BriTiSh LighT BoBS daSh forward under fire

The ScoTS
greyS charge!

“For all Frenchmen

of courage, the time
has come to conquer
or die.”
napoleon Bonaparte

The ‘godS’ are ordered To advance

 TM

ALBION TRIUMPHANT
The Hundred Days Campaign
Written By:
Adrian McWalter
Black Powder Game
Designed and Written By:
Rick Priestley & Jervis Johnson

Photography: Holger Bartnitzki, Bernhard Hennen,

Warwick Kinrade, Stefan Königs, Mark Owen,
Alan Perry and Michael Perry.
Cover Artwork: Peter Dennis
Design & Production:
Mark Owen and Paul Sawyer
Editing: Duncan Macfarlane, Mark Owen
and Andy Wheale
Miniatures painted by: Bruno Allanson,
Paul Armer, Jim Bowen, Paul Cubbin,
Andrés Amián, Mark Hargreaves,
George Hatzopoulos, Dave Jarvis, Gareth Jones,
Steve May, El Mercenario, John Morris, Alan Perry,
Heinz-Dieter Rathmackers and Dave Woodward
Special Thanks: Alan Perry and Michael Perry
of Perry Miniatures for their photographic heroics,
Bernhard Hennen and the THS club for
their photographs and encouragement,
and John Stallard for his advice and enthusiasm.

© Copyright Warlord Games Ltd, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-911281-12-2
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor
be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

www.warlordgames.com
BP-004_Albion2_001-009_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:03 Page 2
Introduction
W
ell here we are again, our second adventure
into all things Napoleonic for Black Powder.
Albion Triumphant Volume 2 – The Waterloo
Campaign, sees a return to the exploits of
Britain in her war against the French Empire of Napoleon
Bonaparte. It focuses on the climactic events of the
Hundred Days that led to probably the most famous battle
in history, Waterloo.
Those of you who have a copy of Albion Triumphant Volume
1 – The Peninsular Campaign, will know that when writing
Albion Triumphant, I did not want readers to use it as an
excuse to avoid researching the wonders of the Napoleonic
Wars. I believe that the period is one of the greatest in
military history.
I asked readers of the first volume to give research into the
Napoleonic Wars a go, as there was no way that they would
regret it. For those of you who have, I told you so, did I not?
For those of you who are new to Albion Triumphant or to
those who have not got around to some research, I will
repeat my message “Go on, try it; you won’t regret it!”
I will not then provide a chapter and verse account of that
great conflict within these pages, for to do so would require
a mighty tome indeed. I will, however, signpost readers
“In with you, my lads - let me see no more of you!”
2
throughout the book to various aspects of the whole period
that they may wish to research further.
We will look at why Napoleonic armies fought differently
from preceding black powder armies as well as detailing the
arms, uniforms and organisations of Great Britain and
France, whilst also covering allies such as The Netherlands
as well as the army that is always the bridesmaid, but never
the bride – the Prussians!
I have explored how and why the Black Powder rules reflect a
Napoleonic battle and I have built upon the guidance
provided in the original rules and those provided in Albion
Triumphant Volume 1 to give your armies their national
character and your gaming more of a Napoleonic feel.
Ultimately though, Black Powder is yours, the final decision
as to how your games play out is up to you. Additionally, for
the radicals amongst you, I have identified where you can
tweak rules to add a further flavour of this period.
Finally, for those of you who are points-minded, I have
provided a simple way of creating army lists and provided
you with sample lists to get you started. As always my advice
is that the more you research, the better your lists will be!
So without further ado...
Wellington, 18th June 1815
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An Overview of
Napoleonic Warfare 4 Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) .................... 39
Levèe en masse............................................ 5
Changes in Warfare .................................... 5
The Structure of Armies ............................ 6
Infantry .................................................... 7
The Assault Column .................................. 8
The Line .................................................. 8
The Square ................................................ 8
Mixed Order .............................................. 8
Cavalry .................................................... 9
Artillery .................................................... 9
The 100 Days 10
‘The Eagle flies from steeple to steeple’ ........ 10
The Armies ............................................ 10
Invasion .................................................. 10
The Battles of Quatre Bras
& Ligny, 16th June 1815 12
Quatre Bras ............................................ 12
Ligny ...................................................... 15
Aftermath ................................................ 18
The Battle of Waterloo 20
The Allied Deployment ............................ 20
The French Deployment ............................ 21
The Battle .............................................. 21
Aftermath ................................................ 34
The Armies of the
100 Days campaign 28
Great Britain 1815 29
British Infantry ........................................ 29
British Infantry Special Rules .................... 31
The Foot Guards ...................................... 32
Line Infantry (The Foot Regiments) .......... 33
Highland Infantry .................................... 33
Light Infantry .......................................... 34
Riflemen .................................................. 35
British Cavalry ........................................ 36
British Cavalry Special Rules .................... 36
Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards ........ 37
Dragoon Guards and Dragoons .................. 37
Light Dragoons and Hussars...................... 38
Artillery .................................................. 39
This book is dedicated to Helen, Sian and Niall – they have had to put up with Mr Grumps for quite
a while now! I must say a massive thank you to everyone at Warlord Games who gave me this
fantastic opportunity. I would also like to highlight the invaluable support that Andy Wheale and
Rob Lane gave me when writing Albion Triumphant. To my friends and gaming colleagues, Alan
Charlsworth, Darren Dabell, James Woodward, Trevor Allen, Paul Scrivens-Smith, Quinton Dalton
and all at Mansfield Wargames Club who have helped me along the way with hints, tips and
countless hours of play-testing, I say a big thank you.
Contents
Artillery Special Rules .............................. 39
Royal Artillery (RA) ................................ 40
The King’s German Legion........................ 41
Britain’s Allies 42
Hanover .................................................. 42
Brunswick .............................................. 45
The Kingdom of the Netherlands................ 47
Nassau.................................................... 50
Imperial France 1815 52
“Vive L’Empereur!”.................................. 52
Infantry of the Line .................................. 52
French Infantry Special Rules .................... 55
Line Infantry .......................................... 55
Light Infantry .......................................... 56
Combined Grenadiers ................................ 56
Combined Voltigeurs.................................. 56
French Cavalry Special Rules .................... 57
French Cavalry of the Line........................ 57
The Carabiniers ...................................... 58
The Cuirassiers ........................................ 58
Dragoons ................................................ 59
French Light Cavalry ................................ 59
The Line Lancers .................................... 60
French Artillery ........................................ 61
Foot Artillery............................................ 61
Horse Artillery ........................................ 61
The Imperial Guard ................................ 62
The Old Guard........................................ 62
The Middle Guard .................................. 63
The Young Guard .................................... 63
Marines of the Guard .............................. 64
Imperial Guard Heavy Cavalry.................. 64
Imperial Guard Light Cavalry .................. 65
Imperial Guard Artillery............................ 65
The Kingdom of Prussia 66
Prussian Infantry .................................... 67
Musketeers .............................................. 68
Fusiliers .................................................. 69
Landwehr ................................................ 69
Jägers...................................................... 69
Prussian Cavalry...................................... 70
Dragoons ................................................ 70
Uhlans .................................................... 70
Hussars .................................................. 70
Landwehr Cavalry.................................... 71
Artillery .................................................. 72
Column versus Line
and useful rules 74
Attack Column ........................................ 74
A Column of Companies.......................... 76
Line ........................................................ 76
Steady line ................................................77
Square .................................................... 77
Engineers ................................................ 78
Direct and Grazing Artillery Fire .............. 78
Higher Ranks .......................................... 78
Weather .................................................. 78
Higher Ground ........................................ 79
Death of a Commander ............................ 79
Personal Qualities of Commanders ............ 79
Commanders of
the Hundred Days 80
Britain .................................................... 80
Prussia.................................................... 82
The Netherlands ...................................... 83
France .................................................... 84
Scenario Games 86
The Defence of the Crossroads –
The Battle of Quatre Bras, 1815 .............. 86
The Battle for Hougoumont ...................... 96
Plancenoit – ‘The Prussians are coming’ .. 100
Army Lists &
Pointed Games 104
Anglo-Netherlands Army - British .................. 105
Anglo-Netherlands Army - Brunswick ............ 112
Anglo-Netherlands Army - Dutch,
Belgian and Nassau ...................................... 114
French Army of the North
- Army Corps 1815 .................................... 118
French Army of the North
- Imperial Guard 1815 ................................ 124
The Prussians 1815 .................................... 128
3
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An Overview of Napoleonic Warfare
ENTHUSIASTIC BRUNSWICkERS SWING INTo LINE AS THE FRENCH CoME oN
The French revolution of 1789 was the catalyst for enormous
changes in the way military conflict was conducted, leading
to over twenty years of warfare that is now known as the
Napoleonic Wars. This is a special period of historical drama
that we can but try to recreate in our tabletop battles.
During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) and
Seven Years War (1756-1763), nations were constrained by
limited manpower and logistics, which was reflected through
warfare becoming an elaborate game where armies
attempted to outmanoeuvre each other. Armies were slow
moving, and commanders’ strategic intentions were,
generally, to acquire towns, cities and fortresses as bargaining
chips to be used to barter with at conferences. Thus siege
warfare predominated, as great fortress cities were steadily
worn down by bombardment and starvation. Decisive battles
were to be avoided, as the sudden loss of a kingdom’s
4
standing army would leave it completely defenceless.
Why was Napoleonic warfare so different? The population of
Europe massively increased during the 18th Century, in no
small part due to changes in farming methods and the impact
of the early industrial revolution, which made it possible to
mass-produce arms and equipment. In addition, the financial
capacity of European states improved through industrial
expansion, trade improvements and efficient tax systems.
The national income of England, for example, doubled. This
transformation allowed nations the capability to fight wars on
a grand scale. The sizes of the armies fielded increased
considerably; in 1706 at the battle of Ramillies the combined
total of the combatants that fought for the Duke of
Marlborough and the Duc de Villeroi did not exceed 123,000
men. A hundred and three years later, at the battle of
Wagram, the French army alone could boast 175,000 men.
BP-004_Albion2_001-009_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:03 Page 5
Levèe en masse
France in the early 1790s found itself under pressure from the
First Coalition of England, Austria, Prussia, Spain and
Sardinia. To find the soldiers needed to fight all these
opponents, the French government, known as the
Convention, through the Committee for Public Safety,
decreed the Levèe en masse in 1793. This decree saw the
total mobilisation of civilian and military resources, meaning
that the whole population could be utilised to create a huge,
though largely unprofessional, armed force.
The Levèe en masse stated:
‘… All Frenchmen are in permanent requisition for the services of the
army. The young men shall fight; the married men shall forge arms and
transport provisions; the women shall make tents and clothes and serve in
the hospitals; the children shall turn linen into lint; the old shall betake
themselves to the public squares to arouse the courage of the warriors and
preach hatred of kings and the enemies of the republic…’
It certainly worked; by 1794, France could count on 800,000
men to service its field armies. The increased size of armies
made logistical issues impossible to manage when those
armies were concentrated for long. What was required then
was a quick military victory. Wars fought in the manner of
the Spanish Succession or the Seven Years War could and
would not continue.
Changes in Warfare
Napoleon Bonaparte was the first to recognise the need for
strategic change. Bonaparte’s approach centred on the
destruction of an enemy’s field army rather than
outmanoeuvring it; decisive, war-winning victories replaced
the largely indecisive battles of the early 1700s. In 1761, at
the battle of Vellinghausen during the Seven Years War,
CLASSIC BRITISH LINES AWAIT THEIR FoE IN THE CoRNFIELDS
65,000 British and Germans defeated 91,000 French;
casualties for both sides were just under 6,500 in total. At
Austerlitz in 1805, the Allies alone suffered 25,000 casualties
at the hands of the French. Although troop types and
equipment remained largely the same as those fighting in the
War of the Spanish Succession and the Seven Years War, in
order to achieve decisive victory and deal with the massive
increase in manpower, army command and control,
organisation and tactical deployment changed dramatically.
Nowhere in Europe were these changes driven forward more
than in France. General Berthier, Napoleon’s Chief of Staff,
wrote the definitive manual on staff procedures. This was
disseminated throughout the French Army and resulted in an
officer corps and staff system that was second to none. The
officer corps itself grew with men chosen for both ideological
strengths as well as their ability to command. La gloire at any
price propelled energetic commanders to senior command
positions. French field armies were moulded into self-
contained all-arms forces as the corps system was born. A
corps comprised of two or more infantry divisions with a
division or brigade of light cavalry and supporting artillery
attached. The corps had a permanent command. Corps’
commanders worked together regularly and grew to
understand each other’s capabilities.
The corps system enabled co-operation between all arms on
an unprecedented scale. Prior to the revolution, any
formation above brigade level was temporary. Divisions
within the same corps trained together and practiced
manoeuvres with each other and their associated cavalry.
This co-operation improved manoeuvrability, which
increased further with French forces foraging from the land
for the best part of a march. The according reduction of
baggage gave them a significant advantage over their
opponents, although the cost of living off the land was
usually the enmity of the local populace.
5
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ALBION TRIUMPHANT

Full Frontal
‘In the kind of position which Wellington is so good at choosing, I regard the English infantry as
impregnable because of their quiet steadiness and the superiority of their fire discipline. We shall
lose half our assault force before we can get at them with the bayonet. On the other hand, they are
more ponderous, less flexible than we are. They may not be susceptible to frontal attack, but we
could beat them by manoeuvring.’
Count Reille’s reply to Napoleon on being asked what he thought of the
Emperor’s plan to frontally assault Wellington’s position.

British Belgic or Waterloo shako 1812-1815 (Perry Collection)

The Structure of Armies

The armies of all nations were made of a series of building
blocks: divisions from two or more brigades, brigades from
regiments and regiments from battalions or cavalry
squadrons.

For example, the following formation is that of the famous

5th Anglo-Hanoverian Infantry Division at Waterloo, 1815:

5th Division (Lt General Sir Thomas Picton)

8th British Brigade (Major General Sir James kempt)

• 1/28th North Gloucester Regiment
• 1/32nd Cornwall Regiment
• 1/79th Cameron Highlanders
• 1/95th Rifles (6 coys)

9th British Brigade (Major General Sir Denis Pack)

• 3/1st Royal Scots Regiment
• 1/42nd Royal Highland Regiment
• 2/44th East Essex Regiment
• 1/92 Gordon Highlanders

5th Hanoverian Brigade (Colonel von Vinke)

Landwehr Battalions
• Gifhorn
• Hameln
• Hildesheim
• Peine

Roger’s Battery Royal Artillery (five 9-pounders, one 5.5 inch

howitzer.)

Braun’s Battery Hanoverian Foot Artillery (five 6-pounders,

one 5.5 inch howitzer)

6
BP-004_Albion2_001-009_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:03 Page 7
Infantry
Infantry battalions within a brigade, or cavalry squadrons
within a regiment, fought in mutual support of each other. The
brigade or regiment was the main tactical element.
Infantry in the main were designated Line or Light. A
significant tactical development of the Age of Napoleon was
the extensive use of light infantry. Introduced into European
battle during the Seven Years War, and deployed as
skirmishers, Austro-Hungarian light infantry stung the steady
ranks of Frederick the Great’s armies. Frederick was not to be
outdone – his armies brought new methods of deployment
onto the battlefield that wrong-footed his opponents.
Line infantry dominated the field, manoeuvring in column and
deploying into line for fire effect. Light infantry deployed in
“RIFLES To THE FRoNT!”
AN OvERvIEW OF NAPOLEONIC WARFARE
skirmish formation to screen columns prior to the attack. Arms
and equipment were to all intents and purposes the same in the
Napoleonic period as they were throughout the previous
hundred years. Yet the commanders who took the field during
the War of the Spanish Succession or the Seven Years War did
not rely heavily on assault columns to launch attacks or form
square to repel cavalry, tactics which were used extensively on
the Napoleonic battlefield.
“The bloodiest, hardest contest,
and most decisive victory was
gained this day at Waterloo.”
Captain Edward kelly,1st Lifeguard
7
BP-004_Albion2_001-009_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:03 Page 8
ALBION TRIUMPHANT
THE SINISTER BLACk-CLAD BRUNSWICkERS THRoW oUT A SkIRMISH LINE
The Assault Column
In Albion Triumphant Volume 1 – The Peninsular Campaign, we
looked at how infantry formed in column could move
around the battlefield rapidly to exploit an enemy weakness.
In the Revolutionary Wars, and early years of the
Napoleonic Wars, French attack columns screened by
massed skirmishers would, at the pas de charge, make short
work of enemy infantry deployed in the old, slow-moving
linear formations. The enemy would first be demoralised by
skirmish fire and once sufficiently disordered, the columns
would advance to sweep them away. If the enemy persisted
in their duties, the advancing columns would deploy into
line to finish the job. Most countries had a form of the
attack column that would allow their infantry to move into
musket range, or press the advantage if the tactical situation
allowed. The French called their main formation colonne
d’attaque par division, whilst the British infantry’s main
formation was the open column of companies.
All columns had a downside though; infantrymen packed
closely together several ranks deep presented excellent artillery
targets compared with troops in linear formations.
The Line
Fighting in line allowed a greater number of muskets to bear
and provided for maximum fire effect. A battalion formed
three deep was typical for most nations, although Britain and
some of her allies used two. The line did have disadvantages.
It was very hard to manoeuvre in line – only troops with a high
standard of foot drill could perform such manoeuvres
8
adequately. Inexperienced infantry when moving in line had a
tendency to throw themselves into disorder. officers and
NCos could prevent this, by stopping the formation and
redressing ranks and files at regular intervals. Although a line
could be solid to its front, it was vulnerable to flank and rear
attacks and cavalry catching infantry in line in the rear would
usually destroy them.
The Square
Frederick the Great’s deployment innovations of the mid-
eighteenth century opened the battlefield up, allowing shock
cavalry to come into their own. Against this increased threat,
commanders would rely upon the square formation to prevent
infantry from being overrun and destroyed within moments.
on the approach of horse the words of command “Form
Square!” were given. This must have terrified the poor
infantrymen, but if they kept their composure, they would
form into a roughly square shape that presented a wall of
bayonets to ward off cavalry.
Mixed Order
In France, the mixed order formation was developed and this
solved the years-old debate about the best tactical formation
for infantry. Battalions within a brigade formed with some
units in column and others in line. This allowed a brigade to
provide a blend of both shock and fire effect. In time, other
Napoleonic armies followed suit with mixed order becoming a
standard tactical deployment across Europe.
BP-004_Albion2_001-009_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:03 Page 9
“Now, Bonaparte will see how a general
of sepoys can defend a position.”
Wellington, 18th June 1815
Cavalry
The cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars are grouped into four
main categories: heavy, medium (or line), light and lancers.
The heavy cavalry were the shock arm of the army and were
big men on big horses. Their main role was to clear the field
of enemy heavy cavalry and destroy infantry formations.
Heavy cavalry formations were some of the most valuable
assets in the army and not used until absolutely necessary.
Cuirassiers and carabiniers were found in most European
armies, whilst the British had heavy dragoons. Medium
(sometimes known as line) cavalry had a similar role to that of
their heavier cousins. They also provided tactical flexibility,
being capable of the pursuit of a defeated enemy or
providing rearguard support during a retreat. Dragoons, in
the main, fitted this role and were more numerous than the
truly heavy cavalry.
The term light cavalry covers many different types of unit;
light dragoons, hussars and chasseurs à cheval, for example.
Light cavalry protected the flanks of an army as well as
performing reconnaissance and pursuit roles, but had little
shock effect on the battlefield. Lancers provided the shock
effect of heavy cavalry with the manoeuvrability of true light
cavalry, as well as being capable of attacking infantry when
they were in square. The Hungarian and Polish light cavalry
were much admired, their hussar or lancer styling being
copied by many nations. Like the infantry, cavalry deployed in
FRENCH GUNS MAkE READY oN THE RIDGE NoRTH oF PLANCENoIT
AN OvERvIEW OF NAPOLEONIC WARFARE
line or column on the battlefield and preferred to fight in line
against mounted opponents and in waves of squadrons
against infantry.
Artillery
Artillery was split into two categories, foot and horse, with
both seeing a great deal of improvement in the 18th Century
as guns became more manoeuvrable. However, all artillery
was inaccurate and had to be re-laid after every shot. The
smallest guns put in the field were three- and four-pounders
and the heaviest were the twelve-pounders, the guns graded
by the weight of their cannonballs. The three and four-
pounders were usually used as regimental pieces, providing
direct support to the infantry and cavalry. The twelve-
pounders, on the other hand, were the queens of the
battlefield, normally grouped together opposite the enemy
line where the main attack would be put in.
Great concentrations of guns, to provide a massed
preliminary bombardment, were another new battlefield
feature of the Napoleonic period. In between those two
extremes, there were numerous other types, the six- to nine-
pounders. In most armies, horse artillery used six-pounders
to good effect, though artillery, whatever the weight delivered
death on an unprecedented scale during these wars.
9
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The Hundred Days
‘The Eagle flies from steeple to steeple…’
The campaign of the ‘Hundred Days’ was to become the
thundering climax of the Napoleonic Wars.
The shattering of the Grande Armèe in the snows of Russia in
1812, followed by two years of desperate fighting, forced the
Emperor of the French to abdicate in 1814.
The elated emperors and kings of the Sixth Coalition exiled
Bonaparte to the tiny Mediterranean island of Elba and met in
Vienna to pick over the bones of the conquered Napoleonic
Empire, aiming to restore the pre-1789 Ancièn Régime in Europe.
The ‘Corsican Adventurer’ would not be contained; on the 26th
of February 1815, Napoleon left Elba on the flagship of the
Elban navy, L’Inconstant, intent on regaining his throne. He had
been informed by his spies in mainland France of widespread
dissatisfaction with the Bourbon regime, and knew of the
divisions amongst the Allies who had removed him from power.
On the 1st of March 1815, Napoleon landed near Cannes in
the south of France with a mere 1,050 soldiers. He moved
quickly, defying Bourbon forces that were flung before him to
apprehend and eliminate his tiny army. On the 9th of March
1815, he issued a proclamation ‘Victory will advance at the
charge; the eagle, with the national colours, will fly from steeple
to steeple all the way to the towers of Notre Dame…’ The
south of France dissolved into a frenzy of enthusiasm for
Bonaparte as the troops sent to capture or kill him changed
sides. On the 12th of March, the Congress of Vienna was
finally informed of the return of Napoleon and a week later he
entered Paris in triumph, just a day after the Bourbon king fled
once more into exile. Despite Napoleon quickly stating that he
only desired peace, the Congress branded the ‘great thief of
Europe’ an outlaw and on the 25th of March, the Seventh
Coalition was formed against Napoleon, with each of the Allies
promising to contribute 150,000 men to crush him once and for
all. By May, the forces massed against Napoleon were
enormous: around 700,000 men surrounded the borders of
France. Two massive armies, one Austrian and one Russian,
both contained in excess of 200,000 men. More immediately, a
Prussian army under the 73 year-old Field Marshal Gebhard
Leberecht von Blücher and an Anglo-Dutch Allied force under
Wellington were both bivouacked in Belgium. The Allied
strategy was to simply re-run their 1814 invasion of France; to
grind the French to dust by sheer weight of numbers and avoid
any disastrous defeats at the hands of Napoleon.
The Armies
The restored Emperor moved quickly to rebuild his armies. The
200,000 men left to him under arms by King Louis were
concentrated in a central field army. The 123,000-strong Armée
du Nord included the Imperial Guard and the heavy cavalry
reserve with the remainder being spread into smaller regional
armies to watch the borders. Later in the summer though, up to
500,000 men were available to him.
The British Army that Wellington fielded was a shadow of the
superb instrument he had wielded in the Peninsular War. That
army had been broken up with the end of the war. Many of the
veteran battalions crossed the Atlantic to confront the USA as
the War of 1812 raged on, while numerous veterans had been
discharged. Only 30% of his infantry were British, with some of
10
these battalions being untried, and even the few experienced
units were padded out with ex-militiamen. The rest of the
infantry were Belgian, Dutch and German contingents of
variable quality, some having previously fought for Napoleon
before 1814, or raw conscripts raised by restored rulers who
were terrified the French Empire would roll back over their small
states (such as Brunswick and Hanover).
The Prussian Army appeared to be fragile. More than 50% of
the infantry in Blücher’s host were Landwehr (Militia), though
there was a good sprinkling of 1813-1814 veterans in every
regiment. Prussia had gained territory from Saxony when the
Vienna Congress had redrawn the map, but in early May 14,000
men from this newly acquired area were dismissed following a
mutiny. While Napoleon’s Armèe du Nord would be
outnumbered by the two forces discussed above, the French had
a clear qualitative advantage.This army was full of returning
veterans who had fought in Spain and central Europe, many
fanatically devoted to Bonaparte.
Napoleon needed to strike fast and hard, and win a crushing
victory before the Allies could concentrate. His plan was
audacious. He would launch a surprise invasion of Belgium,
separate and smash Blücher’s and Wellington’s armies, then
drive them both back along their lines of communication.
Belgium had been part of Napoleonic France for many years
before 1814, and Bonapartist sympathies were strong:
Wellington could be plagued by troop defections as he dashed to
Antwerp for a Corunna-style evacuation by the Royal Navy.
Meanwhile, a battered Prussian army might only feel secure
once it had re-crossed the Rhine. Once these operational
objectives had been won, then perhaps the Allies’ dispute over
the fates of Saxony and Poland would deepen and Napoleon
could gain a diplomatic accommodation that would leave him
on his throne.
Invasion
At 3.30am on the 15th of June 1815, the concentrated French
forces invaded Belgium, moving with the army divided into two
wings and a central reserve. By midday, the French columns
were crossing the Sambre River and Charleroi was in their
hands. The next target for Napoleon was the Nivelle-Namur
road that linked the British and Prussian armies. To secure this
objective the Emperor ordered Ney and the left wing of the
army towards the important road intersection at Quatre Bras
and the Anglo-Dutch and German outposts; meanwhile
Grouchy was ordered to press the Prussians by heading for
Sombreffe. However, neither wing commander would achieve
their second objective due to caution at a tactical level. A small
number of Prussian battalions fought a valiant delaying action at
Gilly, which stalled Grouchy at Fleurus by nightfall. Meanwhile,
Ney’s probing regiments had fallen back to Frasnes to await
further French forces, having found the small Nassau contingent
holding Quatre Bras too formidable to overcome!
The Prussians were the first to realise that the ‘Armée du Nord’
was upon them as they had been alerted to French intentions by
the desertion of General de Bourmont, a French divisional
commander with royalist sympathies. Several sightings of the
French invasion force reached Blücher’s headquarters,
prompting the Prussian commander to order a concentration
around Ligny and Sombreffe.
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:07 Page 11

Louvain

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Wellington
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Genappe
Braine le Orange
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Chase
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D’Erlon Reille Vandamme

Wellington had been slow to respond to the French thrust at
Charleroi, believing that Bonaparte’s main thrust would come
through Mons to threaten his line of retreat to the coast. The
initial report of the Prussians being under attack took six hours
to travel the 34 miles to Brussels, as the officer entrusted to carry
it was, Wellington complained, “the fattest in the Prussian
Army”. At 6pm on the 15th he prepared his divisions to
concentrate, but did not order the army to march until he was
certain of the point of the French thrust.
The Duke spent the evening of the 15th at the Duchess of
Richmond’s ball, and it was here in the early hours of the 16th
that he finally understood that the French had crossed the
Sambre in great numbers, driving back the Prussians and
threatening Quatre Bras.
Wellington was reported to have said that “Bonaparte has
gained a day’s march on me,” and his delay in concentrating his
army around Nivelles and Quatre Bras had passed the initiative
to Bonaparte.

11
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:07 Page 12
The Battles of Quatre Bras & Ligny
THE BRITISH REGIMENTS STAND FIRM, CLOSELy COVERED By THE RELIABLE ROyAL HORSE ARTILLERy
Quatre Bras
As far as Napoleon was concerned, he believed the Allies
would not dare risk concentrating close to his position on the
Belgian-French border. No British formations had been
sighted, and at best, Blücher would only have time to muster
40,000 men to oppose his right wing, which was probing
towards Sombreffe and Ligny. If the 16th of June went to
plan then Ney would take the important crossroads of
Quatre Bras and push up the Charleroi road to take Brussels.
The Emperor and his Guard would join Ney once Grouchy’s
offensive against the Prussians had been successful. Napoleon
was mistaken; the Army of the North came up against stiff
resistance in both the British and Prussian sectors at the
Quatre Bras crossroads and at Ligny.
During the morning of the 16th, Wellington met Blücher at
the Prussian General’s command post at the Bussy windmill
near the hamlet of Brye. During this meeting, the two
commanders showed a resolve to support each other in the
12
forthcoming campaign, Wellington leaving the elderly
Prussian with the words, “Well, I will come, provided I am
not attacked myself.” On route to see the Prussians,
Wellington had inspected units stationed at Quatre Bras,
being able to do so due to the superb junior leadership by the
Prince of Orange’s staff officer, Constant de Rebecque. They
ensured that the crossroads were held by nearly 8,000 Dutch,
Belgian and Nassau soldiers.
The French could only exploit the Duke of Wellington’s delay
in concentrating his army if they pushed home their
advantage. To do that they needed to take the strategically
important crossroads at Quatre Bras as the army that held it
controlled movement along the Nivelles-Namur road. The
French needed to control it on the 16th to allow Marshal Ney
to support the Emperor’s manoeuvres against the Prussians
and to split the two allied armies apart.
Unaware of Wellington’s dispositions, the French showed no
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:07 Page 13
16th June 1815
“The Prince is a brave young man, but that’s all.”
Wellington on the Prince of Orange
urgency. Ney received his orders to march on the Belgian
capital at 8am on the morning of the 16th, but orders direct
from the Emperor did nothing to hasten him, as he kindly
allowed his men to enjoy breakfast! The leading French
formations, stationed at Mallet, approximately four miles
from their crossroads objective, were only finally ready to
move off at 11am. As these leading formations, soldiers of
Lieutenant General Count Reille’s Corps marched north,
Ney received further orders from his Emperor. Napoleon had
learned of the allied position at the crossroads and he urged
Ney to concentrate his wing and crush the enemy before him.
As we have seen, Reille’s Corps were at best four miles away
from Quatre Bras, whilst the rear formations of Ney’s other
Corps under Lieutenant General Drouet D’Erlon was just
across the Sambre river some 15 miles away. Reille’s leading
division sighted their objective a short while after 12pm.
Before them they could see the ground rise towards a farm
complex by the name of Gemincourt. Beyond the farm the
ground continued to rise towards the four houses of the small
hamlet of Quatre Bras, showing the point where the
Charleroi-Brussels and the Nivelles-Namur roads intersected.
The Bossu wood extended for about a mile to the south-west
of the crossroads. To the south of the wood were the farms of
Petit- and Grande-Pierrepont. To the southeast of the
crossroads the terrain rolled away towards the hamlets of
Paradis and Piraumont, and to the south of these hamlets
was the Hutte wood.
The French found it difficult to ascertain enemy numbers as
the whole area was covered with fields of shoulder high corn.
The most significant terrain feature, and one not lost on
Peninsula veterans Ney and Reille, was what appeared to be a
reverse slope immediately to the north of Quatre Bras. The
significance of such a feature caused Reille to urge caution on
Ney warning “This could well be like one of those battles in
Spain, when the English show themselves only at the critical
moment. We would be wise to wait until we can attack in
strength.”
Ney’s usual daring left him. With Napoleon’s instructions to
concentrate his forces fresh in his mind, and with Reille’s
comments ringing in his ears, he decided to wait for further
divisions to arrive. Albion’s victories, engineered by
Wellington in the Peninsula, were fighting for the Allies even
though neither British soldiers nor Wellington were at the
crossroads at that time. Ney took two hours to gather a
further two divisions, allowing the Prince of Orange to gather
more of his countrymen. The Prince could now call on the
services of the whole of Lieutenant General Baron de
Perponcher-Sedlnitzky’s Division: nearly 8,000 men and 12
guns. He positioned these troops thinly to the south of the
crossroads, covering the farm complexes described.
The Battle
Ney’s plan for the coming battle was easy to understand: take
the crossroads. To do that, Bachelu’s 5th Infantry Division
was ordered to manoeuvre to the right to take the Piraumont
farm and then assault Quatre Bras from the east. Meanwhile,
Foy’s 9th Infantry Division, which occupied the centre
ground straddling the Brussels road itself, was ordered to
make directly for the crossroads, supported by Pire’s 2nd
Cavalry Division. The French attack began at 2.30pm and
was unusually slow to develop despite being in columns and
protected by swarms of skirmishers. Even after the sluggish
start the Dutch were thrown out of their initial positions
during bitter fighting, and Piraumont and Gemiancourt fell
to the French. At this moment Major General Baron van
Merlin’s 2nd Netherlands light cavalry brigade arrived and
attempted to relieve the pressure on Perponcher’s men. Pire’s
lancers made short work of van Merlin’s command, quickly
sweeping it from the field.
Wellington now arrived from his meeting with the Prussians
to take control of the battle, appearing at the key point of the
action as he had done on so many occasions in the Peninsula.
He was in time to supervise the deployment of Picton’s
Division, which was just arriving to the east of the crossroads.
Although Ney had not taken the crossroads he was bolstered
by the fact that Napoleon’s younger brother, Jerome
Bonaparte, and his 6th Infantry Division, had arrived to
support his next attempt.
Jerome was ordered to clear the Bossu wood whilst Foy and
Bachelu’s orders remained much the same as before.
The attack began at 3.30pm. The battalions of Sir James
Kempt’s Brigade met Bachelu’s columns marching resolutely
forward. Devastating volleys first checked Bachelu’s advance,
and then the wavering French fled, before a well-timed
British bayonet charge.
French action on the right of the battlefield fared better.
Perponcher’s men, who had rallied in the Bossu wood, were
steadily being pushed out of it, whilst the Duke of
Brunswick’s contingent, sent to shore up this area of the
battlefield, was badly mauled, the young Duke himself falling
13
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:07 Page 14
ALBIon TrIuMphAnT
‘THE SWEEPS’ QUICK TIME FORWARD UNDER A HAWK-LIKE EyE...
mortally wounded. The French pressed this advantage and
almost made the crossroads again. A bitter struggle ensued
during which the French almost captured Wellington and
roughly handled several allied battalions. In one example,
lancers mauled the 42nd Highlanders terribly; their
commander, Sir Robert Macara, was killed by a lance thrust
to the chin “with the point screwing upward into the brain.”
yet despite this onslaught, the British held on and managed
to drive the French away.
The second French failure and the arrival of further Allied
forces were not the only problems that Marshal Ney had. He
had now received an order from Napoleon urging him to
take the crossroads quickly and come to his assistance at
Ligny. To Ney it was obvious that his Emperor did not
understand the seriousness of the battle for Quatre Bras. The
outnumbered Marshal needed fresh troops to force the issue;
he needed D’Erlon’s Corps and fast. However, D’Erlon’s
move towards Quatre Bras had been stopped by a message
from the Emperor, ordering him to move to support
Napoleon at Ligny. The dutiful D’Erlon obliged, sending his
chief of staff, Baron Delacambre to explain the situation to
Ney. On receiving Delacambre’s news, Ney flew into a rage
and countermanded the Emperor’s orders. By the time
D’Erlon received Ney’s new order he was on the outskirts of
Ligny, but believing that Ney needed him more than the
Emperor, he turned his men around and marched back to
Quatre Bras.
14
Shortly after 5pm Ney received a further order from
Napoleon again urging him to extra effort. The order ended
“…the fate of France is in your hands.” Ney was not only
furious, he was desperate, and in desperation, he ordered the
Count of Valmy, Lieutenant General Francois Etienne
Kellermann, to attack the crossroads directly. Kellermann, a
cavalry commander through and through, commanded a
heavy cavalry corps of 3,500 sabres, but out of these he only
had a single brigade of cuirassiers available. Kellermann
knew his orders were born of desperation and his task
unachievable; he was being asked to take an objective with
fewer than a thousand men where Ney had failed with several
thousand. He saluted his Marshal and led his men forward.
The gallant Cuirassiers of the 8th and 11th Regiments urged
their mounts to the attack and, despite weathering close
range musketry and artillery fire, arrived on the British line
with sufficient numbers to fall upon the brigade of Major
General Colin Halkett.
The Cuirassiers caught the 69th South Lincolnshire
Regiment in line and decimated it in seconds, the battalion
fled with the loss of its King’s Colour. The remainder of
Halkett’s command saved themselves from a similar fate by
either managing to form square in the nick of time or bolting
for the safety of Bossu wood. This left the way open for the
bloodied but victorious cuirassiers to reach the crossroads. By
this time the valiant horsemen had taken too many casualties
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:08 Page 15
to hold their gains, and were forced to retire under a torrent
of Allied fire. The unhorsed Kellerman narrowly escaped the
situation by clinging to the stirrups of some of his men’s
passing mounts.
Around 6.30pm, Wellington was further reinforced by the
British 1st Division with two brigades of Britain’s finest
infantry – the Foot Guards. These fine troops allowed
Wellington to go over to the attack. They quickly engaged
Jerome’s command, which was west of Quatre Bras, and
drove it back, retaking the Bossu wood. This offensive also left
Gemioncourt in Allied hands. As night fell, the French found
themselves back at their original starting positions. The battle
petered out by 9pm, ending in a bloody draw. Quatre Bras
was a small but very bloody engagement, the French losses
being just over 4,000 and those of the Allies 5,000.
Ligny
Whilst the clamour of battle rang loudly around the
crossroads of Quatre Bras, the Prussians were engaged in
battle against the Emperor of the French himself seven miles
to the south-east.
As described, the Emperor did not believe that Wellington
and Blücher had concentrated in forward positions or in
numbers, yet he was still concerned that the Prussian Army
was the greater threat if allowed time to concentrate in force
and then manoeuvre. To prevent this, and to keep the
coalition forces from converging, he pushed the French right
wing on in the direction of Sombreffe and the Prussians. In
support of this, he led his reserve to Fleurus, and by the
morning of the 16th Napoleon stood observing the Prussians
from the windmill of Naveau. He could see them
concentrating and realised they meant to stand and fight,
which suited the Emperor – he would now smash the
Prussians and win the campaign.
Blücher had chosen his ground as best he could; he had his
army stretched across a seven-mile front from the village of
Wagnele on his extreme right, through St. Amand and St.
Amand la Haye at his centre, to Ligny and Sombreffe on his
centre left. The villages followed the line of a stream named
after the village of Ligny. The stream was not a formidable
obstacle in itself, being no more than a metre wide, but its
banks were overgrown and the adjacent land was marshy,
especially near a wood by the name of Bois du Loup. As a
result, the hamlets with their bridges were important to any
French advance and Prussian defence. They were strong
defensive positions, seated at the foot of a valley that was
steeper on the Prussian side of the field. They were clusters of
stone buildings with ditches, walls, trees and hedges
surrounding them. Ligny itself contained the formidable
Chateau de Looz. On the extreme left, several other
villages – Tongrenelles, Boignee and Balatre – were not as
strategically important. Crops covered the undulating Belgian
countryside that made up the remaining parts of the field of
battle, the cereal stalks being the height of a man.
ThE BATTLEs of QuATrE-BrAs And LIgny
The highest point on the battlefield was near the hillside
settlement of Brye, northeast of Ligny, where the Bussy
windmill would serve as Blücher’s command post. It was on
this battlefield that the elderly Prussian general had
assembled three out of the four corps of his army, just over
93,000 men.
Hans Ernst Karl von Zieten’s 1st Corps was tasked with the
defence of the villages; Major General von Henckel’s 19th
Infantry Regiment and the 4th Westphalia Landwehr were
stationed in and around Ligny village. Major General
Steinmetz’s Brigade occupied St. Amand and Wagnelee.
The remaining Prussians remained in reserve. George
Dubislaw Ludwig von Pirch’s 2nd Corps took up positions
between Sombreffe and Brye, with two cavalry divisions in
support. Blücher also placed a division of cavalry under
General von Roder near his HQ at Bussy. Would these
cavalry tempt the Prussian commander into the clamour of
battle? Thielemann’s 3rd Corps covered the left flank, with
Hobe’s cavalry east of Balatre guarding the road to Namur
and Colonel Kampfen’s Brigade on high ground above
Tongrenelles. The remaining brigades of the Corps, those of
Stulpnagel, Luck and Borke formed battalion columns to the
north-east of Sombreffe. The Prussians lined the Ligny brook
with a strong skirmish screen; the French would have a hard
fight to gain ground.
Opposing them would be 66,000 Frenchmen formed in three
infantry corps, a supporting division from the II Corps, three
cavalry corps and the Imperial Guard.
Napoleon deployed his forces as follows. On the French left
facing Wagnele was Girard’s Division, his left shielded by the
cavalry division of the 3rd Corps. To the right of Girard’s
formation stretched the massed ranks of the infantry of the
3rd Corps, commanded by Dominique Rene Vandamme,
Count of Unebourg, facing St. Amand. On Vandamme’s
right Étienne Maurice Gérard’s IV Corps deployed opposing
Ligny. On the French right facing Tongrenelles, Boignee and
Balatre, the cavalry of Exelman’s and Pajol’s 1st and 2nd
Cavalry Corps, with a small number of infantry battalions,
fixed the Prussian right. At Fleurus, the Emperor held the
Imperial Guard and Milhaud’s cuirassier division in reserve.
The fiery Vandamme would be thrown against the Prussian
right, whilst the elite regiments of Gérard’s Corps were
selected to storm Ligny, the honour shared between the 6th
“Tell the Emperor what
you have seen here.”
Ney to Delacambre
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ALBIon TrIuMphAnT
Unsteady Allies
“I would not trust the Belgian troops an inch, some
of the men of the two regiments at Mons began the
cry of Vive Napoleon on the first arrival of the
news. However, their numbers are inconsiderable.”
Major Colborne writing
to Lord Bunbury,
late March 1815
Light Infantry and the 96th Line Infantry Regiment who
between them carried eleven battle honours on their flags.
At 2.30pm, three cannons fired by the Guard Artillery
signalled the French attack. Vandamme’s infantry of Lefol’s
Division, in screened columns, moved forward with cheers for
their Emperor and France, martial music stirring the air as
the battalions approached their Prussian adversaries in the
village of St. Amand. The pas de charge beat as brave
Frenchmen increased their pace, intent on driving off the
Prussians. As the columns advanced, the Prussian positions
opened fire. The ridge above the village provided artillery
support whilst the 29th Infantry Regiment, three battalions in
strength, mauled the attackers with musket fire. Despite
heavy casualties, the French managed to gain a foothold in
BRUNSWICK LIGHT TROOPS HOLD THE WOODS
16
St. Amand, then after a stubborn mêlée they overwhelmed
the 29th and forced them from the village. General
Steinmetz, the area brigade commander, seeing the danger,
ordered forward the 12th and 24th Prussian Infantry
Regiments. These regiments stormed the village and in turn
threw back Lefol’s French. Across the battlefield, a furious
cannonade ensued. Vandamme was furious at the setback
and threw in Habert’s 10th Division. Twelve battalions
stormed forward and, once again, the village of St. Amand
fell into French hands; despite the village being further
reinforced by Westphalian Landwehr who were slaughtered.
Steinmetz’s command, having been smashed with
approximately 25% losses, withdrew from the engagement.
The French began to strengthen their hold on St. Amand,
blasting the Prussians nearby with cannon. To the right of
Vandamme, Ligny was under cannonade by Gerard’s
artillery, supported by cannon from the Guard. These guns
caused great damage in Ligny, setting fire to buildings in
moments. The French came on in three columns. Two struck
Ligny itself, whilst a third attacked the Chateau de Looz,
defended by skirmishers of the 19th Regiment. A hail of
musketry and canister fire met the French; in turn the French
supporting artillery moved closer to the village to rain death
upon the defenders. As the French came on, their casualties
mounted and became intolerable; the 30th Line Regiment
alone lost nearly 700 brave Frenchmen. The columns fell
back, pursued by over-eager Prussian infantry, who in their
turn retired to the village due to French skirmish fire. This
see-saw battle continued for some time, but eventually the
French managed to gain a foothold in Ligny.
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:08 Page 17
HANOVERIAN REDCOATS MARCH TO THE FRONT
Frenchmen and Prussians fought each other over every
house, garden and street. Blows traded with bayonet, musket
butt and fist would settle the fight. The French could not gain
the upper hand, each army feeding in reserve troops into the
slaughterhouse that was Ligny, until they eventually had to
relinquish their hold on the village.
As the butchery played out, the two armies bombarded each
other furiously and it was here that again the French gained
the upper hand, as Blücher’s positioning of his troops was
questionable. Unfortunately, the Prussian reserves were on
forward slopes in full view of the enemy, they made easy
targets. Wellington had given his opinion of the placement
when he had visited Blücher earlier, “if they fight here, they
will be damnably mauled.”
Although the French had lost Ligny they still held grimly onto
St. Amand, under a furious cannonade. Napoleon calculated
what must be done. If he could take St. Amand le Haye then
he could relieve the pressure from Prussian artillery as the
small hamlet outflanked the Prussian batteries. He selected
Girard’s command for the task; a wise choice, as Girard
quickly achieved his objective. With his right flank now in the
ThE BATTLEs of QuATrE-BrAs And LIgny
air, Blücher ordered General Pirch to evict the French. The
see-saw move and counter-move continued to bleed both
armies. The summer sun beat down on the battlefield, its
heat coupled with the smoke and fire from the burning
buildings creating a hell on earth, where Prussian and
Frenchmen were giving everything for victory. Wagnele and
St. Amand la Haye changed hands repeatedly. The French
renewed their attacks on Ligny, and here the death dealing
reached its height. The French began to win the war of
attrition and with the support of direct canister fire cleared
the streets of their Prussian antagonists. Sensing his moment,
Napoleon sent orders to his Guard. It was now 5pm, he knew
the Prussians were running out of manpower and he
intended to take full advantage of the situation. Milhaud’s
Cuirassier Division would support the Guard.
As the Imperial Guard prepared for the assault, panic began
to spread amongst the soldiers on the French left wing. Many
were convinced that the British had moved to support their
Prussian allies, and would roll up the French left. At the
forefront of those convinced was Vandamme who had his
worries confirmed by a staff officer who had seen the
approaching columns. The staff officer had ridden through
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ALBIon TrIuMphAnT

