Engagement at Genappe - Seig oder Tod!

Steady, the Bruswickers! - Jose Ferre Clauzel

'Ce qui s'est passé?

Quelle heure est-il?

Oh merde!'

David's table all set up and ready for another adventure along the road to Waterloo

He had a head like a potting shed and a mouth like a badger’s bum. Slowly, through a hazy fug, the events of the last twenty four hours began to form: the deserted cross roads, imaginatively named Quatre Bras; the headlong pursuit; the trouncing of the enemy rear guard; the capture of a high ranking officer resplendent in a blue uniform, heavy with gold braid and sporting a scarlet shako; the entente cordial into the early hours; their return to the Chateau, both legless.

Bauduine's brigade continues its advance

Bauduine's brigade deploys its skirmishers

He burrowed into his pocket and looked blearily at the piece of paper his ADC, Lapin, had thrust into his hand the night before. 

You are to take your Brigade and with the utmost speed, ford La Dyle east of Genappe and neutralize the enemy cavalry. Général de Brigade Baron Pierre-Francois Bauduine’s 1st Brigade will be on your left, supporting the general advance of Général de Brigade Baron Jean-Louis Soye’s 2nd Brigade through Genappe. Immediate.

Jérôme

Brunswick columns crowd the narrow streets of Genappe

Brunswick Corps retreat through Genappe

The little prig. The only reason he got any command was because of his shameless toadying to that brother of his.

Général de Brigade Baron Pierre-Francois Bauduine finally arrives

Jérôme's Corps finally starts to apply the pressure

His two regiments and horse battery were assembled outside the Chateau. He took his place at their head and lead them gingerly across the ford. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Friedrich von Specht Brigade awaits the onslaught

Major Von Cramm  attemts to turn Wathiez's flank

From the sound of musketry to his left, Soye was having his work cut out pushing through the narrow streets of Genappe; but where the hell was that frog, Bauduine?

Soye Brigade commences the attack on Genappe

Soye Brigade suffering intense skirmish fire

To his front, he recognised the sorry remains of the enemy rear guard withdrawing. To the left were two more bodies of cavalry, one with rather fetching canary yellow facings. His battery lobbed a speculative shell in their direction. 

The British Cavalry stand firm

The Brunswick cavalry flanking manoeuvre

To the amazement of everyone, they promptly faced about and fled to the rear like a host of sparrows. He had a strong sense of déjà vu when their flight was halted by a black frocked figure in a peaked hat. Despite this, sensing the moment was right, he launched a charge. At first, all was well, but suddenly the motley rear guard crashed into his flank, forcing him to retire and reform. Don’t they know they’ve been beaten?

The remnants of the British rearguard

Wathiez about to order the charge

The din of musketry and canon fire from Genappe was intensifying but it wouldn’t have worried Soye, who was as deaf as a post and had the eyesight of a mole. It came as no surprise to learn that he had failed to hear a shouted warning and had had his head taken off by a cannon ball. It was a surprise, however, to hear later, that Major von Rauschenplatt, who was leading the defence of Genappe, suffered the same fate; Seig oder Tod! indeed.

Wathiez and his ADC Lapin emerge from the Chateau

At last, Bauduine stumbled onto the field. My God, he looked rough! Perhaps now Soye’s brigade, or whoever’s Brigade it now was, could make some more progress. He noticed some skirmishers firing on the withdrawing enemy cavalry. They couldn’t hit an elephant at that range, he thought, only to watch his opposite number fall lifeless from the saddle. Supporting Bauduine (in more ways than one) they advanced towards the ridgeline, preparing for the final onslaught.

Wathiez Brigade about to set off

But the orders never came. With Soye’s Brigade still struggling to make any headway against skirmish and cannon fire and a perceived threat to his right flank, The Little Prig thought discretion the better part of valour and called off the assault. Maybe his uniform had yellow trimmings.

Wathiez's Brigade deploys

Well, that didn’t go as planned.

Wathiez's Brigade inconvenienced by the tenacious British cavalry

The briefing the players received was that during the withdrawal to the Waterloo position, the British rear-guard had been defeated leaving the rear of Wellington’s army unprotected. As the Brunswick Corps was the rearmost element of the retreating columns, the Duke of Brunswick, having survived a brush with death at Quatre Bras, decided to take up a defensive position north of the village of Genappe to buy Wellington’s Army time.

Wathiez's Ruin

I used the excellent Ferraris Map of Belgium and a number of things struck me: apart from the narrow bridge at Genappe, there is also a ford to the east; Genappe is a narrow built up area; a small stream or area of boggy ground runs in a northerly direction between the bridge and the ford; the area to the west of Genappe is clear terrain whereas the area to the east has an orchard, therefore impeding movement.

The excellent Ferraris Map of Belgium, and in particular the area around Genappe

My main concern when designing the scenario was that the French cavalry would quickly cross the ford, easily see off the weak Brunswick cavalry and start flouncing around amongst the Brunswick march columns with inevitable results and an early sandwich. 

The boggy terrain between the bridge and the ford would hinder the progress of the cavalry and provide some protection for the Brunswicker’s flank but I also bolstered up the Brunswick cavalry with an amalgamated British Light Cavalry unit, the remnants of the defeated British rear guard. I reckoned they’d hang around for a bit, and then disappear. Wrong. They determinedly stayed in the fight despite the best efforts of the French (and the Umpire). 

I also hadn’t counted on Wathiez failing his Initiative (roll of 8 or less on a D12) thus reducing his movement by half, or Soye’s Brigade suffering 2 officer casualties resulting in no movement for two turns. These two factors gave the Brunswick Division time to form a strong defensive position with ease. 

No movement for a Brigade which loses its officer is too harsh, particularly as officers are needed to enhance the ability of a Brigade to obey orders, so this needs to be adjusted. However, the Brunswick skirmish units occupying Genappe became a real ‘Schmerzen im  Arsch‘ for the French, which felt about right.

My thanks to the two Ians and Mike for providing such an entertaining narrative and for their enthusiasm and willingness to become involved in the action which made for a most enjoyable day of gaming.

Figures: AB and Museum Miniatures

Mat: Tiny Wargames

Buildings: Hovels

Rules: Home Concoction.