Here’s yet another Seven Years War scenario to add to the collection.  You’ve gotta catch ’em all! 🙂

Corbach is an interesting battle, which is actually classified as a ‘combat’ in most sources, as the two armies were only lightly engaged, with one side (the Allies) breaking off and retreating before the armies became fully-engaged.  It’s also something of an encounter-battle, which we don’t often play during this era.  If played ‘straight out of the packet’, this is going to be a VERY difficult battle for the Allies to win, but I include some scenario-balancing options and I thoroughly recommend using the rules listed at the bottom of this article under ‘Umpire’s Eyes Only!’  I’ve also included a slightly truncated version of the scenario, in order to bring the armies together a bit faster.

As always, this scenario is written for Tricorn, which is our Seven Years War & Mid-18th Century variant of Shako Napoleonic rules.  In case you missed it, I recently updated Tricorn and the changes are detailed here.

Historical Background

The campaign of 1759 in Western Germany had been an unusually long and hard one, extending well into the winter and even into early 1760, over ground that had already been well-trodden by war since 1757.  As a consequence, the Allied armies of Hanover, Hesse-Cassel, Brunswick and Schaumburg-Lippe, commanded by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, were struggling to recover their numbers.  However, their victory at Minden during the previous summer had given a boost to their supporters in Britain and as a consequence, Parliament approved the doubling of the British contingent in Germany, as well as the funding for the new Légion Britannique and an additional cash subsidy for Hesse-Cassel, whose lands had been ravaged by the French.

Even though he outnumbered the Allies by a ratio of almost 2 to 1, the protracted campaigning was also causing problems for the Duc de Broglie’s French armies in Western Germany.  The whole region had been over-foraged in three successive campaigns, meaning that the main source of feed for the army’s horses would be the new green grass.  De Broglie therefore estimated that he would have to delay his army’s new offensive against Hanover until mid-July.  Broglie also had considerable cashflow problems, though that was eventually resolved through calling in every favour he had remaining at Court. 

However, this financial support came with a cost; the War-Minister Belle-Isle disapproved of Broglie’s planned attack via an unexpected axis, fearing that this would leave French territory too exposed to an Allied offensive.  Broglie was therefore forced to take the obvious invasion route, straight through Hesse-Cassel (which had already been attempted multiple times, without success).

The French armies in Germany were split into three groups; Broglie’s Grande Armée being by far the largest, was in the centre near Frankfurt, with Prince Xaver’s corps (consisting of the Prince’s own Saxon contingent, reinforced by French formations) on the right near Fulda and extending into the Saale valley, with the Comte de Saint-Germain’s Armée du Bas-Rhin on the left around Köln and Düsseldorf, on the left bank of the Rhine.

As for the Allies, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick’s main army was positioned around Paderborn, covering the likely western invasion route from Köln to Hanover, while the corps of his nephew, the Hereditary Prince (or Erbprinz) Carl Wilhelm Ferdinand of Brunswick was in the vicinity of Cassel, covering the likely eastern approach from Frankfurt.

During May, Broglie drew in Prince Xaver’s corps from Fulda, but worried about Allied activity on the Lower Rhine (caused by British regulars and the Légion Britannique), ordered St Germain to remain around Düsseldorf.  In the meantime, the Erbprinz wasted no time in recapturing Fulda, though was soon forced to withdraw from the Franco-Saxon response.

Probing, scouting and skirmishing continued across the front for much of May and June.  On 15th June St Germain’s army crossed the Rhine at Düsseldorf and on 18th June, Broglie’s main army finally left its winter quarters and began the advance on Hanover.  By 25th June, Broglie had crossed the River Ohm near Amöneburg (roughly half way from Frankfurt to Kassel) and at last, Ferdinand was manoeuvring to oppose him.