the left wing shouting, “They are enemies!” This caused

Lefol’s Division to recoil, whilst other units turned to face the
new threat. Napoleon put the attack of the Imperial Guard
on hold whilst he investigated. He sent an aide de camp to
get a clearer picture, as well as moving the young Guard to
support Vandamme’s faltering command.

Just over an hour passed before the aide returned with mixed
news: the mysterious columns were in fact French, but they
were now marching away from the field of battle. The
perceived enemy were in fact the men of D’Erlon’s Corps,
nearly 20,000 much needed men had marched between the
battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny and contributed to neither.

An hour passed; by 7pm Vandamme had brought order to

the French left, whilst at Ligny the Prussians were being
flayed by some 200 French cannon. As black thunderclouds
blotted out the sun, the exhausted Prussian Army was ready
to quit the field. The Imperial Guard would accelerate that
process. Just before 7.45pm the Guard moved to attack Ligny.
As the Guardsmen rent the air with cries of “Vive
l’ Empereur!” Mother Nature replied with rolling thunder
and flashes of lightning. As the Imperial Guard advanced,
the French cannon ceased their butchery, to allow the Guard
infantry to seal the victory. They attacked Ligny in two lines.
The first line held the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Grenadier
Regiments, and in the second line advanced the bravest of
the brave, the 1st Grenadier and the 1st Chasseur Regiments.
The Guard cleared Ligny with ease and were soon climbing
towards Brye.

Blücher countered, placing himself at the head of Roder’s

First Corps cavalry, and eight regiments – dragoons,
hussars, uhlans and landwehr – went thundering forward as
the Guard formed square. The Old Hussar was soon lost in
the clamour of battle. His horse shot from under him,
Blücher fell and was pinned to the floor by the downed
animal. As his aide attempted to free him the Prussian
cavalry were put to flight by Milhaud’s Cuirassiers, and
Blücher’s capture seemed a certainty, as he was again passed
by cuirassiers returning to French lines, pursued by Prussian
uhlans. Finally freed, Blücher’s men led him to the rear,
saved by the failing light and the plainness of his uniform.
With their centre smashed, it was now time for the Prussians
to quit the field. Thanks to Blücher’s charge and the flanks
holding, the army made its escape.
Napoleon had claimed his first victory of the campaign.
Prussian casualties numbered around 19,000, which was
compounded by the mass desertion of a further 10,000 men
during the night. Napoleon lost just over 13,000 Frenchmen.
Aftermath
As the wreck of the Prussian army trudged off into the night,
all that was left to do was to decide in which direction to
retreat. One thing was for certain – they were not being hotly
pursued by the French, who were in no position to do so. The
prudent option was to retreat eastwards towards Liege and
their line of communication back to Prussian territory, away
from Wellington’s army. Crucially the Prussians understood
the need to maintain contact with their allies and so they
made the decision to retire north towards Wavre. This
decision would mean that the Prussians were still in a position
to support their allies.
On learning of the Prussian defeat at Ligny, Wellington
understood that his Quatre Bras position was now in great
danger of envelopment. He ordered a withdrawal to a pre-
selected position at Mont St. Jean, and the army spent the
17th of June retiring northwards. At 9pm, Wellington
received a letter from Blücher who had once again assumed
command of the Prussian Army. The letter confirmed the
Prussian intent to move to Wavre, and asked Wellington’s
intentions. Wellington replied that he would stand and fight
at Mont St. Jean if Blücher promised to come to his
assistance with at least one corps.

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ThE BATTLEs of QuATrE-BrAs And LIgny

MASSED FRENCH LIGHT CAVALRy SWEEP BOLDLy FORWARD

On the 17th Napoleon did not act with haste. It was apparent
that he was unsure as to the intentions or movements of his
enemies. Instead of pressing the allied armies, he waited until
after midday, when he gave Grouchy 33,000 soldiers and
orders to press the retreating Prussians and prevent them
from uniting with Wellington. Grouchy’s late and vague
orders compounded the fact that he was uncertain where the
Prussians were heading. The Emperor took the reserve and
the right wing and joined Ney at Quatre Bras at 1pm, intent
on fighting Wellington.
Napoleon was very unhappy when he found out that Ney
had failed to hinder Wellington’s withdrawal. “France was
lost” he snapped. The French army set off in pursuit of
Wellington, but the only action was a brief cavalry skirmish
at Genappe when British cavalry attacked the French
advance guard. The action was inconclusive and brought to
an end by torrential rain that continued throughout the night.
As the 17th of June drew to a close, Wellington’s army had
arrived at Waterloo, with the main body of Napoleon’s forces
in distant contact. Blücher’s Prussians were gathering in and
around Wavre, only eight miles separating the two allied
armies. As the 18th of June 1815 dawned, the stage was set
for the most famous battle in military history.
“We will come, provided I
am not attacked myself.”
Wellington’s parting words to the
Prussian High Command at the
windmill at Bussy, 16th June 1815

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The Battle of Waterloo, 18th June 1815
“FORM SQUARE!” REDCOATS SWAMPED By NAPOLEON’S ELITE CAVALRy
The field
The battlefield of Waterloo was small by the standards of
the day, being three miles long and a mile deep. Wellington
had occupied an excellent position, the main feature being
the ridge of Mont St. Jean that ran from east to west. The
ridge’s front was fairly steep, but could be traversed by both
infantry and cavalry. Along the crest of the ridge ran the
road to Wavre, which was in effect a deep sunken lane. The
ridge at its centre was bisected by the main Charleroi to
Brussels road. The ridge stretched from Papelotte, La Haye,
Frishermont and Smohain, a scattering of farms and
hamlets at the eastern end, through to the well-built chateau
of Hougoumont at the western end on the forward slope of
the ridge. In the centre of the position was the farmhouse of
La Haye Sainte, again on the forward slope of the ridge and
on the right hand side of the Brussels road. Hougoumont
and Papelotte were key defensive features as they secured
the left and right flank respectively of Wellington’s army. La
Haye Sainte was also a critical position as it commanded
the road to Brussels.
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The Allied deployment
Wellington recognised the importance of these features and
garrisoned them with some of his finest soldiers. La Haye
Sainte was protected by 400 light infantry of the King’s
German Legion. These were supported by crack marksmen
of the 95th Rifles stationed on the opposite side of the road
to the farmhouse, in an old sand quarry. Hougoumont was a
major concern to the Duke and it was here that he placed
his finest warriors, men of the light companies of the 1st,
3rd and Coldstream Guards, supported by Hanoverian and
Nassau light infantry. The remaining majority of his Guards
Division was then stationed to the rear of the chateau.
As the battlefield was not a long one, Wellington deployed
the other 68,000 men of his army in depth, especially on his
right and centre. His left was thinner as he expected this
area to be supported by his Prussian allies.
Where the Brussels road crossed it, the ridge was not steep
at all, and so Wellington assigned his best divisional
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commanders with some of his steadiest infantry to the area.
Sir Charles Alten, with twelve battalions of infantry,
including four battle-hardened King’s German Legion
units, took the right of the road, whilst on the left was Sir
Thomas Picton with eight battalions of Peninsula veterans.
Sir Henry Clinton’s 2nd Anglo-Hanoverian Division was in
reserve behind the right centre, whilst Lambert’s Brigade
from the incomplete 6th Anglo-Hanoverian Division was in
reserve. These three veteran Peninsula battalions would be
in close support of the Duke’s centre. The remaining
untried Dutch, Belgian and Hanoverian formations were
bolstered with veteran British and King’s German Legion
infantry, cleverly interspersed to fill any gaps that might
appear in the line. The cavalry were mainly stationed in
reserve near the grouped reserves of the Duke’s infantry,
whilst British light cavalry protected the extreme right of
the line. The Duke, as usual, ordered his formations to
position themselves on the reverse slope of the ridge; this
denied the French the knowledge of where the main
strength of the Allied army lay.
The french deployment
Napoleon, only being able to see skirmish formations and
artillery, deployed his army of just over 77,000 men
symmetrically on the slopes of another ridge to the south of
the enemy and the French formed around the Brussels road.
On the right, D’Erlon’s I Corps was supported by Milhaud’s
Cuirassiers and the light cavalry of the Guard. On the left,
Reille’s II Corps was backed up by the heavy cavalry of the
Guard and Kellerman’s Corps. Near the inn of La Belle
Alliance, were stationed the reserves of the French Army:
13,000 infantrymen of the Imperial Guard, Lobau’s VI
Corps and two light cavalry divisions under Barons
Subervie and Domon. It has to be said that the French were
very slow to get into any semblance of battle order.
The Battle plans
Wellington’s plan was threefold. Firstly, he would hold his
ground to deny Brussels to the French. Then he would nail
himself to his chosen ridge and await Prussian support; and
when they arrived he would go over to the attack and defeat
the French army. Napoleon’s plan was simply to destroy
Wellington’s army. To complete his plan he ordered a frontal
assault against the Allied centre, the assault being delivered
by D’Erlon after the enemy was softened up by an artillery
bombardment. On hearing the plan the Emperor’s generals
were shocked; those that had fought in Spain understood
that such a plan could spell disaster. Honore Reille, always
the professional, gave his worried opinion. As a result of this
exchange, Napoleon ordered a diversionary attack on
Hougoumont to entice Wellington into committing his
reserves early in the battle, so they could not be used to stop
D’Erlon’s later sledgehammer assault.
The Battle
Napoleon wanted the battle to start at 9am, but that was a
pipe dream. The ground was sodden and his troops,
especially the cannon, were struggling to get into position.
The fields and farm tracks were in a poor state due to the
rain-sodden conditions and the battle’s start time had to be
delayed. Wellington badly needed this extra time, which
would allow the Prussians to march to his position. The
French cannons roared at 11.20pm and ten minutes later
Jerome Bonaparte’s Division, Reille’s strongest, moved
forward to attack Hougoumont. The Nassau and Hanoverian
light infantry defending the chateau’s wood were quickly
dislodged by men of Bauduin’s Brigade, but when the French
skirmish screen reached Hougoumont’s orchard they were
faced by a tougher proposition altogether, as the Coldstream
Guards put a halt to the French advance. Bauduin began
forming a heavy brigade column under cover of the woods,
but this was broken up by British howitzer fire, which also
killed the brigade commander. This diversionary attack
escalated during the day, Reille sending forward battalion
after battalion, turning the diversionary attack into a full scale
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ALBIon TrIuMphAnT
“He and I, and every other Englishman
on the field must stand and die on the
spot which we occupy.”
Wellington’s retort to a request
battle in itself. The fight for the buildings of Hougoumont
was to tie up manpower that would be much needed later on;
Napoleon’s hope that the attack would draw off Wellington’s
reserves worked in reverse, the French eventually committing
three brigades.
At around 1pm, an aide-de-camp from Marshal Ney
brought news that the attack of D’Erlon’s Corps was ready
to get under way. Shortly afterwards, the Emperor became
aware of the first Prussian columns marching to
Wellington’s aid. It was first thought that this movement
near the village of Chapelle St. Robert was Grouchy’s
cavalry, but a captured warrant officer of the 2nd Silesian
Hussars soon dashed Napoleon’s hopes. He carried a letter
from Gneisenau to Muffling, making it clear that Bülow’s
Corps was to attack the French right wing.
Napoleon sent an aide with new orders galloping off to find
the missing Grouchy. The order, although confusing, had at
its core a need for him to march to his Emperor. Grouchy,
although urged by Lieutenant General Count Gerard “to
march to the sound of the guns”, would not receive those new
orders until it was too late. He had chosen to stick to the
orders he had, which were to pursue the Prussians towards
Wavre. In the meantime Napoleon ordered Lobau’s VI
Corps to take up a flank position against a possible Prussian
attack from the east.
‘To astonish the enemy and
shake his morale.’
Eighty guns had been moved to a low ridge forward of the
main French position, and shortly after 1pm the
preparatory bombardment by the Grand Battery began.
This barrage would have a limited effect on Wellington’s
army, his forces being drawn up on the reverse slope and
the rain-softened ground prevented the cannon balls from
bouncing far. As the battery targeted the whole of the Allied
front, there was also a limited concentration of firepower.
But besides killing soldiers, Napoleon hoped that the sight
and sound of the Grand Battery’s fire would have a
devastating effect on the morale of Wellington’s men.
Thirty minutes later the 33 battalions of D’Erlon’s Corps,
the divisions of Quiot, Donzelot, Marcognet and Durutte
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for reinforcements
stepped forward to attack. They had over 1,000 metres to
cover across open, sodden terrain. As the leading battalions
reached the Grand Battery the guns fell silent to allow the
infantrymen to pass through the position, a ‘passage of
lines’. Once through the guns the battalions formed in
battle formation. Voltigeurs were sent forward to cover the
assault whilst the remaining battalions, rather than forming
battalion columns, formed battalion lines. Battalions in
Donzelot and Marcognet’s Divisions had their battalions
closely spaced behind one and another, while Quiot and
Durutte adopted the same formation but at brigade level.
These were strange formations for the French to employ,
but they were the result of a conscious decision made by
D’Erlon. He was a Peninsular veteran who, having seen the
attack column fail so many times against the British, went
for a compromise. He had created the weight and visual
effect that column tactics brought, yet the line frontage
brought extra firepower. It was close to 2pm when
everything was ready, as 16,000 Frenchmen rent the air with
shouts of “Vive l’Empereur!” and loud cheering, “En avant!” As
they descended into the shallow valley between the French
and Allied lines the French cannons roared again.
As the French came on, the Allied artillery went to work.
The formations adopted by the attacking French could
hardly be missed and cannon balls and canister took a
terrible toll on the French, but they still maintained their
advance. Charlet’s Brigade of Quiot’s Division moved
against La Haye Sainte, quickly isolating the farmhouse and
its German defenders with the help of a number of
squadrons of Cuirassiers. The Prince of Orange saw the
danger and ordered the Hanoverian Luneberg Battalion
forward to reinforce the farm. The Hanoverians duly
advanced in line formation, but failed to notice the 1st
Cuirassier Regiment. The French heavy cavalry charged
and the Hanoverian battalion was destroyed in the blink of
an eye. The cuirassiers continued forward to the crest, thus
forcing Ompteda’s KGL and Kielmensegge’s Hanoverian
Brigades into defensive squares.
Donzelot’s and Margognet’s attack formations were now
nearing the crest of the ridge, supported by Pegot’s Brigade
from Durutte’s Division, whilst Durutte’s second brigade
under Brue moved against Papelotte. The main attack would
fall upon Wellington’s left wing, an area commanded by Sir
Thomas Picton. The first line consisted of van Bylandt’s 1st
Dutch Belgian Brigade, whilst the second line was made up of
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Picton’s 5th Division. Both formations were in dead ground
to protect themselves from the cannonade. The French
attackers had suffered terribly from artillery fire and now they
were being peppered by musketry from Allied skirmishers.
Although there was some wavering, they still marched on. As
the French reached the crest Bylandt’s skirmishers withdrew
to their parent battalions. As they moved through the British
skirmishers they were loudly booed by their allies who
thought they were fleeing in the face of the enemy. The
Dutch and Belgian battalions now rose to meet the oncoming
French. Van Bylandt’s Brigade had been mauled two days
before at Quatre Bras and they had been rattled by the fury
of the cannonade that had played on them for nearly an
hour; they soon retired in disorder, leaving a gaping hole in
Wellington’s line.
It was time for Picton’s Division to stem the tide. Picton
himself brought forward Kempt’s Brigade and was shot in
the head, dying instantly. Kempt’s Brigade lined the ragged
hedge that bounded the sunken lane and poured a series of
volleys into the advancing French. While many fell, the
advance continued and by sheer weight of numbers
Wellington’s line was beginning to creak.
The battle was in the balance.
‘Our officers of cavalry have
acquired a trick of galloping at
everything. They never consider
the situation, never think of
manoeuvring before an enemy,
and never keep back or provide
a reserve.’
Lord Uxbridge, sensing the danger, unleashed the
Household and Union heavy cavalry brigades commanded
by Major General Edward Somerset and Major General
William Ponsonby. The finest mounted cavalry in Europe
pounced on the unsuspecting formations of the French.
The Household Brigade led by Lord Uxbridge negotiated
the sunken lane and moved along the line of the Brussels
road. The men of the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, the Royal
Horse Guards and the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards
charged the 1st and 4th Cuirassiers of Dubois Brigade.
While the French Horse had armour, the Guards cavalry
had the advantage of surprise and impetus given to them
by charging downhill, and the cuirassiers gave way after a
sharp fight. The Household Cavalry pressed on, smashing
into the 19th and 54th Regiments of Aulard’s Brigade,
scattering four battalions of infantry. They continued
forward past La Haye Sainte and were only checked when
they came up against Schmitz’s Brigade in square
formation at the bottom of the slope. The Household
Brigade had wreaked havoc but was now a spent force,
their horses being totally blown.
ThE BATTLE of WATErLoo
To the left of the Household Brigade the Union Brigade,
so called as it contained regiments of English, Irish and
Scottish dragoons, were only opposed by unsuspecting
infantry. After negotiating friendly infantry battalions the
Royal Dragoons smashed Bourgeois’ Brigade, Captain
Kennedy Clark capturing the eagle of the leading
battalion, that of the 105th Regiment, whilst Sergeant
Ewart of the 2nd Royal North British Dragoons, the ‘Scots
Greys’, captured that of the 45th Regiment (part of
Nogue’s Brigade). The Inniskilling Dragoons charged and
routed Quiot’s Brigade. Durutte’s Division fared better,
having time to form square to fend off the attentions of
some Scots Greys. The Greys, drunk with success, went out
of control; though they should have been the reserve their
commander now ordered an attack on the Grand Battery.
The Greys managed to cause mayhem amongst the
gunners, but their blown horses were unable to escape a
counter-attack. A well executed charge of ten squadrons of
cuirassiers, five of lancers and three of chasseurs à cheval,
two and a half thousand French horsemen, had the British
‘heavies’ right where they wanted them. Not only were the
British a spent force they were incapacitated by the heavy
mud that had been caused by the churning of hooves. Both
British heavy brigades were terribly mauled and were lost
as a cohesive force for the rest of the day. Colonel
Hamilton, commander of the Greys, lost his life for his
impetuosity and was found the next day with both his arms
cut off. Ponsonby also fell to the thrust from a sergeant of
lancers. Further pressure was alleviated when Vandeleur’s
light brigade applied pressure that turned the French
cavalry back to their own lines. Although many have since
criticised the use of the British heavies in this way, it is
worth reflecting that these brave men thwarted Napoleon’s
main coordinated all-arms attack of the day. If this attack
had succeeded, it would have surely broken Wellington’s
centre and won France a famous victory. Instead 3,000
prisoners were taken, and countless equally brave
Frenchmen lost their lives.
Napoleon had lost valuable time. Bülow’s Prussians were
nearing the field of battle and the Emperor had
committed Lobau’s VI Corps in full and two cavalry
divisions to prevent the Prussians influencing the struggle
for the ridge. Napoleon had to win the battle quickly, but
the whole army was already exhausted by its exertions.
‘Between three o’clock and
four o’clock we were
tolerably quiet, except for a
thunderous cannonade.’
The lull in the battle now gave the Prussians the chance to
manoeuvre closer to Wellington’s position, though they
slowed at the Lasne stream as they toiled with their guns.
‘Old Blücher’ urged his men to Herculean efforts “It must be
done! I have given my word to my comrade Wellington. You would not
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ALBIon TrIuMphAnT
THE OLD GUARD THROW BACK THE PRUSSIANS DURING BITTER FIGHTING IN THE GRAVEyARD AT PLANCENOIT
have me break my word?” His men pushed on and shortly after
four o’clock Prussian infantry were forming at the edge of
the Bois de Paris, ready to assault Plancenoit.
Wellington’s army still clung to its ridge. Wellington busied
himself reinforcing his centre, taking advantage of the respite
whilst his aides kept careful watch for their Prussian allies.
Napoleon meanwhile knew that time was running out for
him. He needed to smash Wellington aside and snatch victory
before he was crushed between the British and the Prussians,
but he was now starting to run out of men and options.
D’Erlon’s Corps was not ready to carry on the fight; Reille was
embroiled in the ‘diversionary’ attack on Hougoumont, whilst
the static Lobau was protecting his right flank. The only
reserve available was his Imperial Guard, the finest that the
French could muster, over 10,000 elite troops. Napoleon loved
his Guard, they were his children, and at this pressing time he
hesitated at the thought of sending such fine regiments
forward. They would win the day, but at the cost of thousands
of lives. While the Guard were the cream of the French Army,
they were also the key enforcers of Napoleon’s regime and
their loss would in turn weaken his position in France. Whilst
Napoleon dithered, Marshal Ney acted.
‘Forwards, the salvation of
France is at stake!’
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Ney had mistaken Wellington’s shoring up his centre, mixed
with the movement of casualties and prisoners to the rear, as
that of the Allied army beginning a precipitate retreat. It was
time to send forward the heavy cavalry to complete the
victory. What happened next was not only truly awe
inspiring, but also terrible. Over the next two hours over sixty
squadrons of French cavalry in twenty regiments assaulted
Wellington’s ridge. Cuirassiers, Lancers, Carabiniers and
Chasseurs à Cheval, and Lancers and Gendarmes d’Elite of
the Imperial Guard, were supported by at least twelve
artillery batteries. Nine thousand sabres were assigned to the
attack, the first wave being led by Milhaud’s Cuirassier
Corps, supported by Lefebvre-Desnouette’s Guard Light
cavalry. It was 4pm and 4,800 elite horsemen struck the
Allied line between Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. An
hour later, Kellerman’s III Cavalry Corps and Guyot’s Guard
Heavy Cavalry Division were committed.
The brave Ney was at the forefront of every effort to sweep
the ridge clear, so much so that during the attacks he had
three horses killed under him. The French cavalry by no
means attacked at the gallop as the steepness of the ridge,
the mud and the bodies of their fallen comrades saw them
reduced to a trot. The Allied infantry in turn formed
square, allowing over seventy supporting French cannon to
wreak havoc against these tightly packed blocks. But the
cavalry still made no impression, and the French could not
break a single square. On the French side the cavalry ran
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the gauntlet of British cannon fire, gunners discharging
round shot, shell and canister into the waves of horsemen
and then at the last moment running to the relative safety
of nearby squares. The battery of Captain Mercer, of
Fuentes de Oñoro fame, was stationed between two
Brunswick squares. The gallant Mercer and ‘G’ troop
RHA believed that the Brunswickers were badly shaken. If
they were to run back towards them then the Germans
would flee the field, so Mercer kept his battery in action
throughout, he and his gunners taking what shelter they
could around the guns.
“Ney has compromised us
as he did at Jena.”
The French cavalry were repeatedly driven off by the
steadiness of Wellington’s infantry, supported by counter-
charges of allied cavalry. Ney could have destroyed the
Allied army if he had utilised infantry to support the
cavalry attacks. Both Tissot’s Brigade of Foy’s Division
and Bachelu’s Division were available, but Ney did not
employ them until it was far too late. By the time Tissot
and Bachelu were ordered forward, the French cavalry
had suffered crippling casualties and were exhausted.
Nevertheless, over 6,000 infantry trudged up the slope,
over the very ground that the cavalry had turned into a
quagmire. The infantry were met by cannon fire and
murderous musketry volleys; they quickly turned and ran,
both Bachelu and Foy having been wounded.
The cavalry had failed and the combined arms attack had
come too late, but the Allies had also suffered terribly, units
being decimated. Napoleon understood what must be done,
La Haye Sainte had to be taken and taken at all costs, if it
were then the French would have a secure station from
which to mount further attacks on the Duke’s centre.
The farm had been defended by Major George Baring and
his 400 rifle-armed men of the 2nd Light Battalion KGL
since the start of the battle. They had been reinforced by
two companies of the 1st Light Battalion KGL, one
company of the 5th Line Battalion KGL and one company
of the 1/2nd Nassau. By 6pm the garrison of 500 souls were
running short of ammunition when they were attacked by
Ney and the only immediately available formations that he
could lay his hands on. Three battalions of the 13th Lèger
and No.2 Company of the 2/1st Engineer Regiment of
D’Erlon’s Corps, supported by the fresh troops of Pegot’s
Brigade from Durutte’s Division as well as cuirassiers. The
lack of ammunition and the bravery of the experienced 13th
Lèger told, the French wresting ownership of the farmhouse
from the gallant Germans. The Prince of Orange, in an
attempt to save the farmhouse, ordered the 5th and 8th Line
Battalions of the KGL to advance. The two battalions
advanced in line and were caught by cuirassiers and
destroyed. To add insult to injury, the 8th lost their colour,
which was sent to the Emperor as a trophy of war.
ThE BATTLE of WATErLoo
Not one step back
Following the French massed cavalry attacks, the Duke
of Wellington rode up to Sir Colin Halkett’s decimated
brigade and addressed the hard-pressed commander in
a calm voice.
“Well Halkett, how do you get on?”
“My lord we are dreadfully cut up; can you not relieve us
for a little while?”
“Impossible” the Duke replied.
Halkett looked the Duke in the eye and replied
“Very well, my lord, we will stand till the last man falls.”
“Troops, where do you
expect me to find them?
Do you think I can
manufacture some?”
Having captured the crucial farm, Ney now brought
forward a battery of horse artillery and the remnants of
D’Erlon’s Corps. The artillery went to work at close range
trying to destroy Allied formations where they stood.
Wellington’s centre was under severe pressure. Brigades had
shrunk to battalion strength, if only Ney could find enough
troops to exploit the situation, he would hand victory to his
Emperor. Whilst Wellington searched for troops to reinforce
his centre, Ney sent a messenger to Napoleon asking for
men. The Emperor refused Ney’s request, despite the
Imperial Guard being available.
Napoleon’s attention now focused on his right wing. The
Prussians in the guise of Bülow’s 4th Corps were ready to
make their presence felt. Bülow had been given the
objective of taking the village of Plancenoit which would
act as a staging area from where he could attack the French
right flank. The Prussians had arrived before Plancenoit, at
the same time as the French were hurling their cavalry at
Wellington’s ridge. They had pushed on, taking
Frichermont and had steadily driven Lobau’s men back
towards Plancenoit. Hiller’s 16th Brigade moved against
the village whilst Losthin’s 15th Brigade attacked north of
the village. Altogether, 6,500 men in ten battalions were
determined to drive the French from the village. Facing
the Prussians in the village itself was Simmer’s 19th
Infantry Division. These 4,000 Frenchmen were supported
by Jeanin’s 20th Infantry Division, another 3,000 men in
six battalions that covered the road north of the village.
The Prussians came on, eager to get at their hated enemy,
and bloody street fighting developed where no quarter
was given.
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ALBIon TrIuMphAnT
The focus of the combat centred on the church, a well built
strong point. The Prussians managed to eventually drive the
French back, capturing the church and taking the village.
Napoleon’s army was now very vulnerable; the Prussians had
to be driven from Plancenoit and his Guard would do it. Led
by one of his firebrand generals, Count Guillaume Philibert
Duhesme, the young Guard stormed the village and made
short work of the Prussians holding out there. Hiller’s 15th
Brigade regrouped quickly and, gaining support from the
14th Brigade, assaulted the village again. Once again a bitter
fight broke out, the outnumbered Guardsmen fighting
valiantly, but Prussian weight of numbers told and the young
Guard were forced out of the village bar a few houses at its
edge. Duhesme had been mortally wounded, and once again
Napoleon was at risk of being crushed.
“Take your first battalion to
Plancenoit where the Young
Guard is being beaten.”
He again turned to his Guard, but this time there were
only two battalions of Old Guard, the 1/2nd Chasseurs
and the 2/2nd Grenadiers, available – just over a thousand
soldiers. They were exceptional both in appearance and
combat potential, quickly recapturing the village at the
point of the bayonet by around 7pm.
“Hard pounding this,
gentlemen. Let’s see who
pounds the longest.”
The fight for Plancenoit had taken the French attention away
from Wellington’s army and bought him valuable time,
during which he could reinforce his battered centre.
Brunswickers, Belgians, Dutchmen and British plugged the
gaps. The French artillery kept up their constant
bombardment. Napoleon had steadied his right wing with
the recapture of Plancenoit, and all he needed to do now was
to exploit the hard-pressed Allied centre. He would use his
last reserve to do so.
With their Emperor at their head, eight battalions of the
Imperial Guard moved from La Belle Alliance to south of La
Haye Sainte and to the left of the Brussels to the Charleroi
road. The band of the Imperial Guard marched along the
road playing the triumphant march ‘Carrousel’. The Middle
Guard formed the first line, whilst three battalions of the Old
Guard moved in support. To raise morale Napoleon sent
aides throughout his army declaring that Grouchy had
arrived and for a while the ruse worked, thousands of
Frenchmen believing that they were close to victory.
Stragglers and the lightly wounded rejoined their ranks, while
cries of “En Avant!” and “Vive l’Empereur!” rang out again.
26
“Wait a little longer, my
lads. You shall have them
presently.”
As the Guard were joined in the attack by rallied men
from Reille’s and D’Erlon’s Corps, at the orchard just
south of La Haye Sainte Napoleon handed over command
of the assault to Ney. The Guards advanced in square,
ensuring that they could not be ridden down by cavalry.
The greatest warriors that Napoleon could offer set off up
the slope towards the British at 7.30pm, drummers beat
out the ‘pas de charge’ whilst artillery batteries moved
between the battalion squares to get nearer to the Allied
line to support their infantry.
In turn, the advancing Imperial Guard felt the weight of the
Allied artillery batteries. The 1/3 and 4th Grenadiers
advanced on Colin Halkett’s Brigade – the 30th
Cambridgeshire, 33rd West Riding, 69th South Lincolnshire
and 73rd Highland Regiments. These redcoats had suffered
terrible casualties, but they resolved to meet the French
Guard. To the right of the Grenadiers, Donzelot’s Brigade,
the remnants of nine fine battalions, advanced on the
Brunswick and Nassau infantry. The Brunswickers were
moments from giving way, but the Duke recognised the
danger and personally steadied them, whilst the Duke of
Nassau Regiment checked and then put Donzelot’s men to
flight. Inexplicably at this point of victory the 2nd Nassau
Battalion broke and fled. As the Grenadiers closed on
Halkett’s Brigade, Halkett asked for silence from his
command and then ordered that the French be given a
volley. The British musketry fire was murderous, and with a
cry of ‘huzzah!’ they made to charge the French grenadiers.
The French were having none of it. The effects of the
British volley had shattered them and the charge of the
British caused them to turn tail and run. As they fled the
French were plastered with grape, the slaughter being
tremendous. Halkett, not wishing to over extend his
command, ordered them back to the shelter of the ridge.
While the victorious British battalions turned to make their
way to safety, French cannon fire created mass confusion
and panic, causing the brigade to break and dash for safety.
Thankfully the brigade rallied once in cover, just in time to
see a column of Dutch infantry, with their shakos on their
bayonets, charge down the slope after the fleeing French.
“Now Maitland!
Now’s your time!”
The next battalions of the first assault wave to make
contact were the 1/3 and 2/3 Chasseurs, marching directly
at Peregrine Maitland’s Guards Brigade. The British
Guards had been sheltering in a ditch from the furious
cannonade and were hidden from view of the advancing
French. As the Chasseurs closed, Wellington ordered the
BP-004_Albion2_010-027_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:08 Page 27
NEy DASHES CARABINIERS ONTO ROCK STEADy BRITISH SQUARES
British Guardsmen to stand up. The startled French were
thrown into confusion by a tremendous volley that
shattered their formations; the British then delivered a
bayonet charge that saw off the Chasseurs. Once again at
the point of victory the victorious Foot Guards became
aware of the 4th Chasseurs closing in. The Guards fell into
some confusion and retreated back up the ridge. The
Chasseurs, buoyed by the sight of the retreating British
Guards pressed on, only to be met by the 52nd Oxfordshire
Light infantry. The Oxfordshire’s commander, Colonel
John Colborne, manoeuvred his battalion in line to
outflank the French chasseurs. The 52nd delivered a
devastating volley into the advancing French. Colborne
then screamed “Charge!” With this, the Oxfordshires broke
the Chasseurs at the point of the bayonet.
“La Garde recule.
Sauve qui peut!”
“The Guard retreats. Save yourself if you can!” could be heard all
along the French lines. Now British and Prussian pressure
heralded the mass retreat of the French army. In moments
the army disintegrated into a mob, many throwing away
equipment and thinking only of self-preservation. The only
ThE BATTLE of WATErLoo
formed units left in the French army were the three proud
battalions of the Old Guard. Under severe pressure these
squares were broken up, and the battle was over. Napoleon
turned to General Henri Bertrand and said “A present c’est
fini, sauvons nous” (it is now finished, let us save ourselves.”
The Emperor of the French left the field of dead flesh,
whilst Blücher and Wellington met near La Belle Alliance. It
was 9pm, the victory was complete. Blücher embraced
Britain’s finest general and said “Quelle affaire!”
Aftermath
Wellington’s army suffered just over 16,000 casualties at the
hands of the French, whilst Old Blücher lost half that
number – the French reported to have lost 46,000 (Quelle
Affaire, indeed!). Grouchy managed to extricate his 33,000
men after defeating the Prussians at Wavre, but the
remnants were not enough to save Napoleon. With coalition
forces advancing on the French capital, he abdicated on the
24th of June. He tried to bolt for the United States, but with
the Royal Navy blockading French ports, he could do
nothing but surrender. The Treaty of Paris brought the
Napoleonic Wars to an end on the 20th of November 1815.
Louis XVIII regained the French throne, whilst Napoleon
was sent into exile on the island of St Helena where he died
in 1821.
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BP-004_Albion2_028-041 Armies of 100 Days and Gt Britain_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:34 Page 28

Armies of the
Hundred Days Campaign
Let us now take a look at the troops that fought the climactic campaign of the Napoleonic wars. In this section
you will find listed the main types of infantry, cavalry and artillery that each nation put into the field, from the
famous French Carabiniers to the lowly Dutch Militia. Each troop type has been given statistics and special
rules that will add flavour to your games of Black Powder set in the Hundred Days campaign.

