Battles of the Hundred Days Campaign

Over the Easter weekend of 2005 the New Zealand National Wargaming Convention was held in Christchurch, New Zealand. Among the many wargaming periods on offer, and over 150 wargamers in attendance, we selected to have a multiplayer event which finally involved a group of six wargamers refighting all four battles from The Hundreds Day Campaign. The following brief photo report details the four Volley & Bayonet battles refought over the three day wargaming weekend. All games used 1/300th, or 6mm, figures from the collection of Keith McNelly.

The four battles that make up the Hundred Days campaign were refought in the following order:

Each battle was a stand alone game and casualties were not carried over to future battles. While it would have been ideal to refight the games in order we had to modify the order to fit with the available time.

Quatre Bras:

The Allied team was formed of Alastair Penny, Robin Sutton and Adrian Powell. The French were commanded by Barrie Cameron and Stan Walker. The primary source for the game was, as for all four games, Frank Chadwick's "Napoleon Returns" scenario book. However, at Quatre Bras the Allied army was allowed to modify the positions of the Dutch Belgians initially deployed on table. They therefore selected a more solid defence behind Gemoicurt where the terrain narrows between the Bossu Wood and the Gemioncourt stream. The hidden deployment option was not used.

The Allied command team at Quatre Bras discuss options. From left to right are Stan Walker, Adrian Powell and Alastair Penny.

The main French infantry attack was to be under command of Barrie Cameron, while the French cavalry, both that initially available as well as that arriving during the game, was under the command of Robin Sutton. While Ney pushed forward in the centre to press the Dutch-Belgians the French 2nd Cavalry Division, under General Pire, began to move around the Allied left flank in a wide sweeping movement east of La Thile. Interestingly, while this French movement against the Allied left drew off allied troops it become a point of discussion on who was drawing who away from the main action as further troops were directed to the area by both commanders.

The situation as French infantry push forward and apply pressure to the Prince of Orange's initial position.  Quatre Bras is the small village on the left. Gemioncourt is visible in the centre and has just been occupied by French infantry detachment.  The light brown squares represent standing crops, which block visibility. They are removed when trampled by troops.

Of course the main action throughout the game was centred around the positions at Gemioncourt. The Allies fought hard to maintain this line. As the French frontal attack slowed more troops were moved through the dense Bossu Wood towards the Allied right flank. However, while the battle around the Quatre Bras crossroad and Gemioncourt was fierce, the manoeuvring on the flanks was generally, without result.

French infantry advance through the dense Bossu Wood while Allied reinforcements continue to deploy from march coloumn.  This photo shows 8th British  Brigade and Brunswick infantry deployed around Quatre Bras just prior to its attack on the French 5th Infanrty Division which is threatening the Dutch Belgian flank.

Charge and counter charge now occurred in the centre. This included an attack on the 1st Infantry Brigade of the French 5th Infantry Division by the 8th British Infantry Brigade. The 8th Brigade was rated Morale 6 Shock and it included the Highland 79th Regiment. In the resulting combat however, the British were sent back in disorder through Quatre Bras.

The British 8th Infantry Brigade charges home against elements of the French 5th Infantry Division. Wellington can be seen in the top centre providing support for his Dutch-Belgian Allies.

With time now critical Ney determined to keep the pressure on. He therefore continued to move troops around his left flank while the majority of Kellermann's Cavalry corps was now pushed up the main Quatre Bras road. As light started to fade Kellerman ordered a disperate charge along the road in an effort to break through to Quatre Bras, which was now firmly under control of the Brunswick Division. However, time was against the French and while the the 1st and 2nd Carabiniers thundered forward and broke the Dutch-Belgians the charge was too late to alter the outcome of the battle. Wellington maintained his blocking position at Quatre Bras. 

General view of the battlefield around 9pm following the charge of the Carabiniers. The Carabiniers  remain near the farm of Gemioncourt which is visible in the top right just left of the stream. A solid line of Brunswick infantry and artillery can be seen around Quatre Bras and other Allied Brigades in isolated positions radiating out from this.