In the meantime, on 29th June, the city of Marburg fell to the Irish Brigade of the French army.  However, things were not all well in the French camp, as St Germain disagreed with Broglie’s new plan and had asked to be relieved of command!  With his resignation refused, St Germain finally started marching east from Düsseldorf on 4th July, with orders to concentrate with Broglie’s army at the town of Corbach on 10th July.  Ferdinand in the meantime, had learned of St Germain’s movement, but was not sure if he intended to march directly on Paderborn, via Soest and Lippstadt (and thus threaten Ferdinand’s rear), or march directly to join his forces with those of Broglie.

On 8th July, Ferdinand’s uncertainty evaporated as an intercepted French letter (snigger, fnarr, yuk-yuk, etc…) confirmed that St Germain had been ordered to achieve a junction with Broglie at Corbach.  Ferdinand immediately ordered the Erbprinz and the light troops under Luckner to seize the tactical heights at Corbach and Sachsenhausen, thereby preventing the junction of the two French armies.  In the meantime, Ferdinand would march the main Allied army to Sachsenhausen.

On 9th July, the Erbprinz, together with the Hanoverian corps of General Kielmansegge, the British corps of General Griffin and Luckner’s light troops had reached Sachsenhausen.  Luckner even managed to capture Corbach during the morning, though was soon forced to withdraw when faced by a massively superior enemy force.  This superior force of French troops was Clausen’s corps, which formed the vanguard of Broglie’s Grande Armée… The Allies had lost the race to drive a wedge between Broglie and St Germain.

With the main Allied army’s vanguard identified, Broglie ordered Clausen to pin them in position and ordered St Germain to redouble his efforts to reach Corbach and there make an immediate attack on the Allied army.  In the meantime, he ordered the Marquis de Poyanne’s Corps of Carabiniers to reinforce Clausen and also personally led a further six brigades forward to attack the enemy at Corbach.

On the morning of the 10th and having identified the French vanguard drawn up on the heights just to the east of Corbach, the Erbprinz resolved to immediately attack them with the corps of Kielmannsegge, Griffin and Luckner.  Prince Ferdinand in the meantime, was marching to the scene, having set out at 2am.  The corps of Oheimb and Webb with Charlton’s British artillery brigade, were sent on ahead to reinforce the Erbprinz as quickly as possible.  However, with a better grasp of the overall situation, Ferdinand ordered the Erbprinz not to attack, but to hold the enemy long enough for the main army to deploy at Sachsenhausen, a short distance to the Erbprinz‘s rear.

On the other side of the field, St Germain’s infantry had started to arrive following a punishing forced-march.  As more French infantry began to appear, the Erbprinz ordered Kielmansegge to extend his line to the right and refuse the flank, in order to be protected against any surprised coming from the woods.  However, unseen by the Erbprinz, St Germain had already pushed a great mass of infantry into the woods.

D’Amenzaga’s corps, consisting of the La Couronne and La Tour-du-Pin Brigades (8 battalions), had pushed deep into the woods, screened by the light infantry of the Volontaires de Flandre.  In response, Kielmannsegge countered them with the Hanoverian ‘Laffert’ Regiment.  This counter-move initially pushed back the French light infantry, but proved to be completely inadequate against d’Amenzaga’s main body and the Hanoverians were soon forced to fall back.

At that moment, with the d’Amenzaga’s French infantry, (closely followed by the corps of the Comte de Rooth and Comte de Guerchy) poised to completely overwhelm the unsuspecting Allied right flank, Broglie spotted the approaching columns of Generals Oheimb and Webb.  Massively over-estimating the strength of these distant columns, Broglie ordered St Germain’s infantry to halt their advance!  The French assault immediately staggered to a halt, with some brigades even retreating from the woods!  Only the Comte de Rooth’s division (consisting of the Swiss Castellas Brigade and German Royal-Suédois Brigade) on the extreme French left flank, failed to receive this order and therefore continued its march around the Allied right flank.  This pause gave the Erbprinz valuable time to appreciate the situation and shift most of his infantry over to the right flank.