“Vorwärts!” tHE PrussIaNs MakE tHEIr FINaL assauLt oN PLaNCENoIt

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BP-004_Albion2_028-041 Armies of 100 Days and Gt Britain_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:34 Page 29
Great Britain 1815
the early industrial revolution which had occurred during
the Eighteenth Century, combined with a global maritime
trading empire, had transformed Britain’s prosperity. she
was easily able to fund her own war effort and give huge
subsidies to her continental allies during the long war with
France (1792-1815). while the English Channel acted
effectively as a moat against Napoleon’s invasion plans, it
also meant that all British operations would be sustained by
supply from the sea and shielded by the royal Navy. Britain
had traditionally only maintained a small standing army,
but poor performance of the army during the Flanders
campaign (1793-1795) had led to extensive reforms.
From 1795 to 1809 the Duke of York, one of the king’s
younger sons, had become the army’s Commander-in-
Chief. although, as a field general, he had performed
poorly during the Flanders campaign, he was an excellent
and reform-minded planner. He brought in measures that
improved the structure of Britain’s army at every level, from
mitigating the worst abuses of the officer class to improving
medical services and standardising battalion organisation.
the person who had the greatest impact on the army was
‘old Nosey’ himself. During the Peninsular campaign 1808
to 1814, wellesley took great care with administration,
supply and training, reorganised the HQ staff, and created
an intelligence network that became a great asset to the
army. He ensured that the army Commissariat kept his
forces well supplied, and as a result he gained a significant
logistical advantage over the French. the result was the
creation of one of the greatest fighting forces history has
seen, a force unbeaten in the battles it fought. wellington
paid tribute to his army by stating that it was “capable of
going anywhere and doing anything.”
In battle the British had excelled, whether attacking or
defending, but they were unbeatable when they were formed
on the reverse slope of a ridge. this defensive tactic had
ensured that many French commanders were wary of
attacking the English battle line. wellington took great care to
shelter his lads out of sight of the enemy and with secure
flanks. He would line the crest with his artillery and throw
out large numbers of skirmishers onto the forward slope to
contest the French, advancing to the ‘pas de charge’ drum beat,
or ‘old trousers’ as the British called it. the enemy, unsure
as to the location of wellington’s main force, more often
than not had blundered into British lines without being in
the correct formation for the tactical situation. they would
then be thrown into confusion by close range volleys whilst
trying to deploy, and a loud cheer would signal a controlled
bayonet charge that would sweep the disordered French
away. the Hundred Days campaign would see these tactics
tested to the limit, some French commanders having learned
from their mistakes on the Peninsula.
the British army changed very little between the end of
the Peninsular war and the Hundred Days campaign. the
infantry had now widely adopted the ‘Belgic’ false-fronted
shako, the old stovepipe version being retained by only a
few units.
there is no difference between the basic statistics of British
infantry during the Peninsular campaign and those of the
waterloo campaign, but there are however a few changes
that need to be made to the cavalry. Foremost of which is
the fact that by the end of the Peninsular war the British
light cavalry had curbed some of their impetuosity.
British infantry
wellington had access to Guard, Foot, Light and Highland
regiments, as well as several companies of riflemen, for
the campaign. regiments were comprised of a number of
battalions; usually one or two, but some regiments had
more. In practice, the battalions were used as individual
units, with the regiment an administrative rather than an
operational formation. British infantry battalions contained
ten companies; one light company, one of grenadiers, and
eight ‘centre’ companies. the grenadier and light
companies were called the ‘flank’ companies because they
formed at either end of the battalion when in a firing line.
rifle battalions were still made up of ten companies, but
had no flank companies. on paper, each company was to
be made up of 100 men giving a battalion strength of 1,000
combatants. In reality most battalions did not muster such
numbers, the average strength of one of these battalions
being between 500 and 700 men. to give some idea of the
variance in battalion strengths the 1/52nd oxfordshire
Light Infantry, had 1,130 officers and men present on the
field of waterloo, whilst the 1/42 Highlanders ‘Black
watch’, having been badly mauled at Quatre Bras, only had
338 officers and men.
two to four battalions were grouped into brigades, whilst
rifle battalions were normally split up into companies and
attached to brigades, giving the brigade commander
valuable additional and accurate skirmish fire.
Stoop to conquer
Having watched one of the men duck from time to
time when the balls flew too close, (sgt. Major) Bellam
stepped over to him and bawled him out: “Damn you,
sir, what do you stoop for? You should not stoop if
your head was off !” the man, a thin-skinned fellow,
took this reprimand badly.
a few moments later, a ball hit the sergeant major in
the face, killing him instantly, and the soldier leaned
over his disfigured corpse and exclaimed, “Damn it,
sir! what do you lie there for? You should not lie down
if your head was off !”
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alBion triumphant
LIFE GuarDs aND HIGHLaNDErs – a touGH CoMBINatIoN!
two to three brigades would be formed into a division, and
during the waterloo campaign these were multi-national
affairs (see page 6, the structure of armies).
British infantry were rated, by numerous contemporary
writers, as the finest in Europe, capable of showing
steadiness when under pressure and checking and turning
French columns on countless occasions. that said some of
the infantry battalions that were to fight at Quatre Bras and
waterloo were not the stuff of wellington’s old Peninsular
veterans. three had not participated in the Peninsular
campaign and one – the 13th Buckinghamshire regiment
of Foot, nicknamed ‘the Peasants’ – was full of young men
who had joined from farms.
on the battlefield, British infantry could be seen in five
formations, depending on the tactical situation. those
formations were Line, Column of Companies, Column of
March or route, square, and skirmish order. the famous
two-deep line was the fighting formation of the British
infantry, giving maximum firepower, a Four-Deep Line was
sometimes used when space was limited.
Black Powder British two deep line formations are
represented by the Line.
Black Powder accommodates the four-deep line formation
easily. see the British Infantry special rules shown below.
30
when in two-deep or four-deep line formation British
infantry battalions sometimes used its light company to
skirmish and cover its front. this is represented in Black
Powder by the Mixed Formation rule.
a Column of Companies was used by the British to
manoeuvre around the battlefield, or whilst waiting for
orders. It was a formation that was capable of quickly
forming a fighting line or square. a Column of Companies
could be formed in many different ways depending on the
spacing between each company.
Black Powder accommodates the Column of Companies
formation easily, see the British Infantry special rules
shown below.
on the March, the British used the column of routeand the
Black Powder March Column helps us here.
square was used to protect against cavalry and is
represented by the Battalion Square formation rule.
skirmish order was used by Light and rifle battalions in
either attack or defence situations and the Skirmish rule is
used to represent this formation.
the key response to massed enemy attack was the
devastating volley followed by a controlled charge and this is
represented by the Steady Line rule.
BP-004_Albion2_028-041 Armies of 100 Days and Gt Britain_REPRINT_Black Powder 28/11/2014 17:34 Page 31
at waterloo, British infantry were ordered to lie down to
protect themselves from artillery. You can replicate this in
your games of Black Powder with the special order Lie Down,
see British Infantry special rules below for details.
British infantry special rules
In this section, I offer a few new rules to allow you to bring
additional national characteristics to your British Infantry.
I have built on the rules contained within Albion Triumphant
Volume 1 – The Peninsular War and created a few more rules over
and above the Steady Line and Cannot Form Attack Column. My
gaming group and I use all these rules, and they produce fun
and historical results, but Black Powder is a flexible game and
whether you use them or invent your own is entirely up to you.
four-Deep line
when struggling to deploy into two-deep line due to
topography or the tactical situation, British infantry
battalions could adopt the Four-Deep Line formation. the
field of waterloo was a suitable location for such tactics and
numerous British infantry battalions did so.
the Four-Deep Line formation is represented as follows:
• three base wide and two base deep formation
adequately reflects Four-Deep Line.
• a battalion in Four-Deep Line formation reduces its
shooting value and Hand to hand values by one.
• a battalion in Four-Deep Line does not count as
being in column and does not suffer a +1 to being
shot at by artillery.
• a battalion in Four-Deep Line can still rely on the
Steady Line and First Fire rule.
• a battalion in Four-Deep Line can form Mixed
Formation.
Cannot form attack Column
Infantry with the Cannot Form Attack Column can only operate
in Line, Four-Deep Line, Column of Companies, Mixed Formation,
March Column or Square formation. Note that British infantry
can break into skirmish order to enter terrain that they
would not normally be allowed to enter and can form
attack columns when fighting in areas designated as built
up, such as villages, towns and the like. this type of column
was known as a grand division.
a Column of Companies
• the formation is represented on the tabletop by a
battalion in single file that is one company wide. to
represent the reduced length of the column place four
bases down rather than the prescribed six.
• as it was in the main a manoeuvre formation a
commander ordering a column of companies receives
a +1 to his staff rating when doing so.
Great Britain, 1815
• a battalion in such a formation shoots with one die in
the shooting phase.
• the battalion reduces its Hand-to-hand statistic by
two. a standard battalion fighting in this formation
would receive four combat dice
• Counts as an attack Column when shot at by artillery,
but note it does not get the Morale bonus of an attack
column when saving wounds of any kind.
rifle mixed formation
this rule is exactly the same as those on Black Powder page
78, however the shot is treated as being from a rifle. this
represents battalions of rifles when in mixed formation, or
those that were issued with muskets, but had a rifle-armed
light company, e.g. the kGL Line battalions.
mixed formation
as per Black Powder rules, page 78.
must form square
as per Black Powder rules, page 75.
lie Down
an infantry battalion can be ordered to Lie Down by its
brigade or divisional commander in the normal manner. a
battalion that is successfully ordered to Lie Down has a
certain degree of protection from artillery fire directed at it
at medium and long range.
artillery fire that targets a battalion that is lying down has to
re-roll any hits at medium or long range.
an infantry battalion that is contacted by an enemy unit
whilst lying down is instantly dispersed and removed from the
table. the victors have all the normal post combat options.
Battalions of infantry from any army can be ordered to Lie
Down.
steady line
when charged, a formed British unit with steady Line rule
that is not disordered or shaken can:
• stand and fire as usual with all the usual fire
modifiers, casualties or,
• Fire and counter-charge but in this case they do not
count the closing fire bonus.
the British also get First Fire. these two rules represent the
fire discipline of British infantry as well as their ability to
fire devastating volleys and then launch a bayonet charge.
Please note that these two special rules are available to
British battalions that are in Four-Deep Line.
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alBion triumphant

the foot Guards
Britain had three regiments of Foot Guards, the First
Guards having three battalions while the 2nd and 3rd had
two each. the First and second Guards dated from the
restoration of 1660, when the First was formed from
Charles II Garde de Corps; whilst the second was formed
from the Parliamentarian regiment of General George
Monk who had been pivotal in Charles II’s return. Prior to
the restoration, this regiment had been posted at
Coldstream in the county of Berwickshire and the
Coldstream Guards have retained the name to this day. the
third Guards had their founding history in scotland, but
did not take up ‘scots’ in their title until after our period.
British Guards were some of the finest ‘Heavy’ infantry of
the era and their officers and men knew it.
there were four battalions of Foot Guards that took to the
field in June 1815, and they formed the 1st British Infantry
Division under Major General George Cooke.
the uniforms of the Guards battalions, although usually
better made, were almost identical to those of the Foot
regiments. they wore the famous British redcoat with
facing colours on collars, cuffs and shoulder straps of dark
blue. the buttons at the front of the coat had white lace
arranged singly for the First, double for the second and in
threes for the third Guards. Edging to collars, cuffs,
shoulder straps and turnbacks were again white. Centre
company men were recognisable by simple white tufts at the
end of their shoulder straps, these were replaced in both
flank companies with wings that were coloured blue and
edged and slashed in white. Headgear was the Belgic shako,
sporting a brass shako plate. the plume for the centre
companies was white over red, green for the light company
and white for the grenadiers. trousers were usually grey.
the backpack was black, as was the cartridge box which
was slung on the right side of the lower back whilst the
haversack in white and water canteen in light blue were
slung on the left hip with the bayonet scabbard in black
tipped in yellow metal. Cross-belts and other equipment
straps were white, except the water bottle which had a
brown strap. officers had no elaboration to their button
holes, but had gold braid to the edge of their lapels, collars,
cuffs and turnbacks.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Guard regular smoothbore reliable,
7 4 3 4
Infantry Infantry musket Elite 3+

British Guards have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Lie Down, Must Form Square, Column of Companies, Mixed
Formation, Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, First Fire, Steady Line, Four Deep Line and Cannot Form Attack Column.

a CLassIC two-DEEP BrItIsH LINE traDEs VoLLEYs wItH tHEIr FrENCH oPPoNENts

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Great Britain, 1815

line infantry (the foot regiments)
the main infantry type in the British army. Hardy and
reliable in battle and armed with the ‘India pattern’
flintlock musket – the famous ‘Brown Bess’ – they were the
bedrock of wellington’s Peninsular victories. these men
joined the ranks for life, and pride in the traditions of those
regiments was the spiritual spine of the army. the Infantry
regiments were numbered, and in 1781 were regionally
designated, e.g. 32nd Cornwall regiment of Foot. the
territorial designation roughly identified where the regiment
drew its recruits from. they also gained nicknames such as
the ‘Pontious Pilate’s Bodyguard’ for the 1st royal scots
regiment of Foot as it was the oldest regiment in the army,
or ‘the slashers’ for the 28th North Gloucester regiment of
Foot, who, at the Battle of white Plains in 1775, left their
muskets behind to climb a cliff and drove the rebels from
their positions with their short swords. this all added to the
éspirit de corps that kept men in the ranks when the heat of
battle was raised.
the uniforms of the Foot regiments as stated can be taken
as the same as those described for the Guards. there were
numerous minute differences between regiments,
the main one being the facing colour. In 1812
both Guard and Line regiments took grey
trousers as their campaign wear and the
stovepipe was replaced by the Belgic shako. this
new headgear had a false front, a fresh front
plate, cords and a side plume. Cords for the
centre and grenadiers were white, whilst the
light companies were green. the plume colour
remained the same. Interestingly the 28th
North Gloucester regiment was allowed to
carry on wearing the stovepipe shako.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Line regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3 -
Infantry Infantry musket

British Line Infantry have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Lie Down, Must form Square, Column of Companies,
Mixed Formation, Can Form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, First Fire, Steady Line, Four-Deep Line and Cannot Form Attack
Column.

highland infantry and hose instead of trousers. a ‘mounted’ bonnet replaced

the first Highland regiment was raised in 1739 to
monitor and patrol the highlands for ‘ne’er-do-wells’, and
it was later taken into the line as the 42nd royal Highland
regiment, ‘the Black watch’. although the seven Years
war saw the raising of several more Highlander
regiments, they were disbanded after the war. the
american revolution saw further units raised, two of
which were retained following the war’s end. the outbreak
of the war with France in 1793 saw a real increase in
Highland recruitment. Highland regiments or
‘redshanks’ that fought during the Hundred Days were
the 42nd royal Highland regiment, 73rd Highland, 79th
Cameron Highlanders and 92nd Gordon Highlanders.
armed and equipped as the Foot battalions, the
Highlanders were “damn forward fellows with the
bayonet,” being renowned for their ferocious charge and
mêlée capabilities.
the jacket worn by the Highland regiments was, to all
intents and purposes, the same as that worn by the Guard
and Line infantry, as was the equipment that they carried
on campaign. Men in the Highland regiments wore kilts
the shako; this was made of a cloth-covered wire frame
surrounded by a turban diced in red white and green, the
whole being covered in ostrich feathers. on the left side
was a regimental rosette that held a plume in the same
colours as the rest of the infantry, apart from the Black
watch who wore the ‘red hackle’ in all companies to
honour the regiment’s gallantry at the battle of
Geldermalsen in 1795. In 1809 most Highland regiments
replaced their kilts with trousers to assist in recruiting from
Lowlanders. Highland battalions carried two battle flags,
one being the regimental Colour and the other being the
king’s Colour.
“Hurrah, Ninety Second!
Scotland for ever!”
scots Greys as they pass
the Gordon Highlanders

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Highland regular smoothbore tough
6 3 4 3
Infantry Infantry musket fighters

British Highlanders have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Lie Down, Must Form Square, Column of
Companies, Mixed formation, Can Form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, First Fire, Steady Line, Four-Deep Line and
Cannot form Attack Column.

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alBion triumphant

The Article in Question

light infantry
Britain had developed her ideas on the use of light troops
following the experience of the american war of
Independence. In 1803 through 1804 sir John Moore
trained three regiments – the 43rd Monmouthshire, 52nd
oxfordshire and 95th rifles – as Light Infantry (‘Light
Bobs’ as they were known).
all these regiments would form part of the famous Light
Division. In 1809 a further four were converted: the 55th
westmoreland, 68th Durham, 71st Glasgow Highland
and 90th Perthshire Volunteers. they were made up of
men who were good shots, agile and intelligent. Light
infantry battalions (and the light companies of the Guard
and Line battalions) were trained to fight in a less formal
manner than their Line comrades.
Light battalions once again had ten companies, all being
designated as light. rank-and-file as well as sergeants,
were armed with the new Land pattern musket from
1811. sergeants in the Guards and Line infantry carried a
pike that was actually more like a halberd.
the dress of the light infantry regiments and that of the
light companies of the rest of the line was very similar.
there were no grenadier companies and all ranks wore
wings and the shako ornament was a bugle horn. Light
weeks before waterloo, wellington
while walking in a Brussels park,
was asked how he thought the
imminent campaign would go.
seeing a private soldier of one of
his infantry regiments gaping at the
statues and images, he said
“There – it all depends on that article
there, whether we can do the business or
not. Give me enough of it and I am sure.”
infantry battalions did not normally carry their standards
into battle.
there were three Light infantry regiments that fought at
waterloo, interestingly the 1/52nd oxfordshire Light
Infantry regiment was the largest battalion, from either
side, to take the field, the regiment boasted 1,130 all ranks!

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Light regular smoothbore sharpshooter,
6 3 4 3
Infantry Infantry musket skirmish

British Light Infantry have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Must Form Square, Column of Companies, Lie Down,
Mixed Formation, First Fire, Steady Line, Four-Deep Line, Sharpshooters and Cannot Form Attack Column.

“...to show obstinate resistance against

infantry of the same description...”
Part of battle orders to Light company skirmishers
of the 2/30th Cambridgeshire regiment of Foot

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Great Britain, 1815

riflemen formations were used primarily as Line infantry rather than

the ‘sporting rifles’ used by the rebels in the american
rebellion, had left an indelible impression on the British
military hierarchy. as a result in 1797 the 5th battalion of the
60th royal american regiment of Foot, was equipped with
rifles. Later the ‘Experimental Corps of riflemen’ was
formed; this flamboyant name changed in December 1802 to
the now famous 95th regiment of Foot.
the British carried the Baker rifle, named
after its inventor, Ezekiel Baker of
whitechapel, London. the rifle was slow
to load, but extremely accurate for the
period. It was rare for the ten companies of
a rifle battalion to fight as a whole and they
were usually broken down to varying
company strengths and attached to
brigades. at waterloo several rifle
skirmishers.
six companies fought together in the 8th Brigade of the 5th
Infantry Division and in the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry
Division. this division also had a further two companies of
riflemen. Like other light infantrymen, riflemen were
soldiers capable of acting on their own initiative, their
discipline maintained by pride in who they were their
achievements, rather than the threat of beatings and floggings.
riflemen were some of the finest soldiers in the British army
and were more than a match for their French equivalent.
the rifles were dressed from top to bottom in dark green.
From afar it appeared black and gave them their nickname
‘the sweeps’. the rifleman’s equipment, belts and straps were
black. Buttons were white metal and other ranks had white
piping to their collar and cuffs. they bore no standards.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

sharpshooter,
rifle regular rifled skirmish,
2 2 4 1
Company Infantry musket Elite 4+,
reliable, tiny

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

sharpshooter,
rifle regular rifled skirmish,
4 3 4 2
Companies Infantry musket Elite 4+,
reliable, small

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

sharpshooter,
rifle regular rifled skirmish,
6 4 4 3
Battalion Infantry musket Elite 4+,
reliable

British riflemen have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Lie Down, Must Form Square, Column of Companies,
Rifle Mixed Formation, First Fire. Sharpshooters, Four-Deep Line and Cannot Form Attack Column.

tHE DEaDLY BakEr rIFLE takEs Its toLL oN ENEMY oFFICErs

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alBion triumphant
British Cavalry
Household Cavalry, Dragoon Guards, Dragoons, Light
Dragoons and Hussar regiments made up the British
cavalry force during the Hundred Days campaign. British
cavalry was the best mounted in Europe, but was the least
controllable, and was badly led overall, especially when used
in large numbers. In 1812 wellington remarked angrily
“our cavalry officers have acquired the trick of galloping at
everything and then galloping back as fast as they gallop at
the enemy. one would think they cannot manoeuvre except
on wimbledon Common.” regiments were made up of
four squadrons; but one, two or three squadrons could be
used on campaign. the average squadron strength was
approximately 140 men.
British cavalry was formed into brigades of normally two
regiments of the same type. these brigades were usually
attached to divisional formations or placed directly under
the command of a cavalry commander.
British cavalry usually fought in line, but it could operate in
deeper formations depending on the tactical situation. In
Black Powder cavalry fight in Line and Deep Formation and
can also form Column of March.
British Cavalry special rules
Deep formation
although the ideal cavalry formation for combat was the two-
deep line, there were occasions when the one squadron
frontage, closed column was used during combat because
space prevented a line being formed or time did not permit
the formation change. over and above this, there were several
deeper formations that a regiment would employ to take the
battle to the enemy, such as Double line, Echeloned line and
Chequered line. the following simple rules cover them all.
“sCotLaND ForEVEr!” tHE GrEYs oVErruN tHE FrENCH BattErY
36
a Deep Formation is represented by a unit arranged two
bases wide and three deep. such a formation receives the
following advantages and disadvantages:
• a commander ordering such a formation adds +1 to
his staff rating for the roll as if he was ordering an
assault Column.
• a regiment in this formation gains a +1 combat
resolution bonus, for example Light cavalry would be
Light Cavalry +1, Medium Cavalry will be Heavy
Cavalry 1 +1 and Heavy Cavalry will be Heavy
Cavalry D3 +1
• artillery targeting a regiment in such a formation
receives a +1 to hit bonus as a result of the regiment’s
increased depth
• a regiment in this formation reduces its Hand-to-
hand factor by one.
ferocious Charge
the unit can re-roll all failed Hand-to-hand combat attacks
in the first round of each and every combat when it charges
or countercharges. Note that this bonus only applies when
the unit charges or counter-charges and not when it is
charged. British cavalry suffer a +2 to their command roll
when they leave the table.
Gallop at anything
+ 1 to Charge order. Cavalry with this rule automatically
gain the Ferocious Charge rule (Black Powder, page 90) but must
make a breakthrough move if allowed, even if this takes
them off the table. British cavalry suffer a +2 to their
command roll when they leave the table under such
circumstances.
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Great Britain, 1815

life Guards and royal horse Guards they carried the 1796 heavy cavalry sabre, the Nock
the presence of the Household Cavalry Brigade at pattern carbine and pistols.
waterloo allows us to get to grips with Britain’s elite cavalry,
the men sworn to protect the king’s own regal person. the royal Horse Guards were to all intents and purposes
During the waterloo campaign both regiments of Life Household troops. their origins were in Cromwell's New
Guards and the royal Horse Guards only had two Model army, but
squadrons, the units therefore being small with only 250 after the
men each. (the purist could represent these regiments as restoration they
‘small’, but for now I have given them their full stats as they were forgiven and
are my favourite cavalry!) entered the rolls of
the king’s army.
the Life Guards were the most senior regiment in the the uniform of
British army although they are not the oldest. they were this regiment was
formed in 1659, but took the their title in 1674 when the very similar to that
then king Charles II bid the regiment preserve his soul of the Life Guards,
from danger as a result of a plot to kill the monarch. these the main difference
determined warriors were dressed in scarlet jackets and on being that their
campaign wore grey overall trousers that were complete tunic was dark
with a red stripe down the outside of the leg. their blue, giving them
headdress was a fantastic looking Grecian helmet with a the nickname ‘the
comb of red and black wool, with a white over red plume. Blues’.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Household regular reliable, Heavy
sabre 8 - 3 3
Cavalry Cavalry cavalry D3

Household regular reliable, Heavy

sabre 6 - 3 2
Cavalry (small) Cavalry cavalry D3

the Household Cavalry have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Gallop at Anything and Deep Formation.

Dragoon Guards and Dragoons
the difference between these two types of cavalry was in
name only. In the period of 1746 to 1788 all bar one of the
heavy horse regiments of the British army were converted
to dragoons to save money. to massage damaged pride they
were designated Dragoon Guards.
the two types, who were trained for shock action, were
distinguishable by the shape of their cuffs. they were
armed and equipped in the same manner, with the pattern
1796 heavy cavalry sabre, pistols and the same carbine as
Household troops. one regiment, the 2nd royal North
British Dragoons (the scots Greys), had many differences
from the rest of the dragoon regiments. Most noticeable
was the adoption of the grenadier cap. a cap that
commemorated the regiment’s victory over the French
regiment du Roi at ramillies in 1706.
the scots Greys, along with the 1st royal Dragoons and
the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, fought during the campaign
in the union Brigade, whilst the 1st king’s Dragoon Guards
fought in the Household Brigade.
all Dragoon and Dragoon Guard regiments wore jackets in
red that had facings in regimental colours of blue, black,
white, yellow or red. By 1815 they wore a Grecian helmet
with a horse hair mane. their scarlet jacket had changed in
1812 and now had a vertical strip of lace down its front.
regulations stated that they should wear plush breeches, but
for active service these were replaced by grey overalls.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Dragoon
regular Heavy
Guards and sabre 8 - 4 3
Cavalry cavalry +1
Dragoons

Dragoon Guards and Dragoons have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Gallop at Anything and Deep Formation.

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alBion triumphant

Sound the recall

light Dragoons and hussars
there were five regiments of Light Dragoons and four of
Hussars that took the field at waterloo. there was no
difference between the Light Dragoon and Hussar other
than the expense of the latter’s uniform! British light
cavalry were armed with the 1796 pattern light cavalry
sabre and after 1812 the serviceable Paget carbine. British
lights were capable of delivering formed charges, but they
had paid dearly in the Peninsular for not being able to
maintain control. Due to their experiences during the
Peninsular British light cavalry were more controllable
and this is reflected in their special rules.
During the Hundred Days campaign British Light
Dragoons wore a short-tailed, blue-coloured jacket that
was laced to its front (known as a plastron), in either white
or yellow. Facing colours were again dependent on the
regiment in question and ranged from buff to orange. Grey
overall trousers were worn on campaign and a shako with
white over red plume. the British hussars wore fur caps
(Busbies) with white over red plume, red, blue or yellow
was it any wonder that British cavalry regiments
went out of control time after time? the French and
Prussian cavalry regiments posted at least five
officers out of the line and to the front of each
squadron, their duty to control the pace and
exuberance of their men. Contrast this with a
British regiment, which only had one officer with the
unenviable task of curbing albion’s mounted
warriors’ desire to come to grips with the enemy!
Busby bags on the cap, and a blue tailless dolman with
white or yellow braid plus grey overall trousers. Facings
were in white, yellow or scarlet. Hussars were required to
sport moustaches.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

Light
regular
Dragoons sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder
Cavalry
and Hussars

Light Dragoons and Hussars have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Ferocious Charge and Deep Formation.

PItY tHE wouNDED LIttErING tHE CaVaLrY BattLEGrouND...

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Great Britain, 1815

artillery of explosive, but were wildly erratic. old Nosey was heard
the British were normally out-gunned by the French and to remark “I do not wish to set fire to any town, and I know
the Hundred Days campaign was no different. on the field no other use for rockets.”
of waterloo, for example, France had one gun to just over
300 men whilst the British ratio was one gun to just over artillery special rules
460 men. Britain had two types of artillery: Horse or
‘Flying artillery’ and Foot or ‘Marching battalions of Congreave rockets
artillery’. the British did however have two technical
innovations in artillery. Firstly, spherical case shot, better as per Black Powder rules pages 83-85. up to one battery in
known as shrapnel after its inventor Major Henry shrapnel an army can be upgraded to include a rocket section.
of the royal artillery. It was a hollow shell containing
musket balls but, while it doubled the range of canister, it shrapnel
could explode prematurely. wellington found it most
British guns with shrapnel can fire at medium range with 3
agreeable, but he didn’t think the same of sir william
dice, but require 5s to hit.
Congreave’s rockets which could carry quite a large amount

“Very well, keep a

sharp look out and
point your guns well.”
Lord uxbridge to G troop rHa
commander Captain alexander
Cavalie Mercer, 17th June 1815.
rearguard retreat to Mont st. Jean

royal horse artillery (rha)
Horse artillery was only adopted in Britain at the very start
of the French wars despite it having been introduced by the
austrians in the late 1750s. Intended to support cavalry,
horse artillery was light and mobile with a crew that was
expected to be valiant, good riders, capable swordsmen and
above all excellent gunners.
For those of you who have a copy of Albion Triumphant
Volume 1 – The Peninsular War you may remember the
example set by Captain Norman ramsey at Fuentes de
onoro in 1811. at waterloo gunners were ordered, when
threatened by an enemy charge, to bolt for the safety of the
nearest infantry square rather than defend their guns.
Despite that, some gun crews remained with their pieces –
old habits die hard it seems!
Horse batteries – or troops as they were known – usually
had five 6-pounder guns and one 5.5 inch howitzer serviced
by approximately 162 officers and men. that said, three
rHa batteries had recently been equipped with five 9-
pounders and one 5.5 inch howitzer
the royal Horse artilleryman was uniformed in a similar
manner to the pre-1812 Light Dragoon. He wore a blue
jacket with yellow laced plastron, red facings edged in
yellow, grey trousers and the tarleton helmet with white
plume. royal Horse artillery troops were identified by
letters of the alphabet; E troop, F troop and so on.
at waterloo all but one of the royal Horse artillery
batteries were stripped out from their place within the
cavalry brigades and placed under the command of a
senior artillery commander.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

royal Horse regular smoothbore reliable,

1 3-2-1 4 1
artillery artillery artillery Marauder

British royal Horse artillery troops have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Shrapnel.

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alBion triumphant

royal artillery (ra)
the royal regiment of artillery, formed in 1716, was one
of only two regiments within the army that trained its
officers before they were commissioned. all artillery and
engineer officers had to pass through the royal Military
academy, woolwich, while the others learned their trade as
they went along.
Foot batteries had five 9-pounders and one 5.5 inch
howitzer serviced by 145 crew. again, crews were well
trained and expected to be excellent at their profession.
the uniform of the royal artillery was functional and
simple, a blue infantry-style jacket with yellow plastron lace,
red facing colours, grey trousers, and a stovepipe shako with
white plume and yellow metal front plate. royal artillery
Brigades (known as batteries) took the name of their
Commanding officer; for example Captain Bolton’s Brigade.

unit type armament hand-to-hand shooting morale stamina special

royal regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 2 reliable
artillery artillery artillery

British royal artillery troops have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Shrapnel.

FurIous But HoPELEss FrENCH CaVaLrY CHarGEs HaMMEr tHE aLLIED sQuarEs

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Great Britain, 1815

the King’s German legion (KGl)
on the 5th of July 1803, the Electorate of Hanover was
dissolved at the Convention of artlenberg. as a result the
Elector’s army was disbanded. Many brave fellows were
determined to continue the war to expel the hated French
occupation of their homeland and made for Britain’s shores
as their Elector was also George III.
Colonel von der Decken and Major Halkett were granted
royal warrants to raise a corps of light infantry. the corps
was to be named ‘the king's German regiment’. In late
December 1803, von der Decken’s and Halkett’s men were
grouped together as the basis of a legion of all arms and
renamed the king’s German Legion. recruitment to the
Legion went from strength to strength and it could
eventually boast regiments of Dragoons, Hussars, Line
infantry, Light Infantry, Foot and Horse artillery.
the Legion was known for its excellent discipline and
ability on the field of battle. the cavalry was reputed to be
the best in the British army and did not possess the same
temperament to gallop at anything.
In 1815 the Legion contributed two brigades of infantry to
the allied cause, a brigade of four Line infantry battalions
and a brigade of two Light and two Line battalions. there
had been changes however to the organisation and
armament of the battalions. the infantry, apart from the
8th Line battalion, had lost four centre companies and now
had only six companies in total, four centre companies and
two flank companies. the companies had been removed to
provide a backbone for newly raised Hanoverian Militia
battalions.
the kGL Light battalions were now substantially equipped
with the Baker rifle, whilst the light companies of the Line
battalions were also rifle armed.
there were two kGL Hussar regiments and two kGL Light
Dragoon regiments which took to the field at waterloo.
Interestingly the 1st Hussars had the lowest casualty rate of
any unit on the battlefield with only one cavalryman killed.
Finally, two horse batteries and one foot battery
complemented the gallant forces of the Legion ready to face
the French. Both kinds of batteries were equipped with five
9-pounder cannon and one 5.5 inch howitzer.
KGl line infantry
stats as British Line Infantry.
Steady Line, First Fire Must Form Square, Rifle Mixed Formation,
Lie Down, Can Form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally
enter, Column of Companies, and Cannot Form Attack column.
KGl light infantry
stats as British Light Infantry, all companies now armed
with rifles.
Steady Line, First Fire, Sharpshooters, Must Form Square, Rifle
Mixed Order, Lie Down, Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could
not normally enter, and Cannot Form Attack Column.
KGl light Dragoons
as British Light Dragoons.
KGl hussars
as British Hussars.
KGl horse artillery
stats as royal Horse artillery, smoothbore Cannon. armed
with six 9-pounder cannon and a 5.5 inch Howitzer.
KGl artillery
stats as royal artillery.

