KS Napoleon Game Friday, Sept. 11th 20:00BST, 15:00EST

1. General situation.

After the Prussian defeat at Ligny three days ago, the sausage kings retreated east towards Namur. Wellington is not daring to face us and his army has been moving north with Emperor Bonaparte in hot pursuit.


Now the allied forces continue moving north along the roads east of Brussels. Our corps has been marching in the extreme left of the French Army, advancing fast thanks to our excellent cavalry and neglecting the enemy any chance for moving NW.
The Emperor is in great form, quickly grasping the situation and leading his troops like in the old good times, as the last message form Imperial Headquarters proves:

The British are about to leave the continent. They are using their Dutch, Belgian and German troops to cover their retreat. Antwerp is their most likely port of embarkation.
Your Corps must switch its axis of advance to the East and cut all the roads leading from Brussels to the North. If you are able to cut the main Brussels-Antwerp road while the main Army strikes from the South, we might encircle the best part of Wellington’s army.

Cavalry patrols sent to the East have reported the situation of the enemy’s outposts and pickets.

2. French forces:

The forces under your command are detailed below. Your Marshall Baton awaits you in the Road to Antwerp.

Lieutenant-général comte Honoré Charles M. J. Reille (19737 Inf.  2970 Cav.  68 Guns))

 Lieutenant-général Baron Pierre Berthenzene (6714 Inf.  300 Cav.  22 Guns)
    Colonel Claude Charlet (2110 Inf. 4 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.0)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Pierre Antoine Husson (3124 Inf. 6 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.6)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Claude Germain Louis de Villiers (1480 Inf. 3 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.6)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Auguste Jean Joseph Gilbert Ameil (300 Cav. 3 squadrons  Avg.Exp. 6.0)
    Capt Mathieu-Marius Autric (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    Capitaine Henry Godet (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    capitaine François Lachiche (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)

 Lieutenant-général Baron Pierre Joseph Habert (4668 Inf.  811 Cav.  16 Guns)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron André Philippe Corsin (1971 Inf. 5 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.4)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Jean-Baptiste Jamin (2697 Inf. 6 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.1)
    Maréchal de Camp Chevalier Frédéric Guillaume de Donop (811 Cav. 6 squadrons  Avg.Exp. 6.7)
    Capitaine Augustin Denis Bourgeois (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    Capitaine Jean Laurent De Haulles (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)

  Lieutenant-général Baron Louis Joseph Vichery (3702 Inf.  1045 Cav.  14 Guns)
    Colonel Jean Ricard (936 Inf. 2 battalions  Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Pierre François Bauduin (2766 Inf. 5 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.7)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron Pierre Antoine François Huber (1045 Cav. 8 squadrons  Avg.Exp. 5.2)
    Capitaine Jean Louis Marie Tacon (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    Capitaine  Alexandre Duchet (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)

  Lieutenant-général comte Louis Friant (4653 Inf.  814 Cav.  16 Guns)
    Maréchal de Camp baron Jean Georges Grenier  (1977 Inf. 4 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.0)
    Maréchal de Camp Baron René Joseph Dupeyroux (2676 Inf. 6 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.2)
    Maréchal de Camp Chevalier Pierre Marie Auguste Berruyer (814 Cav. 8 squadrons  Avg.Exp. 4.80)
    capitaine Brice Fenouillot (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)
    Capitaine  Jean Baptiste Chenin (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 7.0)

3. Victory conditions.

1) Take and hold the main Brussels-Antwerp road, marked by two small white flags on your map. You have 2,000 troops on the road and it is clean of enemy troops.
2) Keep your communications to the West open. It will be of no use to hold the road and leave enemy troops to the West or South-West of you.

Hmmm, Brussels may have the odd trinket or two in need of a new owner. We may be slightly delayed while moving through the city.

This looks like an excellent scenario - well done Pepe. I've been wanting to use the Grande Ville map for am MP game for a long time because away from the city there is some interesting terrain on it. There's also suburbs of the city such as the north and east that are pretty open and would be playable in even in HITS.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/BattleOfBruxelles.jpg

Your orders gentlemen.

Genl. Friant - You will push your division through Bruxelles as rapidly as possible and strike east and east-north-east from the far side of the city. Your orders are to attract as much attention of the retreating Allies as possible and get them to halt their withdrawal north. Make them stop and turn to face you. If you are hard pressed, give ground south-west but do all you can to draw them after you. Act wisely, you will be without support until Bertherzene arrives later in the day.