However, it wasn’t long before Broglie realised his mistake and ordered the French advance to resume.  In the meantime, the French had massed a large battery of 24 position pieces on the high ground, which quickly overwhelmed the dozen or so guns that the Allies had managed to mass on the Watchtower Hill.  With this effective fire-support, the French infantry renewed their assault and quickly overwhelmed the Allied right flank, even managing to capture the entire Allied battery.

As four battalions of British infantry (the 5th, 24th, 50th & 51st Regiments) covered the retreat, Prince Camille arrived on the field with three brigades of French heavy cavalry and he quickly led them forward, along with the Turpin Hussars and Beaufremont Dragoons, intending to destroy the Allied rearguard and fall upon the retreating column.  The Allied retreat now had every possibility of turning into a rout!

However, the French pursuit was halted by the sacrifice of Major General Grothaus’ cavalry; chiefly the British 1st (King’s) Dragoon Guards (Bland’s) and 3rd Dragoon Guards (Howard’s), who suffered heavy casualties.

With the Erbprinz‘s force defeated (and the Erbprinz himself having received a slight wound), the two French armies completed their concentration without further hindrance.  The Allies had lost 824 men dead, wounded and missing, as well as a dozen position guns, while the French had lost some 650-750 men.  Nevertheless, only six days later, the Erbprinz was to turn the tables, winning a remarkable victory at Emsdorf, where he captured General Glaubiz’s entire French brigade of 2,680 men!  Ten days after Emsdorf, the Marquess of Granby won a further tremendous victory over the French at Warburg.

Nevertheless, the French continued to advance, occupying Hesse and besieging the fortress of Wesel.  Then in October, the Erbprinz then suffered another reverse at Clostercamp, which left him very bitter (somewhat unfairly) regarding his British allies!  However, while things had been going badly for the Allies in Western Germany, they had gone even worse for Frederick’s Prussians against the Austrians.  Despite the inconclusive end to the campaign, the hard fighting in Western Germany throughout 1760 had therefore achieved a major Allied strategic goal, as the French were unable to released armies to aid the Austrians in Saxony.  If they had managed to do that, it probably would have been Game Over for Prussia and the Alliance as a whole.

Scenario Outline

This scenario requires an 8’x6′ table when using the same scale as me (i.e. battalions with a frontage of 6-8cm).

The game lasts until the end of Turn 20, or until one army is broken or retreats from the field.

After Turn 15, the Allied army may voluntarily retreat from the field to claim a draw.  No units may voluntarily retreat from the table before that point.

The Allied Army

Lieutenant General Carl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince (Erbprinz) of Brunswick

(Good – 2 ADCs)

Right Column – Lieutenant General Georg Ludwig, Graf von Kielmansegg
British 50th Regiment of Foot (Carr’s)      [5/2]
British 51st Regiment of Foot (Brudenell’s)      [5/2]
Hanoverian Grenadier Battalion ‘Geyso’      [5/2]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Wangenheim’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Bock’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Reden’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Laffert’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Plessen’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
British & Hanoverian Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Hanoverian Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Hanoverian Light Artillery Battery (Eitel’s)      [3/0]
1/British Light Artillery Brigade (Charlton’s)      [3/0]
2/British Light Artillery Brigade (Charlton’s)      [3/0]
Picquets      [1x Skirmishers]

Right Column Cavalry – Major General Ernst Philip von Grothaus
3 Sqns, British 1st (King’s) Dragoon Guards (Bland’s)      [6/2]
2 Sqns, British 3rd Dragoon Guards (Howard’s)      } [6/2]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Leib’ Regiment of Horse      } [combined with above]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Grothaus’ Regiment of Horse      } [6/2]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Hodenberg’ Regiment of Horse      } [combined with above]
4 Sqns, Hessen-Cassel ‘Leib’ Dragoon Regiment      [5/2]

Left Column – Major General John Griffin Griffin
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Schulenberg’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessen-Cassel Infantry Regiment ‘Prinz Carl’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessen-Cassel Füsilier Regiment ‘Gilsa’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessen-Cassel Infantry Regiment ‘Malsburg’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian & Hessian Battalion Guns      [2/0]

