erlon it was clear that the French could not win and the game ended at this point. The game was declared to be a marginal allied victory as the French had taken Hougomont and still had effective troops in the field.
The allied figures all came from the collection of Iain Gale whilst the French came from the collections of Iain, myself, Angus Konstam and Dougie Trail.
All my photos with descriptions at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157634008989879/A truly great game and enjoyable game....Iain plans to replay the game later in the summer.
Action around Papelotte
Fall of Hougomont - and there was no allied counter-attack!
British supply wagons behind a protecting line of squares
End position at Hougomont - still in French hands
Young Guard march into Plancenoit - winning the race - as minutes later Prussian columns appeared on the table from the east.
12 July 2014, 09:15:20 PM