Quatre Bras - part 1

This Command & Colours game was played at the Sheffield club on 8 February.  A discussion following the Ligny game a few weeks ago led to the idea of fighting Quatre Bras with both CCN and Brown Bess in order to compare and contrast the outcomes.  This wasn't the first time I had played Quatre Bras on hexes as it was the scenario I used when trying out a (short-lived) game system a few years ago.  If I can locate the photos of that game I'll post them later.

Back to last week's game.  While the British and French toys weren't a problem, most of the Allied army was made up of an assortment of Belgians and Dutch troops (referred to as 'DB' hereafter), so some Brunswickers and my long suffering Saxons were again called upon to fill stand in.  One day the Saxons will actually be used as Saxons. 

John led the Allies while Martin again commanded the French.  As the latter merrily quipped - "oh good, another battle where I have to attack over a river and up a sodding hill!"  As it happens, the 'river' was only a minor and fordable stream,

If you go down to the woods today........ French light infantry surprise a DB battery.

An overview of the game from my vantage point on the French left.

One of the exciting 'new' troop types in this game was French Cuirassiers - two units of 'em.  One is seen here being led in person by Kellerman.

All three of the French cavalry units - a very imposing sight.

The French light infantry in the woods give some DB troops a hard time.

Somehow the French got kicked out but here come some more...

Here some the French (right) splashing through the stream.  The DB defenders of the ridge had by this time suffered from some accurate French gunnery.

A dramatic French 'Grand Mavouvre' saw the ridge under new management!

On the French right a British counterattack was developing.

As this report draws to a close I leave you with a cliffhanger.  French infantry appear poised to seize the village of Quatre Bras, but what of the DB light cavalry?  Oh the tension!   More soon.