Reinforcement Column – Lieutenant General Albrecht Christian von Oheimb
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Dreves’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
I. Bn, Brunswick Infantry Regiment ‘Zastrow’      [4/1]
II. Bn, Brunswick Infantry Regiment ‘Zastrow’      [4/1]
Brunswick & Hanoverian Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Hanoverian Light Artillery Battery      [3/0]

Detachment of Major General Nikolaus, Graf von Luckner
Hanoverian Grenadier Battalion ‘Wersabé’      [5/2]
Hanoverian Grenadier Battalion ‘Bock’      [5/2]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Walthausen’ Regiment of Horse      } [6/2]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Heise’ Regiment of Horse      } [combined with above]
4 Sqns, Hanoverian Hussar Regiment ‘Luckner’      [4/1]
Brunswick Foot Jäger Corps      [2x Skirmishers – MR 5]
Brunswick Mounted Jäger Corps      [1x Skirmishers]

Detachment of Major General Daniel Webb
British 5th Regiment of Foot (Hodgson’s)      [5/2]
British 24th Regiment of Foot (Cornwallis’)      [5/2]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Jung-Zastrow’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
British & Hanoverian Battalion Guns      [2/0]

Allied Orbat Notes

1. Hessen-Cassel infantry regiments actually consisted of two battalions from 1760 onward. However, these reorganised regiments were no stronger than the previous single-battalion regiments, so for game purposes are still classed as single Large Units.

2. In most cases, the Allied cavalry regiments are rather small and are brigaded together into combined units for game purposes.

3. Oheimb’s corps reinforced the army at 0900hrs. His three infantry regiments formed a second line behind Griffin’s division, while his cavalry and artillery reinforced the right flank. I’ve arbitrarily grouped the cavalry under Grothaus’ command and the artillery under Kielmansegg’s command.

4. The Army C-on-C, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick (not to be confused with his subordinate, the Hereditary Prince (‘Erbprinz’) Carl Wilhelm Ferdinand) arrives on Turn 10 to assess the situation and will take control of the battle. The C-in-C’s rating therefore becomes ‘Excellent’ from that point forth.

5.  The single Skirmisher elements (Kielmansegge’s picquets and Luckner’s Brunswick Mounted Jäger) will be eliminated on the third hit.  They do not count towards army morale.

Allied Reinforcements

All reinforcements arrive anywhere between points C & D, in column of march or column of battalions/regiments (i.e. each unit in line, one behind the other) and all artillery limbered.

Turn 1 – The Hessian Leib-Dragoner Regiment and Charlton’s British battery arrive.

Turn 3 – Oheimb’s column arrives.

Turn 8 – Webb’s Detachment arrives.

Allied Formation Breakpoints

Division          FMR      ⅓      ½      ¾
Kielmansegg        48         16      24      36
Grothaus               23          8       12      18
Griffin                    18          6         9       14
Oheimb                  17          6         9       13
Luckner                  25          9       13      19
Webb                       16          6        8       12

Army                 FMR      ¼      ⅓      ½
Allied Army          146        37      49      73

Optional Allied Forces

Historically, Ferdinand of Brunswick decided not to further reinforce the Hereditary Prince’s corps after sending Oheimb’s and Webb’s detachments.  However, if you want to give the Allies a fighting chance of winning, starting on Turn 9, roll 1 d6 at the end of the Allied Command Phase.  On a roll of 6, the following formations will arrive at the start of the following Allied turn:

