Portable Aspern-Essling, 21 May, 1809

The battlefield: Aspern on the left, and Essling in the distance
The infantry of Massena's IV Corps about to occupy the villages

This is my 'Portable' rendition of the Battle of Aspern-Essling, 21-22 May 1809, possibly one of the most interesting of all the Napoleonic battles. For one thing, it was the first real check in the field Napoleon had received - the product, it would appear, of trying to bounce the Austrian army out of the line of the Danube by a single crossing of a river in spate. In two days' of fighting, Napoleon failed to achieve a sustainable lodging on the north side of the river, withdrew into the Lobau Island, whereat he undertook a more thorough preparation for the battle that was to be named for the village of Wagram six weeks or so later.

Suddenly, the rising ground to the north is covered by the 
masses of the Austrian Army

In April, the Austrian Emperor Francis, seeking to advantage himself from Napoleon's (mis)adventures in Spain, declared war on France, and had his most able commander, Archduke Charles, invade France's ally, Bavaria. Left in charge of the Army in the region, Marshal Berthier made rather a hash of the opening campaign moves that left Davout's III Corps isolated and exposed. The Austrians failing to make the most of their opportunities, and Napoleon's timely arrival in the theatre wrought order out of chaos. In a few days the Austrian army was split into two, and the whole retreated to Vienna, where they recombined on the north bank of the Danube, not far east of Vienna itself.

The race for Essling. The 

In 1805, by a reprehensible subterfuge - pretending an armistice - the French had contrived a crossing of the Danube without a fight. This time the Austrians were not to be so beguiled. Napoleon would have to fight his way across.

This item has been sitting in draft since the end of March. High time I posted something about it. A pictorial narrative of 22 May 1809 will follow...

This brief narrative is just by way of setting the scene for the pictures of the action. 

The Austrian Army, poised like an avalanche 
about to do what an avalanche does.

Attacks around Essling

French cavalry counter-attacks

Fighting around Aspern

French still holding on in Essling...

My sole unit of Hinchliffe cuirassiers engage 
a regiment of Minifigs Austrian dragoons...

... scatter them to the winds, and charge on against a powerful 
(Minifigs) division of foot

French cavalry attacks peter out...

... as Austrian infantry advance into the plain.

The sole bridge of boats is wrecked!

Austrians break into the middle of Essling village!

Nobody will be crossing the Danube for quite a while!

The battle in the centre rages as the Austrians try to
break through to the river...

Austrian attacks upon Aspern have been thoroughly
repulsed.

Boudet's Division still hanging by their teeth 
in parts of Essling, whilst a Division of French horse smashes 
through the Austrian line. 

Situation at day's end, the French still clinging to 
their bridgehead.

To be continued: Aspern-Essling, the Second Day

War of the Imperial Succession - Theatre Map

Inspired - and, truth be known, prodded by a sense of having to get the thing done - I have finally completed a theatre map for my War of the Imperial Succession. Some activity leading to this war has already been reported, though rather a much longer time has elapsed since those postings. Perhaps these pictures might serve as a reminder...

Battle of Blenderheim

Battle of Hardbitten

A Chance Encounter

At any rate, here is the Theatre Map

War of the Imperial Succession 1740 - 

I have to admit that, even so far enlarged it is hard to read, but on an A4 sheet the thing is easy enough to decipher. Actually my original map, which I have kept on file, extends a few hexes north and south of the map edges.

Most of the reason for the years of delay producing this thing was that I couldn't think of a way to superpose a hex grid upon the map. Finally - and rather serendipitously - I discovered how it might be done. Actually, I superposed the map onto the hex grid. I've had to alter the roads more distinctly to travel through identifiable hexes; and national borders to follow hex sides.

I don't plan to canvass the economies and socio-political structures of this world, except to state that they are similar to that of mid-18th century north-central Europe. Feudalism is still very reluctantly giving way to capitalism, and then only as convenient; serfdom very gradually to other kinds of master-servant employment arrangements; industrialism and intensive agriculture still in their early phases, but aided by population expansion beyond feudal economies to support. Conflicts between nations are still as likely to be dynastic - such as this War of the Imperial Succession - as tending towards territorial aggrandisement, and/or resource or wealth acquisition.

The Imperial dynasty is rather inclined to stand upon its rights, but at the same time have an avuncular, if remote, regard for their subjects' well being - for a given value of 'regard' and of 'well being'. In contrast, the likes of King Draco of Altmark-Uberheim, feeling perhaps a sense of claustrophobia brought on by the constraints of immovable borders amid signs leading towards sociopolitical and economic change, certainly does harbour large ambitions, not limited to the Imperial diadem itself. The Grand Duke Constantine scarcely less driven, in particular having an eye to extending his domain to the Mare Sarmaticum - the Sarmatian Sea, occasionally called the Scandic. He would like his domain to include a coastline - possibly even a sea port.

To the West, a trade rivalry exists between the Landgravate of Hessen-Rohr, and the Herzogtum von Rechburg, but it is not - at least for the moment - leading to armed conflict. This is just as well for Hessen-Rohr, which had recently to fight off an attempt by Altmark-Uberheim to draw its teeth, lest the Landgravate throw in its lot with the Empire. That cost George-Frederick a large proportion of his army.

