Editor's Note: It's time to overhaul the venerable 3rd edition of our "La Bataille" rules to reflect the latest findings in Napoleonic scholarship. In this article Ed Wimble previews the planned changes.
The long awaited 4th Edition Rules received their baptism of fire during the weekend of April 28-30, at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. Waterloo seems to be the yardstick by which the Napoleonic era is measured so it was with La Bataille de Mon St. Jean five of us chose to do battle. Present were John Leonard, Eric Lyons, Terry Cotter, John Grasse, and myself. The major changes in the 4th edition rules all relate to its Sequence of Play which I'll outline below:
A. Command Phase: This phase revolves around the concept of the "maneuver unit." A maneuver unit consists of at least one leader and one unit. This can be a single stack of such, or it can be an entire corps if the corps leader is active and all of the corps assets are within the radii of the various leaders of the corps.
For instance; the French I Corps can consist of a single maneuver unit if all of the divisional leaders in the corps are within the radius of the corps leader, d'Erlon; if all the units of these divisions are within the radius of their particular divisional leader; and if all the corps assets (such as its sapeur battalion and 12 pdr. battery) are also within the radius of the corps leader. Essentially the parameters of command given in the Mont St. Jean rules are maintained, what is different is how these units are activated. (Wellington, because of the "infamous" nature of his army, had intentionally taken a step backward from the glory days of the Peninsula, and opted for a more Frederickian brigade structure. Thus the largest maneuver element for the Anglo-Dutch can be a brigade.)
At the start of each turn a player representing the French and a player representing the Allies roll one die. Each Army Leader present modifies this die result by plus 1 (+1).
Thus, the highest the French can roll is an 8, whereas the highest the Allies can roll is a 7 until Blucher is on the field (minimum rolls being a 3 and 2 respectively/3 and 3 with Blucher).
These are the activation points available to each side. Each side now takes the leader counters representing the various maneuver units they wish to move this turn and tosses them into a cup (yep, you've seen this before). Once all leader counters are in the cup the Command Phase ends.
B. Battle Phase: Players alternate drawing these leader "chits" from the cup. As a chit is pulled, the maneuver unit it represents is moved. No other chit may be pulled from the cup until the previous maneuver unit has finished moving.
Peculiarities: Cavalry charges are resolved as a part of movement. A sample Charge Sequence might occur like this: Each French corps has a cavalry division attached to it. When one part of that division is moved, no other part of another division may move until the cavalry division is finished (in fact, when moving a corps all movement is done division by division). As a cavalry piece or stack moves it expends movement points up to its full movement potential.
At any time during this movement, however, it may declare a charge. As soon as it declares a charge, it ceases movement and is marked with a charge informational marker. Then the other parts of the cavalry division execute their movement (if in turn they declare a charge they too cease their movement and are so marked). When all parts of the division are moved the charges of this division are resolved. Charges are resolved by marking the parameters of the charge zones of each charging unit (these used to be the movement points represented by the charge bonus, or five movement points, now replaced by 5 hexes/light cavalry, 3 hexes/heavy cavalry.)
Charge zones differ depending on if the cavalry are heavy or light, and whether they are in line or in column. Anything within these zones (or cones) may. react by either reaction charging, as in the case of opposing cavalry, or standing or forming square, as in the case of infantry. Charging cavalry cannot evade a reaction charge, and reaction charges can trigger support reaction charges, (what was dubiously termed "the furball effect").
If a cavalry corps was the maneuver element, then again, each division resolves its movement separately and sequentially, but the Charges are resolved once the entire corps has moved.
Grand Charges are still in the game but the initial maneuvering is substituted; the corps or what not, just plows off straight ahead at its "printed" movement potential.
During the Battle Phase the only firing that is permitted is opportunity fire, or defensive fire if the unit is the target of a charge (this defensive fire is in a sense, opportunity fire also) Opportunity fire is still handled the old way and may only effect units that are adjacent and does not effect ammunition supply. All fire strengths for units executing opportunity fire are hereby halved, however, except units in carre that are making an opportunity fire on cavalry or infantry that is entering their he) (this is still done at 1/3 and 2/3 respectively).
After all chits have been pulled and the maneuver units these chits indicate have re solved their movement or charges, the Battle Phase ends.
C. The Fire Phase: There is no longer a defensive or offensive fire phase; just one alternating string of blasting that moves from left to right. You shoot at me, I shoot at you, (ala Wellington's Victory). A unit in column may not fire if it intends to assault in the following phase.
