Quatre Bras experiment

In light of the recent bicentennial I took a brief sojourn into the 1815 campaign.

I bought the boardgame shown below, over 20 years ago but have seldom played it. The rules are detailed and make for a slow, if 'complete' experience.

I thought I'd try to speed things up by using the Black Powder miniatures rules to run the game.

Some adaptations were needed to harmonise the map, counters and rules.

I hex was assumed equivalent to 3" making the map the same as a 10'x6' table or thereabouts.

Counter strength was used for hand to hand, half of this (rounded up) did for shooting and stamina. Morale values were taken from the Albion Triumphant supplement for BP.

As per the boardgame rules, column was shown by a counter facing a hex side and line by facing a vertex. Movement rates were half the amount shown on the counters.

I changed the disorder rule a bit; instead of 6s from shooting causing disorder they instead cause the target unit to take a break test if there are any subsequent unsaved hits. It seemed to work well, and units forced to fall back still become disordered. I might keep this change for figure gaming too.

Game turns were still assumed to represent 20 minutes.

Below is the initial disposition. Two allied brigades oppose Pire's light cavalry while the French 5th Division emerges from Frasnes:

5th Division advances while Pire works around the eastern flank:

9th Division arrives:

...and moves up to the right while 5th continues to build pressure and Pire pins the defenders of the crossroads in squares.

At this point the rest of French II corps was due to arrive along with lead elements of the British army. I stopped at this stage. The French had really not pushed hard enough but the rules seem to work well and fast. I think I could play the game on a day against an opponent.