What ’s in
a mane?
If you were ever struggling to
differentiate between the Life Guards
and the royal Horse Guards, one
could take a look at the mane of
their horses. the manes of the Life
Guards were brushed to the left
whilst those of the royal Horse
Guards were brushed to the right.

kING’s GErMaN LEGIoN LIGHt DraGooNs

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Britain’s Allies
we now come to the brave fellows who assisted wellington
in winning the great victory at waterloo. to believe that
albion triumphed with purely British forces would be very
wrong: Belgians, Dutchmen and germans, in various
guises, all greatly contributed.
Hanover
Britain had strong ties with Hanover. His gracious Majesty,
King george iii, was also the elector count of Hanover
and could therefore call on the manpower of this german
state. For the waterloo campaign, Hanover provided the
allied army with just over 17 battalions of infantry and
three regiments of hussars.
Infantry
there were two different types of Hanoverian infantry:
Field and landwehr. the Field units – line and light
infantry battalions – were the better formations, made up of
men who had volunteered for service, with a good
proportion having some military experience. the landwehr
Brave Hanoverians in BritisH service pass tHrougH a Belgian town
42
were a different proposition altogether. as militia, they were
freshly raised with little training or experience and therefore
had little stomach for the coming fight, although stiffening
out the ranks with veteran Kgl cadres of officers and
ncos offset this. there were two independent companies
of rifle-armed jägers, men welcome in any force. wellington
was unsure of the steadiness of the Hanoverian troops and
so, he organised their brigades personally, breaking up the
usual Hanoverian regimental formation of one Field
battalion grouped with three landwehr battalions. He
brigaded the same types of battalion together, each brigade
then being cleverly combined with British and Kgl
formations at the Divisional level. at waterloo, there were
four Hanoverian brigades; one contained the Field units,
five battalions in total, whilst the other three were
landwehr brigades made up of four battalions each.
the Field battalions had eight companies in their battalions,
whilst those of the landwehr had four. there were no
‘flank’ companies. a company on paper had 150 men of all
ranks carrying muskets, and the average battalion strength
was usually over 600. in each company of the line
BP-004_Albion2_042-051 Britains Allies_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 11:52 Page 43

battalions, every twelfth man trained as a skirmisher, and a French attack column and is deserving of the attack
ten men in each company were sharpshooters. in the two column rules.
light battalions, lüneberg and grubenhagen, every man
received skirmisher training, with one company in each of when in line or column of companies formation,
these battalions armed with rifled muskets. Hanoverian infantry battalions sometimes used their trained
men to skirmish to their front, represented in Black Powder
like the British, the Hanoverian infantry’s fighting by the Mixed Formation rule.
formation of choice was the two-deep line, but they could
also form column of companies, square, skirmish order Hanoverian infantry also used
and column of March. the square formation to deter
enemy cavalry; the Must Form
the line Formation rule is applicable to Hanoverian square rule is used in Black
infantry. Hanoverian Field infantry used the column of Powder to represent this.
companies to manoeuvre around the battlefield, and in
Black Powder this formation is represented by the new the two light battalions used
column of companies rule. skirmish formation in either
attack or defence situations and
Hanoverian landwehr’s battlefield column of companies the Skirmish rule represents this
was on a ‘two half company’ frontage, which actually situation. Hanoverian Field
meant that it had a company-wide frontage. as the infantry have the Cannot Form
battalion only had four companies its dimensions resembled Attack Column special rule.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

‘Field’ line regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3
infantry infantry musket

Hanoverian line infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Column of
Companies, Mixed Formation, Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, and Cannot Form Attack column.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

‘Field’ light regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
6 3 4 3
infantry infantry musket skirmish

Hanoverian light infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Rifle Mixed
Formation, Cannot Form Attack, Column of Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Hanoverian regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3 unreliable
landwehr infantry musket

Hanoverian landwehr infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed
Formation, Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, Column of Companies, Freshly Raised and Unreliable.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Hanoverian regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
Jäger 4 2 4 2
companies infantry musket skirmish

Hanoverian Jägers have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Rifle Mixed Formation,
Cannot Form Attack Column, Column of Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

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albIon TrIUMpHanT

Hanoverian Battalions ForMeD up anD reaDy to Face napoleon

Cavalry
Hanover’s cavalry structure mirrored that of their infantry
cousins, a regiment having four squadrons each numbering
around 150 men. only the Duke of cumberland’s Hussars,
a militia of ‘gentlemen’, took part in the battle of waterloo,
but then performed badly. the majority fled the field when
ordered forward to counter the French advance on la Haye
sainte, not stopping until they arrived in Brussels, crying
that the French were on their heels. a few brave fellows did
remain to fight for the allied cause, attaching themselves to
other formations. Hanoverian hussars can form line, Deep
Formation and March column formations.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Hanoverian regular
sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder
Hussars cavalry

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Hanoverian
Duke of regular
sabre 5 - 6 2 Marauder
cumberland cavalry
Hussars

artillery
Hanover provided two batteries of foot artillery for the campaign, one battery had five 9-pounders, the other,
five 6-pounders. Both batteries also had one 5.5 inch howitzer.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Hanoverian regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 2
Foot artillery artillery artillery

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brITaIn’S allIeS

brUnSwICk the two different companies as two separate formations.

in 1814 the Duke of Brunswick raised a new national army
after disbanding his ‘Black legion’. the new force had a
solid foundation of peninsular veterans. since the ‘Black
Duke’ was the brother-in-law to the prince regent of
england, he placed his division size formation of all arms
under wellington’s command for the Hundred Days
campaign. it was comprised of a vanguard jäger battalion,
two infantry brigades (one light and one line), a hussar
regiment, an uhlan squadron and two artillery batteries.
Infantry
although this foundation was solid, the majority of the men
in these formations were young and inexperienced. this
problem would manifest itself during the battle as
Brunswick formations became very shaky as the day wore
on. the light Brigade had three light battalions and one
leib (life) battalion, while the line Brigade had three line
battalions. each battalion had four companies, each with an
average of around 150 men of all ranks (though most were
over strength). the vanguard battalion had two companies
of jägers who were rifle armed, and two companies of light
infantry who had muskets. this battalion operated
independently of the divisional structure and could deploy
there is some speculation as to what regulations the
Brunswick division followed, British, prussian or a mix.
that said, Brunswick infantry fought in a two-deep line like
the British. their battlefield column of choice was on a two
half-company frontage, which actually meant that it had a
company wide frontage. as the battalion only had four
companies this column is similar in dimensions to a French
attack column (see page 55) deserving of the attack
column rules. they also formed hollow squares, skirmish
order and march columns.
the line Formation rule is applicable to Brunswick infantry
as is the attack column formation rule. when in line or
column formation, Brunswick infantry battalions
sometimes used their trained men to skirmish to their front,
which is represented by the Mixed Formation rule.
square was used to protect against cavalry and is
represented by the Must Form square formation rule.
Jägers, leib and light battalions used skirmish formation in
either attack or defence situations. the skirmish rule is used
to represent this.
i have supplied statistic for the vanguard infantry as the two
separate formations and for completeness as a formed body.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

vanguard regular sharpshooters,
rifled musket 4 2 4 2
Jägers infantry skirmish

vanguard Jägers have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Rifle Mixed Formation, Column
of Companies, Skirmish and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

vanguard regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
4 2 4 2
light infantry infantry musket skirmish

vanguard light infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation,
Column of Companies, Skirmish and Sharpshooters.

BrunswicK Jägers lurK in tHe orcHarDs anD wooDs

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albIon TrIUMpHanT

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

vanguard regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
6 3 4 3
battalion infantry musket skirmish

vanguard battalions have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Rifle Mixed Formation,
Column of Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

elite 5+,
leib regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3 sharpshooters,
battalion infantry musket
skirmish
the leib Battalion has the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Column of
Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

sharpshooters,
light regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3 skirmish,
battalion infantry musket
unreliable
light battalions have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Column of
Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

line regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3 unreliable
battalion infantry musket

line battalions have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Can form
Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter and Column of Companies

Cavalry only one squadron of uhlans campaigned in 1815. i have

Brunswick’s cavalry regiments each had four squadrons of provided stats for that squadron and stats for the regiment if
around 150 men. at waterloo the Brunswickers fielded the players would like to field them.
2nd Brunswick Hussars and a squadron of uhlans, these Brunswick cavalry can form line, Deep formation and
lucky lads being hardly engaged during the battle. March column formations.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Brunswick regular
sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder
Hussars cavalry

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Brunswick regular Marauder,
lance 7 - 4 3
uhlans cavalry lancer

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Brunswick
regular Marauder,
uhlan lance 5 - 4 2
cavalry lancer
squadron

“My dear Wachholtz, where is Olfermann?”

last words of the Duke of Brunswick, enquiring after his
second-in-command colonel elias olfermann. the Duke was shot
at the height of the battle of Quatre Bras on the 16th of June 1815

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brITaIn’S allIeS

artillery
Brunswick provided the allies with one battery of both Foot and Horse artillery, each having eight 6-pounder guns.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Foot regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 2 -
artillery artillery artillery

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Horse regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder
artillery artillery artillery

BrunswicK Horse artillery

The kingdom of the netherlands
in March 1815, the prince sovereign was crowned King
william i of the netherlands, while his eldest son became
the prince of orange. the unification of the netherlands
followed 200 years of separation and the two parts, Holland
and Belgium, did not now mix well. Holland was
predominantly protestant while Belgium was catholic, but
revolutionary France had, for a time, held both in check.
Both halves of the new kingdom had fought for napoleon,
the Belgians as recently as 1814, with the commanders of
the netherlands formations having tasted ‘la gloire’ and
learnt their trade in French service. the netherlands
provided a considerable force to the allied cause in 1815:
twenty-two battalions of Dutch infantry, six battalions of
Belgian infantry and four battalions of west/east indies
infantry in three infantry Divisions; a cavalry Division
consisting of a Heavy and two light brigades; and six
artillery batteries. Dutch and Belgian formations have had a
bad press over the centuries from British authors and
eyewitnesses. i do not concur with the quite bleak portrayal
of the Dutch/Belgian performance, although there is
nothing to stop you altering unit stats if you disagree.
Infantry
Belgian and Dutch infantry battalions consisted of three
types: line, Jäger and the all-Dutch Militia. the
netherlands infantry force was not of the best quality, the
majority hampered by limited training and battle
experience, combined with pro-French sympathies. the two
divisions of infantry at waterloo, the 2nd and 3rd, each had
two brigades. the 2nd Division consisted of a brigade of
netherlanders and a brigade of nassau infantry, while the
3rd Division’s two brigades consisted solely of
netherlanders. a brigade typically had five battalions with
all three infantry types represented. the infantry battalions
of all three reflected French influence, having six companies
(four centre and two flank), with each company having a
nominal strength of 120 men, but battalion strengths did
vary. the netherlands infantry regulations mirrored those
of the French of 1791; however, just prior to the Hundred
Days campaign the prince of orange ordered that when in
line the troops would form up in two-deep ranks.
the netherlands infantry would also form attack columns,
March column, square and skirmish order.
the line Formation rule is applicable to netherlands
infantry; they can also use the attack column rules. when
in line or column formation, netherlands infantry
battalions sometimes used their trained men to skirmish to
their front as represenated by the Mixed Formation rule.
square was used to
protect against
cavalry and is
represented by the
Must Form
square formation
rule. Jägers used
skirmish formation
in either attack or
defence situations,
and the Skirmish
rule is used to
represent this.

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albIon TrIUMpHanT

DutcH line inFantry prepare to give a welcoMe to tHeir ForMer allies!

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Dutch/Belgian regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
6 3 4 3
Jägers infantry musket skirmish

Dutch/Belgian Jägers have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Column
of Companies, Skirmish, and Sharpshooters.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Dutch/Belgian regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3
line infantry infantry musket

Dutch/Belgian line infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation,
Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter and Column of Companies.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

regular smoothbore
Dutch Militia 6 3 5 3 Freshly raised
infantry musket

Dutch Militia infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Can
form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, Column of Companies and Freshly Raised.

Cavalry mentioned in despatches by the Duke of wellington as to

the heavy brigade of cavalry consisted of two Dutch
carabineer regiments and one Belgian carabineer
regiment, each regiment having three squadrons of
approximately 150 men. this brigade acquitted itself well
during the battle, though it is said that around the time that
la Haye sainte fell, lord uxbridge himself tried to order
this brigade forward, but their commander Major general
trip refused to obey. i find this strange as trip himself had
led the brigade during several charges earlier in the battle
against the redoubtable French cuirassiers, and was
his efforts on the field of waterloo. one has to be very
careful about what one reads sometimes!
the two light Brigades consisted of both hussars and light
dragoons. Both brigades were heavily engaged during the
battle of waterloo, where they carried out their duties with
great bravery. each regiment had either three or four
squadrons and, like the infantry, the average company
strength was 150. all Dutch cavalry can form line, Deep
formation and March column.

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brITaIn’S allIeS

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Dutch/Belgian regular Heavy
sabre 8 - 4 3
carabinier cavalry cavalry D1

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Dutch/Belgian
regular
Hussar or sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder
cavalry
light Dragoon

netHerlanDs ligHt cavalry taKe on FrencH lancers

artillery
the netherlands provided both a foot artillery battery and a horse artillery battery for each infantry and cavalry brigade.
whether Foot or Horse, each battery had eight guns, six 6-pounders and two 5.5 inch howitzers.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Foot regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 2 -
artillery artillery artillery

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Horse regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder
artillery artillery artillery

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albIon TrIUMpHanT
naSSaU
nassau had previously been a member of the
confederation of the rhine, and as such had provided the
French with military support for the war effort in spain. as
the reigning families of both nassau and the netherlands
were closely linked, nassau contributed a brigade of five
infantry battalions and a company of jägers to the Hundred
Days campaign. the nassau forces, commanded by prince
Bernard of saxe-weimar, were the only allied infantry to
use the regiment as a tactical organisation in the French
manner. saxe-weimar commanded the 28th orange
nassau regiment of two battalions and the 2nd nassau
regiment of three battalions, a company of nassau jägers
completing the command. in addition, the 1st nassau
regiment of two line infantry battalions and a landwehr
battalion formed an independent command during the
campaign. the size of all of the nassau battalions was
formidable, the vast majority being well in excess of 800
men. each battalion’s formation reflected French influence
with six companies; four fusilier companies, a grenadier
company and a light company. each company had a
nominal strength of 150 men, though battalion strengths
did vary. nassau jägers were armed with rifles, whilst all
other battalions were equipped with muskets.
the majority of the officers and ncos had a wealth of
experience, having campaigned for France. the rankers
were a different proposition; they were young and lacked
experience. Despite this, the nassau forces acquitted
themselves well in the main areas of battle between
nassau troops File tHrougH tHe wooDs, Keen to test tHeir Mettle
50
On the crest of a wave
napoleon left the island of elba on sunday the 26th
of February 1815, sailing on the 300 ton brigantine
Inconstant. there were six other vessels that
accompanied him; four ships Saint Joseph, Caroline,
Etoile, Saint Espri and two feluccas, The Bee and The Fly.
Hougoumont, la Haye sainte and through to papelotte.
nassau infantry fought in a two-deep line, being capable of
forming attack columns, square, skirmish order and
March column.
the line Formation rule is applicable to nassau infantry,
and they can also use the attack column rules. when in
line or column formation nassau infantry battalions
sometimes used their trained men to skirmish to their front,
represented by the Mixed Formation rule.
used to protect against Horse,
square is represented by the
Must Form Square formation rule.
Jägers used skirmish formation
in either attack or defence
situations, and this is represented
by the Skirmish rule.
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brITaIn’S allIeS

nassau grenaDiers’ uniForMs sHow tHe inFluence oF tHeir ForMer FrencH service

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

nassau Jäger regular rifled sharpshooters,

2 1 4 1
company infantry musket skirmish, tiny

nassau jägers have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Skirmish, Sharpshooters, and Tiny.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

nassau line regular smoothbore

6 3 4 3
infantry infantry musket

nassau line infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Can
form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter and Column of Companies.

Unit Type armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

nassau regular smoothbore

6 3 4 3 unreliable
landwehr infantry musket

nassau landwehr infantry have the following special rules together with the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation,
Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter and Column of Companies.

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Imperial France 1815
“Vive L’empereur!”
napoleon’s ability to manufacture the stuff of war had lost
nothing. it took the emperor of the french a little over
three months to galvanise over 500,000 men to the colours.
This included the 123,000 strong armée du nord, an army
that boasted many veteran formations including his finest,
the imperial Guard. it was with this formidable tool that
bonaparte would strike north before the major european
powers could galvanise themselves. speed was of the
essence, as a quick and decisive battlefield victory would
have both political and military ramifications.
Those of you who have read Albion Triumphant Volume one –
The Peninsular Campaign, should have noted the decline of the
abilities of french field forces. although this is true, the
military resources available to bonaparte were formidable.
anything was possible to the french soldier with ‘le petit
Tondu’ leading them.
The awesome bravery and power of The Cuirassiers nearly won The day aT QuaTre bras and waTerloo
52
The decline in the raw material of the army, the common
french infantryman, meant that they were now increasingly
less skilled in battlefield drill. The reliance on fast-moving
assault columns, driven on by the pas de charge, became more
emphasised. attacking in column would force results quickly
on the field, especially if supported by a massive artillery
bombardment. in all his campaigns napoleon had searched
for the decisive battle that would win the war at a single
stroke. The waterloo campaign would certainly emphasise
this by the manoeuvres to isolate the allied armies. The
divisional columns of d’erlon’s i Corps, attacking on the
field of waterloo, and the Grande batterie’s barrage, were
all a product of what had gone before.
Infantry of the LIne
The french infantry comprised line and light regiments.
in 1815, a regiment had three to four bataillons de guerre
(fighting battalions). french infantry battalions contained six
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companies: one voltigeur company, one of grenadiers and
four fusilier companies (or one Carabinier and four
chasseur in the light regiments). The Grenadiers stood on
the right of the line and the voltigeurs the left. on paper,
battalion strength was 840 men but again this was rarely
achieved. for example, the average battalion strength at
waterloo was a little over 500, whilst the 3rd battalion of
the 100éme ligne regiment was the smallest french
battalion with only 246 combatants. Grenadiers were the
elite troops of a battalion, usually used to drive home the
assault whereas the voltigeurs were the most agile men, the
best for scouting and skirmishing.
Two regiments, of a variable number of battalions, were
usually grouped together into brigades and two brigades
normally formed into a division; both light and line
regiments could be grouped together in brigades. on the
battlefield, french infantry could be seen in six formations,
depending on the tactical situation. Those formations were
Column of divisions, line, Column of platoons, square,
skirmish order and march Column.
Column of divisions, or Colonne d’attaque par division, was the
main fighting formation of the french infantry. in Black
Powder games, this formation is represented by the assault
Column formation rule. in battle, the french infantry were
confident and aggressive when attacking, and the attack
column was the formation in which they launched
themselves at adversaries. To represent this we give the
french infantry the special rule Pas de Charge.
when in attack Column or line a french infantry battalion
sometimes used its light company to skirmish to the
formation’s front, which is represented in Black Powder by the
Mixed Formation rule. The french used a colonne en route to
manoeuvre up to the battlefield, which is represented by the
march Column rule.
in 1808 napoleon decreed that when the elite companies
were present, the battalion of six companies would act by
divisions, whilst if the elite companies had been detached
from the battalion then it would form a column of platoons
(colonne de battallione par peloton). you can represent this by
using the british Column of Companies rule on page 31.
if the enemy did not run at the sight of attack columns
advancing towards them, then the french would deploy into
line and engage in a firefight. The french fought in a three-
deep line formation when they were required to deliver
maximum fire effect. The line formation in Black Powder is
used here.
as we saw with the british, the french used the square
formation to protect against cavalry which is represented in
Black Powder by the battalion square formation rule.
skirmish order was used by light battalions in either attack
or defense situations. The Skirmish rule is used to represent
this formation. That said, it is believed that during and after
1808 the lack of recruit training saw the light battalions
deploy, manoeuvre and fight as their line cousins.
some french regimental and brigade commanders, wanting
both the firepower that the line gave and the
manoeuvrability of the column, mixed the formations
within their commands. The formation became known as
l’ordre mixte (mixed order), and usually comprised of one or
two battalions in line and a number of battalions in column.
in Black Powder we offer no special rules to represent mixed
order as the natural interaction of an infantry brigade
made up of column and line formations works already.
another tactic that the french relied upon more and more
was the multi-battalion column. sometimes brigades, or even
whole divisions, of infantry were formed into mass
formations of battalion attack columns one behind the other,
or battalions in line one behind the other. again, we do not
need to befuddle you with complex rules as those clever chaps
at warlord Games hQ have catered for such eventualities.
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aLbIon trIumphant

This plucky brigade commander has opted to form his brigade into ‘l’ordre mixte’ by having his two centre battalions form line, and protected their
flanks with his remaining two battalions formed in attack column. The commander can now rely on the firepower provided by the lines and when
the time is right can unleash the weight of his columns.

General de Brigade Claude Rusamont, always the one for no-nonsense
fighting, has formed his brigade into a heavy column or ‘colonne de
batttaillons par division’ consisting of all his battalions formed in line in
mutual support of each other. In Black Powder the front line battalion is just
that – a battalion formed in line so the rear formations provide support if
combat occurs or can take the first unit’s place if they suffer casualties.
Rusamont’s command again, but this time the fiery General has
his brigade in a ‘heavy column’ consisting of all his battalions in
attack columns in mutual support of each other. In Black Powder
the front columns will do the fighting and be supported by each
other and their sister battalions are to their rear.

Grenadiers and volTiGeurs lead The frenCh aTTaCk!

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french Infantry Special rules
in this section i offer a few new
rules to allow you to bring
additional national characteristics
to your french infantry. The Pas
de Charge is a renaming of a rule
in Black Powder and works for my
gaming group. That said, Black
Powder is designed to be a flexible
game whether you use them or
invent your own is your decision.
In the nick of time...
Zieten’s chief-of-staff, lieutenant Colonel von reiche, had been
briefed by muffling, wellington’s prussian liaison officer, that
the 1st Corps was urgently required on wellington’s left flank.
on returning to the advanced guard of the 1st Corps he found
a Colonel scharnhorst from blücher's staff with orders for the
1st Corps to go to the aid of bülow at plancenoit, and a heated
argument ensued.
“Never had I found myself in a similar predicament in any moment in my
Line Infantry
line infantry were the most numerous type in the french
army. The line infantry regiments were, as napoleon
stated, ‘the sinew of the army.’ They were armed like all
french infantry, with the Charleville musket year iX model. a
regimental number, for example 45ème de ligne (45th
regiment of the line), identified each line regiment.
The quality of the line infantry was variable, ranging from
veteran status to that of the raw recruit in newly raised units.
although the soldiers of the armée du nord were no Grande
armée, they were aggressive in the attack and dogged in
defence, and their high manoeuvrability was still to be feared.
by 1815, french fusiliers, voltigeurs and grenadiers wore a
black shako that had a brass eagle to its front. The shako
also had chin scales in brass and a woollen pom-pom at its
front that was coloured according to the company the
soldier was in: red for grenadiers, yellow or green for
voltigeurs, green for the 1st company, light blue for the 2nd
orange for the 3rd, and violet for the 4th. The voltigeurs’
and Grenadiers’ shakoes also had a top and bottom band in
yellow or red respectively.
unit type armament hand-to-hand
line regular smoothbore
6 3
infantry infantry musket
french line infantry have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form Square, Mixed
Formation, Column of Companies, and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.
ImperIaL franCe, 1815
pas de Charge:
french infantry in attack Column formation are Reliable.
Colonne de battallion par peloton:
as per british Column of Companies (see page 31)
mixed formation:
as per Black Powder rules, page 78
must form Square:
as per Black Powder rules, page 75
career. On one hand, our troops were in peril in the direction of Plancenoit;
on the other Wellington counted on our help.”
at the moment when the decision was to be made and troops
were passing the turn off toward plancenoit urged on by
reiche,
“...when General Steinmetz who commanded the advanced guard of the 1st
Corps seeing me conferring with the head of the column charged at me,
shouted at me, as was his custom and without wanting to hear my
explanation ordered his advanced guard to retrace their steps to the fork and
to head towards Plancenoit.”
luckily for the allies, Zieten arrived to counter steinmetz.
infantry coats, their habit, were dark blue in colour with
white lapels and turnbacks piped red. Collar and cuffs were
red-piped white whilst shoulder straps were blue, piped red.
The post 1812 Habit Vest had a short tail and was square cut
at the front. Grenadier companies wore the same coat with
red epaulettes and red grenades on the turn backs, whilst
voltigeurs had yellow collars and green epaulettes. whilst on
campaign line infantry wore a myriad of trousers –
browns, creams and white being the favoured colours. The
leather shako would also often be wrapped in a fabric cover,
which could be any shade of brown, grey or ochre. a black
cartridge box held the ammunition for the musket and was
held on a white crossbelt that went over the soldier’s left
shoulder, the cartridge box resting on the right hip with the
bayonet scabbard. Grenadiers and voltigeurs also wore a
short sabre, held on the left hip by a crossbelt that went over
the right shoulder. both belts were whitened with pipe clay.
regardless of all the above, there were numerous deviations
from regulations and it would pay the reader dividends to
spend time reading the numerous books that concentrate on
french napoleonic military uniform.
Shooting morale Stamina Special
4 3
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aLbIon trIumphant

Light Infantry previous ability to skirmish! if you wish to keep within

as we have seen, napoleon’s campaigning had taken its toll
on his infantry and this was highlighted in the regiments of
light infantry who, in 1815, were operating as the rest of the
line infantry. They were light in name only; for our
purposes that would be boring, so light infantry retain the
historical boundaries then french light infantry operate
exactly the same as french line infantry. That is to say, the
battalion cannot break down fully into skirmish order, but
can still form mixed formation as each battalion still had the
capability to throw out their dedicated skirmish company.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

light regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
6 3 4 3
infantry infantry musket skirmish

french light infantry have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form Square, Mixed
Formation, Column of Companies, and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

Combined Grenadiers
Grenadiers/carabiniers were the strongest and bravest men
in a battalion, often used to spearhead an attack or to
bolster the rear of a column to prevent men running. on
occasions, the grenadier companies within a brigade or
division were amalgamated to form elite grenadier
battalions. if you wish to form the grenadiers from a
brigade into a combined battalion, then reduce the hand-to-
hand factor of the brigade’s infantry by one and add a small
combined grenadier battalion. The same can be done with
a division’s infantry, but add a standard combined grenadier
battalion to any brigade in the division, or brigade them
together as a separate brigade. don’t forget to pay for a
commander for them!

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

Combined regular smoothbore elite 5+,
5 3 4 2
Grenadiers infantry musket small

french combined grenadier battalions have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form
Square, Mixed Formation, Column of Companies, and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

Combined Voltigeurs remove mixed order from the brigade’s infantry and add a
as with the grenadiers, the light companies could be massed standard size combined voltigeur battalion. The same can be
to form voltigeur battalions. if you wish to form the done with a division’s infantry, but add two standard
voltigeurs from a brigade into a combined battalion then combined voltigeur battalions to any brigade in the division.
unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special
Combined regular smoothbore skirmish,
5 3 4 2 sharphooters,
voltigeurs infantry musket small

french combined voltigeur battalions have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form
Square, Mixed Formation, Column of Companies, and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

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a frenCh field forGe in aCTion
frenCh CaVaLry of the LIne
french cavalry regiments had also gone through their fair
share of misery; a shortage of horses, campaign losses and
cutbacks had seen a significant reduction in the number of
cavalry regiments of the line. once again, napoleon’s
logistical brilliance was evidenced with his ability to secure
over 15,000 horsemen for the forthcoming campaign.
during the hundred days campaign, french horse
regiments were used in either the heavy or the light role. The
heavies were cuirassiers, carabiniers and dragoons whilst the
lights were lancers, hussars and chasseurs à cheval.
a regiment of cavalry had from two to five squadrons, with
an average squadron strength of 140 men. at waterloo,
regiments with three squadrons were the most numerous. a
squadron was made up of two companies, the 1st company
of the 1st squadron being the home of the bravest men in
the regiment and designated the elite company; it was this
company that carried the regiment’s eagle. french
cavalrymen as individuals were noted as being inferior to
those of most other nations in the napoleonic wars, but
their deficiencies were overcome by battlefield deployment
in large, dense masses and a greater higher organisational
capability. The latter meant that the french usually had a
reserve to exploit an enemy weakness or an enemy that
over-stretched. over-confident british cavalry usually
played right into french hands.
ImperIaL franCe, 1815
french Cavalry Special rules
on the battlefield, french cavalry regiments took to the
field in a number of formations, depending on the tactical
situation. The ideal cavalry formation for combat was the
two-deep line, in Black Powder the Cavalry line formation
rule will suffice here. There were occasions when the one
squadron frontage, closed column was used during combat
because space prevented a line being formed or time did
not permit the formation change. over and above this there
were several deeper formations that a regiment would
employ to take the battle to the enemy, such as double line,
echeloned line and chequered line. The following rules
allow you to use these formations in your games with a few
simple rules.
french cavalry can fight in line and can deploy in deep
formation (see page 36) or march Column.
“Death is nothing; but to
live defeated and without
glory is to die every day.”
napoleon bonaparte
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aLbIon trIumphant

frenCh heaVy CaVaLry

the Carabiniers
The 1st and 2nd Carabiniers à Cheval had
seniority over all other cavalry of the line.
They considered themselves as guardsmen and
received the rate of pay of the Guard. at
waterloo, they formed a brigade in the 12th
Cavalry division under d’hurbal. They wore
a copper Grecian style helmet with a scarlet
comb at its crest, a brass covered cuirass, white
coat and, whilst on campaign, grey overall
trousers. They must have been a stunning sight
to behold.
i have given carabiniers the same statistic line
as cuirassiers, despite their belief that they
were better.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

reliable,
regular
Carabiniers sabre 9 - 3 3 heavy
Cavalry
cavalry d3

“The Cuirassiers are of greater value

than any other type of cavalry.”
napoleon bonaparte

the Cuirassiers
french cuirassiers were the archetypal ‘big
men on big horses’, napoleon’s elite shock
cavalry, second only to his Guard. at waterloo,
the french had twelve regiments of these brave
cavalrymen. passage to the Gross Freres as they
were known was not easy; only after twelve
years of service and three campaigns was an
individual considered for such an elite roll.
The regiments should have had four squadrons
but two – and three – squadron regiments
were seen at waterloo. The largest regiment in
action was the 5th, with 518 men in four
squadrons, whilst the smallest was the 7th with
180 men in two squadrons. regiments were
armed and uniformed identically; it was only
the colour of collar and cuffs allowing the
viewer to distinguish the different regiments.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

reliable,
regular
Cuirassiers sabre 9 - 3 3 heavy
Cavalry
cavalry d3

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ImperIaL franCe, 1815

“There is a great deal of charlatanism in

what is called procuring intelligence.”
wellington
Dragoons
although only two regiments of dragoons took to the field at waterloo, the armée du nord actually had ten regiments. on
the battlefield dragoon regiments were brigaded together, usually two regiments per brigade and were used in the shock
heavy cavalry roll. The two dragoon
regiments that fought at waterloo
had a wealth of experience. The
2nd dragoons, had fought in the
peninsular campaign for five years,
whilst the 7th dragoons could claim
wagram and borodino as battles
they had been engaged in.
dragoons wore a Grecian-style
helmet with a black horse hair
mane. They wore long-tailed green
coats over a white waistcoat. The
coat had regimental facings on
collar, cuffs and turn backs, and
these colours ranged from red
through crimson, pink, yellow and
orange. They wore white cavalry
breeches and tall cavalry boots.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

regular heavy
dragoon sabre 8 - 4 3
Cavalry cavalry +1

Something for the pain...

french Light Cavalry
hussars and line chasseurs à cheval made up the
french light cavalry regiments of the hundred days
campaign, both types being the equivalent of british
light dragoons and hussars. as in the british army,
there was a big difference between the fancy
uniforms of the hussars and the plainness of the
line chasseurs or light dragoons, however the two
operated and fought in the same manner. They were
responsible for screening the army, scouting the
enemy and, once the french army had defeated
them, they were responsible for pursuing the enemy
relentlessly. There were twelve regiments of lights
available to napoleon, five hussar regiments and
seven chasseur regiments, although only one hussar
regiment – the 7th – fought at waterloo.
a wounded french infantryman is making a terrible
noise whilst a british surgeon probes his wound. nearby,
a british dragoon holds his own arm whilst a surgeon
amputates it. as the dragoon’s arm leaves his body the
dragoon, disturbed and angry at the cries of the
frenchman, grabs the arm and hits the frenchman with
it, saying “here take that, and stuff it down your throat
and stop your damned bellowing!”
a scene witnessed by sergeant
edward Costello as he waited
his turn with the surgeon

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

line light regular
sabre 6 - 4 3 marauder
Cavalry Cavalry

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aLbIon trIumphant

the Line Lancers

french lancers, or chevaux legers lanciers, provided napoleon with six
regiments of light cavalry that could punch as hard as their heavier
brothers. each lancer regiment should have four squadrons, but as with the
cuirassiers, some regiments only had two or three. The lancers were
converted from dragoons in 1811 and their heritage could be seen in their
uniforms. They retained the green dragoon jacket with minor alterations to
the lapels and green overall trousers. The brass Grecian helmet lost its
horsehair mane and gained a black wool comb known as a chenille. only the
front rank of a formation was armed with the lance in the polish manner.
The lance was 8' 10'' in length and had a black wooden shaft with a steel
point and a swallow tail pennon of red over white, again in the polish style.
There were two of these fine regiments at waterloo.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

regular lancer,
lancer lance 7 - 4 3
Cavalry marauder

frenCh lanCers of The line – liGhT Cavalry wiTh wiCkedly lonG lanCes

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ImperIaL franCe, 1815

frenCh artILLery
The year iX system of 1803 was fully established by
“I have been brought back to the
1815, this meant that cannon calibre weight had been throne by my anger at seeing the
streamlined. Cannon were now either 6- or 12-pounders
and the howitzers were either 5.5 or 6 inch. The french sacred rights, won by twenty years
deployed two types of artillery battery; foot artillery
(artillerie a pied) and horse artillery (artillerie a cheval). The
of victory, scorned and cast aside,
armée du nord had approximatly 350 cannon, by the cry of injured honour, by the
napoleon had 246 of these available at waterloo whilst
the rest were off with Grouchy, chasing shadows. of that
will of the people.”
246 there were actually 150 available to line formations. napoleon bonaparte, emperor of the french

frenCh arTillery was, on The whole, superb in The napoleoniC era

foot artillery
foot artillery batteries had eight guns, made up of six 12-
or 6-pounder cannons and two 5.5 or 6 inch howitzers,
served by approximately eighty to a hundred men. The
number of men could be doubled when you add on artillery
train drivers. most of the line foot artillery cannons were
the 6-pounders and these were divisional assets. The 12-
pounders were usually corps assets.
artillery gunners wore the habit veste and overall trousers in
blue, the trousers normally had a red stripe down the side.
They wore the common infantry shako, and were armed
with a musket, bayonet and sabre briquet.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

smoothbore
line foot regular and heavy
1 3-2-1 4 2
artillery artillery smoothbore
artillery

horse artillery
horse artillery batteries had six guns, four 6-pounder cannon
and two 5.5 inch howitzers. horse artillery batteries had
approximately eighty gunners and a similar number of
drivers, all being mounted.
The uniform of the horse artillery had been very much
simplified over the years. They too wore the habit veste in blue
with red epaulettes and blue overall trousers. They also wore
the common shako with red chevrons, and were armed with
the light cavalry sabre.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

line horse regular smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 1 marauder
artillery artillery artillery

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aLbIon trIumphant

the ImperIaL GuarD

napoleon created the imperial Guard in 1804, the same year he was crowned emperor of the french. They grew from
humble beginnings to become a mighty instrument of war, a complete army of elite soldiers that acted as the emperor’s
strategic and battlefield reserve. They were, in the main, better paid than the rest of the army and wore a uniform befitting
their status as elite units. The Guard contained all the three arms of the army and some of the greatest military units to take
to the field of battle.

the old Guard
The ‘ancients’, the bravest of the brave, the finest soldiers on
any battlefield in the napoleonic wars. seven of the eight
battalions of the old Guard graced the field at waterloo.
The 1st and 2nd regiments of Grenadiers and the 1st and
2nd regiments of Chasseurs were entitled to bear the
honoured title of old Guard. each regiment had two
battalions, with each battalion having four companies of
around 150 men, although some battalions were over
strength (but not significantly enough to make them ‘large’
for our Black Powder purposes).
at waterloo the old Guard Grenadiers were dressed in
their blue greatcoat with red epaulettes and blue overall
trouser. The bearskin was stripped of its finery but still
retained its brass front plate. They were armed with a
musket that had brass instead of steel fittings and sabre
briquets.
The old Guard Chassuers were dressed in a similar fashion
although their bearskin did not have the brass front plate
and their epaulettes had green shoulder straps and red
fringes.