Genl. Habert - You are to push your division as quickly as you can without tiring your men east-north-east to the northernmost river crossing and attack across the river with elan - your orders are to cut the Bruxelles-Antwerp road at the southern flag position. With Friant troubling the tail of the enemy your division should hit his flank and cause his northward movement to cease. Ensure you capture the objective point and attain the objective of placing 2,000 troops there and keep the road clear.

Col. Vichery - Your command is small but important. You will advance briskly with your cavalry in the lead and ride far ahead with your troopers - canter a squadron forwards if necessary. report back to me what you find at the north river bridge and occupy the enemy there until Habert comes up on your right flank. You are then to work with Habert to attain the objective in the south but use only your artillery and perhaps cavalry to support him. Keep your infantry fresh and uncommitted. You will then swing north-east towards the north-most objective on the Antwerp road and secure it. The terrain here is broken, use that cover to press close to your target and avoid enemy artillery and cavalry.

Genl. Bertherzene - Your division is the coup de grace. You will arrive at the action last but your presence will be decisive. You also have the duty of finding Friant's left flank and communicating with him. It will be his duty to then maintain contact with your right. You will press against the centre of the Allied column and work with Habert to secure the southern objective. Your fresh troops, arriving after the battle is joined should be attacking tired enemy. Strike hard!

To all commanders:

The Emperor has tasked us with striking the Allies hard and with elan. Keep this thought uppermost. Elan however does not mean being rash. You must be wise and use your assets to their fullest effect. Use your guns on this flat terrain with effect. Our artillery is extremely numerous and should be sufficient to beat down the enemy artillery; do this as a first priority, then bombard his infantry. If the Allies counter-attack, do not be afraid to go on the defence. Artillery and infantry must work in partnership to defeat any enemy cavalry attacks. Keep your cavalry as fresh as you can in reserve of your attacks to be unleashed on the enemy when his cavalry is blown and his infantry are near to breaking point.

You must each keep me informed of the enemy's status to your front and your own position and division's effectiveness. I demand reports frequently from each of you. Each officer must also be prepared to change the direction and effort of his division's attack at short notice.

Our weight will fall to the north so each divisional commander has the responsibility of ensuring his LEFT flank is always in contact with the right of the division to the north. This latter order applies to Genl. Friant only when Genl. Bertherzene arrives north-east of the city and initially makes contact with him.

After I have answered any questions, attend at once to your troops. We march!

I also think this map has more possibilities than it appears at first sight. I hope we'll enjoy an interesting battle.

It will be very hard to keep Gral. Georgia away from the city, he is a entrepreneur. Can you guess the silverware?

Assignments:

Kevin - Habert
Roland - Bertherzene
Pepe - Vichery
A N Other (SJ? Ron? Martin?) - Friant

Need to keep MTG well away from the Duchess of Richmond's balls.

didn't know the Duchess had any... (my apologies - I know - cheap - but it was simply there )


I believe this is a first and a most welcome change - I look forward to following your lead, LtG Charles "Digby" Reille

Genl. Bertherzene

Bah! Another fight without just compensation. Glory will only get you so far in a fancy house.

they better have some wine stashed at the ferme de trois - or I won't proceed east...

I will be around Sunday if anyone wants to battle.

People will be around Sunday mark, fairly sure of that. I can play Saturday this weekend as well.

EDIT: A postscript to II Corps Orders -

Speed towards the east is vital. Do not use roads unless they lead directly in the direction you need to go, otherwise go across country in battle formation. Friant has good road lines and Bertherzene likewise in the middle stage of his march. In the north the road network is only marginally useful. Habert should commence his march by swinging to the north of the river near him at the outset. I shall reprimand any commander whose troops are on a road but not moving directly to the east or north-east!

Finally, a morning speech:

"Soldiers! Two days ago our emperor defeated our traditional foe - Prussia! The Germans have gone back east towards the Rhine where they belong! Today we shall gift France and French arms with further glory! Our Emperor has given us the honour of being the leading corps in the chase to stop Old Big Nose from escaping at Antwerp! Our hated foes who gave us much misery in Spain and Portugal are at our mercy! Revenge men! Revenge! Let us demonstrate to our Emperor that he has placed his trust in the best of his soldiers! To defeat the English! March on!"

speech eh?

so you're one of those.... they usually tend to guard the rear when the fighting starts....

Or, like the short stout Corsican fellow, they are very important.

Regret I cannot play today. Hopefully on Sunday.

Good luck team!

Martin (J)

Me neither chaps but tomorrow is a possiblilty. Have a good'un.