The armies are pretty much complete. 

Imperial Army

Led by such notables as the Archduke Piccolo, Graf Tympani, Baron Glockenspiel and Marshal-General Gyulai Sax, the Imperialist is the most powerful army in the region - or at least the most numerous.  They are cantoned throughout the Empire, notably at Glodno, Tubingen, Ostrova in the Banat of Samovar, Lobenstein and Schnitzel itself. That dispersion is likely to prove problematic when hostilities break out.

Imperial Army, led by the Archduke Piccolo, in action

Foot Units:

1st Kaiser Infantry 36 figures
8th Hildburghausen Infantry 36 figures
9th Los Rios Infantry 36 figures
20th Alt Colloredo Infantry 36 figures

21st Arenburg Infantry 36 figures
27th Baden-Durlach Infantry 36 figures
37th Esterhazy Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Rot Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Blau Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Gruen Grenadiers 24 figures
1st Feldjagerkorps 19 figures
2nd Feldjagerkorps 19 figures
Klemperer Freikorps 19 figures

Total foot: 348 line, 57 light = 405 foot

Imperial Infantry

Horse Units:

21st Trauttmannsdorf Cuirassiers 19 figures
23rd Birkenfeld Cuirassiers 19 figures
25th Anhalt-Zerbst Cuirassiers 19 figures

7th Khevenhuller Dragoons 19 figures
13th Battyany Dragoons 19 figures
34th St-Ignon Dragoons 15 figures (under establishment)

2nd Kaiser Hussars 19 figures

11th Nadasti Hussars 19 figures
17th Kalnoky Hussars 19 figures

Total horse: 57 Heavy, 53 Medium, 57 light = 167 horse

Ulrichstein Campaign: Imperial Cavalry and artillery 
 at the Battle of Zerbst

Artillery:

1st Company - 10 figures, 2 howitzers
2nd Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
3rd Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
4th Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
5th (Light) Company - 10 figures, 2 light guns.

Total field artillery: 50 figures, 10 cannon
In addition there is a siege train, and I'll be adding a sapper unit with a bridging train. However, these are likely to be generic, especially the guns.

Total - less high command and staffs, of which more another time
405 foot, 167 horse, 50 artillery = 622 officers and men, and 10 cannon.

Electoral Army:

Led in person by King Draco of House Spitzensparken, seconded by 
Prinz Rupprecht von Uberheim (Draco's brother)
Graf von Muller und Thurgau
Graf Rheineck, and others

Foot:

1st Winterfeldt Infantry 36 figures
2nd Kanitz Infantry 36 figures
4th Kalkreuth Infantry 36 figures
10th Mosel Infantry 36 figures
15th La Garde 44 figures
18th Prinz von Uberheim Infantry 36 figures
22nd Schulenburg Infantry 36 figures
25th Ramin Infantry 36 figures
49th Diericke Fusiliers 32 figures
Jagerkorps zu Fuss 19 figures
Schleist Freikorps 28 figures

Total Foot: 324 line, 47 light = 371 foot.

Altmark-Uberheim: Schleist Freikorps

Horse:

2nd Prinz Heinrichs Cuirassiers 19 figures
4th Schmettau Cuirassiers 19 figures
10th Gens d'Arms Carabiniers 19 figures
3rd Meinicke Dragoons 19 figures
6th Schorlemer Dragoons 19 figures

2nd von Zieten (Red) Hussars 19 figures
4th Puttkamer (White) Hussars 19 figures
5th von Ruesch (Black) Hussars 19 figures

Total Horse: 57 Heavy, 38 Medium, 57 Light = 152 horse

Altmark-Uberheim: Meinecke Dragoons

Artillery: 

A Battery - 10 gunners, 2 howitzers
B Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns
C Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns
D Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns

Total artillery: 40 gunners, 8 cannon
This of course discounts garrison and siege artillery and sappers, as before.

Army totals: 371 foot, 152 horse, 40 gunners = 563 officers and men with 8 cannon

Altmark-Uberheim's latest acquistion: a rather 'anachronistic' unit
for the purported 18th century, the Gens d'Armes carabiniers.
(I ran out of useful tricorne hats)

Grand Duchy of M'yasma.

Of course, the Grand Duke has reserved for himself the rank of 'Generalissimus', but rarely takes the field himself. Already in service along the border with Ursaminor are the Generals Boroslav Boroslavitch Bychovski and Ivan Igorovitch Glupiev.

Foot: 

Tver Infantry 36 figures
Galicia Infantry 36 figures
Butyrski Infantry 36 figures
Podolia Infantry 36 figures
Apsheron Infantry 36 figures
Ekaterinburg Infantry 36 figures
HQ Fanagoria Grenadiers 3 figures
HQ Czartoryski Grenadiers 3 figures
Garde Jager 21 figures
To fill the ranks of the Grenadier units, grenadier companies are drawn from the line infantry.