Giants in bearskins, these men had fought in numerous with large moustaches and side whiskers, their hair in
campaigns and the vast majority had won france’s highest queues and a gold earing in each ear, they certainly looked
military honour for bravery: the legion d’honneur. the part of grizzled veterans.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

old Guard reliable,
regular smoothbore
Grenadiers 8 4 3 4 elite 3+,
infantry musket
and Chasseurs Tough fighters

french old Guard have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form Square, Mixed Order, and
Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

“They shall noT pass”. The old Guard hold planCenoiT

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ImperIaL franCe, 1815

The Ancients
the middle Guard
The middle Guard was formed from the 3rd and 4th
regiments of Grenadiers and Chasseurs of the Guard,
men second only to their brothers in the old Guard. out “More dreadful looking fellows than Napoleon’s Guard I have
of the twenty three battalions of Guard infantry that began never seen. They had the look of thoroughbred veteran, disciplined
the hundred days campaign, only seven of them were banditti. Depravity, recklessness and bloodthirstiness were burned
middle Guard formations. The 3rd and 4th Grenadier into their faces... Black moustachios, gigantic bearskins, and a
regiments supplied a total of three battalions as the 4th ferocious expression were their characteristics.”
Grenadiers were unable to form a second battalion before
the campaign began, whilst the 3rd and 4th Chasseurs The words of the english artist and writer
provided four battalions benjamin robert haydon, 1814
in total at the outbreak
of hostilities. The 4th
Chasseurs were mauled The dress of the middle Guard did not live up to its
at the battle of ligny, ‘on paper’ billing during the hundred days as they
their two under-strength had been hastily put into the field. The campaign
battalions were then uniform was much the same as the old Guard. That
amalgamated in time said the middle Guard were supposed to wear
for waterloo. all Guard suitably ornate shakos but all regiments turned out in
battalions were made whatever was available, bearskins, shakos, bonnet de
up of four companies, police (forage caps) and bicornes. now there is a
each of approximately modeling opportunity!
150 men.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

middle Guard
regular smoothbore reliable,
Grenadiers 7 4 3 3
infantry musket elite 4+
and Chasseurs

french middle Guards have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Must Form Square, Mixed Order,
and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

young Guard The uniform of the young Guard was a halfway house
The young Guard were a junior branch of the imperial between the line regiments and that of the senior Guard
Guard, and it was the hope of every member to progress regiments. They wore a suitably ornate shako, and blue
first to the middle Guard and finally to the greatest jackets piped with white. The coat had counter epaulettes
regiments of the army, the old Guard. napoleon had eight ending in a ‘duck’ feet
battalions of young Guard available to him for the shape. The tirailleurs’ tunic
campaign, four each of tirailleurs and voltiguers. They were epaulettes were red piped
formed into two brigades, each brigade having a regiment with white, whilst the
of tirailleurs and a regiment of voltigeurs. each regiment voltigeurs’ were green piped
had two battalions and a battalion had four companies of with red. The tirailleurs also
approximately 150 men. That said, the average strength of had red collars and the
a young Guard battalion at waterloo was just over 530. voltigeurs had buff. as their
young Guard soldiers were paid the same rate as a line names suggest these
infantryman, although they did have a few more perks than regiments were light infantry
soldiers of the line. and as such they had
pointed cuffs like chasseurs.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

young regular smoothbore reliable,

6 4 3 3
Guard infantry musket elite 5+

french young Guard have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Pas de Charge, Skirmish, Must Form Square,
Mixed Order, and Can form Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter.

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marines of the Guard

Les Marines de la Garde were originally raised as a five-company battalion in 1803.
They had a long and glorious history, fighting in many campaigns including
spain and russia. They were sailors, soldiers and engineers and aquitted
themselves well in each trade. There were two companies of marines attached to
the imperial Guard hQ , which allows us to field them in a number of different
ways. They could be two Tiny units, a small unit or they can be fielded as an
engineer upgrade, (see page 78) when they formed an assault column with the
engineers of the Guard.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

marines of
regular smoothbore reliable,
the Guard 5 2 3 2
infantry musket elite 4+
(small)
marines of
regular smoothbore reliable,
the Guard 3 1 3 1
infantry musket elite 4+
(Tiny)

Order, counter-order, disorder

french military proverb

ImperIaL GuarD CaVaLry

The cavalry of the Guard consisted of heavy and light cavalry regiments, the two types being kept apart in separate divisions.

Imperial Guard heavy Cavalry

The imperial Guard heavy Cavalry division consisted of the Grenadiers à
Cheval, the empress dragoons and one company of Gendarmerie d’Elite. The
Grenadiers à Cheval must have been an impressive sight, tall men on large
black horses, nicknamed ‘The Gods’. both the dragoons’ and the
Grenadiers’ regiments had four squadrons of around 200 men each. These
two fine regiments could certainly make a claim to being large, whilst the
Gendarmerie d‘elite, the ‘immortals’ as they were known, could be
represented by a Tiny unit (keep the unit as formed though, so its default
formation is not skirmish). napoleon’s Guard cavalry, like his old Guard
infantry, were probably the best around and their stats reflect that.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

Grenadiers a heavy Cavalry
Cheval or regular
sabre 9 - 3 3 d3, reliable
empress dragoons Cavalry

Grenadiers a
Cheval or regular heavy Cavalry
empress dragoons sabre 11 - 3 4
Cavalry d3, reliable
(large)

Gendarme regular heavy Cavalry

sabre 5 - 3 1
d’elite (tiny) Cavalry d3, reliable

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ImperIaL franCe, 1815

Imperial Guard Light Cavalry

The imperial Guard light Cavalry division consisted of the
chasseurs à cheval and the 2nd Chevaux-légers lancers. each
regiment had five squadrons, although the 1st squadron of the
2nd lancers was in fact the 1st elba squadron of polish
lancers. again, the strength of each of these regiments was
quite formidable, the chasseurs having nearly 1,200 men whilst
the lancers were just shy of 900 troopers all ranks. a good case
can be made for these regiments to be represented as large
units in your games of Black Powder.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

Chasseurs a
regular reliable,
Cheval of the sabre 7 - 3 3
Cavalry marauder
Guard

Chasseurs a
regular reliable,
Cheval of the sabre 9 - 3 4
Cavalry marauder
Guard (large)

reliable,
regular
Guard lancer sabre 8 - 3 3 marauder,
Cavalry
lancer

reliable,
Guard lancer regular
sabre 10 - 3 4 marauder,
(large) Cavalry
lancer

the Imperial Guard artillery

There were thirteen batteries of Guard artillery split between
the old Guard foot artillery, old Guard horse artillery and
the marine foot artillery. The old Guard artillery consisted of
three batteries of six 12-pounders and two 6 inch howitzers
each, the guns known as napoleon’s ‘beautiful daughters’. The
old Guard horse artillery had four batteries, each battery
having four 6-pounders and two 5.5 inch howitzers. a battery
was attached to each of the Guard cavalry regiments. The
marine foot artillery had four batteries, with the same mix of
cannon as the horse batteries. The middle and young Guard
received two batteries each.

unit type armament hand-to-hand Shooting morale Stamina Special

Guard heavy
regular reliable,
heavy smoothbore 1 3-2-1 4 3
artillery artillery elite 4+
artillery

Guard
regular smoothbore reliable,
marine 1 3-2-1 4 3
artillery artillery elite 4+
artillery

Guard reliable,
regular smoothbore
horse 1 3-2-1 4 2 elite 4+,
artillery artillery artillery
marauder

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The Kingdom of Prussia 1815

Overview
Prussia had suffered through the ravages of the napoleonic
wars, their absolute low point being the defeats in 1806 at
the battles of Jena and Auerstädt. in these engagements the
old Prussian style of waging war, which had been
formidable in the campaigns of frederick the great, was
embarrassed and found wanting in the face of french
command and tactical innovations. The Treaty of Tilsit
that followed, dictated by napoleon, was extremely harsh.
The Prussian state was considerably reduced in size, losing
territory to the new kingdom of westphalia, the newly
formed grand duchy of warsaw and along the elbe;
france, also demanded a massive reparation payment.
To add insult to injury, the number of soldiers in the
Prussian armed forces had been capped, bonaparte
attempting to ensure that Prussia would no longer be a
problem.
in response to this cataclysm, Prussia created the military
reform commission in 1807. The commission contained
forward-thinking Prussian military officers, men such as
gerhard von scharnhorst and carl von clausewitz. The
commission instigated changes from top to bottom in the
Prussian Army, from the creation of the general staff service
(that would later serve a united germany into the 20th
century), to more humane treatment of their soldiery. one
clever innovation allowed the Prussians to secretly train many

A modern PrussiAn mixed brigAde of Line And LAndwehr AdvAnces

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thousands more men than their peace treaty would have
allowed. The Krumper system allowed a man to rotate out of
the army once trained, to be replaced by a new recruit. so
while, on paper, the Prussians stuck to the terms demanded by
their french masters, the reality was they had far more than
40,000 men ready to serve when the time came.
That time came on the 16th of march 1813, when Prussia
aligned itself with russia and declared war on the hated
french, determined to throw off napoleon’s grip. The
devastation wreaked by the russian winter on the grande
Armée as it retreated in the final months of 1812 gave this
gamble a chance of success. The wars of Liberation had
begun; the reformed Prussian military had a huge part to
play in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 which would
eventually see the demise of napoleon’s regime and his
abdication.
when war broke out again in 1815, the ranks of the
Prussian army were swelled with enthusiastic, but untrained
volunteers. The Prussian Army that marched westward had
a backbone of hardened veterans, but well over 50% were
Landwehr militia. To add to Prussia’s troubles, and even
before the campaign got under way, 14,000 saxons and
silesians, were disarmed and considered unusable in the
coming conflict following widespread mutiny. despite that,
the army as a whole performed well and contributed greatly
to the success of the hundred days campaign.
organisation of the Prussian army was similar to that of
britain and france: battalions of infantry and regiments of
cavalry supported by artillery batteries, all collected together
to form brigades and corps. where the Prussians differed
was in the structure of their army at the brigade level. we
have seen that those of the french and british would be
formed from perhaps two to seven infantry battalions or
cavalry regiments, but not so with the Prussians. The
Prussian brigade of 1813 contained all arms; it was larger
than those of any other nation and in comparison rivalled a
division in the british or french armies for manpower. by
the time of the waterloo campaign, the Prussian brigade
system had evolved further. The Landwehr regiments were
fully integrated at brigade level and the structure of the
brigade itself had been refined, infantry and cavalry were
separated into their own brigades and artillery was placed
as a corps asset. in the field, a major general took
command of the brigade. he had access to three infantry
regiments and numerous small detachments of jägers. one
or two squadrons of light cavalry acted as his eyes and ears,
and the whole force was supported by a battery of artillery.
The hundred days saw the Prussians acquit themselves
well in both the attack as at Plancenoit and when on the
defence at Ligny. A true ally to Albion.
Prussian Infantry
The infantry consisted of fusiliers, musketeers, landwehr
and jägers. regiments, consisting of three battalions, were a
tactical unit similar to those of the french.
each regular Line regiment had two musketeer battalions
and one fusilier battalion, while the Landwehr regiments
had three battalions of musketeers. Jägers were usually
broken down into companies and assigned to brigades in
‘penny packets’. Prussian battalions contained four
companies, each company divided again into two platoons
known as a Zug. none of the companies had elite
designation as grenadiers or light infantry. At full strength, a
battalion would have 800 men, but losses usually meant that
the average was around 600. some of the battalions that
fought at waterloo though could only muster around 300
due to casualties suffered at Ligny. The musketeer was the
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AlbIOn TrIUMPHAnT

equivalent of a line infantryman in the french and british
armies, whilst the fusiliers were light infantry.
Prussian infantry fought well, despite the Landwehr having
an underbelly of untrained recruits. This is reflected in our
games of Black Powder by assigning Landwehr battalions the
Unreliable rule.
Formations on the battlefield
Prussian infantry could be seen in several formations
depending on the tactical situation. Those formations were
the ‘angriffskolonne’ or attack column, ‘Zug’ column, column
of march, Line, square or skirmish order.
The Attack column rules are suitable for the angriffskolonne
is represented in Black Powder, whilst the Zug column can be
represented by the column of companies rules on page 33.
when fighting in line, Prussian infantry would form up
three deep. The front rankers were the toughest men in the
battalion, whilst the third rank consisted of the better shots
and the most agile. Line was a formation used to both
firefight with the enemy or close to get to use the bayonet.
in Black Powder Prussians use the Line formation rule.
when a skirmish screen was required, the men of the third
rank of a battalion were used. This is represented in Black
Powder by the mixed formation rule.
square was used to protect against cavalry, but the Prussians
did not use the hollow square formation. instead they relied
on something that resembled an attack column with the
outside ranks turned outwards to face the threat. This
formation was quick to form, but shockingly vulnerable to
artillery fire. This is represented in our games by the form
Prussian square special rule below.
Form Prussian Square
units with this rule must follow all the rules outlined on
pages 74 and 75 of Black Powder, with a few exceptions:
• A Prussian infantry battalion in Attack column may
deliver closing fire upon the attacking cavalry.
• Artillery firing upon Prussian square formations
receives +2 to hit at close and medium ranges.
fusilier battalions and jägers used skirmish order when on
the attack or in defence. we use the Skirmish rule to
represent this formation.
Tough Fighters
we allow Prussian players to upgrade their units to Tough
Fighters when playing against the hated french.

“What a place to plunder!”

blücher on viewing London from
st. Paul’s after the Peace banquet

Musketeers
As we have seen, these troops are the Prussians’ Line infantry and the second most
numerous troop type available to a Prussian general. They were armed with the 1809
new Pattern musket, the standard firearm for Prussian infantry, although swedish,
british, french and russian models could be found in service. The quality of the
musketeer battalions did vary, as in any other army, but on the whole they were solid and
dependable soldiers.
each regiment was not only numbered but also had a provincial identification, for
example the 12th brandenburg infantry and each battalion was identified by number, so
the first battalion of our brandenburg regiment would be the 1/12 brandenburg.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Prussian regular smoothbore
6 3 4 3
musketeer infantry musket

Prussian musketeers have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Can form
Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter and Column of Companies.

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THe KIngdOM OF PrUSSIA, 1815

Fusiliers of skirmishers. The third battalion in a regiment was the

The fusiliers were the nimblest and most agile men in the fusilier battalion, but it was not numbered, so following on
infantry, led by intelligent and forward-thinking officers, and from our example above the fusilier battalion of the 12th
armed with ordinary muskets. These men were a brandenburg regiment would have been the fusilier/12
commander’s first port of call if he required large numbers brandenburg.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

fusilier regular smoothbore sharpshooters,
6 3 4 3
infantry infantry musket skirmish

Prussian fusiliers have the following special rules as well as the above stats:- Must form Square, Mixed Formation, Skirmish in
terrain that they could not normally enter, Column of Companies, Skirmish and Sharpshooters

landwehr
The militia and volunteers made up the ranks of the Landwehr. The formations that marched during
the hundred days were not of the poor quality that had gone before, and in the main these men acted
with bravery. one example during the battle of Ligny concerns the 2/1st westphalian Landwehr
battalion. when the regiment formed square in the face of attacks by cuirassiers and guard heavy
cavalry, the westphalians stood their ground stoically and repulsed the cavalry with musketry.
Landwehr regiments were incorporated into brigades either two-line to one Landwehr regiment or, on
occasions, two Landwehr regiments to one line regiment. Landwehr regiments also trained their third
rank to provide skirmishers. in early June 1815 blücher impressed upon those Landwehr regiments that
had not designated a battalion as a Light battalion to do so. These ‘light’ Landwehr battalions were to
be trained extensively in skirmish tactics. This does leave the door open for one Landwehr battalion in
a regiment to have the skirmish rule available as an option.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

regular smoothbore
Landwehr 6 3 4 3 unreliable
infantry musket

Prussian Landwehr have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Can form
Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, Column of Companies and Unreliable.

Jägers
The jägers were elite light infantrymen, marksmen and expert in the arts of skirmishing, usually broken down in to
company-sized units. Jägers were rifle armed, although there was not widespread uniformity in the type of rifle used. The
silesian rifles of the 1st infantry brigade are included here.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Jäger regular rifled reliable,

6 3 4 3
battalion infantry musket elite 5+

Jäger regular rifled reliable,

4 2 4 2
companies infantry musket elite 5+

Jäger regular rifled reliable,

2 1 4 1
company infantry musket elite 5+

Prussian jägers have the following special rules as well as the above stats: Must Form Square, Mixed Formation, Column of
Companies, Skirmish and Sharpshooters.

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AlbIOn TrIUMPHAnT

CAvAlry
Although the Prussian Army did have guard cavalry and cuirassiers, none
were present during the hundred days campaign and blücher had to rely on
dragoons, hussars, uhlans and Landwehr regiments. The three former were
line regiments, ten in total, whilst the latter comprised eight militia regiments.
cavalry were also formed into Line and Landwehr brigades, a brigade hosting
any type of cavalry regiment. The average squadron strength at waterloo was
around 120 men and a regiment should have fielded four squadrons in total,
although lack of horses and manpower meant that some only managed as few
as two squadrons. some cavalry regiments were broken up and assigned to
infantry brigades, such squadrons usually being hussars or Landwehr cavalry,
and can be represented by Tiny or small regiments. Prussian cavalry
regiments can operate in Line, deep formation and march column.

dragoons
Prussian dragoons were like their equivalents in the british and french Armies; they were armed with a carbine, pistols and
a sabre. There were four dragoon regiments in the hundred days campaign, two of which were at waterloo, the 2nd west
Prussian and the 5th brandenburg dragoons.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

regular heavy
dragoons sabre 8 - 4 3
cavalry cavalry +1

lIgHT CAvAlry

Uhlans
There were seven regiments of uhlans present. The lance was their primary weapon. Although each regiment had three
squadrons, by the day of waterloo there was a wide difference in the number of men in each regiment. for example the 3rd
uhlans had only 280 men, whilst the 1st uhlans could still boast 640 men. uhlans rescued blücher, from under the noses of
french cuirassiers at Ligny.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

regular Lancer,
Lancer Lance 7 - 4 3
cavalry marauder

Hussars
There were eight regiments of hussars in the Prussian Army during the hundred days, the most numerous regular cavalry
that the Prussians had available. Prusian hussars were light cavalry and performed the same role as hussars in every other
army of the time. They were armed with a curved cavalry sabre, which was of a robust design, and two pistols.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

regular
hussar sabre 6 3 4 3 marauder
cavalry

The Last Dance

“My friend Wellington and I have put an end to Bonaparte’s
dancing. His army is in utter rout. All his artillery, his baggage, his
wagons and his coaches are in my hands. The insignia of all the
orders to which he belonged, which were found in his carriage, have
just been brought to me in a casket. I had two horses killed under me
yesterday. We shall be finished with Bonaparte shortly.”
blücher to his wife, 19th June 1815

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THe KIngdOM OF PrUSSIA, 1815

landwehr Cavalry
Although Landwehr
cavalry were armed with
the deadly lance, they were
not as proficient as the
uhlans. it should also be
remembered that these
horsemen were militia units
and not heavily engaged
during the campaign. The
Landwehr regiments were
the most numerous type of
Prussian cavalry available
to blücher. each Landwehr
regiment had three
squadrons.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Lancer,
Landwehr regular
Lance 5 - 4 3 marauder,
cavalry cavalry
unreliable

sAvAge house-To-house fighTing in Ligny

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AlbIOn TrIUMPHAnT

Artillery
Prussia, like britain and france, had
both foot and horse batteries available.
The normal make up of those
batteries was six 6-pounders and two
7-pounder howitzers. batteries were
assigned at brigade level, usually one
battery per brigade. The army’s
artillery reserve boasted five further
artillery batteries and these batteries
were brutes: six 12-pounders and two
10-pounder howitzers. Prussian
artillery batteries were served by
approximately 140 men, although
only about half were gunners.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

smoothbore
Line foot regular and heavy 1 3-2-1 4 2
Artillery artillery smoothbore
artillery

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Line horse regular smoothbore
1 3-2-1 4 1 marauder
artillery artillery artillery

“Blücher and I met

near La Belle
Alliance. We were
both on horseback
but he embraced me
exclaiming ‘Mein
liebe Kamerad’ and
then ‘Quelle affaire’
which was pretty
much all he knew of
French.”
wellington

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THe KIngdOM OF PrUSSIA, 1815

vengefuL PrussiAns cLeAr PLAncenoiT’s grAveyArd of The hATed french

A womAn’s Touch – A vivAndiere brings much-needed reLief To weAry, fooTsore french TrooPs.

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Column versus Line and useful rules

In Albion Triumphant Volume 1 – The Peninsular War, I gave a Attack Column
brief overview of column and line tactics. It is now time to This was the French army’s most common formation for
have a closer look at why the protagonists fought as they did advancing to the attack; its French title was ‘colonne d’attaque
during the final campaign of the Napoleonic Wars. par division’. A ‘division’ in this context meant two
Although I take a closer look at column and line tactics, I companies, and as a French battalion had six companies
have included the square formation out of completeness. there were three divisions within a battalion. To create this
Think about your actions on the wargames table whilst formation the battalion formed a column two companies (a
division) wide and three companies deep. It was easy to
playing a game of Black Powder – are you not always looking
command and was capable of forming line to open fire or
for an advantage over your gaming opponent; an advantage
assault and square if threatened by cavalry. Its
that will secure for you the laurels of victory and bragging
disadvantages were that it had limited firepower with only a
rights? Well, the commanders of divisions and brigades fraction of the battalion’s muskets being capable of firing.
during the Napoleonic Wars were no different. In order to The Prussian Angriffskolonne was almost identical to the
achieve success a commander was always looking for an colonne d’attaque par division. A Prussian battalion, as we have
advantage. At a tactical level a commander could achieve seen, consisted of four companies, with each company
this in a number of ways that were not mutually exclusive. A broken down into two sub-units known as Zug. When a
commander could use surprise to wrongfoot his enemy, Prussian battalion formed an Angriffskolonne the front of the
concentrate superior forces at the most crucial point of column consisted of number one Zug of the third company
battle and secure all arms cooperation.
There are many ways to achieve surprise against an enemy,
by a ‘ruse de guerre’, tricking your enemy into thinking one
thing, when something different entirely is happening.
Napoleon excelled in tricking his enemies, as was evident in
his earliest campaigns against the Austrians in 1796.
Another way to achieve surprise was by developing new
tactics; a great example of this was the Prussian infantry
column of the Seven Years War. Battles of the early and
middle 18th Century saw armies form battle lines using
complex and time-consuming manoeuvres; as such, those
manoeuvres were completed out of an enemy’s reach.
During the Seven Years War, fought from 1756 to1763, the
Prussians developed the ability to form a line on the head of
individual columns. This enabled Prussian infantry
commanders to manoeuvre their columns up to musket
range, then quickly form line and engage an enemy that was
still deploying. Not only did this surprise Frederick the
Great’s enemies, but it also allowed him to achieve a
concentration of superior forces.
To achieve a numerical advantage over an enemy a
commander needed to ensure that his battalions adopted the
correct formation to manoeuvre across the battlefield. All
would be lost though if his battalion commanders did not
choose the right formation to carry the fight to the enemy
and secure the objective at the right time.
At Waterloo, the French infantry adopted three formations
to advance upon the waiting English; these were battalion
column of attack, divisional column of battalions in line and
finally square. The Prussians invariably marched onto the
battlefield in Zug column and then formed a double Zug
column, known as the Angriffskolonne or attack column. The
British infantry spent time in their ‘holding areas’ in a
column of companies forming line when necessary to fight
off infantry and square to deal with cavalry.

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and number two Zug of the second company. The
remainder of the column’s Zuge were organised in such
away that when it formed line the first company’s first Zug
was on the far right of the battalion whilst the 4th
company’s second Zug was on the far left of the battalion.
Interestingly the British had the capability to form an attack
column; they called it a Grand Division. They did not use
the formation that often though, as the standard practice in
the British army was to detach the ‘light’ company from a
battalion and a Grand Division required all of a battalion’s
companies to be present, so that it could form square
correctly. In Black Powder terms, all these formations fit quite
neatly into the rules for Attack Columns on page 51 of the
main rulebook.
on page 73 of Albion Triumphant Volume 1 – The Peninsular
War, I outlined the special rule French Column Tactics.
This rule was devised to simulate French battalion
commanders’ inability to coordinate their attacks on British
HEAvY CAvAlrY AGAINST THE DEADlY lANCE – A BlooDY ClASH!
infantry in the Peninsula. I will outline it here for
completeness as it can be used to represent any column
attack on a line.
Infantry battalions can bring to contact as many units as the
rules on page 60 of Black Powder allow against an enemy
formation. However, only one battalion per facing can fight,
being the owning player’s choice, the other battalions being
eligible as supports.
The unit chosen to fight does so with the following rules, to
represent the column needing to make a quick
breakthrough.
• If the column defeats the enemy in the first round of
combat and they flee or retire, it can be interpreted
that the enemy turned just prior to contact or after a
brief bayonet fight. If this happens, the other
battalions in contact with the enemy get all the post
mêlée options that the victorious battalion gets.
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ALbion TriumphAnT
• If nobody breaks or retires then in the second and
subsequent rounds of combat, normal combat
modifiers apply, but the assault column does not get
its +1 morale save for the column formation as its
morale is waning. This represents the column
running out of steam and the enthusiasm of the
troops rapidly evaporating, whilst the battalion
commanders are urging a formation change to line.
We have seen that there were a variety of other column
formations used to manoeuvre infantry across a battlefield.
The British Column of Companies, the French colonne de
battallione par peloton and the Prussian Zug column were all
very similar to each other and were formations from which
battalions could speedily form line or square. In Black Powder
terms all these formations are covered by the special rule
Column of Companies (see page 31).
The French regulations of 1791, the British regulations of
1792, and those of the Prussians dated 1812, expected
battalion commanders to change formation into line as they
approached the enemy so that they could deliver the
battalion’s full weight of fire. This manoeuvre was very
similar to that carried out by Frederick the Great’s
battalions, whereby the front companies would halt whilst
the rear companies moved up to form the line. The decision
when to form from column to line was problematic to say
the least. If they deployed too soon, the battalions would
have to advance nearer to the enemy while in line. This was
difficult to control, as the battalion’s frontage could exceed
120 metres or more. If they deployed too late, the battalion
could be at the mercy of close range enemy fire whilst
attempting to change formation.
It was not unusual for some commanders to carry the attack
home in attack column, if they thought that the enemy had
been suitably softened up and there were visible signs of
wavering. French commanders in particular excelled here.
‘Continental’ generals assisted the French in their
deliberations by arraying their battle formations for the
AvENGING PruSSIAN INFANTrY BurST From THE DENSE WooDS
76
French to see, and as the French had the enemy formations
in their sights they were able to soften them up with artillery
and skirmisher fire and then time their manoeuvres to
perfection to overthrow their opponents. The British were
not so accommodating, hiding their main battleline behind
a suitable ridge. Several battles on the Peninsula proved the
worth of this tactic and Waterloo would do the same.
Line
As we have seen, the regulations of our protagonists
advocated that a battalion formed in a three-deep line was
the best formation to deliver fire. Both the French and the
Prussians adopted this formation whilst the British, along
with their King’s German legion, Hanoverian, Nassau,
Dutch and Belgian allies, fought two-deep to maximise the
number of muskets capable of firing. A battalion in line was
not as manoeuvrable as a column; inexperienced troops
regularly became disordered when manoeuvring in line, the
battalion’s officers having to stop the formation at regular
intervals to redress the ranks and files.
In our games of Black Powder, infantry designated as
militia/unreliable roll a die for each move they make whilst
in line, and on a roll of a one they become disordered and
are unable to move further.
When struggling to deploy into two-deep line due to
topography or the tactical situation, British infantry
battalions could adopt the four-deep line formation. The
field of Waterloo was a suitable location for such tactics and
numerous British infantry battalions did so.
The French formation colonne de divisions par battaillons,
deserves a mention here. It was a heavy column formed
from a brigade or division of infantry, by battalions in line
stacked one directly behind the other. It was an unforgiving
formation but one that was viable, a great example being
the attack of D’Erlon’s corps at Waterloo. This formation
was not as manoeuvrable as an attack column and was very
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susceptible to cannon fire and cavalry. So why was the
formation used at all? D’Erlon and several commanders
who had influence on the field of Waterloo had fought the
British on the Peninsula and were well aware that at the
point of contact their formations were outgunned by the
British two-deep line. This formation was a mix of tactics;
the battalions formed in line could provide a response to the
British firing line, whilst the formation still had the physical
effect of a column.
In Black Powder this formation does not need any special
rules as the natural interaction of the battalions supporting
each other are catered for in the main Black Powder rules,
whilst the formation’s vulnerability to artillery is catered for
with the new artillery rules on page 78 of this book.
Steady Line
When charged, a formed unit with the special rule Steady
line that is not disordered or shaken can:
• Stand and fire as usual with all the usual fire
modifiers,
or
• Fire and then counter-charge, but in this case does
not count the closing fire bonus.
Square
most armies formed hollow squares when called upon to
defend themselves from attacking cavalry. Formed from
attack columns and columns of companies, well-trained
infantry could do so in a matter of minutes. The term
square was also misleading as, depending on the number of
companies, an infantry battalion in hollow square could
actually be oblong. The rules for forming square on page 75
of the Black Powder rulebook assist us here.
my friends and I deal with infantry designated as militia a
little differently though, as we have them forming a
disordered square on any double, not just a double six, and
double one still means they cannot form square and are
disordered.
Battalions had the ability to form closed squares from
column, although the Prussian army abolished the use of
the hollow square with their regulations of 1812. A ‘Closed
Square’, when required, formed in moments, but they were
horrendously vulnerable to artillery fire, being a closed
packed mass of humanity.
An infantry battalion in Attack Column or Column of
Companies can form a ‘Closed Square’. Follow the normal
rules for forming square, except that the infantry only fail
on a double one. Ignore any other roll. The Closed Square
can fire at the charging cavalry and this is assumed to be at
close range.
Artillery firing at a Closed Square at medium and close
range do so with a +2 to hit rather than the normal +1
modifier for shooting at a Hollow Square. Prussian
battalions must use Closed Squares.
CoLumn verSuS Line And uSefuL ruLeS
A Strange Formation
“We had to advance like the others, in deployed battalions, with
only four paces between one and the next... a strange formation
and one which was to cost us dear, since we were unable to form
square as a defence against cavalry attacks, while the enemy’s
artillery could plough our formations to a depth of twenty ranks.”
French officer in D’Erlon's
divisional column at Waterloo
It is difficult to form a Square from a line formation, and
infantry caught in line by cavalry were usually decimated;
the 5th King’s German legion suffered this fate at the
hands of French cuirassiers at Waterloo. If lines were to
advance then they were usually supported by flanking
columns. If attacked by cavalry the flanking columns would
form Square.With its flanks secure the line could maintain
its formation.
In our games of Black Powder, infantry in line formation
does not have to adhere to the Must Form Square rule when
charged by cavalry if they have their flanks secured by
terrain that is impassable to cavalry, or by infantry squares.
To count as a secure flank the infantry has to be touching
the relevant protection.
Infantry in Attack Column or Column of Companies that
are protecting the flanks of a battalion in line can elect to
form Square if cavalry charge the infantry in line. If they
successfully form Square, the infantry in line does not have
to adhere to the Must Form Square rule, as long as both of its
flanks are secure.
This brings the added benefit and dimension to formations
in mixed order with battalions in Column and line.
We have seen that an Attack Column and a Column of
Companies was an ideal formation from which to form
Square, but the same cannot be said of the line formation.
Infantry in Skirmish formation who were set upon by cavalry
were taught to throw themselves on the floor, feign death,
take cover behind suitable obstructions, run to a nearby
square or form a rallying square. Normally formed on their
officers, these formations usually looked like rough clumps of
men, but they survived if the men held their nerve.
Infantry in line formation or Skirmishers that have the
Must Form Square rule have to pass a command roll using
their commander’s Staff rating in order to form Square (all
the normal modifiers apply). A battalion that fails the roll by
one forms a disordered square; any other failure disorders
the formation and it does not form Square. The
commander’s Staff rating is increased by one if the cavalry
are over a move away and by two if the cavalry are over two
moves away.
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ALbion TriumphAnT
Infantry not in square or in line with secure flanks that are
in combat with cavalry suffer a -3 combat results modifier.
If they are required to take a Break test, they do so with a
-1 modifier to their roll.
engineers
All armies had Engineers on hand to assist with destroying,
or alternatively reinforcing, sections of the battlefield. The
training and numbers of engineers within an army varied
widely, although the French excelled in the science.
An army can have one engineer base per Division or 500
points whichever suits your style of army selection. Add the
engineer base to one of your infantry battalions at the start
of the game. The engineer base increases the abilities of the
chosen infantry battalion as follows.
When the battalion attacks a building, entrenchment or
fortification it gains one additional attack and the enemy
unit attacked reduces its morale save by one.
When the battalion defends a building, entrenchment or
fortification, an attacking enemy reduce their number of
Hand-to-hand attacks by one.
If you are playing a pointed game, the engineering base
costs 20 points. A French army that has access to marines
of the Guard can select them as an Engineer stand for 20
points rather than the given statistics. This in essence would
allow the army two Engineer stands.
direct and Grazing Artillery fire
In Black Powder, artillery fire is directed at a single target.
This suits the fast-play style of the rule set, but does not
reflect the most common type of artillery fire in the
Napoleonic period.
round shot was the most common projectile fired by
cannon in the Napoleonic Wars. The gunners aimed either
WeATher
Not all battles were fought on a nice summer’s day or
in perfect conditions. The field of Waterloo itself had
been rain-sodden and the quagmire of mud made it
difficult for formations to manoeuvre. There are
several ways that you can represent the effect of the
climate on your battles.
rain
rain affects Black Powder weapons badly – muskets and
rifles can only fire out to half range whilst artillery can
only shoot out to medium range.
heavy rain
muskets and rifles can only fire out to close range;
artillery can only shoot out to medium range.
78
Ground not of their choosing
“We were to mount the opposite slope where the English held the
ridge and from where their batteries were blasting us. No doubt the
distance involved was not great and an average person on foot
would have taken no more than five or six minutes to cover the
ground, but the soft rain-sodden earth and tall rye slowed up our
progress considerably.”
French officer in D’Erlon’s
divisional column at Waterloo
directly at the selected target (Direct Fire) or at the ground in
front of the target so that the ball bounced and hit the
target at approximately chest height (Grazing Fire). Both type
of shots would continue for some distance through the
ranks of the target and any other unfortunates that got in
the way of the skimming or bouncing projectile.
You can represent this in your games of Black Powder with
the following rules:
• This type of fire takes place at medium or long range.
• Select a target as usual in accordance with the main Black
Powder rules.
• If the target is at medium range measure from the centre
of the target out to the end of medium range. Any other
units covered, friend or foe, are potential victims.
• If the target is at long-range measure from the centre of
the target out to the end of long range. Any other units
covered, friend or foe, are potential victims.
• roll to hit the original target and any other potential
victims of the shot as normal. Any obstacle (e.g. a
building) that falls within the line of the shot prevents it
travelling further.
higher ranks
Some players have larger figure collections than the norm
and can deploy several divisions of their chosen nation and
even a Corps commander! To represent the influence that a
Corp commander can have on a battle we allow a number
of command die re-rolls.
Corps Commander (Staff rating 7) = 2 re-rolls, 25 points
Corps Commander (Staff rating 8) = 4 re-rolls, 50 points
Corps Commander (Staff rating 9) = 6 re-rolls, 75 points
Corps Commander (Staff rating 10) = 8 re-rolls, 100 points
Corps commanders can also be utilised by players in smaller
games. It could be that the Corps commander has decided
to exert his influence in a certain area of the battlefield.
Corps commanders do not give orders or rally troops, they
just offer sagely advise through their re-roll ability.
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CoLumn verSuS Line And uSefuL ruLeS

Soft Ground commanding officer figure, but allow a subordinate to take

Ground deemed as snow-covered or a muddy quagmire
is classed as rough Ground (Black Powder page 36).
Artillery can only hit the original target of their fire if
the ground is muddy.
higher Ground
Fighting uphill can be a hard task indeed, the advantage
definitely going to those lucky lads lining the top of such
a feature. In our games we give a +1 Combat result
modifier to a unit that is fighting uphill of its enemies.
death of a Commander
Page 86 of the Black Powder rule book provides for rules
that could lead to the demise of your commanding
officers. In our games we do not remove the
over with a Staff rating one less than the recently deceased
commander.
personal Qualities of Commanders
on page 94 of the Black Powder rulebook there is a useful
section on personalising your commanders using their
Aggression, Decisiveness and Independence. I now offer a
new quality for you to include in your games if you wish.
high inspiration (inspirational). The officer adds one
to the Break test roll of any of the units in his command
that are within 12'' of him.
Low inspiration (Loathed). The commander deducts
one from the Break test roll of any of the units in his
command that are within 12'' of him.

Quality high (roll of 6) medium (roll of 2-5) Low (roll of 1)

A highly inspirational A commander who knows loathed by his men for

Inspiration commander. The boys in the his duty to his men and a callous disregard for
ranks love him. He can urge his does what is expected their lives. A pompous
men on to great feats of valour. of him. oaf and dullard.