This is the enemy we fought today:

Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill (22780 Inf. 3299 Cav. 62 Guns))

Major-General Sir George Cooke (5061 Inf. 972 Cav. 14 Guns)
Generaal-Majoor Prinz Karl Bernhard von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (4371 Inf. 6 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Major Adolf von Rauschenplatt (690 Inf. 2 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.5)
Lieutenant-Colonel James Wallace Sleigh (456 Cav. 3 squadrons Avg.Exp. 6.0)
Oberstleutnant Georg von Hake (516 Cav. 4 squadrons Avg.Exp. 4.0)
Kapitein Carl Jan Riesz (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Second-Captain Alexander C. Mercer (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Colville (5215 Inf. 265 Cav. 12 Guns)
Oberst Christian Friedrich Wilhelm von Ompteda (2147 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 6.7)
Generaal-Majoor Dominique Jacques de Eerens (3068 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.5)
Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Ferrior (265 Cav. 2 squadrons Avg.Exp. 7.0)
Captain William Morrison (4 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Kapitein Carel Frederik Krahmer de Bichin (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Generalleutnant Frederich von der Decken (4677 Inf. 588 Cav. 12 Guns)
Oberstleutnant Fredrich von Specht (2073 Inf. 3 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Oberst Ernst von Vincke (2604 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.0)
Lieutenant-Colonel William Fuller (588 Cav. 3 squadrons Avg.Exp. 6.0)
Major Augustus Sympher (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
Captain Thomas Rogers (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Luitenant-Generaal John Andrew Stedman (7827 Inf. 18 Guns)
Generaal-Majoor Graaf Willem Frederik van Bijlandt (3233 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.5)
Major General Sir James Kempt (2473 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 6.7)
Generalmajor Georg Carl August du Plat (2121 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 6.7)
Captain Sir Hew D. Ross (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
Kapitain Carl von Rettberg (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Captain Joseph Brome (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Colonel Sir Friedrich von Arentsschildt ( 1474 Cav. 6 Guns)
Lieutenant-Colonel George Quentin (454 Cav. 3 squadrons Avg.Exp. 6.0)
Oberstleutnant August von Linsingen (564 Cav. 4 squadrons Avg.Exp. 6.0)
Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Doherty (456 Cav. 3 squadrons Avg.Exp. 6.0)
Major Heinrich Jacob Kühlmann (6 Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)

That was a pretty tough enemy, stronger than I was expecting. Seeing that I am more pleased with the result we got.

Well done everyone, a good fight... even those who thought it was a bad one!

Charles Honore Reille, Marechal de France (woot).

Replay file.

I tried looking at the replay, but got a map error. Any ideas?

Martin (J)

You may not have the latest version of the replay viewer.  Here is the link: ReplayViewer

Many thanks Kevin.  That did the trick.  

Nice to see you in the thick of the action btw

Martin (J)

Kevin suffered the most. His division was down to six ragged battalions at the end - all his guns and cavalry gone. It was a glorious sight!

In the south Roland bore the brunt of the enemy's biggest division for a long while before Steve came to his aid - I thought Steve's slow move into action from the eastern suburbs of Brussels was going to cost us the battle but in the end he arrived to take some pressure off Roland and between them their southern divisions occupied and wrecked enough of the Allied army to allow Kevin and especially Pepe to get around their northern flank, batter them enough and take the vital Antwerp road without the Allies seriously contesting it. Pepe's cavalry also conducted a superb charge against the flank of several enemy batteries, driving them all away and saving Kevin many more casualties.

When I found out afterwards that the enemy had 3,000 more infantry than us and their cavalry was slightly better I was pleased with what we achieved.

I thought at the end of the battle that even the citizens of Brussels were happy.

I'd say that in the south the Allies deployed Cooke, von der Decken and a brigade from their cavalry division. In the north we fought Colville, Stedman and two brigades from the cavalry division. There were five enemy divisions.

During scenario testing I realized that defending the objective aganist an attack from the west, the AI could enjoy some nice reverse slope positions, and I believe that's what Gral. Habert experienced, when I was charging the batteries I was impressed to see three or four lines of infantry in depth facing Kevin.

Another thing I liked is that out of the city the lines of sight are pretty good, and it was easy to realize how the battle was going on in other sectors.

Agreed. I felt in control at all times. From one or two places I could see all my 4 divisions despite a battle probably almost 2.5 miles long.

Despite the map centre being occupied by the city, this is one of the better fictional maps NSD have made for WL. We should play on it more often.

indeed - and one of the most "inventive" maps when it comes to names... they even put an "église" in there...

That is balanced by the original and unusual names of the farms though.