Kieth Lightfoot and I played this out in one hour and 45 minutes. The sequence in Volley and Bayonet (hereafter, V+B) is fairly straight forward.

Command determination: The moving side commander determines which units are in command and can move freely. Those outside can not advance but can retire or move towards an unseen enemy at half speed. These units are also unable to remove disorder and lose the benefits of stationary status. All things to be avoided.

Movement: The attacker can move all units in command as well as those out of command with appropriate restrictions.

Rally: Commanders may rally any unit with which they are in contact. This is used to rally routed units.

Morale Tests: Both sides test morale as required by proximity to the enemy.

Combat: The attacker resolves the combat in any sequence he desires. This allows him to "coordinate" attacks.

All that is needed to play is a D6 and a standard ruler or tape measure. Since 1" equals 100 yards and a turn is one hour of real time our scenario would allow just seven turns at most before the lack of daylight ends the game.

Movement distances are respectable; 12 inches for infantry regiments and 16 inches for infantry brigades (I thought it interesting that the regiments, a smaller unit, moved slower than a bigger brigade); Cavalry moves 24 inches. Field artillery moves 16 inches. In game terms the Prussian cavalry brigades could move 2400 yards an hour or 16,800 yards in the last seven hours of the day. (14 feet across our table which was only six feet long). They had more than enough time to cover the space required.

Units could also pass through other friendly units but could not retreat through them without messing them up. I tend to agree that something bad should happen to a unit that has a panic stricken mob plow into it.

THE GAME

Ziethen deployed two cavalry brigades to the center of the field just east of Ferme. They moved the full 24 inches. The infantry brigades moved and deployed behind them just in front of the Bois De Paris. The I Corps brigades were two up and two back with the artillery in the gaps. The forward cavalry units were out of command. The deployment was not complete on the first move but the French seemed far enough away that it seemed safe.

Grouchy entered on the south edge. 4th Corps had the 12th and 13th Divisions moving abreast screened by 7th Cavalry Div. Because the French regiments were more flexible than the big Prussian brigades the French hoped to outmaneuver the Prussians before they could crush them. The 12th and the 13th had the regiments in a box formation. The French elected not to use the skirmishers to keep it simple. The French ignored the Allied units and planned to deploy to block the Prussians. The Rujsseau de Lasne delayed the French units more than expected. But they get a break as the Prussian cavalry on their right exposed its flank to Jacqunoit's cavalry which deploys to charge home next turn. The 4th Division moves 45 degrees to their right to block the Prussian line of advance. The rules permit a 45 degree oblique half speed movement which allows the unit to maintain its same facing.  

Map: Turn 2 of Volley & Bayonet

On the second turn, the Prussian cavalry regiments outside command withdrew. Kieth deciding that the threat to his flank could not be handled easily and as the infantry was supposed to carry the day he got the cavalry out of the way. The Prussian reserve artillery moved up the hill to support the Dutch. Because the game sequence is not included in the game chart we experienced delays while we figured out what came next. Ziethen moved to assume control and all units came into command except the artillery on the hill. The French are still out of range of the heavy guns (range is 12 Inches) but I Corps is ready to advance.

Command is easier for the French because they are more compact. The command radius is just 6 inches for all commanders in V+B. The French decided to commit the 7th and Jacqunoit's cavalry to the attack to strip the Prussians of their screen. While the cavalry advances, Grouchy completes the deployment of his force across the stream and the French deploy their guns to cover the front. The 4th Division completes its repositioning on the left. Jacqunoit's units attack the Prussian battery in the center. The rules allow the units to change facing once in the move which allows IV Corps to face the Prussians at the end of its move.

Both sides test morale with their second number and one Prussian cavalry Brigade fails with a D6 roll of '6'. Because all the units involved moved during the turn, there is no stationary bonus. Prussian artillery rolls a six on a D6 - one hit on Jacqunoit. In "combat" each unit rolls a number of D6's depending on its type and class. Cavalry units in normal combat throw four D6's each; a roll of '6' on a die is a hit on the target.  In our action my two brigades hit one Prussian; I rolled eight D6's and missed, no sixes! The Prussians rolled two hits on four dice.

We put one hit on each French brigade. Jacqunoit cavalry hits the battery twice and destroys it, the battery misses with its one die. The last attack goes in against the Prussian Brigade that failed morale. The French get extra dice for the disordered enemy and can save hits scored by a disordered enemy cavalry unit. The French score two hits and destroy the Prussians. The Prussians rolled four dice and scored two hits but the French saved one with the proper die roll. 12th Division Artillery attacks the 1st Prussian brigade but misses. The winning French brigades fall back and the losers drop back further.