WEllINGToN AND PICToN DEBATE THE mINuTIAE oF DEPloYmENT

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Commanders of the Hundred Days
BRitAin
Sir Arthur Wellesley,
Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
Born in Dublin in 1769, this
remarkable man had a very
unexceptional life prior to joining the
British Army in 1787 as an ensign in
the 73rd Highlanders. Family
influence and money eased his way
through the ranks, as he took
advantage of the Purchase system to
buy one promotion after another. By
the time the Duke of York undertook the 1794 Flanders
campaign, Wellesley was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 33rd
First Yorkshire/West Riding Regiment. Although the
campaign was a failure, Wellesley ended it in charge of a
brigade. In Flanders he learned numerous lessons, not the
least of which was the use of steady lines delivering volley
after volley against advancing columns. Chiefly, however, he
recognised the effects of poor command and control, and
later said of Flanders “At least I learned what not to do, and
that is always a valuable lesson.” His star began to shine when
he was given command of an expeditionary force in India to
suppress Tipu Sultan’s rebellion in 1799, which he did skilfully,
crushing the revolt at the siege of Seringapatam. In 1803 he
won further fame with success against another Indian
rebellion at the battles of Assaye and Argaum. Knighted in
1804, by 1808 he was a Lieutenant General assigned to the
expeditionary force to the Iberian Peninsula as second in
command to the incompetent Burrard. The rest is history.
The Iron Duke, as he was later known, was a decisive
commander who did not flap when he came under severe
pressure. Cool and brave in the face of the enemy, he was the
advocate of the reverse slope tactical doctrine. He was careful
with his men’s lives and so became loved by the Army.
Special Rules
• Wellington has a command rating of 9.
• He is Decisive (page 95 of Black Powder).
• He adds one attack to any combat that he is involved in
where his force charged.
• He adds three attacks in any combat that he is involved
in if his side is defending.
• He has the special rule “The French are going to get a devil
of a surprise when they see how I defend a position.”
Wellington can choose which side of the table to fight
on during an encounter battle.
“We always have been, we are, and I hope
that we always shall be, detested in France.”
80
Lieutenant General Count Charles Alten
(1764-1840)
The youngest son of August
Eberhardt, Baron Alten, he was born
into a prominent Hanoverian family.
At the age of 12 he became a page in
the household of the Elector Count
of Hanover and five years later was
commissioned into a Hanoverian
Foot Guard Regiment. Alten served
in the Flanders campaign (1793-
1795) and established himself as an
excellent junior commander, especially of light troops.
In 1803 the Convention of Lauenberg saw the end of the
Hanoverian Army, and Alten was obliged to flee to Britain
to join the remnants that were soon to be known as the
King’s German Legion (KGL). He took command of the
light battalions of the Legion and saw action in many
campaigns in Hanover, Copenhagen, Sweden, Spain and
the infamous Walcheren campaign of 1809. In 1810 he
returned to Spain with the rank of Major General. His
abilities at the head of light infantry forces were recognised
by Wellington who appointed him commander of the ‘Light
Division’ after the demise of ‘Black Bob’ Craufurd in 1812.
Alten saw action at many engagements during the final two
years of the war and earned praise from both Wellington
and his subordinates. As a mark of the esteem he was held
in, he was presented with a sword in his honour by officers
who served under him during the Peninsular campaign.
During the Hundred Days campaign Alten commanded the
3rd Infantry Division made up of three brigades, one each
of Britons, Hanoverians and KGL. Alten survived the battle
and continued a political career in Hanover until his death
at the age of 76.
Special Rules
• Charles Alten has a command rating of 8.
• He is Headstrong (page 95 of Black Powder).
• Alten adds +1 attack to any combat that he is
involved in where his force charged.
• He has the special rule ‘The flower of the Army, the finest
infantry in the world’. When giving an order to a light
or rifle formation, be that a battalion, brigade or
division, Alten adds one to his Staff Rating.
Wellington
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The Utmost Gallantry

“I had occupied that post with a detachment from General Byng’s Brigade of Guards, which was in position in its rear; and it was some time
under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel MacDonald, and afterwards of Colonel Home; and I am happy to add that it was maintained,
throughout the day, with the utmost gallantry by these brave troops, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of large bodies of the enemy to obtain
possession of it.”
Wellington, on the action at Hougoumont

Major General Sir James Kempt
(1764-1854)
Born in Edinburgh, he was
commissioned into the 101st Foot,
Duke of York’s Irish Regiment, in
India at the age of nineteen. He had
a stuttering early career, being placed
on half pay when the 101st were
disbanded. He regained rank in 1793
in the newly raised 113th Foot, only
to see that regiment disbanded a year
later. By this time he had managed to gain the rank of
major and was retained on full pay as a recruitment officer.
Major General Sir Denis Pack
1772-1823
Sir Denis joined the British army at
the age of 19, as a cornet in the 4th
Dragoons. He served in the
disastrous campaign in Holland and
the abortive royalist attack on
Quiberon Bay in June of 1795. Pack
served in many theatres from Ireland
to Argentina. By 1808 he was the
colonel of the 71st regiment of foot,
the Glasgow Highlanders, fighting in Spain at Roliça,
Vimeiro and Corunna.

Kempt saw active service in Holland, Egypt and the
Mediterranean. In 1803 he gained the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel in the 81st Regiment of Foot. He fought at the
Battle of Maida in July 1806, where he commanded the
advance guard. For the next four years Kempt campaigned
in North America. In 1811 he gained the rank of Major
General and joined Wellington in Spain where as a brigade
commander under Picton, he was seriously wounded at
Badajoz. He recovered quickly and in 1813 fought as a
brigade commander in the Light Division at the battles of
Vitoria, the Pyrenees, Bidassoa and Nivelle. He was
wounded for the second time at Nivelle, but again recovered
well and in time to fight at the battles of Orthez and
Toulouse in 1814.
Kempt returned to America to fight in the War of 1812, but
returned to Europe in 1815 and commanded the 8th British
Brigade, serving again under Picton.
His brigade lost a total of 1,300 men during the Hundred
Days campaign, he himself taking charge of the 5th
Division when Picton was struck down.
Pack endured the Walcheren campaign of 1809 before
returning to Portugal to command a Portuguese brigade at
several notable battles. He was wounded several times
during his service under the Duke of Wellington and he was
wounded again at Waterloo were he commanded the 9th
Brigade of British infantry, consisting of 3/1st Royal Scots,
the 42nd Highlanders the Black watch, 2/44th East Essex
and the 92nd Gordon Highlanders. Pack’s brigade was
heavily engaged both at Quatre Bras and at Waterloo, being
in the thick of the action at both battles.
Special Rules
• Pack has a command rating of 8.
• Pack adds one attack to any combat that he is
involved in.
• “The Devil break the gaolers back, who set loose sweet Denis
Pack.” Men in Sir Denis’ brigade dare not run. A unit
under his command can be given the Valiant rule and
all units in his brigade are classed as Tough Fighters.

Special Rules
“First in the field
•
•
Kempt has a command rating of 8.
He adds two attacks to any combat he is involved in.
and last out of it!”
• He has the special rule ‘Seen Some Action’. Kempt can
Rifle Officer’s toast
re-roll a failed command roll, but still only Blunders
on a 12.

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ALBion tRiuMPHAnt
PRuSSiA
Field Marshal Prince Gebhard Leberecht
von Blücher (1742-1819)
Born in Rostock, Mecklenburg the son
of a land-owning family, Blücher was
destined for military service.
In 1758, at the age of 16, he joined
the Swedish Army as a hussar, to fight
against Prussia in the Seven Years War
(1756-1763). Blücher was captured
two years later whilst fighting against
Prussian hussars. The Prussians were
so impressed with the way that Blücher had fought that they
inducted him into their ranks. He rose through the ranks to
become a captain, but he was passed over for promotion due to
staging the execution of an unruly priest. He then had his
subsequent resignation letter accepted by Frederick the Great,
who told him to “Go to hell!” He then took up a rural life of
farming for the next 15 years during which he was married
and raised seven children.
In 1786 Frederick the Great died and Blücher immediately
returned to the army as a major in his old regiment. He
quickly gained promotions and following sterling service in the
Revolutionary Wars he was promoted to Major General.
During 1806 he led cavalry formations during the disastrous
campaigns of that year, although his reputation remained
intact. His military governorship of Pomerania came to an end
in 1812, when he went too far in expressing his disgust at
Prussia’s alliance with France against the Russians. He was
recalled from Pomerania and publicly rebuked by the King.
The War of Liberation of 1813 saw Blücher back in favour.
He commanded at the bitter defeats against the French at the
battles of Lützen and Bautzen, yet defeated Napoleon at the
climactic battle of Leipzig. He assisted greatly in energising the
allied war effort to take the war onto French soil. Although
Blücher suffered many defeats at the hands of Napoleon the
wily old Field Marshal finally defeated the Emperor at the
battle of Laon in March 1814.
Blücher was at the head of the Army of Silesia that seized the
French capital shortly afterwards, bringing Napoleon’s reign to
an end. To celebrate the victory over the French, Albion
invited the heads of state of her allies to several events in
England in June 1814. Blücher was Prussia’s representative and
proved a popular figure with the English crowds. When
Napoleon returned to power, Blücher took command of the
Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine and led them to a final
victory at Waterloo.
Loved by his men, who knew him as ‘Papa Blücher’, he in turn
referred to his soldiers as ‘Meine Kinder’ (my children). Shortly
after the great victory of Waterloo, the tired old commander
retired to his estate at Krieblowitz in Silesia. Blücher died at the
age of 76 in 1819.
82
Special Rules
• Blücher has a command rating of 8.
• He is Aggressive (page 95 of Black Powder).
• Blücher adds two attacks to any combat that he is
involved in.
• He has the special rule ‘Marschall Vorwärts’ (Marshal
Forwards). When fighting against the French with
Blücher in command, Prussian units can make a
normal move before the game begins, and in
addition one unit in the army may be given the
Ferocious Charge special rule.
“In the Devil’s name,
attack then.”
Blücher to Roder’s cavalrymen
Hans Ernst Karl,
Graf von Zieten (1770-1848)
Zieten spent the majority of his
early army career as an adjutant,
although he did fight in the
Revolutionary War at battles such as
Valmy and Kaiserslautern, rising to
the rank of Major. He did not
disgrace himself in the campaign of
1806 as a cavalryman, and as a
result he became the Colonel of the
4th Hussars. A no-nonsense officer, although he was
capable of understanding and sharing the hardship of
campaign life with his soldiers, he could drive them to
breaking point if he deemed it necessary. During the
campaigns of 1813 and 1814, he was decorated several
times for bravery at the head of his troops
As commander of the 1st Corps in the Hundred Days
campaign he had to deal with several setbacks. His
command was seriously mauled at Ligny and depleted by
desertion, yet he used all his skills and abilities to get
elements of his command to the Waterloo battlefield in
time to strengthen Wellington’s left flank, which included
ignoring direct orders from Blücher to divert resources to
support Bülow around Plancenoit. He was an excellent
tactician who did not shy away from making a decision.
Special Rules
• Zieten has a command rating of 8.
• He is Highly Decisive.
• Zieten adds two attacks to any combat he is
involved in.
• Zieten has the Special Rule ‘Brave’. Any Prussian
unit within 12'' of Zieten adds one to any Break
Test roll that they are required to take.
BP-004_Albion2_080-085 Commanders_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:04 Page 83
tHE nEtHERLAnDS
Willem Frederik George Lodewijk van
oranje-nassau, His Royal Highness the
Prince of orange (1792-1849)
As the eldest son of the King of the
Netherlands he inherited the title
Prince of Orange, and together with
the rest of his family had been in
exile due to the events of the French
Revolution. In 1811 he was
commissioned into the British Army
at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
and joined British forces in the
Peninsula, acting as an aide-de-camp to Wellington.
Willem was a brave fellow, and saw his fair share of action.
Wellington recognised the Prince’s courage but didn’t think
much else of him. He was heard to say of him “The Prince
is a brave young man, but that’s all.”
During the Waterloo campaign the Prince took command
of the 1st Corps, fighting at both Quatre Bras and
Waterloo. This was a political appointment that Wellington
had to tolerate, and the Prince was to display poor tactical
judgement which resulted in the loss of battalions in both
engagements. The Prince was wounded shortly after the fall
of La Haye Sainte, being hit in his shoulder by a musket
ball. In 1840 Willem succeeded his father to the throne of
the Netherlands.
Special Rules
• The Prince of Orange has a command rating of 8.
• He is Aggressive (page 95 of Black Powder).
• Orange adds two attacks to any combat that he is
involved in where his force has charged.
• He has the special rule ‘The Prince is a brave young man,
but that’s all.’ When giving an order the Prince
Blunders on any role of a double rather than just
double 6.
Brave Anglais
“They broke into slow time and the bands played God Save the King. A mounted officer asked me in
French if that was an English colour. On my replying that it was, he let go his bridle and taking hold of
the colour with both hands pressed it to his bosom and patted me on the back exclaiming, “Brave Anglais.”
Ensign Leake, 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry, on seeing a column
CoMMAnDERS oF tHE 100 DAyS
Major General Baron
Charles-Etienne de Ghigny (1771-1844)
The son of a Brussels blacksmith, at
the age of 18 he joined a dragoon
regiment in the Belgian Legion. His
career progressed in French service
during the Revolutionary Wars, and
he was noted for his personal bravery
whilst serving as a captain with the
2nd Hussars. He remained in French
service during the Napoleonic Wars,
rising through the ranks whilst serving in several notable
cavalry regiments during the campaigns in Spain, Portugal,
Russia, Prussia and France. During the campaign for France
in 1814 his bravery was rewarded by Napoleon, who
awarded him the legion d’honneur.
Napoleon’s abdication saw Ghigny return to Brussels. He
then entered the Netherlands Army with the rank of
Colonel. In April 1815 he was promoted to the rank of
Major General and with the outbreak of war he took
command of the Dutch-Belgian Light Cavalry Brigade in
Wellington’s allied army.
At Waterloo he and his men acquitted themselves well.
Ghigny used his initiative to assist saving the remnants of
the rash Union Brigade and later countered French cavalry
that attacked the allied infantry squares. Ghigny survived
the battle, but his command suffered almost 50% casualties,
a testimony to how hotly he was engaged.
Special Rules
• De Ghigny has a command rating of 8.
• He has the leadership qualities Aggressive and High
Independence (page 95 of Black Powder).
• De Ghigny adds two attacks to any combat that he is
involved in where his force charged.
• He has the special rule Hotly engaged, although he has
high independence he only Blunders on a 12, not 11
or 12.
• note: De Ghigny can also be used as a commander
by a French player during the Peninsular Campaign.
of Prussians approach from the direction of Plancenoit
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ALBion tRiuMPHAnt
David Hendrik, Baron Chassé
(1765-1849)
Chassé began his army life as a
young ten-year-old cadet in the
Dutch army; by 1786, he had
resigned because of having anti-
Dutch regime sentiments. He
became a captain in a ‘Patriot Free
Corps’ and fought against Prussia as
they attempted to restore the Prince
of Orange back to power. Later,
with the cause lost, he fled to France.
In 1788, he entered service in the French army and he
remained so after the revolution, taking part in the
Revolutionary Wars. By 1792 he had risen to the rank of
Captain. The following year he had command of a demi-
brigade. In 1793, he transferred back to Dutch service
taking a colonelcy in a light infantry regiment. By 1806, he
had risen to the rank of Major General, and in 1808 he had
command of the Dutch forces committed to the French war
effort in Spain. He later transfered to command a French
brigade under D’Erlon. During the Peninsular War Chassé
proved to be an excellent infantry commander, Napoleon
referring to him as ‘General Baionette.’
After Napoleon’s abdication, Chassé returned to Dutch
service becoming Lieutenant General in April 1815. During
the Hundred Days campaign Chassé fought against his
former employers, taking command of the Third
Netherlands Division under the Prince of Orange. At
Waterloo his division was posted out of the front line, as it is
believed that Wellington had misgivings about Chasse and
his troops. Nonetheless, it was men under Chassé’s
command that broke up the Middle Guard attacks of the
1/3rd and 4th Grenadiers late in the battle.
Special Rules
• Chassé has a Staff Rating of 8.
• Chassé adds one attack to any combat that he is
involved in.
• Chassé has the Special Rule ‘General Baionette.’ Once
per game, at the start of any turn, he can nominate
one of his battalions which recieves the Ferocious
Charge rule for that turn only.
“The enemy and
disturber of the
great peace of the
world.”
Congress of Vienna
on Napoleon
84
FRAnCE
napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French
Napoleon was born on the 15th of
August 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica. His
military career started early as he
was sent to France and enrolled in
the military academy at Brienne-le-
Château at the age of nine. In 1784,
at the ripe old age of fifteen, he
began his training as an artillery
officer at the École Militaire in Paris.
He graduated a year later and
accepted his first commission as a second lieutenant in La
Fère artillery regiment.
The French Revolution allowed the ambitious Bonaparte to
set out on his road to glory, rising to prominence under the
French First Republic. He fought against the First and
Second Coalitions, making his mark as Commander-in-
Chief of the Army of Italy where he proved that he had the
capability to combine subterfuge and tactical innovation to
achieve success.
In 1799 he proclaimed himself First Consul after a coup
d’etat and five years later he became Emperor of the French;
As such Napoleon lead the Grande Armee in a series of
conflicts that involved all the major European powers.
Victorious campaigns against the Prussians, Russians and
Austrians saw Napoleon bring most other European powers
to heel.
The road to defeat for Napoleon came in the shape of the
Peninsular War, from 1808 to 1814, and his invasion of
Russia in 1812, two conflicts that drained France of
resources and manpower.
In 1813, the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon finally got
the upper hand, defeating him at Leipzig and eventually
invading France in 1814. That same year Napoleon
abdicated and went into exile on the Mediterranean island
of Elba. Napoleon left Elba on the 26th of February 1815
to embark on the Hundred Days campaign.
Napoleon could be regarded as the greatest general in
history. The Duke of Wellington commented that
Napoleon’s presence on the battlefield was worth 40,000
men. That said by 1815 he was a shadow of his former self;
he was overweight and suffering from several ailments, yet
he still exhibited strategic brilliance.
Special Rules
• Napoleon has a Staff Rating of 10.
•
•
He is Aggressive and Decisive.
Napoleon adds three attacks to any combat that he is
involved in.
• He has the special rule ‘Le Petit Tondu.’ Units that
have to take a Morale check when supporting a unit
in combat that breaks can re-roll their Morale roll.
BP-004_Albion2_080-085 Commanders_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:04 Page 85
Marshal Michel ney, Duc d’Elchingen,
Prince de la Moskowa (1769-1815)
At the age of 18 the future Marshal
decided that studying law was not for
him and he enlisted into the French
Army. As a hussar, Ney fought in the
Revolutionary Wars and his exploits
ensured he rose through the ranks
quickly. By 1796, a mere nine years
after enlisting, he was general of a
hussar brigade, divisional commander
in 1798 and by 1804 Ney had secured
the patronage of Napoleon and became a Marshal of France.
Throughout the campaigns that followed, Ney was a trusted
lieutenant to Napoleon. He gained his first title, Duke of
Elchingen, at Ulm in 1805, when he captured the heights of
Elchingen. Throughout the period Ney attracted both praise
and scorn from his beloved Emperor, but Napoleon always
respected Ney’s bravery and at Friedland (1807) Napoleon
called him a lion. Ney fought in the Peninsular campaign, but
suffered due to Massena’s failings. Ney was present during the
disastrous Russian campaign, personally commanding the
rearguard during the final stages of the dreadful retreat from
Moscow. He continued to command at the highest level
during the campaigns of 1813-1814 with mixed results.
Ney led the left wing of Napoleon’s Army during the
Hundred Days campaign, again showing an inconsistent
performance. At Quatre Bras he botched dislodging
Wellington from the crossroads and also failed to understand
that Wellington had retired to the ridge of Mont St. Jean.
At Waterloo he had five horses shot from under him and had
his clothes torn by musket balls, but suffered no wounds. At
this last battle Ney was unable to co-ordinate combined arms
attacks and instead wasted man and horse in futile operations.
With his Emperor once again in exile, Ney was tried for
treason on the 7th of December 1815, and sentenced to death
by firing squad.
The officer in charge wished to blindfold Ney, but the Marshal
said “Are you ignorant that for 25 years I have been
accustomed to face both balls and bullets?” he then shouted “I
protest against my condemnation. I wish that I had died for
my country in battle. But here is still the field of honour. Vive
la France!” The commanding officer was so moved that he
was unable to give the order that would send the brave
marshal to his death. Ney recognised this, he took off his hat,
struck his breast and shouted “Soldiers, do your duty – fire!”
Special Rules
• Ney has a Staff Rating of 8.
• He is Headstrong (page 95 of Black Powder).
• Ney adds two attacks to any combat in which he is
involved.
• He has the special rule ‘That Man is a Lion’. A French
army with Ney in command has D3 units that are
Valiant (page 95 of Black Powder).
CoMMAnDERS oF tHE 100 DAyS
François Étienne de Kellermann
(1770-1835)
As the son of the 1st Duke of Valmy,
it was no wonder that François
followed in his fathers footsteps.
Rising to prominence in the Italian
campaign where he became a chef
de brigade, his skill as a cavalry
commander was evidenced at the
battle of Marengo, where cavalry
under his command shattered three
Austrian Grenadier battalions and Austrian dragoons,
actions that signaled disaster for the Austrian army and a
promotion for this brave warrior.
Although noted as a cavalry commander, commanding a
light cavalry division at Austerlitz and a division of cavalry
in Junot’s army of Portugal, he was capable of commanding
infantry formations as at Vimeiro, where he commanded
the Reserve Grenadiers. His early career as a diplomat,
spending time on the French embassy staff in Philidelphia,
USA, was put to good use at the Convention of Cintra –
being well-educated and an excellent linguist he was able to
convince the English that the treaty was just for all parties.
He returned to Spain the following year, again underlining
his brilliance as a commander of cavalry in several actions.
Although he missed the catastrophic Russian campaign due
to illness, he was fit for duty during the campaigns of 1813
and 1814.
His highlight during the Hundred Days campaign was at
Quatre Bras, where he was ordered to take the crossroads
by Ney. Despite only having a brigade of cuirassiers
available, he led his men into battle, successfully taking the
objective and badly mauling British infantry, something that
Ney had failed to do with thousands of men. His success
was short-lived though and his cuirassiers were routed.
During the flight, his horse was killed, and he narrowly
avoided capture by holding onto his fleeing men.
At Waterloo, Kellermann commanded the 3rd Cavalry
Corps consisting of the 11th and 12th Cavalry Divisions,
comprising four cuirassier regiments, two dragoon
regiments, and the carabiniers.
Special Rules
• Kellerman has a Staff Rating of 8.
• He is Aggressive.
• Kellerman adds two attacks to any
combat that he is involved in.
• He has the special rule “General,
whenever your name is brought before me, I
think of nothing but Marengo.” Once per
game Kellerman can complete a
Follow Me order without having to
roll for the order.
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Scenario Games
As with the Peninsular campaign, I now would like to outline a few scenarios for you to get your teeth into, a mix of
historical and fictional served us well before and I will follow that course again here. I have once again tried to bring you

The Defence of the Crossroads –

something different. I do hope you enjoy them.

The Battle of Quatre Bras, 1815

A group of venerable gamers were gathered round Alan Perry’s • The Duke of Brunswick’s forces arrive on the fourth
fantastic gaming table when one of the group, Rick Priestley turn via the eastern edge of the board (see
brought the others to order. “Gentlemen” Rick began, looking back deployment map).
at him were the eager faces of Jervis Johnson, Aly Morrison, Alan
Perry, Michael Perry, John Stallard, Peter Dennis, and myself. • Kellerman’s cuirassiers also arrive on the fourth
“Gentlemen it is the 196th anniversary of the Battle of Quatre turn via the western edge of the board (see
Bras. What you see before you is the recreation of the battlefield in deployment map).
miniature, do the battle honour with your labours this night.” • Troops enter the table on the turn they
That’s what I am going to tell the grand kids anyway. are required to do so. They must do
We have looked at this battle in detail in a previous chapter so I do so, and can enter in any permitted
not intend to cover old ground. This is a recreation of the battle in formation the player wishes.
the immediate vicinity of the crossroads and the small hamlet of • There is a chance that
Quatre Bras. Those with larger appetites and figure collections Marshal Ney may
could widen events to include the whole battle area. The Anglo- require a brigade
Netherlands army is on the defensive, attempting to hold the
strategically important crossroads at all costs, whilst the French
army attempts to sweep resistance aside.
Can the Anglo-Netherlands players match their historical
counterparts? Will the French player achieve what Ney could not?

Terrain
The main feature of the battlefield of Quatre Bras is the crossroads
and the four buildings of the hamlet that mark the junction of the
Charleroi-Brussels road and the Nivelles-Namur road. Also
represented on the battlefield is a small portion of the Bossu wood
and the farm of Gemioncourt. All terrain features follow the rules
set out in Black Powder for terrain of their type (see the Quatre Bras
battlefield map on page 86). As usual please feel free to add any
additional terrain to your liking.

Special Rules
• The game starts at 2.30pm. The Divisions of Foy, Bachelu and
Pire are ready to unleash their Marshal’s plan. The French
have the first turn.
• Only a portion of the allied army awaits them. At the start of
the game only Bylandt’s and Picton’s Brigades are deployed.
• On the second turn van Merlin’s Cavalry Brigade arrives via
the northern edge of the board (see deployment map).

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BP-004_Albion2_086-095 Scenario Games_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:34 Page 87
for use elsewhere on the battlefield; from turn three
onwards, roll a D6, on a roll of a one an unengaged
brigade, chosen by the French player, must exit the
battlefield as quickly as possible via the north board edge;
they are providing support to Jérôme Bonaparte. The
chance of a brigade leaving increases by one pip each turn
(i.e. a unit will leave on a 1 or a 2 on turn four, a 1, 2 or 3 on
turn five, and so on). The brigade must remain off the
board for at least three turns and then can return via the
north west board edge. If the French player does not
remove a brigade due to lucky die rolling or all French
brigades being engaged (i.e. has a unit in close combat) then
at the end of the battle the Allied player gains two VPs.
The Table and Game Scale
As usual this always depends on the resources available to
you. This battle report was fought over the Perry twins’
incredible gaming table – a mere 12 ft long by 6ft wide!
The Armies
This is a large battle as we are well into the swing of things
now and is a classic attack/defence game with a few twists.
There are lots of differences between the various battalions
and cavalry regiments that took part in the battle. I have
assigned large, standard and small status to units to
represent this. Players may wish to
try out the rules for specific
commanders introduced in
this supplement as quite a
few of them make an
appearance in this
battle.
BP-004_Albion2_086-095 Scenario Games_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:34 Page 88

ALBION TRIUMPHANT

Brunswick Enter Turn 4

Bati St.
Bernard
Van M
Entry: erlin PICTON’S
Turn 2
Mill DEPLOYMENT
AREA
Quatre
Bras
BYLANDT’S
DEPLOYMENT
AREA
Reverse
Slope
Bossu
Wood

Quatre Bras
16th June 1815 PIRE’S CAVALRY IN EITHER

Kellerman in any FOY BACHELU

French Deployment Marsh/
Area: Turn 4 Germioncourt Rough
Farm Ground

Dispositions two VPs for each enemy unit they destroy or force to
Please see the attached map of the battlefield. Deployment leave the table. Add half a point to this score if the unit is
areas are shown clearly. large, and subtract half a point if the unit is small. Don’t
forget the scenario special rule where Ney may require a
brigade for use elsewhere on the battlefield!
French Aims and Objectives
The fate of France is in your hands! The campaign can be British Aims and Objectives
won or lost as a consequence of your actions. Do not fail
the Emperor! The fate of the campaign rests in your hands. Fail and the
French will drive a wedge between you and the Prussians. If
The French player must take and hold the crossroads. You this happens defeat and destruction will be a certainty.
have weight of numbers and must use them to dislodge the
Anglo-Netherlands forces before you. Use skill if you can, The British player has one simple aim: hold the crossroads
bludgeon them if you must, but take the crossroads! at all costs. To do that you must fight off mounting pressure
from ever increasing French forces. This will not be simple
• The game lasts for eight turns. The player with the most as the French outnumber you in every department. You
VPs wins. must protect your field army and only commit when
absolutely necessary.
• The French win the game outright if they can capture
Quatre Bras for two consecutive turns. To be classed as
capturing the crossroads they should have at least two
units within 4'' of the actual crossroads and no Allied
unit equal to or closer than the contesting French units.
• If the above does not occur then the game is won, lost or
drawn on victory points. The side that holds Quatre Bras
gains six VPs. To hold the crossroads you must occupy
more buildings than the enemy. Each army scores one
VP for each enemy unit that they cause to be shaken and

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THE BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS, 16TH JUNE 1815

“Old Blücher has had a damned good

licking and gone back to Wavre, eighteen
miles. As he has gone back, we must go
back too. I suppose in England they will
say we have been licked. I can’t help it;
as they are gone back, we must go too.”
Wellington, 17th June 1815

ORDERS OF BATTLE
The British The French
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
• The Duke of Wellington SR 9 • Marshal Ney SR 8

Bylandt’s Brigade SR 7
• 1 Standard Dutch Jäger Battalion BACHELU’S DIVISION SR 7
• 1 Large Belgian Line Battalion
• 3 Dutch Militia Battalions (2 are standard, 1 small)
Husson’s Brigade SR 7
• 4 Standard Line Battalions
• 1 Dutch Horse Artillery Battery
Campi’s Brigade SR 7
PICTON’S DIVISION SR 8 • 5 Standard Line Battalions
• (Picton can only give commands to units in his Division) • 1 Foot Artillery Battery attached to either of the
above brigades
Kempt’s Brigade SR 8
• 2 Standard British Line Battalions
• 1 Standard Highland Battalion FOY’S DIVISION SR 8
• 1 Standard Rifle Battalion. Gauthier’s Brigade SR 7
• 1 Royal Artillery Battery • 5 Standard Line Battalions
Pack’s Brigade SR 8 Jamin’s Brigade SR 7
• 2 Standard British Line Battalions • 3 Standard Line Battalions
• 1 Small and 1 Standard Highland Battalion. • 3 Standard Light Battalions
Vinke’s Brigade SR 7 • 1 Foot Artillery Battery attached to either of the
• 4 Standard Hanoverian Landwehr Battalions above brigades
• 1 Hanoverian Foot Battery
PIRE’S DIVISION SR 7
Van Merlin’s Brigade SR 8
• 1 Standard Dutch Hussar Regiment Huber’s Brigade SR 7
• 1 Small Belgian Light Dragoon Regiment. • 2 Standard Line Chasseur à Cheval Regiments
• 1 Horse Artillery Battery
Wathiez Brigade SR 8
Duke of Brunswick’s Contingent SR 7 • 2 Standard Line Lancer Regiments
• 2 Standard Brunswick Light Battalions • 1 Horse Artillery Battery attached to either of the
• 2 Standard Brunswick Line Battalions above brigades
• 1 Large Brunswick Hussar Regiment Kellerman’s Brigade SR 8
• 1 Small Brunswick Uhlan Regiment • 2 Standard Cuirassier Regiments

If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would suggest the If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would suggest the
Allied player pick a force of 1,000 points. French pick a force of 1,200 points.

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ALBION TRIUMPHANT

So the arrival times and new forces looked like this going Turn 4
into the game: Kellerman (Pire’s Division)
Duke of Brunswick: with the addition units of one
Turn 1 small Jäger and one small Avant Guard.
Kempt (Picton’s Division)
Pack (Picton’s Division) Turn 5 (additional to scenario – see page 91)
Altens Division SR7
Vinke (Picton’s Division)
Comprises of:
Husson (Bachelu’s Division)
• Halket’s Brigade SR7
Campi (Bachelu’s Division) 4 standard British Line Battalions.
Tissot (Foy’s Division) • Kielmansegge Brigade SR7
3 Hanoverian Field Battalions.
Jamin (Foy’s Division) 2 Hanoverian Light field Battalions.
Huber (Pire’s Division) 1 Small Jäger Battalion

Wathiez (Pire’s Division) • 1 Foot Artillery Battery attached

to either of the above brigades.
Turn 2 Bylandt’s Brigade:
Van Merlin (Picton’s Division) The standard Jäger becomes two small
units representing its ability to fight in
Jérôme Bonaparte’s Division SR8 companies.
Comprises of:
• Bauduin’s Brigade SR7 Alan Perry also added a
4 Standard Infantry Battalions. few additional
• Soye’s Brigade SR7 topographical features
4 Standard Infantry Battalions. to enhance the table’s
look and to provide
• 1 Foot Artillery Battery attached to either brigade. tactical challenges for
the combatants.

WELLINGTON AND PRINCE WILLEM CONFER

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FRENCH LINE LANCERS ON THE SHARP END OF A 95TH RIFLES’ AMBUSH
How the battle played
Rick, Michael and John commanded the Anglo-Dutch
forces. The dastardly French were driven forward by Aly,
Peter, Alan and Jervis. I took the role of umpire and scribe.
Do you remember me saying how those with larger figure
collections could widen events to include the whole battle
area? That’s exactly what our host Alan Perry did. The map
was widened to encompass a large part of Bossu wood,
where a lot of fighting took place, as well as the hamlets of
Piraumont and Thyle, which would afford the French the
tactical possibility of outflanking the allied position. This
widening of the battlefield allowed Alan to introduce more
troops to the fray. Amongst the new formations making
their way onto the battlefield was Jérôme Bonaparte’s
Division, which meant that the scenario rule calling the
French away from the battle was not required. For the
remaining special rules, it was agreed that the only brigade
that would start on the table would be that of Bylandt’s
Dutch-Belgians, with all other formations entering via
predetermined entry points (see the battlefield map).
The players proceeded to play by debate. By this I mean
that talking between players and offering advice during the
game was allowed and even encouraged, our battle being as
THE BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS 16TH JUNE 1815
much a social evening as a game. An alternative would have
been to send written notes transported by aide-de-camp
from one command model to another, with players only
allowed to talk if their miniature representatives were in
base-to-base contact. That didn’t appeal much to our
gathering of old friends and, frankly, it would have been
folly to attempt it!
The French took the first turn and Campi immediately
threw his brigade forward. Two French battalions promptly
collided with a battalion of Dutch militia defending the
Gemioncourt bridge crossing. The remainder of the
brigade moved behind to support them. The Dutch militia
fought valiantly, shattering one of the opposing battalions
with a mix of closing fire and spirited hand-to-hand
fighting, but it was not enough though. The Dutch were
dislodged from the bridge, and the survivors made their way
towards Quatre Bras.
Meanwhile, Husson’s Brigade moved against Gemioncourt
farm and the adjoining hedge line defended by the Nassau
Jägers. Unfortunately, the French battalion attacks were
poorly co-ordinated, and only two battalions made it
anywhere near their intended goal. Husson could be clearly
heard chastising his battalion commanders as one battalion
91
Albion TriumphAnT
The firsT french aTTack againsT DuTch Line anD miLiTia
fled the field in rout and the other recoiled in disorder. This
early french setback was greeted with cheers of derision by
the gemioncourt garrison, their spirits clearly buoyed by
the morale boost afforded by the farm’s solid walls.
as the battle raged elsewhere on the field, Pire’s light
cavalry brigade took advantage of their manoeuvrability
and the lack of opposing enemy to complete a sweeping
flanking manoeuvre. The galloping columns of horse
quickly passed Piraumont, making for Thyle.
in the allied turn the Dutch-Belgians maintained their
position and bid the french to do their worst. Dutch
artillery and well-placed musket fire saw another of
campi’s battalions turn tail and run from the field.
Whilst the gallant Dutch-Belgians did their best to keep the
french at bay, Picton’s Division made its presence felt in the
allied centre. here the two brigades of kemp and Pack
advanced to the heights of Bati-saint Bernard. The
riflemen of the 95th took up a strong position in the censes
wood. a Dutch artillery battery that was also stationed on
the heights saluted their arrival with a cannonade on the
lead line lancer regiment of Walthiez’s Brigade, which
threw the lancers into disorder. Picton’s remaining brigade,
hanoverian militia under Vinke, marched straight up the
Brussels-chareloi road towards the french who were now
streaming across the gemioncourt Bridge.
The second turn
saw the french
commanders spring
into renewed
action. campi urged his
remaining columns forward
towards the Dutch battalion
and artillery battery
defending the high ground
92
in front of the crossroad. The columns slammed into the stoic
Dutchmen, but not before they received a bloody nose from
closing fire. The french made short work of the Dutch
gunners, but the Dutch infantry battalion held its ground
under savage pressure.
meanwhile, husson’s Brigade kept the heat on gemioncourt
with the welcome support of adjoining battalions from
Bauduin’s Brigade. soye’s Brigade made its way tentatively
onto the field of battle, supporting the right flank of the
attack on gemioncourt. Despite odds stacked entirely against
them, the nassau units in and around gemioncourt fought
on valiantly. On the french right the light cavalry, some of
whom had been thrown into disorder by allied cannon-fire,
spent the turn reorganising around Thyle.
Thanks to the stubborn defence of the Dutch infantry
battalion facing campi, Bylandt now had a chance to send
reinforcements into the action. Van merlin’s cavalry also
entered the battle and advanced to lend their support to the
fighting. These fresh units soon swung the fighting in favour
of the allies. although the casualties on both sides were
horrific to behold, it was campi’s command that
disintegrated before his tear-laden eyes.
Things didn’t go so well for the allies at gemioncourt,
however, as the nassau jägers defending the hedge line soon
took to their heels, leaving their brother jägers in the farm
to fend for themselves.
On the heights opposite gemioncourt, Picton’s Division
arrayed their ranks into a forbidding line protected by
hedges. The 95th made their firing tell against Pire’s
cavalry, causing several casualties. To their right Vinke’s
hanoverians set themselves to defend the crossroads at
Quatre Bras as we moved into the third turn.
“i am going to crush gemioncourt,” husson boldly
declared at the start of turn 3. having learned from his
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previous mistake, he personally supervised a co-ordinated
multi-battalion assault on the farmhouse. The defenders
stood no chance and were massacred. No doubt spurred on
by this success, the brigades of Bauduin and Soye made for
Picton’s position, whilst Jamin’s Brigade filled the gap
created by the loss of Campi’s command.
Pire, dismayed by the enemy’s constant and accurate rifle
fire, swung his command around making for Gemioncourt.
Bylandt’s command had fought well, but they had been
terribly mauled and the brigade was now deemed to be
broken. The survivors made for the relative safety of the
Bossu wood. Van Merlin, seeing his countrymen’s plight,
tried to relieve the pressure upon them by advancing
towards the Gemioncourt river crossing. Back at the heights,
the normally cool command of Sir James Kempt could not
help themselves and loosed off long-ranged musket volleys
at the advancing French. Predictably this had little effect
other than to waste the potentially devastating close range
effect of the British ‘first shot’. The remaining Allied troops
steeled themselves for the inevitable French assault.
Turn 4 was heralded with a blare of trumpets and thunder
of horses’ hooves as Kellerman’s Cuirassier Brigade
stormed on to the field straight for van Merlin’s command.
Despite every effort though, the Cuirassiers could not make
it to their quarry. Tissot’s command also entered the fray
with serried ranks of assault columns heading straight for
the crossroads. Jamin’s command dallied.
In the centre Bauduin and Soye crashed against the
opposing commands of Kempt and Pack, a classic column
NASSAU CONTINGENT IN BOSSU WOOD
THE BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS 16TH JUNE 1815
versus line encounter across the whole of the heights. The
devastating close range fire of Pack’s battalions negated the
élan and weight of Soye’s assault columns and the action
proved inconclusive. However, the fight between Kempt and
Bauduin was to prove a different matter all together. Now,
the British paid dearly for their earlier indiscipline. Without
the benefit of their ‘first fire’ British closing fire was
rendered utterly ineffective. The 32nd Cornwall disgraced
themselves further by failing their Break test and routing
from the field, taking the Dutch artillery battery crew with
them. The gap created by this disgraceful incident was
seized upon by Bauduin, who promptly swung his
command around to threaten the rest of Kempt’s Brigade.
Kempt, dismayed at the loss of the 32nd, cried out a stream
of orders and his remaining battalions soon shored up the
defensive line. The Gordon Highlanders, however, couldn’t
contain themselves and charged forward into Bauduin’s lead
battalion. Despite much promise and a torrent of Scottish
oaths the combat was inconclusive. The other fighting that
raged over the heights of Bati St. Bernard also became
bogged-down into protracted combat. The only good news
was that canister fire and musketry managed to rout one of
Bauduin’s battalions. The allies were also cheered to see the
marksmen of the 95th see off the dawdling French lancers
with well-directed rifle fire. However, van Merlin’s light
cavalry lacked the appetite to take on the advancing
cuirassiers, and instead wheeled away making for Quatre
Bras. Vinke’s command advanced onto the high ground
recently vacated by their shattered Dutch allies. The
remaining Dutchmen still had a role to play on the
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ALBION TRIUMPHANT
NASSAU REGIMENT IN BOSSU WOOD – LOVELY FLAGS!
battlefield though, their musketry disordering the
cuirassiers. Finally, the Duke of Brunswick’s command
entered the field to further bolster the Allied defences
around the crossroads.
The French commanders realised that they had to do
something and do it fast if they were to reach the crossroads
and claim victory. At the start of the fifth turn Jamin’s
Brigade hurled themselves at a solitary battalion from
Bylandt’s that still blocked the route to Quatre Bras. At the
same time Tissot threw his command against Vinke’s
Hanoverians. Once again Bylandt’s men fought like lions
and held off their enemy, much to the frustration of the
French. Meanwhile, a short-range musketry duel between
the opposing troops of Tissot and Vinke proved
inconclusive.
Along the heights of the Bati St. Bernard the savage
fighting continued. To the surprise and horror of the allies,
the 92nd Highlanders collapsed and Pack’s command was
broken, but the allies had their successes too and Bauduin’s
command was also broken.
In the allies’ turn Bylandt’s solitary remaining battalion
finally ran from the slaughter. This was to prove a minor
setback though, as Hanoverian and Brunswicker musketry
threw several battalions from Tissot and Jamin’s Brigades
into disorder. Although their brigade was broken, Pack’s
men managed to inflict enough damage on Soye’s
command to break it also.
With all their commands on the heights of Bati St. Bernard
now broken, the allies found succour in the timely arrival of
Alten’s KGL Division. Recognising the danger, Alten
secured the heights.
Going into turn six both armies were in bad shape, and just
one more broken brigade on either side would signal
94
catastrophe. With that in mind Jamin and Tissot threw what
battalions they had left at the Hanoverian Landwehr
around Quatre Bras. Kellerman also urged his cuirassiers to
glory, but the men of his command could not hear their
brave commander over the din of battle. They merely stood
idle as the assault columns went forward. Pire’s lights also
refused to move, and it was left to the infantry to win the
day for France.
During the ensuing fighting the French assault columns
easily sent their Hanoverian enemy reeling backwards.
However, the Hanoverians steadfastly refused to run.
Elsewhere, Soye and Bauduin extricated themselves from
the pressing KGL on the heights, but were unable to make
further progress.
The coup de grâce came in the final Allied turn. A volley of
Brunswicker musketry proved so devastating that it broke
one of Tissot’s battalions entirely and forced a second to
retire. This loss also broke Tissot’s Brigade and therefore the
whole French army. The French knew the game was up and
began to retire from the battlefield.
Battlefield comment
Having observed the game and the ebb and flow of battle
there were a few interesting tactical and rules points that are
worth mentioning.
The attack on Gemioncourt. This assault, directed by
Jervis, was unsuccessful in the first instance. Jervis’ first
attempt saw one battalion attack the farmhouse and one the
hedge line with no supporting formations. It was a tough
battle for the French to say the least. Jervis’ second attempt
saw two battalions attack the farmhouse from different
facings with support. The result was success. The 12-dice
BP-004_Albion2_086-095 Scenario Games_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:34 Page 95
attack of the French attackers just about outweighed the
morale save of the defenders together with their combat
resolution bonus.
The Speed of French Assault Columns: The Allies
were at first panicked by the speed of the French advance in
column. Even with standard Staff Ratings of 7 the attackers
were benefiting from the +1 Assault column formation and
the +1 French Assault Column (or Pas de Charge). After some
soul searching, all agreed that it was an excellent way to
replicate the superior manoeuvrability of the French during
the Napoleonic wars.
To fire or not to fire: When do you use your ‘first fire’
extra dice advantage? Well the answer lies in the very
different fates of Kempt’s and Pack’s commands. Pack’s
kept their ‘first fire’ bonus until they were charged by Soye’s
command, when the extra dice coupled with the short-
range bonus inflicted terrible casualties. One of Soye’s
battalions was actually shaken as it charged in. Kempt’s
command, on the other hand, had wasted their ‘first fire’ in
FRENCH ON THE CHARLEROI ROAD
THE BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS 16TH JUNE 1815
a futile attempt to keep the enemy at bay by disordering
them at long range. It was a gamble that failed to pay off
and the rest, as they say, is history.
Column versus Line: The new Column versus Line rule
evened out the fighting really well without taking anything
from the overall effectiveness of the French attack. As a
result Bylandt’s Brigade was able to hold out in a very
credible manner. The fight on the Heights of Bati St.
Bernard was also a nail-biter with much depending on
supporting units on both sides.
Brigades of only two units: If the rules for broken
brigades are applied indiscriminately, a brigade of two units
is broken with the loss of a single unit (i.e. once it has
reached 50%). However, we decided to waive this rule for
such small brigades as it makes them too fragile. Instead
they are broken only once both units are lost. This is
generally how our players treat brigades of two units and it
definitely felt right on the day.
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The Battle forHougoumont

