CZ#1 - SHAKO2 Battle of Quatre Bras

The main event at the Command Zone #1 day of games was a Shako 2 version re-fight of Quatre Bras.

deployment by Division was pre-set by historical boundaries, the plan and action of the plan were under the control of the players and chance of the dice

The Dutch chose to 'hold back' from the woods

British regulars and skirmish forces were to hold the vital cross-roads for which the battle is named

Wellington was at the crossroads, with masses of Brunswickers to his right

the first French assault force going into the woods chose to deploy a full force of Leger infantry into skirmishers

while the Dutch cavalry was arrayed to move to the center?

The Duke of Brunswick scouted ahead in the woods while his men stayed beyond view of French heavy artillery

A few moves in and at least part of the Allied plan became clear ... they were moving the entire division to the left wing?!?

Quatre Bras on the center right of the image ... Dutch forces are seen in columns marching down from the woods

Swarms of Voltigeurs were overwhelming the lone Dutch Battalion left to slow the French advance into the woods

meanwhile the Brunswickers stood out of view of the French heavy guns

Two more moves and still the French had not yet penetrated the woods in force, while the Dutch force had all but marched away.

the far Allied right flank only had some Dutch cavalry covering it

French columns now pressing though the woods with vigour

still loaded with skirmish forces

Dutch foot had been blasted away and now nothing stood in the way of the French!

Dutch Cavalry, were going to have to hold the flank alone ... until?

These troopers were going to have to question their skills

With turn 5, the first Allied re-enforcements were showing up:

French forces now breakout on the French left and right

Hard pressed, Allied artillery pound away on the Allied left

two Allied divisions, one holding (Brunswick) and the other racing into the center to complete a move to the far left flank!

Half way through the game, now the French were re-setting their plans to press harder on the left.

French wings attack on both flanks ...

beyond the woods, now French face British redcoats

some French are caught in columns as they move out from the woods

testing their patience, the Brunswick force awaits the French arrival ...

Two moves later and the pressure on both flanks is reaching a breaking point for both sides.
All forces are committed, neither side has any reserve left!

Flanks gone wild in turn 8

at last the French commander realized that storming the cross-roads was going to have to happen

storming columns form up in the center, while cavalry are driven back on the right

the French left degenerated into a mass pushing match between blue and red coats

a whole British Division suffers a morale collapse and flees the field

while the Dutch were still marching away ...

British and French exchange musket fire at the cross-roads

the French right was now filled with both Infantry and Cavalry supported by artillery, if the Dutch do not show up soon then the Allied center will be swept!

moving into position on the far flank to complete the sweep a force of Chasseurs a Cheval make ready to turn towards the Allied center

A crescendo moment in turn 9!  Will the Allies hold out?

both flanks of the Allies are tuned, though not yet breached

The storming of the cross-roads has begun

more musket fire exchanges

the Brunswick force now must fight for its life at point blank range on French artillery!

the second wave of storming columns are ready to move into the cross-roads

The battles were all hot and heavy in turn 10!

fighting in all sectors of the field on turn 10

taking hits and giving fire into a square the Chasseurs have halted ...

the musket exchanges are not going well for the British in Quatre Bras

Brunswick assault!  This breaks up any storming into Quatre Bras

the whole woods line is filled with black uniforms  ... death or glory!

Brunswick forces are also attacking into the Allied left flank to halt French

far on the French right ... the assault has halted due to losses

at last the Allied forces can see a way to success - hold out one more turn

Though the battle was set to go 12 turns, by the end of turn 11 it was clear that the French could not score enough points to gain even a draw ...

French could not score enough hits ... the Allies hold the critical cross-roads and escape route

Brunswick was reduced to the Grenadier Battalion

Heavy Cavalry for the French was deployed to the center ... unable to make any effect on the field

Brunswick was utterly destroyed and in the process held off the French long enough to secure an Allied Victory!

The unusual tactic of re-deploying a division from one flank to the other worked out, though it took some dice luck (or bad luck) from the French to keep them from breaking out faster on the French left, which would have seen the Chasseurs and Lancers IN the Allied center BEFORE the Dutch could have completed their re-deployment.  It was a risk that payed off.

What unusual tactics have you seen on the tabletop?