On the Prussians turn 3 all units are in command and the infantry is ordered forward to close with the French IV Corps while Prussian artillery deploys left and right of the attack and the cavalry reforms. The Prussians attack scoring one hit with their artillery (each battery rolls one die and they get a six). The French 12th Division's right side regiment has one hit. The 3rd and 4th brigades fire on Jacqunoit's cavalry but both miss. The French pass morale, but the Prussians' artillery near the cavalry fails and is disordered. Vivian's cavalry attacks but French cavalry takes the defensive player's option to counter attack and destroys them. The dependence on die rolls becomes evident as both players discover how quickly a unit can be destroyed in V+B, even those taking only two hits.

During the French third turn, the cavalry, including the horse artillery battalion, completes the withdrawal to the center. The 13th division shifts to its left to cover the cavalry. As the French artillery battalions have been stationary they can fire two D6's per shot and score one hit each on the Prussian 1st and 4th Brigades. Saving throws save the hit scored on the left side artillery battalion and morale is passed by all.

The Prussians have had it, its time to attack! Zeithen advances in the center towards Plancenoit. The target and victory are in sight! The infantry brigades' advance is supported by the cavalry and artillery. During the morale checks the French regiment on the right side of the 4th Division is disordered as are Jacqunoit's two brigades and two of the regiments of the 13th Division. On the Prussian side only the 1st Brigade is disordered by morale. Prussian artillery hits the right regiment of the 12th Division and the 1st Brigade hits the 12th Division Regiment. During the French counter attack the French artillery hits a Prussian cavalry brigade and the Prussian 1st and 4th Brigades both take hits. Because the French infantry regiments have been stationary during the last turn they get a two dice bonus in the melee - thus both sides get 4 dice in this melee. The French are scared to death or at least their leader is. 1st Brigade delivers one hit which the French save because 1st Brigade is disordered. The French inflict one which brings the 1st Brigade to three hits - it has only three left. The Prussian 2nd and 4th Brigades deliver one hit between them while the French score twice.

The 1st and 4th Brigades rout causing the cavalry behind the 1st to rout as well. A regiment in the French 13th Division also routs.

The French realize how outnumbered they are, but the Prussians seem to be vulnerable. The 13th Division is in a difficult spot since the 2nd Prussian Brigade is occupying a salient in the center of the French line The 12th Division will need to attack to take the pressure off the 13th Division. The French hate to give up the stationary bonus but action is required. The artillery can support the 12th Division attack on the Prussian left. The 4th Division will attack the Prussian right with a 12 inch move. In the center the 7th Cavalry Division is in good shape, but Jacqunoit's brigades are both disordered. The left flank artillery changes facing to engage the Prussian 2nd Brigade with a one D6 attack.

Morale checks are bad news the French 7th Cavalry brigades fail and are disordered, an infantry regiment on the far right of the line fails and is disordered. All the Prussian cavalry fails and is disordered as does their 4th Infantry Brigade.

In the rally phase of the turn Jacqunoit rallied both brigades, the commander just needs to be in contact during the phase to rally the brigade. Grouchy rallies one of the infantry regiments. Rallied units have to remain stationary for the next turn.

During the combat phase, the battle is sealed for the French. The 4th French Division hits the Prussian 4th Brigade and misses on four rolls. The Prussian 2nd Brigade counter attack misses. The French Cavalry scores one hit and the Prussian Cavalry misses in the center and fails to save the hit it took. One French and one Prussian cavalry brigade routs. The French lost the die roll for the tie-breaker.

Prussian status and losses: The Prussian player concedes the game, having lost 50% of his units. Three infantry brigades were in rout, two with 50% losses (3 hits), Vivian's cavalry brigade was destroyed, one cavalry brigade was in rout with 50% losses (1 hit) and one cavalry brigade disordered. Two artillery battalions disordered and one destroyed.

French losses and status: The line was intact. One infantry regiment destroyed in the 13th Division, two Regiments disordered with 50% losses (1 hit each), two regiments disordered, three cavalry brigades with 50% losses (1 Hit), and one cavalry brigade in rout with 50% losses

The French victory was the result of cautious play and avoiding the British and their allies. And of course, luck with the die rolls. The Prussian defeat was a result of the attack on the center of the French line that allowed the French to counter-attack the flanks of the attack. An attack on the right side would have produced better results because the French could have been screened away.

Volley and Bayonet were easy rules to understand and they played well. The mechanics did not thwart good generalship.

The die rolls did influence the battle but since each turn represented one hour drastic results were in acceptable. Kieth and I figured that each roll equaled about 10 in more tactical sets of rules. Morale plays a key role in the rules, we were surprised at how important morale was in the game we played. Napoleon said morale is material as three is to one and these rules agreed with him.

One difficulty came from the lack of any Order of Battle information in the rules. The Prussian "brigades' were really divisions called brigades but we played them like brigades because we lacked the information to do otherwise and we did not want to read things into the rules.

Another problem was the lack of a sequence of events in the rules charts, this would have helped when we first started and been a reminder later in the game.

In general, this was a quick, fun game that produced a satisfying result.

Back to Introduction

Second Action: Shako

Third Action: Le Petit Empereur

Conclusion