As we have seen, the battle for the château raged as an
almost separate action throughout the day of Waterloo.
Hougoumont provides an excellent opportunity for players
to game a part of the most historic battle in history. The
terrain is quite close and suitable for skirmish fighting rather
than close order drills. Walled gardens, orchards and
buildings all create a headache for our players, especially
the French!
We have already looked at the battle itself, so we can move
straight to recreating the epic conflict.
Terrain
The château and its grounds form the centrepiece of this
battle. Not everyone has access to a terrain piece as
wonderful as Hougoumont, yet this should not stop you
from recreating the battle. All you need is a reasonable sized
building, some walls, a wood and a piece of rough ground.
To represent the château and its surrounds the building is
surrounded by various terrain types (see the Hougoumont
battlefield map). The buildings of the château are counted
as one building block for the purposes of troop occupation.
The main wall, hollow way, ditch and hedgerow count as
obstacles in all respects. The wood and apple orchard
simply count as woods.
• As stated the buildings of Hougoumont are counted
as one building block for the purposes of the game.
They can hold up to one small infantry unit. The
buildings give a defender +2 Morale value and +2
combat result bonus. All other building rules in Black
Powder count. The main wall was a formidable
obstacle. Not only does it follow the rules set out in
the main rulebook for obstacles, it also gives a unit
defending it + 2 to their Morale.
• To represent French howitzer fire on Hougoumont
roll a D6 each turn. On a roll of a 6 the buildings
catch fire. The buildings have to catch fire four times
before they have to be evacuated and no longer
count as a building. If this occurs the area that was
previously building counts as rough ground.
• Allied command and control up until turn ten. All
units in Hougoumont or appearing/sent into
Hougoumont are commanded by a number of local
commanders; this is represented by a notional

“I deemed it
untenable against
a serious attack”
Muffling on Hougoumont

Special Rules
• The game starts at 11.30 am. Bauduin’s Brigade of
Jérôme Bonaparte’s 6th Division marches to the
attack. The French have the first turn.

• Only a portion of the allied force is on the table at

the start of the game.

• On the second turn of the game, reinforcements

arrive and these are listed in the order of battle with
their entry points. This is also identified on the
Hougoumont map.

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command model that has staff rating 8 and can
cover the whole estate with no command deduction
for distance. The Allied player can attempt a ‘rally on
me’ once per turn in the normal manner. From turn
ten the Allied reinforcements are ordered forward by
colonel Olferman and colonel Halkett.
• each side has access to several batteries of off-table
artillery. each of the five French batteries can fire at
allied units as if they were at long range (one die).
• No more than two batteries can target the same
enemy unit per turn.
• roll a die for four of the six British batteries per turn,
one die per gun. On a four or more they can add
their firepower to the battle, the remaining two
always fire, so the British get between two and six
batteries per turn that can fire on French units as if
they were at long range (one dice). Again they cannot
target French units within any part of the estate.
FreNcH VOlTIgeurs TrADe sHOTs WITH THe DeFeNDers OF lA HAye sAINTe
That said one battery can fire at French infantry in
the wood each turn.
• The defenders of Hougoumont were ordered to
defend the vital strongpoint to the last man. To that
end the Allied players cannot lose the game through
their forces being broken.
The Table and Game Scale
The game is played on an 8ft by 6ft table
with the option to reduce all ranges and
distances as identified in this supplement’s
sister tome, Albion Triumphant, volume 1: The
Peninsular Campaign
The Armies
There are some unique troop types and unit
sizes in this game that make recreating this
battle very interesting indeed.
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AlbiON TRiumpHANT
ORdeRS OF bATTle
The Allies
Commander-in-Chief
• several colonels in local command including MacDonnell,
lord seaton, Woodford and Hepburn. staff rating 8.
The brave defenders of Hougoumont.
• 1 Tiny Nassau line grenadier Infantry company (Buildings)
• 5 Tiny Nassau line Infantry companies (2 each in Formal
garden and Wood, one company in great Orchard)
• 1 Tiny Nassau Field Jägers company (Wood)
• 2 Tiny Hanoverian light Infantry companies (Wood)
• 2 Tiny British guards light companies ( Kitchen garden)
• 6 off-table Artillery Batteries.
Reinforcements
Turn 2
• 1 small British guards light company (great Orchard)
Turn 3
• 2 small British guards units (Kitchen garden)
Turn 4
• 1 small British guards unit (great Orchard)
Turn 6
• 1 standard British guards Battalion (great Orchard)
Turn 10
Colonel Halkett SR 7 – North-eastern board edge
• 1 standard Kgl line Battalion
• 1 standard Hanoverian landwehr Battalion
Colonel Olfermann SR 7 – North-eastern board edge
• 1 standard Brunswick Vanguard Battalion
• 1 standard Brunswick leib Battalion
• 1st standard Brunswick light Battalion
If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would
suggest the Allied player pick a force of 500 points.
The Enforcer
sous lieutenant legros, a giant of a man known as
l’enforcer, armed with an axe, led a party of 30 to 40
men of the 1st légere in an attack on the north gate of
the château Hougoumont. The Frenchmen managed to
break through the gate and stormed into the main
courtyard. seeing the danger, the officer commanding –
lieutenant colonel James Macdonnell – and a small
party of defenders fought their way bravely through the
mêlée to secure the breach. This effectively trapped
legros and his men, all of whom, apart from a wounded
98
The French
Commander-in-Chief
• Jérôme Napoleon sr 7
bauduin’s brigade SR 7 – Southern board edge
• 6 standard light Battalions
• 5 off table Artillery Batteries
Reinforcements
Turn 3
Soye’s brigade SR 7 – Southern board edge
• 6 standard line Battalions
Turn 4
divisional Commander Foy SR 8 – Southern board edge
Tissot’s brigade SR 7
• 4 standard line Battalions
Turn 6
Jamin’s brigade SR 7 – Southern board edge
• 2 standard and 1 small line Battalions
• 3 standard light Battalions
If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would
suggest the French pick a force of 850 points.
drummer boy, were killed in savage hand-to-hand
fighting. One of the officers who assisted Macdonnell in
his efforts to close the north gate was lieutenant colonel
Henry Wyndham of the coldstream guards. As they
secured the gates a French grenadier stood on the
shoulders of a fellow soldier, leaned over the wall and
aimed his musket at Wyndham. In an instant, Wyndham
handed his firearm to a corporal graham who was
stood close to him; graham fired at the same time as the
Frenchmen who fell from his lofty perch with a bullet to
the brain. It was said that from that day to the day of his
death Wyndham could not tolerate a closed door,
prefering to sit in a draught!
BP-004_Albion2_096-103 Hougemont and Plancenoit_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 12:10 Page 99
dispositions
Please see the map of the battlefield below. Deployment
areas are shown clearly.
british Aims and Objectives
“Gin up lads and be quick about it – the Frenchies will have it out of
ye soon enough! Now you lot know we are here to the bitter end, so don’t
even think about taking to ya legs. Make sure you look to your front and
make every shot count! The ground around here will help us break up
them heavy columns but ya must make use of the cover or them voltee-
gers will have ya for a dead ’un. No heroics mind! Wait for Old Nosey
to send us some reinforcements before we strike back. Now, to ya posts!
Remember, hold to the last boys! To the last I say!”
French Aims and Objectives
“Here they come boys! I told ya, see voltee-gers to the front, masking
their columns. There’s a lot of ’em so they mean business, that’s no
“I have put Macdonnell in charge of it”
Wellington countering Muffling’s concerns.
Olfermann:
Turn 10
Hougoumont
18th June 1815
F A
THe bATTle FOR HOuGOumONT
mistake. If they have any sense they’ll attack together. They should
soon have them Nassau fellas out of the wood and be on us. Now we
have artillery helping our cause but if those Frenchies are smart they
will stay under cover so our gunners can’t play on them.”
• The game lasts for 12 turns. The player with the
most VPs at the end wins.
• The French win the game outright if they can hold
Hougoumont’s buildings for two consecutive turns.
• If the above does not occur the game is won, lost or
drawn on victory points. The side that holds the
following terrain features gain a certain amount of
VPs. Hougoumont is worth six VPs; the wood one VP
and the apple orchard two VPs. each army scores
one VP for each enemy unit that they cause to be
shaken and two VPs for each enemy unit they destroy
or force to leave the table. Add half a point to this
score if the unit is large, and take half a point away if
the unit is small. Tiny units are worth nothing.
Halkett:
Turn 10
Key
b A: Château
G d b: Small Orchard
C: Wall
C
d: Great Orchard
e: Wood
F: Kitchen Garden
G: Formal Garden
bAuduiN’S
bRiGAde
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Plancenoit: “The Prussians are Coming”

I believe that a considerable amount of praise must be
heaped upon the Prussians at Waterloo. Blücher kept his
promise to Wellington and through sheer determination
ensured that Prussian forces arrived to swing the balance
in the favour of Britain and her allies.
I thought it only right then that out
of respect I should include a
scenario were the Prussians take
the limelight. We have looked at
the battle for Plancenoit, so let’s
get down to recreating it. We
pick up the action with the
French securely holding the
village and von Bülow’s
men about to assault.
Terrain
The main feature of this battlefield is the village of
Plancenoit, with its wonderful-looking church as a
centrepiece. There are several other buildings that make
up the village. The sunken road counts as obstacles: all
other terrain follow the rules for their terrain types within
the Black Powder rulebook. Again another chance to
embellish the battlefield to your taste presents itself.
Scenario Special Rules
• The game starts at 6pm as the 15th and 16th Brigades
of Bülow’s 4th corps set off; their goal, the destruction
of the hated French. The Prussians have the first turn.
• Awaiting them is only a portion of the French army.
The 19th and 20th Infantry Divisions must hold until
reinforcements arrive.
• From the second turn of the game, reinforcements
begin to arrive and these are listed in the order of
battle with their entry points. These are also identified
on the Plancenoit map.
The Table and Game Scale
Our gaming group have played this scenario on a 10ft by 6ft
table. Once again your resources will dictate how you go
about recreating this famous encounter.
The Armies
This is a large game and one in which the French are the
defenders. The French use some of the finest battalions but
will be sorely pressed to hold the village and protect the
emperor’s rear.

FReNCH 15th brigade

Buildings worth entry
victory points deplOYmeNT
have yellow AReA
outline

2nd and 3rd

Cavalry can use
any entry area

ad

Plancenoit
n Ro
Sunke
Plancenoit

18th June 1815

16th brigade

Guard
entry
point

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sIlesIAN lANDWeHr uNDer VON lOsTHIN’s cOMMAND ADVANce ON PlANceNOIT
dispositions
Deployment areas are shown on the battlefield map opposite.
prussian Aims and Objectives
your goal as the Prussian commander is a simple one: rid
Plancenoit of the hated French. you have the weight of
numbers, but they will be taking up defensive positions and
have some of the best troops to grace Napoleonic
battlefields, so do not think that the task will be an easy one.
Many of your formations contain unreliable landwehr, the
presence of such soldiers may give you more than a few
command and control headaches.
French Aims and Objectives
The Prussians are intent on driving your forces from the
village of Plancenoit, and to that end they have gathered in
significant numbers. your aim is to make sure you remain in
control the village. Although outnumbered you are in a
strong defensive position and can rely on excellent
reinforcements. you must use those reinforcements well as
they could be the key to you holding Plancenoit and
winning the game.
• The game lasts for ten turns, the side with the most
VPs at the end wins.
• The Prussians win the game outright if they can hold
all buildings for three consecutive turns.
• If the above does not occur the game is won, lost or
drawn on victory points. The side that holds the
following terrain features gain a certain amount of
VPs. The church is worth three VPs, and each
scoring building is worth two VPs. In addition each
army scores one VP for each enemy unit that they
cause to be shaken and two VPs for each enemy unit
they destroy or force to leave the table. Add half a
point to this score if the unit is large and take half a
point away if the unit is small. guard units add a
further half point.
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AlbiON TRiumpHANT

ORdeRS OF bATTle
The prussians

Commander-in-Chief Reinforcements
• general Frederick Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow sr 8
Turn 2
losthin’s 15th infantry brigade SR 7 • 1 large Musketeer Battalion
• 1 large Fusilier Battalion to 16th Brigade
• 6 standard landwehr Battalions • 1 standard landwehr
• 1 small landwehr cavalry regiment Battalion to 16th Brigade
• 1 Foot Artillery Battery (south east
Board edge)
Gartringen’s 16th infantry brigade SR 7
Turn 3
• 1 large Musketeer Battalion
• 1 large Fusilier Battalion Ryssell’s 14th brigade SR 7 – eastern board edge
• 5 standard landwehr Battalions • 2 standard Musketeer Battalions
• 1 small landwehr cavalry regiment • 5 large landwehr Battalions
• 1 Foot Artillery Battery • 1 small landwehr cavalry regiment
• 1 Foot Artillery Battery
Sydow’s 3rd Cavalry brigade SR 8
• 5 standard landwehr cavalry regiments Hake’s 13th brigade SR 8 – eastern board edge
• 2 large Musketeer Battalions
Watzdorff ’s 2nd Cavalry brigade SR7 • 1 large Fusilier Battalion
• 1 standard Hussar regiment • 3 standard landwehr Battalions
• 1 Horse Artillery Battery • 3 large landwehr Battalions
• 1 small landwehr cavalry Brigade
Artillery Reserve • 1 Foot Artillery Battery
• 2 Foot Artillery Batteries (attach to any Infantry command)

If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would suggest the Prussian player pick a force of 1,750 points.

THe PrussIANs DrIVe IN THe FreNcH rIgHT FlANK

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plACeNOiT ‘THe pRuSSiANS ARe COmiNG’

“ON My cHIlDreN!” – BlücHer HAIls HIs TrOOPs As THey FINAlly TAKe PlANceNOIT

The French

Commander-in-Chief Turn 5
• general georges Mouton, comte de lobau sr 7 duhesme’s Young Guard division SR 9 – plancenoit Road
• chartrand’s Brigade sr 8
Simmer’s 19th infantry division SR 7 • 4 standard young guard Battalions
• 4 standard line Battalions • 1 guard Foot Artillery
• 5 small line Battalions
• 1 Foot Artilley Battery Guye’s brigade SR 7 – plancenoit Road
• 4 standard young guard Battalions
Jeanin’s 20th infantry division SR 7 • 1 guard Foot Artillery
• 2 large line Battalions
• 2 small line Battalions Turn 7
• 2 small light Battalions pelet’s Old Guard SR 8 –
• 1 Foot Artillery Battery plancenoit Road
• 2 standard Old
Reinforcements guard Battalions

Turn 3
domon’s 3rd Cavalry division SR 8 – Western board edge
• 3 standard chasseurs à cheval regiments
• 1 Horse Artillery Battery

If you want to fight with non-historical forces I would

suggest the French pick a force of 1,500 points.

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Army Lists &Pointed Games

Messrs Priestley and Johnson touched just lightly on this
subject in the Black Powder rules, so I thought it would be
nice to spend a bit of time talking through how I create
units, assign them points values and develop army lists.
One aspect of the hobby that I really do enjoy is
‘competitive’ tournament games. I have gained friends
throughout the UK, Australia, Canada and the United
States as a result of attending more tournaments ‘than
your grandmother has had hot dinners’ (as we in
Yorkshire say). I have also run a few mini Napoleonic
Black Powder tournaments in the North of England and
found them to be entertaining affairs. To do that I have
created several army lists. If tournaments are not your
poison then this approach allows for a really balanced
game of an evening.
First of all we need to create historical battalions and
regiments. For the lists you need to do three things:
• Lots of research.
• Remain flexible.
• Be imaginative.
The great thing about Black Powder is the amount of
flexibility within the core rules which gives the player the
chance to be creative. It allows all the statistics to be
varied to reflect the prowess of a particular historical
unit, and then this can be further enhanced by adding
one or more special rules that really bring out the
characteristics of a certain unit, for example the
‘Grumblers’.
The French Old Guard have been given the stats below. As
you can see, they have better than average Shooting and
Hand-to-hand values to represent their fighting qualities.
They also have excellent Morale and Stamina values to
represent their high ‘esprit de corps’ and veteran status. This
is further built upon with their special rules; Elite 3+ means
that they are not easily thrown into disorder, they are
Reliable, reflecting their unflinching ability to follow their
orders, and Tough Fighters gives them a further edge in
combat as these troops were extremely sturdy.
Compare these tough guys with the Dutch Militia that
faced them across the fields of Waterloo.
These poorly-trained peasants had no experience of the
horrors of war, and many also concealed pro-French
sentiments. These shortcomings are translated into their
stats. Their shaky fighting spirit and poor ability to throw
off damage is reflected in their low Morale value; while
their lack of training can be seen in their Hand-to-hand
and Shooting values.
To work out the points values for the chosen units, I
followed the guidance on pages 179-181 of the Black
Powder rulebook. I have a few changes to suggest here
though.
1. I point commanders as follow: SR 7 is 0 points and
a player must pay an extra 25 points per extra pip of
command, so a command genius with SR 9 would
cost 50 points. This better reflects, in points, the
effect of each pip of Staff Rating on the game, and
works for the Napoleonic group with whom I play.
2. We also charge the French two points for their
Reliable Assault Column special rule (I call it Pas de
Charge).
3. Rifle Mixed Formation costs one point.
4. The British special rule Steady Line costs two points.
So applying the guidance to the above two units, the
Guards cost 61 points, whilst the Dutchmen cost 29
points. You would get two Dutch battalions to one
Guards battalion and still have three points change.
I have applied this process
to units of most nations
that fought in the
Napoleonic Wars
and have an
extensive catalogue
of units.
Moving on to army
lists, I think the best
way to explain how
to create a list is to
show you a few
examples.

Unit Type Armament Hand-to-Hand Shooting Morale Stamina Special

Reliable,
Regular Smoothbore
Old Guard 8 4 3 4 Elite 3+,
Infantry musket
Tough fighters

Regular Smoothbore
Dutch Militia 6 3 5 3 Freshly raised
Infantry musket

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The Anglo-Netherlands Army 1815

Britain
British Stats and Special Rules

Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

British Line Regular Smoothbore Steady Line,

6 3 4 3 39 points
Infantry Infantry Musket First Fire

King’s German Steady Line,

Regular Smoothbore
Legion Line 6 3 4 3 First Fire, Rifle 40 points
Infantry Musket
Infantry Mixed Formation

Steady Line,
British Light Regular Smoothbore
6 3 4 3 First Fire, Skirmish, 42 points
Infantry Infantry Musket
Sharpshooter

Steady Line,
King’s German
Regular Rifled First Fire, Skirmish,
Legion Light 6 3 4 3 45 points
Infantry Musket Sharpshooter, Rifle
Infantry
Mixed Formation
Reliable, Elite 3+,
British Foot Regular Smoothbore
7 4 3 4 Steady Line, 62 points
Guards Infantry Musket
First Fire

Tough Fighter,
Highland Regular Smoothbore
6 3 4 3 Steady Line, 40 points
Infantry Infantry Musket
First Fire
Skirmish,
Rifle Regular Rifled Sharpshooter,
2 2 4 1 Reliable, First Fire, 24 points,
Company Infantry Musket
Elite 4+

Skirmish,
Rifle Regular Rifled Sharpshooter,
4 3 4 2 Reliable, First Fire, 47 points
Companies Infantry Musket
Elite 4+

Skirmish,
Rifle Regular Rifled Sharpshooter,
6 4 4 3 Reliable, First Fire, 56 points
Battalion Infantry musket
Elite 4+

“Secure the colour! Secure the colour! It belongs to me!”

Captain Kennedy Clark of the Royals as he takes the Eagle of the 105th

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AlBion TRiUMpHAnT

British Stats and Special Rules

Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Hanoverian
Regular Smoothbore
Field Line 6 3 4 3 36 points
Infantry Musket
Battalion

Hanoverian
Regular Smoothbore Skirmish,
Field Light 6 3 4 3 Sharpshooter 39 points
Infantry Musket
Battalion

Hanoverian Regular Smoothbore Freshly Raised,

6 3 4 3 Unreliable 30 points
Landwehr Infantry Musket

Skirmish,
Hanoverian Jäger Regular Smoothbore Sharpshooter,
4 2 4 2 Rifle Mixed 33 points
Companies Infantry Musket
Formation
Heavy Cavalry D3,
Household Regular
Sabre 8 - 3 3 Gallop at Anything, 58 points
Cavalry Cavalry
Reliable

Dragoons and Regular Heavy cavalry D1,

Sabre 8 - 4 3 47 points
Dragoon Guards Cavalry Gallop at anything

British and KGL

Regular Ferocious Charge,
Light Dragoon Sabre 6 - 4 3 46 points
Cavalry Marauder
Hussar

Hanoverian Regular
Sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder 41 points
Light Cavalry Cavalry

Hanoverian
Duke of Regular
Sabre 5 - 6 2 Marauder 27 points
Cumberland Cavalry
Hussars

Royal and KGL Regular Smoothbore Reliable,

1 3-2-1 4 2 31 points
Artillery Artillery Artillery Shrapnel

Royal Horse
Regular Smoothbore Reliable, Marauder,
and KGL 1 3-2-1 4 1 34 points
Artillery Artillery Shrapnel
Horse Artillery

Hanoverian Smoothbore Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 2 27 points
Foot Artillery Artillery Artillery

All British, KGL and Hanoverian Field

Infantry have the special rules: Cannot
“Give me night, form Attack Column, Must Form Square and
Can form skirmish in terrain they could not

or give me Blücher!” normally enter. Hanoverian Landwehr

can form Attack Column. All cavalry
can form Deep Formation.
Wellington at Waterloo

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infAnTRy SpeCiAl RUleS
Detached light Companies
The Light company of a British or King’s German Legion
Line battalion can be detached and added to any brigade.
This is represented in Black Powder as follows: All the
battalions in a brigade lose their light company. The parent
battalions lose their ability to form Mixed Order. If two
battalions lose their light companies a Tiny unit is created
that can be added to any infantry brigade in the army. The
Light companies of three or four battalions create a small
unit that can be added in the same way.
four-Deep line
A formation adopted by British infantry when the field of
battle necessitated it, usually when deployment areas were
tight. Four-deep line can be represented thus:
• Forming the unit three bases wide and two bases deep
adequately reflects the Four-deep formation.
• A battalion in Four-deep line formation reduces its
Shooting value and Hand-to-hand values by one.
• A battalion in Four-deep line formation does not count
as being in Column.
Cannot form Attack Column
Infantry with the Cannot Form Attack Column rule can only
operate in Line, Four-deep Line, Column of Companies,
Mixed Formation, March Column or Square formation.
Note that British infantry can break into Skirmish order to
enter terrain that they would not normally be allowed to
enter and can form Attack Columns when fighting in areas
designated as built up, such as villages, towns and the like.
A Column of Companies
• The formation is represented on the tabletop by a
battalion in single file that is one company wide. To
GALLING FRENCH FIRE THINS THE BRITISH LINE
THe Anglo-neTHeRlAnDS ARMy, 1815
represent the reduced length of the column place four
bases down rather than the prescribed six.
• As it was in the main a manoeuvre formation a
commander ordering a column of companies receives
a +1 to his Staff Rating when doing so.
• A battalion in such a formation shoots with one die in
the shooting phase.
• The battalion reduces its Hand-to-hand statistic by
two. A standard battalion fighting in this formation
would receive four combat dice
• Counts as an Attack Column when shot at by artillery,
but note it does not get the Morale bonus of an attack
column when saving wounds of any kind.
Rifle Mixed formation
This rule is the same as that on page 78 of the Black Powder
rulebook; however the shot is treated as from that of a rifle.
This represents battalions of Rifles when in Mixed
Formation, or those that were issued with muskets, but had
a rifle-armed light company e.g. KGL Line battalions.
lie Down
An infantry battalion can be ordered to lie down by its
brigade or divisional commander in the normal manner. A
battalion that is successfully ordered to lie down has a
certain degree of protection from artillery fire directed at it
at medium and long range.
Artillery fire that targets a battalion that is lying down has to
re-roll any hits at medium or long range.
An infantry battalion that is contacted by an enemy unit
whilst laying down is instantly dispersed and removed from
the table. The victorious unit has all the normal post-
combat options.
Note: battalions of infantry from any army can be ordered
to lie down, not just the British.
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AlBion TRiUMpHAnT

BRiTiSH CAvAlRy SpeCiAl RUleS
ferocious Charge
The unit can re-roll all failed Hand-to-hand combat attacks
in the first round of each and every combat when it charges
or counter-charges. Note that this bonus only applies when
the unit charges or counter charges and not when it is
charged. British cavalry suffer a +2 to their Command roll
when they leave the table. This rule is not cumulative with
Gallop at Anything.
gallop at Anything
Commanders isuing a Charge order to a unit with this rule
gain +1 to their Staff Rating to do so. Cavalry with this rule
automatically gain the Ferocious Charge rule (Black Powder,
page 90) but must make a break through move if allowed
even if this takes them off the table. British cavalry suffer a
+2 to their Command roll when they leave the table under
such circumstances. This rule is not cumulative with
Fercocious Charge.
Deep formation
Although the ideal cavalry formation for combat was the
two-deep line, there were occasions when the one squadron
frontage, closed column was used during combat because
space prevented a line being formed or time did not permit
the formation change. Over and above this there were
several deeper formations that a regiment would employ to
take the battle to the enemy, such as Double line, Echeloned
line and Chequered line. The following rule allows you to
use these formations and a few simple rules cover them all.
• A Deep formation is represented by a two-base wide,
three-base deep unit formation and such a formation
receives the following advantages and disadvantages.
• A commander ordering such a formation adds one to
his Staff Rating as if he was ordering an assault
Column.
• A Regiment in this formation gains a +1 combat
resolution bonus. For example, Light cavalry would be
Light Cavalry +1, Medium Cavalry will be Heavy Cavalry
1 +1 and Heavy Cavalry will be Heavy Cavalry D3 +1.
• Artillery targeting a regiment in such a formation
receives a +1 to hit bonus as a result of the regiments
increased depth
• A Regiment in this formation reduces its Hand-to-
hand factor by one.

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TAKES REFUGE IN THE BRITISH SqUARE AS THE FRENCH CLOSE IN

Half battery Hand-

On many occasions artillery was Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina
to-Hand
not deployed at full battery
strength. We represent this in our Foot Smoothbore
Cannon 1 2-1-1 4 1
games by paying half points Artillery Artillery
(rounded up) for an artillery
battery. The following statistics Horse Smoothbore
Cannon 1 2-1-1 4 1
apply to a half battery. Artillery Light Artillery

Some players represent half batteries with a single gun model and a full battery with two gun models.

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THe Anglo-neTHeRlAnDS ARMy, 1815

The Anglo-Netherlands Army 1815 - The British

Maximums and minimums are per 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

1 Divisional 1+ British Infantry Brigades

Brigade Commander
Commander Staff Rating 7 ....................................................0 points
Staff Rating 8 ..................................................25 points
Staff Rating 7 ........ 0 points
2 to 4 line infantry Battalions 39 points each
Staff Rating 8 ...... 25 points
Add 0 to 1 Rifle company to the
Staff Rating 9 ...... 50 points brigade (Small) ................................................ 48 points
oR
0 to 1 Rifle company to the brigade (Tiny)......24 points
infantry Brigade options
Upgrade 1 in 4 battalions to Light infantry
0-1 King’s German Legion (maximum of 3 in army)............+3 points per battalion
Infantry Brigade Upgrade 1 in 4 battalions to Highlanders
(maximum of 4 in army)............+1 points per battalion
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................. 0 points Upgrade Highlanders to Ferocious Charge ....+3 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
Upgrade one battalion in
2 to 4 line infantry Battalions 40 points each the army to Rifles ..........................................+17 points
infantry Brigade options Upgrade any or all battalions to:
Upgrade 1 in 4 battalions to Light infantry Veteran, Reliable, Elite 5+ ........ 8 points per battalion
(maximum of 2 in army)............+5 points per battalion Reliable, Elite 4+ .................... 10 points per battalion
Upgrade any or all battalions to: Upgrade 1 in 4 battalions
Veteran, Reliable, Elite 4+ ........ 10 points per battalion to Large......................................+8 points per battalion
Downgrade any or all Downgrade any or all
battalions to Small ......................-8 points per battalion battalions to Small ......................-8 points per battalion

1+ Hanoverian Brigades
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 ...................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................... 25 points

2 to 5 Hanoverian Battalions
(choose from the options below)
2-5 Hanoverian Landwehr
battalions ...................................... 30 points per battalion
oR
0-3 Field Line battalions .............. 36 points per battalion infantry Brigade options
Downgrade any or all to Small...... -8 points per battalion
0-2 Field Light battalions
(maximum of 2 in army)................39 points per battalion Upgrade any Field Line
Battalion or Field Light
Add 0-1 Jäger company ................33 points per battalion Battalion to First Fire ...................... 3 points per battalion

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AlBion TRiUMpHAnT

ARMy SUppoRT BRigADeS

A British army can spend up to 50% on selections from Army Support Brigades

0-1 Guards Brigade Divisional Artillery

(if 2 British or KGL Infantry Brigades in army)
guards Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
2 foot guards Battalions .... 62 points per battalion
guards Brigade options
Upgrade any or all to Large...... +8 points per battalion
Downgrade any or all to Small .. -8 points per battalion
Batteries must be placed in a brigade of the same
nationality and only two Hanoverian batteries can be
taken as a maximum.
0-1 Artillery battery attached to any of the above
Infantry brigades (per 4 infantry battalions) in the army:
Royal Artillery or King’s German Legion ...... 31 points
Hanoverian .................................................... 27 points
Artillery Battery options
Downgrade Royal Artillery battery
to a half battery .......................... -16 points per battery

Downgrade Hanoverian battery

0-2 Light Cavalry Brigades to a half battery .......................... -14 points per battery

(1 per 3 Infantry Brigades in army) Upgrade British or KGL battery

to Veteran, Elite 5+ .................... +4 points per battery
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7.................................................... 0 points Upgrade British or KGL battery
Staff Rating 8.................................................. 25 points to Elite 4+ .................................... +6 points per battery

2-3 light Dragoon or

Hussar Regiments................ 46 points per regiment
light Cavalry Brigade options 0-1 Heavy Cavalry Brigade
Upgrade up to one regiment per brigade to (1 per 3 Infantry Brigades in army)
Veteran (KGL), Reliable, +1 Hand-to-hand ..+6 points
Upgrade up to one regiment per
Brigade to Large ............................................ +8 points
Downgrade any regiment
to small ...................................... -8 points per regiment

0-1 Hanoverian Cavalry Brigade

(if Hanoverian Infantry Brigade in army)
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points

1-2 Hanoverian light

Cavalry Regiments .............. 41 points per regiment
Brigade Commander
0-1 Duke of Cumberland Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Hussars .................................. 27 points per regiment Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points

Hanoverian Cavalry Brigade options 1-3 Dragoon Regiments...... 47 points per regiment
Upgrade up to one regiment per
Brigade to Large .......................................... +8 points Heavy Cavalry Brigade options
Downgrade any regiment
Downgrade any regiment to Small .................................... -8 points per regiment
to Small .................................... -8 points per regiment

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THe Anglo-neTHeRlAnDS ARMy, 1815

0-1 Household Brigade

(if one Heavy Brigade in army)
Household Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points

1-2 Household Cavalry

Regiments .............................. 61 points per regiment
0-1 Dragoon guard
Regiments .............................. 49 points per regiment

Household Brigade options

Downgrade any regiment
to Small...................................... -8 points per battalion

Horse Artillery Batteries

One Horse battery attached to
FRENCH ENGINEERS LEAD THE BREAKTHROUGH INTO LA HAYE SAINTE
any of the above cavalry
brigades (per 3 Cavalry
Regiments in the army) .............. 34 points per battery
Artillery Battery options Artillery Brigade
Downgrade Royal Horse
Artillery to a half battery .......... -17 points per battery Instead of taking Royal Horse Artillery batteries in
direct support, an Anglo-Hanoverian player can choose
Upgrade British or KGL battery to Veteran: an artillery brigade instead.
Elite 5+ .................................. +4 points per battery
Brigade Commander
Elite 4+ .................................. +6 points per battery Staff Rating 7 ................................................ 0 points
note: One horse battery per army can be exchanged
for a rocket battery. 2 to 4 Royal Horse
Artillery batteries .................. 34 points per battery

Artillery Brigade Upgrades

Upgrade battery to Veteran:
Elite 5+ .................................. +4 points per battery
Elite 4+ .................................. +6 points per battery

note: You cannot have more 9-pounder batteries than

6-pounder batteries. You can swap one of your
6-pounder batteries for a rocket troop (see page 84 of
the Black Powder rulebook). You can swap one of your
batteries for a smoothbore field howitzer battery (see
page 80 of Black Powder).