Peculiarities: The artillery rules are modified as follows: All maximum artillery ranges an increased by 1.5 times (an artillery unit with ; printed range of 7 on the back of the counter will now have a range of 11) rounding up an, fractions. Players indicate a target hex that is equal in distance from the firing unit's hex to its new maximum range (a unit with a printed range of 11 hexes designates a target that is 17 hexes away from it) regardless of this hex actually being within its line-of-sight.. Using a rubber band or piece of string, the "shot path' is determined as running from the center of this target hex to the center of the firing hex. This first hex of the shot path must be from one of the firing unit's front hexsides. All units in hexes cut (bisected or on) this shot path an subject to attack. Any blocking terrain along the shot path ends the shot path with the hex containing the blocking terrain (Exceptions: cultivated ground, farmettes and houses and down-slope hexsides). All units on an unblocked shot path are attacked.
Short range canister attacks are not effected by the above (ranges of 2 or less hexes). Medium range fire attacks (grapeshot) are not effected by the above. Long range fire attacks (roundshot) are effected by the above. Extreme range fire attacks (those beyond the printed range of the firing unit up to it's new maximum) have their fire attack strength halved.
Defensive fire is no longer restricted to adjacent hexes but is handled in the same manner as offensive fire and now, all shots count against ammunition supply.
Batteries may be designated as having been broken down for use as ammunition transport. In this case the battery has a numbered marker reflecting its current ammunition level placed on top of it. It may move as before but may not shoot. To unload its ammunition to another battery it must begin its friendly movement phase in the hex with the battery it wishes to re-supply.
It then expends 1/2 of its movement potential in the hex, indicating the transfer of ammunition. The ammunition marker is then transferred to the new unit but placed under the unit' counter. The ammunition transport unit may then proceed to its depot path and attempt to pick up another re-supply of ammunition as per the old procedure for out of supply artillery (unless contradicted in the Special rules). Batteries designated as ammunition transport are designated as such for the entire game, and are designated prior to the first turn of the scenario.
Things to keep in mind when testing these rules: There are no longer any ricochet fire effects; they've been incorporated into the above. The second, third or fourth attacks along the shot path are not modified for having already passed through a previous unit.
D. Melee Phase: As in the Fire Phase above, no one player is the attacker or defender. This is handled running left to right, you attack me and, if I have a unit which assaults, I attack you. A melee that is the result of an opportunity charge (cavalry that stops another piece's movement) is resolved now also.
Peculiarities: Whenever a stack of units must check morale and the top unit, or the first one that must check, fails its check, all units in the hex disorder. If the top unit passes this check but a subsequent unit in the stack fails, all units beneath it are disordered. Their disordering does not effect units above them in the stack; only below them. Units in a stack must check in the order of from top to bottom.
If the top unit in a stack passes the morale check, then all units beneath it have their morale value increased by 3 (for the better) when determining their morale for this same event, in addition to any other modifiers, if these units must also check morale. Alternatively, one dice roll may be made for the entire stack but the effects of this roll are applied as if the top unit on down were checked separately.
E. Reorganization Phase: All units that are disordered or routed try to recover formed order. Rout movement is resolved. Tired and exhausted cavalry recover a step of readiness.
General Things Not Mentioned Above: Each side places one Miscellaneous Chit in the cup during the Command Phase. When this chit is pulled unattached artillery may move; or leaders who are stacked with the army leader; or a maneuver unit that has its leader stacked with an army leader.
Intentions: The intent of the above sequence is to add uncertainty and thereby decrease the predictability of events, which in and of itself, makes the play of the game more realistic, though possibly less historic. At first glance it appears that this system vastly favors the French corps system on the battlefield.
After all, one could, theoretically, get 80% of the entire French army to move with a single, decent roll (the French Army can consolidate optimally as: 1) d'Erlon; 2) Reille; 3) Lobau; 4) Druout/Guard Infantry; 5) Subervie; 6) Domon; 7)Guyot/Guard Hvy. Cavalry; 8) Lefebvre- Desnouettes/Guard Lt. Cavalry; 9) Milhaud; 10) Kellerman.
This is absolutely true. With a roll of a "6" eight of the above ten formations can move if Napoleon stacks with one of the above leaders and Ney stacks with another (with the +2 modifier the "6" becomes a "8". However, with the development of the battle, units that rout will rout outside the radius of their leader, taking them out of command, for all intents and purposes immobile. Eventually this should force players to detach leaders from the staff on "round-up" duty and then cost Action points to bring these rounded- up units back into the fold.
Sooner or later whole corps should grind to a halt regardless of how well the battle progresses in their favor (d'Erlon's corps sets the best example, after it had been scattered by the charge of the British Union and Household brigades).
