Prussia, 1806

The plan was for a classic Franco-Prussian battle using figures and values for the 1806.  Due to a miscommunication, we unexpectedly found ourselves under-Frenched.  So a revised scenario was developed on the fly.

Twenty-four crack French battalions under Joubert and four small cavalry regiments were tasked with holding the south side of the impassable river.  After three hours they could withdraw.  Prince Louis and his thirty-five battalions and twelve regiments were to cut off and destroy the French.  For the most part the Prussians would need to march on table and catch up to the French.  Given their poor command ratings this could be complicated.

The French, deployed and waiting.  "Hold for three hours."

The Prussian Advance Guard element started on table, so got a
head start on the rest.

The Advance Guard element had three fusilier battalions, one of field jagers, one musketeer, two regiments of hussars and a horse artillery battery.  They faced a French division spread thin across a wide front and four cavalry regiments, three of which were cuirassiers.

A line division, dragoons and cuirassiers  move on the French.

Next up came four brigades of infantry, each of five battalions, four regiments of cuirassiers and two of dragoons.  One brigade of dragoons decided not to play.

Lots of charging, not much in the way of results.

Interestingly, despite written orders I managed to misinterpret them.  Told to advance to the "oblong hill" and cover the right flank of 1st division, I decided the close one was more of "banana" shape and went for the second.  Who needs artificial activation rolls when players create their own friction and fog of war?

The French come out to play.

The French fought aggressively against the Advance Guard with cavalry on both sides swirling about, largely ineffectively.  On the Prussian left things got heavy quickly.  With no cavalry to support them the French were quickly victimized by combined arms tactics.  Stay in line and be ridden down or form square and suffer from infantry attacks.

Cuirassiers coming up to support me as 1st division goes for
the center.  2nd division grapples on the left.

Post charging.  Ran off a battery and a battalion, but was stopped
by squares.

Things are stabilizing on the far right.

The Prussian hussars and jagers largely neutralized the more numerous French cavalry though the Advance Guard would be advancing no further.

The French are getting in a bad way.  Combined arms will win.

"Hold for three hours."

It became increasingly obvious that holding for three hours would be an impossibility as battalion after battalion routed away from either sabre strokes, musket balls or cannon fire.

Taken in flank with infantry ready to exploit, even if they manage
to square up.

Though eventually driven away, the dragoons here covered
themselves with glory.

Escaping French.

Final view as he curtain comes down.

The largest French division lost 12 of 17 elements (battalions or batteries) in the space of one hour.  To the surprise of no one, the remnants routed in the Maneuver Element Determination Phase.  We didn't even check the other ME for seeing the rout, it was clearly over.  This in spite of ten battalions and four regiments of cavalry never getting engaged in the fight.

The scenario may have been a touch unfair but was the best we could do on the fly.  The French had a small quality edge in infantry and a large one in terms of artillery.  Cavalry ratings were even, though the Prussians on paper had three times as many and made the most of it.  Prince Louis could report on a fine victory.  No Saalfeld this time.