Waterloo refight

 

Last friday we replayed Waterloo with dad to celebrate the 210 years of the battle, with me taking command of the allies and the old man getting into the boots of the little corporal. The scenario would be decided at the end of ten turns, with Hugoumont (left) la Haye Sainte farmhouse (center) and Plancenoit (right) as the three objectives that would decide the game

The battle began at 11:00 with a tentative french advance against Hogoumont

La Haye Sainte

And Papelotte

Answered with round of artillery fire from the british guns

I launched the scots greys to win some time, forcing the french line to form square

And sweeping the guns of the great battery

Meanwhile the french had entered the Hugoumont woods and were trading shots with the british guards, while the vieille garde was kept in check by the light dragoons before la Haye Sainte

With the situation under control I advanced my left flank to support the incoming prussians, a move that would prove a mistake since it left the farmhouse unprotected

The french also made another blunder when they retreated most of their center units to face the prussians on their right flank

It was now 16:00 and Blücher and the first wave of germans came into the field, charging straight for Plancenoit and some poor frenchmen caught in line

Things remained the same at Hugoumont, with both french and redcoats suffering grievous losses that forced the intervention of the light dragoons, leaving the old guard free to advance

The second wave of prussians came into the field and smashed against the defenders of Plancenoit

But alas Blücher fell to a charge of cuirassiers

By 17:00 the old guard charged into la Haye and slaughtered its defenders, putting two of the three objectives in french hands

It was not all wine and roses for the french player however, ans Napoleon was killed by the scots greys

With time running out, all british guns aimed for the farm while two mauled divisions of infantry raced to retake it

The fight for Plancenoit quickly devolved into a grind for the prussians

Tied up in the village and scattered by the arrival of the young guard

But in a last throw of the dice the british cannon destroyed the french guardsmen, leaving la Haye Sainte free for the taking

A last ditch attempt to stop the brits was foiled by a british square

Letting the guards retake the farm in the last turn, and securing victory in extremis for the allies!