Guard Attack - General d'Armee

We played the final scenario "Guard Attack" from the Waterloo scenario book for the rules of General d'Armee from Dave Brown.

This scenario pitches the remnants of the Allied army with Guards, British infantry, Brunswickers, Nassau, and the Dutch-Belgians as well, against the cream of the Guard Chassuers, and two small brigades of infantry and one cavalry, all units apart from the Guard having casualties initially due to the

ongoing battle casualties and fatigue throughout the day.

The Allies were commanded by John, Ian and Steve L, the French by Si & Mike.

Left to right, John, Ian and Steve, commanding the Allies. I think that's their confident, nonchalant look!

I initially made the commanders use the blind card system, and made the spotting range variable, down to the palls of smoke and battlefield debris at this stage of the game; this was 12" plus 2xd6, rather than the standard 24" spotting during the day, and I believe gave a little fog of war.

The Allies were deployed on the table on blinds, and would not be spotted if behind the crest line, but of course could not shoot or spot themselves. 

The French had to deploy and move from the board edge, unknown to either side that there was a 16 turn limit to the game.

The Allies having a reserve of Dettmer's Dutch-Belgian brigade arriving on turn 4, and the French being able to release Cambronne's Brigade from the board edge reserve on turn 3.

The game started off relatively slowly, with the French trying to get their gun batteries forward, and with their infantry supporting them, however with poor rolls initially, it was not until turn 5 that the batteries were in place, during this time the Allies were happy to sit behind the ridge, only sending the 95th Rifles, in skirmish order, forward on the left to scout out the French blinds.

They found Husson's and Danzelot's Brigades trudging forward slowly; a small exchange of skirmish fire resulted in some minor casualties, but the Allied skirmish line had to fall back under the pressure of French columns coming forwards.

Meanwhile in the centre the French deployed their gun batteries, a 12pdr and, 6pdr battery, and the guard horse battery.

At this point the Allies manhandled a battery onto the ridge-line to give fire, unfortunately this did not deliver much and was met but a fusillade of shot from the French batteries.

On the French left the blinds began moving forward at quite a rapid rate for a couple of turns, gaining momentum, and in response the Allies sent forward a blind, with both spotting each other through the smoke and discovering the French left with the brigades of Malet's and Cambronne's Guard Chasseurs in column and skirmish order, seeing the British deploy Maitland's brigade of Guards - this was going to be interesting.

Across the field I could see the British in column though? This is going to be painful I thought; and it was, with the British fire causing a 'fire discipline' on themselves and then the French returned with volleys and artillery fire, eventually causing 3/1st Guards to break, followed by the 2/1st which retired as well, leaving a hole on the Allied right.

The French advanced slowly towards the crest.

It was then than the Allies brought forward there line onto the crest, both sides exchanging fire with each other, the French causing 'fire disciplines' and slowing the advance, on the left, down, but with the Allies managing to fill the gap with the remainder of the guards and Halkett's brigade on their left, with the Nassau, two batteries of guns, Brunswickers, and Adam's brigade on the far left of the line.

The to and fro of shot and musket was deliberate and bloody, however the writing was on the wall as the French pressed their main attack on the left with all three Guard brigades

The fragile remainder of Maitland's and Halkett's brigade broke and the French were up the slope and into them.

On reflection the game may have been different if the Allied guns had been deployed sooner and bombarded the slow moving French' however who knows?

The rules themselves play very well, command and control is key, positioning the ADC's is critical, but even they can't help bad dice, can they Si? Never seen so many hesitant brigades.

Thanks to all those who played in a challenging but fun scenario. Next time we may do the cavalry charges or D'Erlon's attack, or even Quatre Bras again, oh the choices...