The Replay: The French Players, John Leonard, Terry Cotter and John Grassey, opted for a strategy more suited to the armies of Revolutionary France. D'Erlon led the attack by sending one division at La Haye Sainte; one division towards the crossroads from the east side of the highway; and two divisions to the west, or directly at Ompteda's KGL brigade. Jacquinot's cavalry screened this assault by covering its right. They did not unlimber a single gun(!) but shoved straight ahead.
At the same time Lobau echeloned his two divisions and Domon's cavalry (house rule attached this division to his corps which Napoleon had intended) to d'Erlon's left, skirting the orchard of Hougoumont; up the slope and directly into the brigades of Kielmensegge and Halkett; one division on each. Reille, meanwhile, closely supported by Kellerman's heavy cavalry corps, re-incorporated Bachelu's division, then marched as one mass around Hougouniont, giving it a wide berth, and went smashing into Mitchell's brigade. Napoleon took direct control of the infantry of the Guard and brought them up to where they could exploit any success Lobau might experience.
How It Developed: La Haye Sainte held, isolating d'Erlon's division to the east of the highway. What action points the British could spare were used to bring first Bijlandt's, then Pack's Brigades against them. Vivian's and Vandeleur's cavalry came down off the ridge to support this reaction, as did Vincke's Hannovarians. Eventually Best followed too. Milhaud's cuirassiers came up to support Jacquinot. D'Erlon's other two divisions, however, barged ahead to the crossroads, shattering Ompteda's Brigade.
Sommerset's heavies, however, stopped them in their tracks while Picton led Kempt's brigade into their flank. Gordon managed to mass four batteries just to the north-east of the crossroads which caused huge losses to the French columns. Kruse's Nassauers next struck them from the other flank. La Haye Sainte chose that moment to fall, however, freeing the French division assaulting it.
Lobau's corps was met by a spoiling charge from Arenschildt's mix of British, KGL, and Hanovarian light cavalry. Domon's cavalry met them in an uneven fight, which left the allies master of the plain just in front of Kielmensegge's brigade, though Arenshildt himself was carried from the field, (he joined Uxbridge who was having his head wrapped in bandages). This only brought a temporary respite, for Lobau's infantry shoved the exhausted troopers back with the bayonet soon after.
On the French left, however, Reille's consolidated II Corps ominously advanced on Mitchell's single brigade. Grant saw an opportunity before Kellerman could bring his heavy cavalry up in support and maneuvered his two cocky regiments around the French corps for a strike. Three isolated and unsupported French foot batteries went routing to the rear while Grant's other regiment failed to reign in when faced by a square (stack) at least eight counters high. Even the war god Ares, would have winced at the coming odds. Remarkably, the stack contained a single French sapeur battalion and a whole lot of leaders. The dice were thrown and a leader casualty indicated; good enough to break the square. In the meantime, however, Kellerman's entire corps came thundering forth. The hapless Britishers were slaughtered. Unknown to these forlorn victims, a French Marshal lay among them. Ney had received a fatal saber thrust too...
Reille's Corps paused aghast. It was nearly an hour before Soult arrived to amend their sorrow and fire their wrath.
In the center Lobau brought up the divisions of Jeanin and Simmer, slamming them into Kielmensegge's Hanovarian regulars. The fight was brief and the disordering of this br igade uncovered Halkett's. Wellington, himself, wheeled Byng's Guardsmen to face the threat while Maitland formed beside him. Guyot led "the Gods" in a charge but was instantly killed by a musket ball in the forehead. The weight of their big boots shattered Halkett's center, however.
Reille got his corps moving again. Inexorably it advanced. Hill had rushed Adam's brigade forward to support Mitchell and together they stood to face the vengeful corps. As the intantry came to grips with one-another Kellerman launched his heavies in support. Dornberg met him with his light dragoons of the KGL but they were not enough. Mitchell and Adam gave way.
Chasse now advanced his DutchBelgian division to stem the tide. Du Platt formed his brigade on their left. Their situation was desperate; they knew they were the last, formed troops, on this flank. And then, as if inspired by the Prince of Orange himself (though we know this was impossible, Handsome Billy not having left the Duke's side yet today) Detmer's brigade advanced on its own without support from cavalry or infantry. Kellerman's and Pire's cuirassiers, lancers, dragoons and chasseurs had themselves dessert.
The collapse of the British right coincided with Napoleon, in person, leading one massive column of le Garde through the rot and confusion of the center. Volley as they may, the British Guardsmen could not stem the tide on their own. As they withdrew it infuriated them to see full columns of Hanovarians, Brunswickers, even Englishmen, standing as if on parade. Fully a third of their army had not fired a shot, or laid spur to flank. Now, however, French cannon were established on the ridge, once their center, masters of the flat plain laying before them. (They could not know it, but Picton was at that moment forming his division with Prussian support. This battle was lost, but there was still time to win another.)
