An alternate Waterloo campaign

Part 3 is up:

as promised it is a shorter post, giving a general overview on strength and position of the Allied and Prussian Army as of June 15, around 1100 AM.

Since I have already given you the final count of troops for all armies one can deduct that there is quite a number of reinforcements arriving for both these armies in due time. But for now it would appear that the initial engagements will have to be fought with the forces at hand - and I do have to say that especially with Allied army seems rather weak and dispersed there in the west....

http://historicalaars.blogspot.co.at/2015/04/part-3-allied-deployment-in-area-on.html

So the Prussian 1st corps is not concentrated at Charleroi but is instead watching the cattle crossings of the Sambre east of town?  Boney must be very happy.

indeed - the Prussian 1st Corps guards ALL the possible crossings in the area - which also include the ones to the NE at Pont-de-Loup

all of this will be quite unimportant however - as the French have already crossed the Sambre elsewhere - more about this in Part IV - which will follow tonight

Part 4 is now online:

the Prussians desperately try to destroy the brigdes at Charleroi, while the Hanoverians are fighting a delaying action near Mons- but the real issue is that French troops have now also been spotted to the north of Charleroi, at Chatelet, and to the west - already across the Sambre.

http://historicalaars.blogspot.co.at/2015/04/part-4-june-15-1100-am.html

Not much Prussian efficiency or organization on display here.

quite so... I am sue however that the French or the Allies will run into similar issues or worse at some point

Part 5 is now online:

The Allied Army is starting to react to the French attack, while the Prussians are fighting a spirited rear-guard action near Charleroi, which actually manages to push back several attacks led by the Young Guard.

http://historicalaars.blogspot.co.at/2015/04/part-5-june-15-1130.html

A bit off topic but I watched the 1970 film "Waterloo" last night. I had completely forgotten how damned good Rod Steiger's acting was. He makes a pretty convincing Napoleon, even his facial features were not that far off. Plummer as Wellington was quite good too, but Steiger stole the show.

oh I love that movie... if only it didn't have those gasoline explosions

Perhaps if the Allies had spent less time dancing and drinking and more on thinking, they wouldn't be in this mess. Now they need to trade space for time. Do the Brits know if they are facing only a single corps at Mons? Any heavy cavalry supporting Davout?

Current intel on the situation around Mons indicates that at least two infantry divisions with one cavalry division up front are in the area - roughly a corps - but if there are more French behind them on the road, noone can say at this stage!
The cavalry the Hanoverians have been facing at Mons were Hussars, Chasseurs and some Dragoons. No Cuirassiers have been spotted so far.

Allied forces however also do not exceed two divisions and supporting cavalry at this time: the 3rd and the 1st - both strong divisions - especially the 1st, but divisions no less...
the 2nd Netherlands is on the way to meet them from the east - while the 3rd has other orders.
Cavalry is a problem on its own - only two brigades (both running from the French towards the north) are available at this stage - no heavy units amongst them.

LtGen Alten will try to make the most of the terrain available to him- his choice will be discussed at a later date.


biggest question of all however is: Will the reinforced Prussians be able to deal with the main force on their own?

Part 6 is now online:

The Prussians gradually lose ground around Charleroi but keep delaying the French, while MajGeneral Rebecque has issues of his own: The Prince of Orange has arrived on the field.

http://historicalaars.blogspot.co.at/2015/04/part-6-june-15-1245.html