Division of Lieutenant General Eitel Ludwig Philipp von Gilsa
Hessian Grenadier Battalion ‘Schlottheim’      [5/2]
Hessian Grenadier Battalion ‘Stirn’      [5/2]
Hessian Grenadier Battalion ‘Balcke’      [5/2]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Alt-Zastrow’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hanoverian Infantry Regiment ‘Chevallerie’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessian Infantry Regiment ‘2. Garde’      [5/2 – Large Unit]
Hessian Infantry Regiment ‘Mansbach’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessian Infantry Regiment ‘Bischhausen’      [4/1 – Large Unit]
Hessian & Hanoverian Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Hessian Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Hessian Light Artillery Battery      [3/0]
3 Coys, Hanoverian ‘Stockhausen’ Freikorps Infantry      [2x Skirmishers – MR 4]
2 Sqns, Hanoverian ‘Stockhausen’ Freikorps Mounted Jäger      [2x Skirmishers – MR 4]
3 Coys, Hanoverian ‘Freytag’ Jäger Corps      [2x Skirmishers – MR 5]
3 Coys, Hanoverian ‘Freytag’ Jäger Corps      [2x Skirmishers – MR 5]
6 Mounted Coys, Hanoverian ‘Freytag’ Jäger Corps      [2x Skirmishers – MR 5]

Division of Lieutenant General J. A. F. von Bischhausen
2 Sqns, British 2nd Dragoons (Scots Greys)      } [5/2]
2 Sqns, British 10th Dragoons (Mordaunt’s)      } [combined with above]
2 Sqns, Hessian ‘Prinz Wilhelm’ Regiment of Horse      } [6/2 – Large Unit]
4 Sqns, Hessian ‘Prinz Friedrich’ Dragoons      } [combined with above]
3 Sqns, Prussian ‘Ruesch’ Hussars (HR5) (elite)      [5/2]
2 Sqns, Prussian ‘Malachowski’ Hussars (HR7)      [4/1]

If you use these optional forces, apply the following formation breakpoints. The army breakpoint only changes AFTER the reinforcements arrive, so tough luck if the army breaks beforehand:

Division                       FMR      ⅓      ½      ¾
Gilsa                                    71         24      36      54
Bischhausen                      20         7       10       15

Army                             FMR      ¼      ⅓      ½
Allied Army                      237        60      79     119

La Grande Armée

Maréchal de France Victor François Duc de Broglie

(Good – 2 ADCs)

Vanguard of La Grande Armée – Lieutenant-Général Baron de Clausen
Grenadiers Réunis (from Castellas & Royal-Suédois Brigades)      [5/2]
Chasseurs Réunis (from Castellas & Royal-Suédois Brigades)      [4/1]
1st Bn, Horion Walloon Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Horion Walloon Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Vierzet Walloon Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Vierzet Walloon Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
6 Sqns, Hussar Regiment ‘Turpin’      [4/1 – Large]
4 Sqns, Dragoon Regiment ‘Beaufremont’ (poor)      [4/1]
Foot Coys, Volontaires du Dauphiné      [2x Skirmishers – MR 3]

Corps des Carabiniers de Monsieur le Comte de Provence – Lieutenant-Général Marquis de Poyanne
Left Wing, Royal-Carabiniers Regiment      [6/2 – Large]
Right Wing, Royal-Carabiniers Regiment      [6/2 – Large]

Vanguard of L’Armée du Bas-Rhin – Lieutenant-Général Marquis d’Amenzaga
Foot Coys, Volontaires de Flandre      [2x Skirmishers – MR 3]
Dragoon Coys, Volontaires de Flandre & Volontaires du Dauphiné (light cavalry)      [4/1]
1st Bn, La Tour-du-Pin Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, La Tour-du-Pin Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, La Tour-du-Pin Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
4th Bn, La Tour-du-Pin Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, La Couronne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, La Couronne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, D’Aumont Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, D’Aumont Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]

Division of Maréchal de Camp Comte de Rooth
1st Bn, Royal-Suédois German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Royal-Suédois German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, Royal-Suédois German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Royal Deux-Ponts German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Royal Deux-Ponts German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, Royal Deux-Ponts German Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Castellas Swiss Infantry Regiment (elite)      [5/2]
2nd Bn, Castellas Swiss Infantry Regiment (elite)      [5/2]
1st Bn, Eptingen Swiss Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Eptingen Swiss Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Diesbach Swiss Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Diesbach Swiss Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Light Artillery Battery      [3/0]