Casualties had been high. The 3rd Allied Division as well as the 2nd Netherlands Division becoming exhasuted. The French however, had also suffered heavy casualties. The French 5th, 6th and 9th Infantry Divisions as well as the 2nd Cavalry Division had all been exhausted. Ney's only fresh troops were now Kellermans cavalry corps and d'Erlon's corps that was only just arriving.

Wavre:

Now, I must say I had significant doubts about Wavre being an interesting game prior to the weekend. It seemed, at best, a side show to Waterloo and at worse, an impossible ask for the French to achieve a crossing of the Dyle stream around Wavre. Further, even if a crossing was achieved what contribution would it have really have had to the main battle being fought at Waterloo? However, with Quatre Bras only likely to last the morning it seemed a useful "filler" for the event. But I was wrong and Wavre was for me a great success.

As with the other battles several hours went in to the creation of simple but reasonably effective terrain boards for the battle and on the afternoon the table and troops were arranged for Wavre. The result is pictured below.

The initial deployments at Wavre prior to movement on the French 2pm turn. From the foreground to top of the picture to the right and along the Dyle River are the villages and towns of: Bas Wavre, represented by a village; Wavre represented by three town sectors; Bierges a village; and Limale, represented in our battle by a town sector.

The Vandamme's French III Corps were deployed on the rising ground overlooking Wavre, while Prussian units deployed along the Dyle River. It is worth noting that our refight had alternate French dispositions from that published in the "Napoleon Returns" scenario book. In particular Gerard's IV Corps, as well as Pajol's I Cavalry Corps, were not deployed initially and came on during the course of the game.

The French forces were commanded by Barrie Cameron, Keith McNelly and Stan Walker. The Prussians were commanded by Alastair Penny and Adrian Powell. After much discussion the French players determined to focus on an initial attack on Bierges while attempting to transfer one division of infantry towards Limale. When additional troops arrived these would be launched into attacks on Wavre in an attempt to pin Prussian units. Pajol's cavalry corps and the attached weak 21st Infantry Division was tasked with a further, and more direct attack, on Limale when it finally deployed from march column and arrived on table.

French attacks on Bierges on the left and Wavre on the right. The French have at last achieved a crossing at Bierges. At Wavre, Hulot's Brigade is about to advance across the Dyle.

The French attacks were desperate and committed with great determination. Likewise, the Prussian counter attacks were well calculated and generally effective in execution. The initial attack on Wavre drove out the Landwehr garrison, but in time no fewer than three French brigades were thrown out before the entire town was finally under uncontested French control. Likewise, the bridge and approaches to Bierges were contested for several hours until French cavalry and infantry finally establish themselves on the opposite bank of the Dyle. 

The situation at Limale where the French were unable to achieve a crossing.  The quick transfer of artillery to Limale bolstered the weak garrison and ensured that no bridgehead could be achieved here.

With the crossings achieved French cavalry and infantry were transferred across the Dyle primarily at Bierges. The French cavalry of Domon's division now caused havoc among the Prussian Landwehr. By 9pm on the 18th of June Thielemann's corps was battered beyond belief. The Prussian 10th Infantry Brigade (the equivalent to a French division), the 12th Infantry Brigade and the corps cavalry division and corps artillery assets were all exhausted. Only the Prussian 11th Infantry Brigade and von Schuetter's weak Regiment at Limale, were still fresh.

The French however, had also suffered heavy casualties. The 11th Division under Berthezene was exhausted as was the corps artillery assets. The 10th Division was all but exhausted, while Pajol's small attached 21st Infantry Division was also exhausted after it's action around Limale. Grouchy had achieved victory, but it was to little too late to effect the larger action which had occurred at Waterloo.

The general situation at the end of the 9pm turn. French forces have captured Wavre and are across the Dyle in strength.

Battles of the Hundred Days Campaign: Part II

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