AllieS
50% of points can be spent on Dutch/Belgian, Nassau
or Brunswick Brigades.
Note: if allies are taken from another list, then that
list’s minimums must be purchased.

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AlBion TRiUMpHAnT

The Anglo-Netherlands Army 1815

Brunswick
Brunswick Stats and Special Rules

Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Brunswick Regular Smoothbore Skirmish, Elite 5+,

6 3 4 3 43 points
Leib Light Infantry Musket Sharpshooter

Brunswick Regular Smoothbore

6 3 4 3 Unreliable 33 points
Line Battalion Infantry Musket

Skirmish,
Brunswick Regular Smoothbore
6 3 4 3 Sharpshooter, 36 points
Light Infantry Infantry Musket
Unreliable

Brunswick Marauder,
Regular Rifled
Vanguard Jäger 4 2 4 2 Skirmish, 38 points
Infantry Musket
Companies Sharpshooter

Brunswick Marauder,
Regular Smoothbore
Vanguard Light 4 2 4 2 Skirmish, 36 points
Infantry Musket
Companies Sharpshooter

Marauder, Rifle
Brunswick
Regular Smoothbore Mixed Formation,
Vanguard 6 3 4 3 46 points
Infantry Musket Skirmish,
Batalion
Sharpshooter

Brunswick Regular
Sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder 41 points,
Hussar Cavalry

Brunswick Regular
Lance 7 - 4 3 Lance, Marauder 48 points
Uhlan Cavalry

Brunswick Regular
Lance 5 - 4 2 Lance, Marauder 40 points
Uhlan Squadron Cavalry

Brunswick Regular Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder 30 points
Horse Battery Artillery Artillery

Brunswick Regular Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 1 27 points
Foot Battery Artillery Artillery

All Brunswick infantry have the special rules Must Form Square, Can Skirmish in terrain that they could not normally enter, and Column of Companies.
Note: Brunswick cavalry can form Deep Formations.

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BRUnSwiCk, 1815

Maximums and minimums are per every

One Divisional 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

Commander 1-2 Brunswick Infantry Brigades

Brunswick brigades were either Light or Line, made up
of between 3 and 4 infantry battalions. The Advanced
Staff Guard was an independent formation.
Rating 7 ........ 0 points
Brigade Commander
Staff Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Rating 8 ...... 25 points Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points

2 to 3 Brunswick infantry Battalions*

Line Infantry .............................. 22 points per battalion
Advanced Guard Light Infantry.............................. 36 points per battalion
Independent Command * All must be the same type
Vanguard Jäger Infantry companies........38 points each
Add one Leib light battalion per army to
And/or
Vanguard Light Infantry companies ......36 points each a brigade formed from Light infantry ..............43 points
or infantry Brigade options
Vanguard Battalion..................................46 points each Upgrade up to one battalion
per brigade to Large........................................ +8 points
infantry Brigade options
Upgrade any of the above formations Downgrade any battalion
to Veteran, Reliable, Elite 5+ ..........................+8 points to Small ...................................... -8 points per battalion

Note: Whichever formations are chosen they are Upgrade any Line or Light Infantry
independently commanded by Divisional commander. battalions by removing Unreliable .................... 3 points

Cavalry Brigade
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7...................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8.................................................... 25 points

0-1 Hussar regiments ........................................ 41 points

0-1 Uhlan regiment .......................................... 48 points

Cavalry Brigade options

Upgrade Light Cavalry to Large .................... + 8 points
Downgrade any or all
to Small ...................................... -8 points per regiment
* Historically the Uhlan regiment should be Small.
AllieS
50% of points can be spent on British, KGL, Hanoverian
and Dutch/Belgian Brigades.
Note: if allies are taken from another list, then that list’s
minimums must be purchased.
Divisional Artillery Support
Add one foot battery to any infantry brigade
(maximum of one per army) .............................. 27 points
Add one horse artillery battery to one
cavalry brigade (maximum of one per army) .... 30 points
Cavalry Brigade options
Downgrade any battery
to a half battery .......................... half points (rounded up)

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AlBion TRiUMpHAnT

The Anglo-Netherlands Army 1815

Dutch, Belgians and Nassau
Dutch, Belgian and nassau Stats and Special Rules

Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Dutch/Belgian Regular Smoothbore Skirmish,

6 3 4 3 39 points
Jäger Infantry Musket Sharpshooter

Regular Smoothbore
Dutch Militia 6 3 5 3 Freshly Raised 29 points
Infantry Musket

Dutch/Belgian/
Regular Smoothbore
Nassau Line 6 3 4 3 36 points
Infantry Musket
Infantry

Skirmish,
Nassau Jäger Regular Rifled
2 1 4 1 Sharpshooter, 17 points
Company Infantry Musket
Tiny

Nassau Regular Smoothbore

6 3 4 3 Unreliable 33 points
Landwehr Infantry Musket

Dutch/Belgian Regular Heavy

Sabre 8 - 4 3 44 points
Carabinier Cavalry Cavalry D1

Dutch/Belgian
Regular
Light Dragoon Sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder 41 points
Cavalry
Hussar

Belgian Foot Regular Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 2 27 points
Battery Artillery Artillery

Dutch Horse Regular Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder 30 points
Battery Artillery Artillery

A RESpLENDENT NASSAU INFANTRy REGIMENT

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DUTCH, BelgiAnS AnD nASSAU, 1815

27TH DUTCH JäGERS IN STANDING CRopS

Maximums and minimums are per every 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

One Divisional Commander 1+ Dutch/Belgian Infantry Brigades

Staff Rating 7 ................................................ 0 points Netherlands brigades comprised between 2 and 5
Staff Rating 8 .............................................. 25 points infantry battalions and comprised a mix of foot types.

Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
0-2 Nassau Infantry Brigades Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points

Nassau brigades had a limited range of battalion types. 2-5 infantry Battalions chosen from:
1-3 Line infantry battalions........ 36 points per battalion
Brigade Commander 1-3 Militia battalions .................. 29 points per battalion
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points 0-2 Jäger battalions .................... 39 points per battalion
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
infantry Brigade options
2 to 5 line infantry Battalions ........ 36 points each Upgrade Jäger battalions to
Add one Jäger company Veteran, Elite 5+ .................... +4 points per battalion.
per army .................................... 17 points per battalion Upgrade one Line battalion
per Brigade to Veteran,
Reliable, Elite 5+ ...................... +8 points per battalion
Replace one line infantry battalion per army
with a Militia battalion ............ - 3 points per battalion. Upgrade one Line or Militia
battalion per Brigade
to Large .................................... +8 points per battalion
infantry Brigade options Upgrade one Jäger battalion
Upgrade up to one battalion per per army to Large .......................................... +8 points
brigade to Veteran, Elite 5+ .......................... +4 points
Downgrade any battalion
Upgrade any Line or Militia to Morale 5 ................................ -4 points per battalion
battalion to Large ...................... +8 points per battalion
Downgrade any or all
Upgrade Jäger company to Small ................ +17 points battalions to Small .................... -8 points per battalion
Downgrade any battalion Downgrade any or all
to Small ...................................... -8 points per battalion battalions to Wavering .............. -6 points per battalion

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Divisional Artillery 0-2 Light Cavalry Brigades

At least two brigades and at least six battalions must be Brigade Commander
taken to have access to divisional artillery. Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
0 to 1 Foot Artillery battery (attached to any
1 to 3 light Dragoon or
of the above brigades) 27 points per battery
Hussar Regiments ................ 41 points per regiment
0 to 1 Horse Artillery battery (attached to any of the
light Cavalry Brigade options
above brigades) 30 points per battery Upgrade one Light cavalry regiment
Divisional Artillery Brigade options in the army to large ........................................ +8 points
Downgrade any battery Downgrade any or all
to a half battery half points (rounded up) to Small ...................................... -8 points per regiment
Downgrade any or all
regiments to Unreliable .............. -3 points per regiment
0-1 Heavy Cavalry Brigades
Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points Horse Artillery Batteries
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
0 to 1 Horse Artillery battery
1 to 3 Carabinier (per 3 Cavalry Regiments
Regiments .............................. 44 points per regiment attached to any cavalry
brigade in the army) .................... 30 points per battery
Heavy Cavalry Brigade options
Downgrade any to small size ...... -8 points per regiment Note: this battery can be split into two half batteries at 15 points
each, and each half battery assigned to a separate cavalry brigade.
Downgrade any to Unreliable .... -3 points per regiment

AllieS
50% of points can be spent on British, KGL, Hanoverian and Brunswick Brigades. Note: if allies are taken from another
list, then that list’s minimums must be purchased.

“A cur must always be a cur...”

Louis-Auguste-Victor, Count de Ghaisnes de Bourmont “composed of men I love,”
the 41 year old commander of the 14th Infantry in prussian hands he
Division in Gerard’s IV Corps rode forward of the took no time to tell
French lines. It was 5am on the 15th June 1815, and he them that Napoleon
was accompanied by five staff and an equal number of planned to attack
lancers as an escort. once clear of the army’s outposts, Charleroi later that day,
Bourmont dismissed his escort after handing the as well as handing over
corporal in charge a letter addressed to Girard. He and a copy of the French
his staff then replaced their tricolours with white army’s operational
cockades and set of in search of the nearest prussians. plan. At 3pm Bourmont was brought before Blücher,
who paid little heed of the French traitor ending their
Despite explaining in his letter that he would not give meeting with the words “A cur must always be a cur.”
any information that would injure the French army

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DUTCH, BelgiAnS AnD nASSAU, 1815

THE FRENCH ARMy LIVED oFF THE LAND – pITy THE pooR LoCALS!

BRITISH LINES DEpLoy oN A REVERSE SLopE – RECEIVING THEM IN THE SAME oLD WAy!

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The French Army of the North

Army Corps 1815
French Stats and Special Rules
Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Battalions Regular Smoothbore

6 3 4 3 Pas de charge 38 points
de Ligne Infantry Musket

Pas de charge,
Légère Regular Smoothbore
6 3 4 3 Skirmish, 41 points
(Light) Infantry Musket
Sharpshooter

Grenadier or
Regular Smoothbore Elite 5+,
Combined 7 3 4 3 43 points
Infantry Musket Pas de charge
Grenader

Combined Elite 5+,

Regular Smoothbore Pas de charge,
Voltigeurs 6 3 4 3 Skirmish, 45 points
Infantry Musket
Tirailleur Sharpshooter

Cuirassier and Regular Heavy cavalry D3,

Sabre 9 - 3 3 58 points
Carabinier Cavalry Reliable

Chevau-
Regular Lancer,
Légers Lance 7 - 4 3 48 points
Cavalry Marauder
Lancers
Regular
Dragoon Sabre 8 - 4 3 Heavy Cavalry D1 44 points,
Cavalry

Line Light Regular

Sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder 41 points
Cavalry Cavalry

Regular Smoothbore
Foot Artillery 1 3-2-1 4 2 27 points
Artillery Artillery

Heavy Foot Regular Smoothbore

1 3-2-1 4 2 31 points
Artillery Artillery Artillery

Regular Smoothbore
Horse Artillery 1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder 30 points
Artillery Artillery

“Three horses, three willing women and three bottles of wine.”

Bed the women, drink the wine and ride a 20 mile course in three hours and you were an officer of cuirassiers.

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BonAPARTE AnD HIS EnTouRAGE REVIEw THEIR TRooPS
FRenCH SpeCiAl RUleS
“A marshal’s baton in every knapsack”
Promotion on merit, in the main, ensured that France held
the tactical and strategic edge when it came to the men who
commanded her armies.
You can represent this by utilizing the different scores for the
‘Personal Qualities of Commanders’ chart on page 94 of the
Black Powder rulebook. Roll your dice for aggression,
decisiveness and independence and then refer to the
following chart.
1 = Low
2 to 4 = normal
5 to 6 = High
FRenCH inFAnTRy SpeCiAl RUleS
pas de Charge
French infantry in Attack Column formation become Reliable.
A commander adds one to his Staff Rating when ordering
French infantry in Attack Column. This is as well as the +1
he gets for ordering a column.
Combined Grenadiers
The Grenadier/Carabinier company from the Line and
FRenCH ARMy CoRpS, 1815
Light battalions chosen within an Infantry Brigade can be
removed to create combined ‘grenadier’ battalions.
This is represented as follows: all the battalions in a brigade
lose their Grenadier/Carabinier company. The parent
battalions reduce their Hand-to-hand stat by one. If two
battalions lose their companies a Tiny unit is created that can
be added to any infantry brigade in the army. Three of four
companies create a Small unit that can be added in the same
way and six or more companies form a Standard-sized unit
as outlined. Alternatively you can brigade combined
grenadier battalions together, and just pay additional points
for a commander.
Combined Voltigeurs
In a similar manner to the grenadiers, the French
commander can remove the light companies from a battalion
chosen within an infantry Brigade to create combined
voltigeur battalions.
This is represented as follows; all the battalions in a brigade
lose their voltigeur company. The parent battalions lose their
ability to form Mixed order. If two battalions lose their
companies a Tiny unit is created that can be added to any
infantry brigade in the army. Three of four companies create
a Small unit that can be added in the same way and six or
more companies form a Standard-sized unit as outlined.
Alternatively you can brigade combined voltigeurs battalions
together, and just pay additional points for a commander.
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FRenCH CAVAlRy SpeCiAl RUleS
Cavalry Column of Attack
This is represented by a two base wide and three base deep
formation.
This new formation has a few special rules to go with it:
• A commander adds one to his Staff Rating when he
gives a Cavalry Column of Attack an order.
• In combat, a Cavalry Column of Attack reduces its
Hand-to-hand value by one.
• In combat, a Cavalry Column of Attack gains +1
Combat Resolution bonus to represent the greater
shock of impact (so Light Cavalry in Column of
Attack would be Light Cavalry +1, Medium would
be Heavy Cavalry D1+1 and Heavy Cavalry D3+1).
• Artillery firing at a Cavalry Column of Attack gain a
+1 to hit.
• The column gains no Morale bonus.

FRenCH ARTilleRy SpeCiAl RUleS

Half battery Hand-
on many occasions artillery Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina
to-Hand
was not deployed at full battery
strength, we represent this by Foot Smoothbore
Cannon 1 2-1-1 4 1
paying half points (rounded Artillery Artillery
up) for an artillery battery. The
following statistics apply to a Horse Smoothbore
Cannon 1 2-1-1 4 1
Artillery Light Artillery
half battery.

Some players represent half batteries with a single gun model and a full battery with two gun models.

GRouCHY’S MEn PuRSuE THE ELuSIVE PRuSSIAnS

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 FRenCH ARmy CoRps, 1815

The French Army of the North - Army Corps, 1815

Maximums and minimums are per every 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

One Divisional 1+ French Infantry Brigades

Commander Brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 7 ........ 0 points Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points
Staff Rating 8 ...... 25 points Staff Rating 9 .................................................. 50 points
Staff Rating 9 ...... 50 points Upgrade the Brigade Commander with
A marshal’s baton in every knapsack .................... +10 points
Upgrade to give the
Divisional Commander 3-7 Line Infantry Battalions ...... 38 points per unit
A marshal’s baton in every
knapsack ............ +10 points Infantry Brigade options
Upgrade up to 2 battalion per brigade to
Veteran, Reliable, Elite 5+ ........ +6 points per battalion
Reliable, Elite 4+........................ +8 points per battalion
0 to 2 Cavalry Brigades Upgrade 1 in 4 Line units in the
(1 per 2 Line Infantry Brigades) army to Light infantry................ +3 points per battalion
Brigade Commander Upgrade any or all battalions in a brigade to Tough
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points Fighters ............ 1 point per battalion (not if Conscripts)
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points Downgrade any battalion
Staff Rating 9 ................................................ 50 points to Small........................................ -8 points per battalion
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with Any or all of the following downgrades can be used to
A marshal’s baton in every knapsack .................... +10 points represent Conscripts.
Downgrade any or all
1 to 2 Line Cavalry Regiments battalions to Wavering ................ -6 points per battalion
Note: all regiments in a brigade must be the same class
Downgrade any or all
i.e. medium or light. battalions to Morale 5 ................ -4 points per battalion
0 to 2 Dragoon Regiments .. 44 points per regiment Downgrade any or all
0 to 2 Hussar Regiments .... 41 points per regiment battalions to Unreliable .............. -3 points per battalion
0 to 2 Chasseur-à-Cheval .... 41 points per regiment Downgrade any or all battalions
0 to 2 Chevaux Légèr by removing Pas de Charge .............................. -2 points
Lancer regiment .................. 48 points per regiment

Note: up to half of all regiments in

a brigade must be Line Light Attachments from Divisional Artillery
(Hussars, Chasseur-à-Cheval or
Chevaux Légèr). 0 to 1 Foot Artillery battery attached to
any of the above infantry brigades
per 4 infantry battalions in the army ................ 27 points
Cavalry Brigade options
Upgrade any 0 to 1 Horse Artillery battery ........ 26 points per battery
regiment to Veteran, (1 per 2 cavalry regiments)
Reliable and +1
Hand-to-hand ...... +6 points Corps Artillery options
per regiment Upgrade any Artillery battery to:
Downgrade any Veteran, Reliable, Elite 5+ .............................. +8 points
regiment Reliable, Elite 4+ .......................................... +10 points
to Small .............. -8 points Downgrade any gun battery
per regiment to half batteries ........................ half points (rounded up)

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ALBIon tRIumpHAnt

CoRps AnD ARmy suppoRt FRom ReseRves

A French army can spend up to 50% of their points on Corps and Army support from reserves.

France depends...
0-1 Cavalry Brigades
(1 per 2 Infantry Brigades)

Cavalry Brigade Commander

Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points The massed French cavalry charges that occurred on the
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points afternoon of Waterloo were originally intended as a probing
Staff Rating 9 ................................................ 50 points operation to exploit what Marshal Ney believed to be a slim
chance of a quick French breakthrough. How then did it
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with become an event of such magnitude?
A marshal’s baton in every knapsack .................... +10 points It was 4pm, and Ney understood the need for a quick
1 to 2 Cavalry Regiments, breakthrough before the Prussians could come to Wellington’s
chosen from the following: aid; seeing a steady stream of stragglers and wounded making
for the Forest of Soignes Ney, more in hope than judgement,
0 to 2 Hussar Regiments .... 41 points per regiment thought Wellington was retreating, and he could exploit the
0 to 2 Dragoon Regiments .. 44 points per regiment situation. As the chance for victory was slim however he
0 to 2 Chasseur à Cheval .... 41 points per regiment thought it only worth risking a brigade of cavalry on the
0 to 2 Chevaux Légèr venture. One of Ney's aides-de-camp went to General Farine
Lancer Regiment .................. 48 points per regiment and ordered him to lead his two regiments of cuirassiers across
the valley. Farine gave the order and his regiments the – 5th
Note: all regiments in a brigade must be the same class and 10th Cuirassiers of the 1st Brigade of the 14th Cavalry
i.e. dragoon or light cavalry. Division – trotted forward.
The commanding officer of the 14th Cavalry Division,
Light Cavalry Brigade options Jacques-Antoine-Adrien Delort, was incensed that one of his
Upgrade any regiment to brigades had been ordered forward without his instruction and
Veteran, Reliable immediately countermanded the order. Delort then informed
and +1 Hand-to-hand .............. +6 points per regiment Ney that his command could only be ordered forward by
Downgrade any regiment Count Milhaud, the 4th Cavalry Corps commander. At that
Ney lost his temper; it was this sort of petty squabbling that had
to Small ...................................... -8 points per regiment
seen the misuse of D’Erlon’s Corps on the 16th of June.
Sensing that the opportunity to exploit the perceived allied
withdrawal was slipping away and with his blood boiling Ney
shouted at Delort that his as well as the whole of the 4th
0-2 Heavy Cavalry Brigades Cavalry Corps would attack. Milhaud, an experienced cavalry
(1 per 3 Infantry Brigades) officer, queried his orders. He told Ney that it was suicide to
use cavalry against unbroken and notably staunch infantry. The
hot-headed Ney was having none of it and angrily overruled
Heavy Cavalry Brigade Commander him “En avant” he shouted “France depends on this charge.”
Staff Rating 7 .................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8 .................................................. 25 points Milhaud could do nothing but obey. As he did so he asked
Lefebvre-Desnoettes, commanding the light cavalry of the
Staff Rating 9 ................................................ 50 points
Guard, to support his advance. So it was that 4,000 brave
Upgrade the Divisional Commander with Frenchmen rode into a maelstrom of canister, shot and shell.
A marshal’s baton in every knapsack .................... +10 points Delort himself was shot in the leg, had three horses shot from
under him and eight more musket balls through his clothing.
An ensign of the Guards wrote “No
0 to 2 Heavy Cavalry Regiments, man present could have forgotten in
chosen from the following: later life the awful grandeur of that
0 to 2 Carabinier charge. You perceived at a distance
Regiments .............................. 58 points per regiment what appeared to be an
overwhelming, long moving line,
0 to 2 Cuirassier which, ever advancing, glittered like
Regiments .............................. 58 points per regiment a stormy wave of the sea when it
catches the sunlight.”
Heavy Cavalry Brigade options
Downgrade any regiment French Light cavalry
officer’s shako 1813-30
to Small ...................................... -8 points per regiment
(Perry Collection)

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FRenCH ARMy CoRpS, 1815

Attachments from Corps Artillery 0 to 1 Artillery Brigade

0 to 1 Foot Artillery battery, attached to
any of the above infantry brigades ................ 27 points
0 to 1 Horse Artillery battery
(1 per 2 cavalry regiments).............................. 26 points
Attachments from Corps Artillery options
upgrade any Artillery battery to:
Veteran, Reliable, Elite 5 + ...................... +8 points
Reliable, Elite 4+ .................................... +10 points
Downgrade any or all
batteries to half batteries ........ half points (rounded up)
Cavalry Corps artillery attachments
0-1 Horse Artillery battery attached to
any of the above Cavalry Corps Brigades
(1 per 2 cavalry regiments) ............................ 26 points
Cavalry Corps artillery attachments options
Downgrade any or all batteries
to half batteries .................... half points (rounded up)
upgrade any or all to Veteran,
Reliable, Elite 5+ ...................... +8 points per battery
(if at least 12 infantry battalions are taken)
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 ................................................ 15 points
Staff Rating 8 ................................................ 25 points
Staff Rating 9 ................................................ 50 points
2 to 4 Foot batteries .............. 27 points per battery
Artillery bought from the infantry brigades, cavalry
brigades and Corps Artillery can be attached to this
brigade; it may have no more than six batteries.
Artillery brigade Upgrades
upgrade any or all to Guard,
Reliable, Elite 4+ ...................... +10 points per battery
upgrade any or all to Veteran,
Reliable, Elite 5+ ........................ +8 points per battery
upgrade up to half of the batteries
chosen to Heavy batteries ............+4 points per battery
Grand battery Rules
All guns in a Grand Battery deploy as a normal brigade
and all the rules that apply to brigades apply to a
Grand Battery. A Grand Battery must, so far as is
possible, target the same brigade of the enemy.

AllieS
up to 25% of your points can be spent on the French Imperial Guard infantry and cavalry brigades. note that any
minimums from that list apply to the points spent here.

THE FREnCH MEET STouT BRITISH RESISTAnCE

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The French Army of the North

Imperial Guard 1815

French Stats and Special Rules
Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Old Guard
Regular Smoothbore Elite 3+, Reliable,
Grenadiers and 8 4 3 4 61 points
Infantry Musket Tough Fighters
Chasseurs
Middle Guard
Regular Smoothbore
Grenadiers and 7 4 3 3 Elite 4+, Reliable 53 points
Infantry Musket
Chasseurs
Young Guard Elite 5+,
Regular Smoothbore
Voltigeurs and 6 3 4 3 Pas de Charge, 42 points
Infantry Musket
Tirailleurs Skirmish

Marines of the Regular Smoothbore Elite 4+,

5 2 3 2 43 points
Guard (Small) Infantry Musket Reliable

Marines of the Regular Smoothbore Elite 4+,

3 1 3 1 22 points
Guard (Tiny) Infantry Musket Reliable

Grenadier
Guards à Cheval Regular Heavy Cavalry D3,
Sabre 9 - 3 3 58 points
and Empress Cavalry Reliable
Dragoons

Gendarmes Regular Heavy Cavalry D3,

Sabre 5 - 3 1 25 points,
d’Elite (Tiny) Cavalry Reliable

Chasseurs à Regular Marauder,

Sabre 7 - 3 3 51 points
Cheval Cavalry Reliable

Regular Lancer, Marauder,

Guard Lancer Sabre 8 - 3 3 58 points
Cavalry Reliable

Guard Horse Regular Smoothbore Elite 4+, Marauder

1 3-2-1 4 2 38 points
Artillery Artillery Light Artillery Reliable

Guard Heavy Regular Smoothbore Elite 4+,

1 3-2-1 4 2 46 points
Artillery Artillery Siege Artillery Reliable

Guards Regular Smoothbore Elite 4+,

Foot/Marine 1 3-2-1 4 1 36 points
Artillery Artillery Artillery Reliable

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THe iMpeRiAl GUARd, 1815

The French Army of the North - Imperial Guard, 1815

Maximums and minimums are per every 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

One Divisional 0 to 2 Old Guard Infantry Brigades

Commander brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7.................................................... 0 points
Staff Rating 8.................................................. 25 points
Staff Rating 8 ......... 25 points Staff Rating 9 ................................................ 50 points

Staff Rating 9 ......... 50 points Upgrade the Brigade Commander with

There is a marshal’s baton in every knapsack ........ +10 points
Commander has the special rule,
There is a marshal’s baton in every 2 to 4 old Guard
knapsack. infantry battalions .............. 61 points per battalion

old Guard infantry brigade options

The Old and Middle Guard of the Hundred Days campaign
was formed into its own Division – each brigade having two
battalions of either Old or Middle Guard, but not in mixed
brigades. From a wargaming perspective it would be very
boring indeed to have a division made up solely of the same
troop type, so I have introduced some flexibility.
0 to 2 Young Guard Infantry Brigades
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7.................................................. 0 points
Staff Rating 8................................................ 25 points
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with
There is a marshal’s baton in every knapsack ...... +10 points
2 to 4 Young Guard
infantry battalions ............ 42 points per battalion
0-1 Marines of the Guard
battalion................................ 43 points per battalion
Upgrade any of the above
battalions to Valiant ................ +3 points per battalion
0 to 2 Middle Guard Infantry Brigades
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 ......................................................0 points
Staff Rating 8 ....................................................25 points
Staff Rating 9 .................................................. 50 points
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with
There is a marshal’s baton in every knapsack .......... +10 points
2 to 4 Middle Guard
infantry battalions .............. 53 points per battalion
0-1 Marines of the Guard
battalion................................ 43 points per battalion
Middle Guard infantry brigade options
Upgrade any of the above
battalions to Valiant .................. +3 points per battalion

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GUARdS CAvAlRY SUppoRT

0 to 1 Heavy Cavalry Brigade 0 to 1 Light Cavalry Brigade

(if at least 3 infantry brigades are taken)
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 ..................................................0 points
Staff Rating 8 ................................................25 points
Staff Rating 9 .............................................. 50 points
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with
There is a marshal’s baton in every knapsack ...... +10 points
1 to 2 Guard Heavy Cavalry
Regiments ............................ 58 points per battalion
0 to 1 Guard Heavy Cavalry
Regiment (Tiny) ...................................... 25 points
Guard Heavy Cavalry brigade options
Upgrade any standard
Guard Heavy Cavalry
regiment to Large .................. +8 points per regiment
(if at least 3 infantry brigades are taken)
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 ......................................................0 points
Staff Rating 8 ....................................................25 points
Staff Rating 9.................................................. 50 points
Upgrade the Brigade Commander with
There is a marshal’s baton in every knapsack .......... 10 points
0 to 1 Guard lancer
Regiment ................................ 58 points per battalion
0 to 1 light Guard Regiment ....................51 points
Guard light Cavalry brigade options
Upgrade any standard-sized
Guard Light Cavalry
regiment to Large .................... +8 points per regiment

Guards Artillery Support An Unlikely Encounter

0-2 Guards Horse Cornet Story of the 1st Life Guard’s rode in the charge
Artillery batteries.................. 38 points per battery of the Household brigade against D’Erlon's Corps; as
(1 per 2 cavalry regts) he was about to strike a fleeing infantryman, he heard
the man cry out.
Guards Foot/Marine
Artillery battery ..................... 36 points per battery “Sir do not kill me; I knew you at Verdun; spare my life
(1 per 4 Infantry battalions) in grace”

Guards Heavy Story recognised the Frenchman as one of his jailors,

Artillery battery ..................... 46 points per battery when years previously he had been a prisoner of war at
(1 per 6 Infantry battalions) Verdun. Story spared the man’s life and sent him to the
rear as a prisoner.

AllieS
Up to 25% of your points may be spent on French Army of the North Corps list, infantry and cavalry brigades. Note that
any minimums to that list apply to the points spent here. For example, if you wanted to add a Guard heavy cavalry brigade
to your corps list, then you would have to select three corps infantry brigades first.

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THe iMpeRiAl GUARd, 1815

DUTCH GUARD LANCERS AND GRENADIERS ON PARADE

A FRENCH LANCER BRIGADE IN ALL ITS SPLENDOUR

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Albion TRiUMPHAnT

The Prussians, 1815

Prussian Stats and Special Rules

Hand-
Unit Type Armament Shooting Morale Stamina Special Cost
to-Hand

Prussian Regular Smoothbore

6 3 4 3 36 points
Musketeer Infantry Musket

Prussian Regular Smoothbore Sharpshooters,

6 3 4 3 39 points
Fusilier Infantry Musket Skirmish

Elite 5+, Reliable,

Prussian Jäger Regular Rifled
6 3 4 3 Sharpshooters, 50 points
Battalion Infantry Musket
Skirmish

Elite 5+, Reliable,

Prussian Jäger Regular Rifled
4 2 4 2 Sharpshooters, 42 points
Companies Infantry Musket
Skirmish

Elite 5+, Reliable,

Prussian Jäger Regular Rifled
2 1 4 1 Sharpshooters, 21 points
Company Infantry Musket
Skirmish

Rifle Mixed
Prussian Regular Smoothbore
4 2 4 2 Formation, Skirmish, 32 points
Schützen Infantry Musket
Sharpshooters,

Landwehr Regular Smoothbore

6 3 4 3 Unreliable 33 points
Infantry Infantry Musket

Regular Heavy
Dragoon Sabre 8 - 4 3 44 points
Cavalry Cavalry D1

Regular Lancer,
Uhlan Lance 7 - 4 3 48 points
Cavalry Marauder
Regular
Hussars Sabre 6 - 4 3 Marauder 41 points
Cavalry

Mounted Regular Lancer, Marauder,

Lance 5 - 5 2 32 points
Landwehr Cavalry Unreliable

Regular Smoothbore
Foot Artillery 1 3-2-1 4 2 27 points
Artillery Artillery

Regular Smoothbore
Horse Artillery 1 3-2-1 4 1 Marauder 26 points
Artillery Artillery

Regular Siege
Heavy Artillery 1 3-2-1 4 2 31 points
Artillery Artillery

128
BP-004_Albion2_128-131 Prussian army lists_REPRINT_Black Powder 05/12/2014 11:50 Page 129
PRUSSiAn SPeCiAl RUleS
Prussian Staff System
the Prussian Staff System, in existence from 1806, was
firmly established by 1813. It created a system of support
for commanding officers with chief-of-staff cadres created
at brigade level upwards. Men chosen because of their
military ability rather than social standing assisted
commanders in logistics and tactics, in particular the
transfer and implementation of orders. this system was one
of the reasons why the Prussians were able to come back
from the setbacks that the Hundred Days campaign had in
store for them.
A brigade commander may purchase a subordinate
commander for +10 points. A brigade commander can give
orders through a sub-commander to any units in the brigade.
Measure the distance to the unit from the sub commander
but use the brigade commanders Staff Rating. If a blunder is
rolled whilst giving an order through a sub commander, the
brigade commander cannot use the brigade commander any
further that turn and they must refer to the blunder chart for
the unit/s that were subject to the order. the brigade
commander is then free to give specific orders themselves if
they have not done so that turn. Sub Commanders cannot be
used to give follow me orders.
FUSILIERS SCREEn tHE HEAvy CoLUMnS In PRUSSIAn BLUE
THe PRUSSiAnS, 1815
When rolling for the Personal
Qualities of Commanders (page 94 of
the Black Powder rulebook), Prussian
commanders use the following table when
rolling for decisiveness:
1 to 3 = normal
4 to 6 = High
Further to the above, a Prussian commander who rolls High
Independence increases his Staff Rating by one. A Prussian
commander cannot have a low Independence rating; if this
is rolled, the result is medium Independence instead.
Angriffskolonne and Zug Column
the Assault Column rules are used to represent the
Angriffskolonne, whilst the Column of Companies can be used
for the Prussian Zug column.
no prisoners! no pity! i will shoot any
man i see with pity in him!
When playing against a French army, all Prussian Infantry
battalions and cavalry regiments are classed as Tough Fighters,
to represent the burning desire to wreak revenge on the
hated French.
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Albion TRiUMPHAnT

The Prussian Army, 1815

Maximums and minimums are per every 1,000 points unless otherwise stated.

1+ Infantry Brigade Commander 1+ Prussian Infantry Brigades

Staff Rating 8 ............................................... 25 points 2 to 3 infantry regiments formed from:

Staff Rating 9 ............................................... 50 points
notes: A brigade commander must have one Prussian
infantry brigade.
1-2 Line Regiments AnD 1-2 Landwehr regiments
A Line Infantry Regiment consists of 1 to 2 Musketeer
battalions and 0 to 1 Fusilier battalion
Musketeers .......................... 36 points per battalion
Fusiliers ................................ 39 points per battalion
A Landwehr Infantry Regiment
(consists of 2 to 3 Landwehr
Battalions) .................................. 33 points per battalion
Add one tiny jäger company for each infantry
regiment chosen in the brigade .......... 21 per company

brigade Support
0-1 Foot Artillery Battery
(if 4+ infantry battalions are taken) ................ 27 points
0-1 Small Hussar Regiment
(maximum 1 in army) .................................... 33 points
0-1 Small Landwehr
Cavalry Regiment .......................................... 24 points
0 to 1 Small Schützen
Battalion (maximum 1 in army) .................... 32 points

infantry brigade options

Upgrade up to one of the above
battalions to valiant .................. +3 points per battalion
Upgrade any Musketeer, Fusilier
infantry battalion to veteran,
Reliable, Elite 5+ ......................+8 points per battalion
Upgrade any or all battalions in
the brigade to Large
(not Jäger or Schützen) ..............+8 points per battalion
Downgrade any Musketeer,
Fusilier, or Landwehr infantry
battalion to Small ........................-8 points per battalion
Downgrade Jägers to
Unreliable (volunteers) ....................................-3 points

Cavalry options
Upgrade the Hussar regiment to veteran, Reliable
and +1 Hand-to-hand ............ +6 points per regiment

Artillery options
Upgrade any artillery battery to veteran
Reliable, Elite 5+ ........................ +8 points per battery
Downgrade any artillery battery
to a half battery ...................... half points, rounded up
BRUtAL CLoSE QUARtERS FIgHtIng In PLAnCEnoIt

130
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THe PRUSSiAnS, 1815

CAVAlRY
you may choose between Cavalry Brigades or Landwehr Cavalry Brigades.

Cavalry Brigade Landwehr Cavalry Brigade

(1 per two infantry brigades taken)
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................. 0 points
Staff Rating 8 ................................................ 25 points
oR
2 to 4 Cavalry Regiments from
0-2 Uhlan Regiments ...... 48 points per regiment
0-2 Dragoon Regiments .. 44 points per regiment
0-3 Hussar Regiments .... 41 points per regiment
(1 per two infantry brigades taken)
brigade Commander
Staff Rating 7 .................................................. 0 points
Staff Rating 8 ................................................ 25 points
2 to 5 landwehr Cavalry
regiments ............................ 32 points per regiment

Cavalry brigade options

Upgrade up to half of Cavalry
Brigade cavalry regiments to veteran,
Reliable and +1 Hand-to-hand ........ +6 points per regiment
Downgrade any or all Cavalry
Brigade or Landwehr Cavalry
Brigade regiments to Small ................ -8 points per regiment
brigade Support
Up to one Horse Artillery battery ........ 26 points per battery
(1 per 2 cavalry regiments)
Artillery options
Upgrade to veteran,
Reliable, Elite 5+ ................................ +8 points per battery
Downgrade any artillery battery
to a half battery ................................ half points, rounded up PRUSSIAn LAnDWEHR CAvALRy

Army Reserve Artillery

Army level Artillery Assets
Batteries can be attached to any Brigade although a Brigade can have no more than two batteries.

0 to 1 Heavy Artillery battery (if 3 brigades are taken) .... 31 points

0 to 1 Foot battery (if 2 brigades are taken) .......................... 27 points
0 to 1 Horse Artillery battery (if 4 brigades are taken) ...... 26 points

Artillery options
Upgrade battery to veteran, Reliable, Elite 5+ ...... +8 points per battery
Downgrade any artillery battery in the
army to a half battery ........................................ half points, rounded up

131
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The french reTreaT from WaTerLoo

“The most
virtuous man
I have ever
known.”
napoleon on
Baron Larrey

Most generous
Baron Larrey and his fLying amBuLance

of my enemies
Royal Highness,
Exposed to the factions which divide my
country, and to the enmity of the great Powers
of Europe, I have terminated my political
career; and I come, like Themistocles, to throw
myself upon the hospitality of the British
people. I claim from your Royal Highness the
protections of the laws, and throw myself upon
the most powerful, the most constant, and the
most generous of my enemies.
napoleon’s letter
to the Prince regent