Division of Lieutenant-Général Comte de Guerchy
1st Bn, Navarre Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Navarre Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, Navarre Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
4th Bn, Navarre Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, La March-Prince Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Du Roi Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Du Roi Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, Du Roi Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
4th Bn, Du Roi Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Orléans Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Orléans Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Dufort Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Dufort Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
1st Bn, Auvergne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
2nd Bn, Auvergne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
3rd Bn, Auvergne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
4th Bn, Auvergne Infantry Regiment      [4/1]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Battalion Guns      [2/0]
Heavy Artillery Battery      [3/0]
Heavy Artillery Battery      [3/0]
Light Artillery Battery      [3/0]

Cavalry Division of Lieutenant-Général Prince Camille de Lorraine, Prince de Marsan
6 Sqns, Royal-Cravate Cavalry Brigade (Royal-Cravate, Busy-Lameth & Seyssel) (poor)      [5/2]
6 Sqns, Orléans Cavalry Brigade (Orléans, Damas, Rochefoucauld-Langeac) (poor)      [5/2]
6 Sqns, Royal Cavalry Brigade (Royal, Des Salles & Moustiers) (poor)      [5/2]
6 Sqns, Bourgogne Cavalry Brigade (Bourgogne, Charost & Fumel) (poor)      [5/2]

French Orbat Notes

1. The headquarters of the Duc de Broglie’s Grande Armée and the Comte de Saint-Germain’s  Armée du Bas-Rhin are combined for game-purposes.

2. Clausen’s Vanguard Division actually had two battalions each of combined grenadiers and chasseurs.  However, these were very weak (around 300 men apiece), so are combined here into single units.  Each may be split into 2x Skirmishers.

3. The Royal-Carabiniers actually had five ‘brigades’, each of two squadrons, for a rough total of 1,600 men.  For game purposes I’ve reorganised this as two large units.

4. French Dragoons are classed as Poor Dragoons, with MR 4.  However, they may dismount and fight as infantry with the same MR, or as 2x Skirmishers.  Volunteer Dragoon Squadrons tended to be organised and trained for mounted action as light cavalry, leaving their Foot Companies to do the dismounted work.

5. French cavalry regiments were very weak at this time.  Most had only two weak squadrons, with an average campaign strength of only 240 men.  Consequently, in Tricorn a unit usually represents a brigade of three such regiments (listed in brackets after the brigade name).  Note however, that these are classed as Poor Cuirassiers, so are MR 5.

French Reinforcements

All reinforcements arrive anywhere between points A & B, in column of march or column of battalions/regiments (i.e. each unit in line, one behind the other) and all artillery limbered.

Turn 1 – Rooth’s division arrives.

Turn 3 – Guerchy arrives with the Navarre Brigade (Navarre and La Marche-Prince Regiments and 1x Battalion Gun) and his position artillery batteries.

Turn 6 – Guerchy’s Du Roi Brigade (Du Roi Regiment and 1x Battalion Gun) arrives.

Turn 8 – Guerchy’s Auvergne and Orléans Brigades (Auvergne, Orléans & Dufort Regiments and 1x Battalion Gun) arrive.

Turn 12 – Prince Camille’s cavalry division arrives.

French Formation Breakpoints

Division          FMR      ⅓      ½      ¾
Clausen                 38         16      19      29
Poyanne                 12          –        6        –
D’Amenzaga         43         15      22      33
Rooth                      57        19      29      43
Guerchy                 83         28     42      63
Prince Camille      20          7       10      15

Army                 FMR       ¼      ⅓      ½
Grande Armée     245         62      82    123

Terrain Notes

The terrain is set up as per the scenario map above (on an 8′ x 6′ table).

Most of the terrain is open.  The road network is largely for decorative purposes only, but clearly allows all troop types to pass through woodland at full speed, provided they are in column/limbered formation.

All hills and woods give a +1 defensive mêlée modifier.  These are not cumulative.

The effect of woodland on movement, for the most part is as described in the rules.  However, the area of woodland occupied by Kielmansegge’s corps (south of the road) is a bit more open and/or crisscrossed by tracks and may be traversed by cavalry in column formation and limbered artillery at half-speed.