Observations: The concept of chit pulling for a more interactive turn sequence is basically sound. Its been around for at least 10 years (I think Perry Moore first used it in a boardgame, though it has been a feature of miniatures play for at least twice as long). The problem immediately encountered, however, is that playing time without the old time limit increases hellishly.
The old command system (which always suited me) placed restrictions on who could move by its very nature (what could be more realistic than real time?). No matter how many corps were moving total turn length lasted no more than 20 minutes. Now, if a Player pulls d'Erlon's chit, he's going to spend 10 minutes or more just moving this corps while everyone waits for him to finish before pulling the next chit. If this chit happens to be Reille, well there goes another 10 minutes. Once battle developed in the old system turn length usually lasted an hour which included all the shooting and assault. We experienced turns with this new system lasting twice that long.
The fact that Wellington got his clock cleaned, in and of itself, does not bother me. The French strategy was sound. Napoleon could have availed himself of the same if he had heeded his brother that morning at breakfast and then acted as if time were of the essence, which it was.
What I believe was truly a flaw with the system was Wellington's inability to react to more than one crisis at a time. As we saw above, the French were able to create a crisis at the crossroads, a crisis to the immediate left-rear of Hougoumont (Lobau's assault), and a third crisis to the right-rear of this same chateau (Reille's assault). The French launched hammer blows, whereas Wellington could only respond with mosquitoes. The English players could only move those brigades that were at hand to deal with each situation. Virtually all of the brigades to the left of the crossroads and all of the brigades that were in reserve found themselves defeated without having moved, let alone having fired a shot. One action point for the French could maneuver up to thirty- three battalions.
This same action point in the hands of the British saw only four battalions move, or two or three cavalry regiments. In the Peninsula Wellington was able to move by division, but as stated before this method could not suit the mix of nationalities, experience and loyalties he commanded in Belgium. Something is wrong here.
To fix the above, one is tempted to resort to what I call a band-aid rule, such as resorting to the old, cliched, and today thoroughly discredited opinion regarding the Emperor's health and general lack of activity on June 18th, 1815.
What I am going to try next time is as follows: One thing I've noticed in nearly all Napoleonic games I've played is a misconception concerning the uses of heavy and light cavalry. Although heavy cavalry was called upon to perform almost all tasks in the 1814 campaign, it really was intended and used as an army level asset.
If the heavy cavalry was collected in corps, then the corps leader(s) would be at the side of the army commander throughout a battle (witness Kellerman's dispositions at Quatre-Bras). Absolutely no initiative was expected, or desired from them. When, and if, the army commander deemed it necessary to use them, the corps leader would ride back to his formation, instruct his subordinates as to their orders, and then execute them unflinchingly. It was Ney's decision to launch Kellerman's cuirassiers at Quatre-Bras.
On the other hand it was Pire's decision, as the commander of a light cavalry division, to launch his two separate charges in the same battle. Light cavalry when employed on the battlefield, were expected to exercise their own initiative as opportunities presented themselves. Thus, one stricture that would redress some of the imbalance experienced in our playtest would be making it mandatory, if heavy cavalry are to be activated, that the army leader be stacked with the corps leader when he begins the movement of his corps.
Thus Ney or Napoleon could stack with the IIIrd and lVth cavalry corps, reducing their abilities to activate some other bodies at the same time.
Also, because it is no mean feat to put in motion 30,000 men, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to make it possible to activate corps by their divisions, but if the corps were to maneuver as a whole, again, the actual presence of an army leader is necessary. Waterloo presents a precedent for this also, in that Ney accompanied d'Erlon's assault, the cavalry charges, and the assault of the Middle Guard, while Napoleon, in person, directed Lobau's maneuver against the Prussians; the commitment of Duhesme's Young Guard at Plancenoit; the commitment of the brigade of Old Guard against this same village; and the maneuver of the old and Middle Guard in preparation for the last assault on the English center. (Whereas, no one paid much attention to Reille's imbroglio infront of Hougoumont, here is an example of it being done by division).
Empowering Orange and Hill to activate one of their brigades during the miscellaneous chit, as well as Wellington's ability to do so, adds a little flexibility to the Duke's overly starched collar.
Essentially then, the English would roll one die for their action chits, but would have a minimum of three brigades available to move depending on the placement of Wellington, Hill and Orange during the miscellaneous activation. The French also would roll one unmodified die for action chits, making available up to six divisions for movement, while during their miscellaneous activation, both Ney and Napoleon can activate one full infantry or cavalry corps each.
I'll let you know how this turns out.
Large La Haye Sainte Map (slow: 119K)
Jumbo La Haye Sainte Map (very slow: 293K)
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