There is an area of steep, rocky ground at the top of the stream-valley.  Treat this as a Linear Obstacle for infantry.  It provides an additional +1 defensive mêlée modifier if infantry are defending from the higher (western) side.

The Grossergeneralstab map shows some form of linear feature along the southern side of the road, where the British 50th & 51st Regiments are deployed.  I’ve marked this on the map as a thick black line.  I suspect that this was probably a steep bank overlooking the road, so treat this as a Linear Obstacle and give the defenders on the southern side an additional +1 defensive mêlée modifier.

DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU PLAN TO PLAY THE SCENARIO WITH AN UMPIRE!  UNLESS YOU ARE THE UMPIRE OR IF YOU’RE PLAYING WITHOUT AN UMPIRE, IN WHICH CASE, CRACK ON…

Umpire’s Eyes Only!

Broglie’s Crisis of Confidence

At the start of the Command Phase, from Turn 5 onward, the umpire secretly rolls 1d6:

On a roll of 1, Broglie will spot the Allied reinforcements approaching the field and fearing disaster, will fire off a panicked series of orders, halting the attack!  All ADCs are immediately returned to the Army HQ, all delayed/pending orders are immediately cancelled and no orders may be transmitted during this turn.

Roll again for each division currently on Attack orders and apply the following results:

6     No effect. The division doesn’t receive the Halt order and continues with its orders.

3-5     The division immediately goes to Defend orders on its current position.

1-2     The division retreats!  The division immediately reverses the direction of its ‘Attack arrow’ on the headquarters map and marches back to its originating point.  ALL units* in the division will immediately turn about (artillery will automatically limber up) and must retreat at full speed.  Charges may only be made if the enemy is within 12 inches of their line of retreat.  Once they reach their originating point (or the table edge if they arrived as reinforcements) they will adopt Defend orders.

* Up to one-quarter of the division’s units and all Skirmishers may act as a rearguard and retire facing the enemy.

Divisions on Defend orders are unaffected.

If Broglie doesn’t panic on Turn 5, roll again on Turn 6, requiring a roll of 5-6.  On Turn 7, the required roll will be 4-8 and so on, until Turn 10, when he will automatically panic.

Orders may be transmitted as normal on the next turn.  Retreats may therefore be stopped by the successful delivery of new Defend or Attack orders.

Formations under Retreat orders will suffer a -1 on Formation Morale rolls until the retreat is halted.

Optional Shorter Scenario

The main scenario might take rather a long time to play, with all the reinforcement-arrivals and marching to contact.  For that reason, here’s a slightly ‘quicker and dirtier’ version, with the French reinforcements already fully committed on their left flank and the troops largely deployed as per the Grossergeneralstab map (see below), with reinforcing corps having arrived on both sides.

In this instance, the game starts at Turn 9, but Marshal de Broglie has just suffered a crisis of confidence due the sighting of an Allied reinforcement column (Oheimb’s corps) and has halted his attack!

Only Rooth’s division has not received the order to halt, so may be given Attack orders. 

All other French divisions are on Defend orders.  However, before the game starts, roll 1 d6 each for d’Amenzaga’s corps and Guerchy’s corps.  On a roll of 1 or 2, that corps must be deployed facing the rear, with artillery limbered and must retreat directly toward the table edge at full speed.   A retreating corps will halt and revert to Defend orders when it reaches the table edge (it may also respond to new orders received in the meantime).

(As a scenario-balancing measure, it would probably be best for at least one of these divisions to retreat, so the umpire could make an executive decision, or could flip a coin to see which of the two retreats).

All Allied formations may be given Attack or Defend orders.

The game will still finish at the end of Turn 20.

Anyway, that’s it for now!  I’m pleased to report that after a break of seven months, I’m back painting again and am already 80 figures in (Hessians, Brunswickers and French SYW), so more painted units appearing here soon.  As promised, I’ve also got a series of scenarios and a campaign history coming for the 81st (West African) Division in Burma.