Total foot: 216 line, 6 brigaded grenadier companies command, 21 light = 243 foot

Horse:

Chevalier Garde Cuirassiers 19 figures
Mitau Dragoons 19 figures
Pavlograd Hussars 19 figures
Malakhov Cossacks 19 figures

Total horse: 19 Heavy, 19 Medium, 38 Light = 76 horse.

Artillery:

1st Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns
2nd Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns
3rd Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns

Total artillery: 30 gunners, 6 cannon.

Army Totals: 243 foot, 76 horse, 30 gunners = 349 officers and men

The Grand Duke's Army, on the march

Landgravate of Hessen-Rohr ...

The Landgrave George-Frederick himself does not take the field...

Foot:

Leibgarde Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Erbprinz Grenadiers 38 figures + battalion gun
Ewige-Blumenkraft Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Zeitgeist Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Weltschmerz Infantry 38 + battalion gun
Gesundheit Light Infantry 19 figures

Total foot: 190 line, 19 light = 199 foot + 5 battalion guns

Horse:

Reichswacht zu Pferde, 19 figures
Uhlans Schadenfreude, 19 figures

Total: 38 horse

Artillery:

1st Company - 10 gunners + 2 field guns
2nd Company - 10 gunners + 2 field guns
3rd Comapany - 5 gunners + 1 howitzer

Total: 15 gunners + 5 cannon.

Army totals: 199 foot (includes 10 battalion gunners) , 38 horse, 25 gunners = 262 officers and men.

Army of Ursaminor

Commanded by Marshal-General Lars Slaggahand, seconded by (among others) General Ulf Eriksson. 
The Head of State, Princess Ursula Ursussdottir does not, as a rule, accompany the army into battle (though I do have a figure for her).

Foot:

GR1 Livgarden Infantry 28 figures
IR1 Ostergotland Infantry 28 figures
IR2 Sodermanland Infantry 28 figures
IR3 Vastmanland Infantry 28 figures
IR4 Norrbotten Infantry 28 figures
IR5 Jonkoping Infantry 28 figures
IR6 Skaraborg Infantry 31 figures (over establishment)
GB2 (HQ) Vaxholm Grenadiers 4 figures
GB3 (HQ) Norraskanska Grenadiers 4 figures
JR1 Jamtland Jager 21 figures
To fill the ranks 2nd and 3rd Grenadier battalions, the companies are drawn from the line infantry regiments.  


Total foot: 207 line, 21 light = 228 foot

Horse:

CR1 Rikswacht te Paard 15 figures
DR2 Kronoberg Dragoons 15 figures
UR3 Tevastehus Uhlan 15 figures
HR4 Kopparberg Hussars 15 figures

Total horse: 60 figures

Artillery:
Scandi Company 10 figures, 2 guns
Bothnia Company 10 figures, 2 guns

Total artillery: 20 figures, 4 cannon

Total Field Army: 228 foot, 60 horse, 20 gunners = 308 officers and men, plus 4 cannon.
In addition there exists a 19-figure battalion of volunteer citizenry, the Ursaminor Militia, that might be called upon in an emergency.

Rikswacht te Paard in the service of Ursaminor

Such are the belligerents: The Empire allied with the Principality on one side; the Elector and the Grand Duke on the other. It is very likely that the Landgrave of Hessen-Rohr will throw his lot in with the Empire. 

There exist a couple of other armies that, neutral for the time being, might fetch up entering the lists on one side or the other. One is the Markgravate of Jotun Erbsten, unsure whether to join the fray and, if so, upon which side. Rather more dormant is the army of the Herzogtum von Rechberg, though it is known that the Duke himself has inaugurated a recruiting drive... 

More anon, when I can get around to it. 

 

Waterloo Campaign 2.0 - continued

I left off the previous posting with the situation at dusk  yet to be related. On the Anglo-Dutch front, the Duke of Wellington, with the Reserve Corps was still engaged with General Reille's II Corps; and the Prince of Orange, with I Corps at Soignes was watching the build up of enemy forced in front of him. Vandamme's III Corps had switched westwards along the road from Seneffe; the campfires were already burning east of the town. Coming up from Binche was Pajol's I Cavalry Corps, still a little distant from Soignes; and, from Mons, Marshal Ney halted the march of d'Erlon's I Corps, still a half-morning march south. Still at Mons, was General Milhaud's IV Cavalry Corps.

Before continuing, I must make certain corrections and mia culpa statements regarding the narrative so far. I really ought to have consulted my notes, which would probably have been helped by a reconciliation between them and the pictures, whilst tapping out the narrative. It turned out that the Duke of Wellington had not been hastened off this mortal coil during the Quatre Bras action of the 16th, but had sustained only a minor injury (or maybe a member of his immediate staff - an aide, perhaps - had been cut short). I simply forgot what rule set I was using.



Now, an excess of sixes in the combat role not only inflicts a loss of an infantry figure, but automatically places the commander (and his staff) at hazard. So the degree of hazard is determined by the roll of a single die for each six in excess. Whatever Wellington rolled on the 16th, it was not a six, or even a five (= POW). So he survived in command until the 17th, the fighting around Quatre Bras yet properly to be decided.

Galvanised by Prince Blucher's charismatic vigour and Gneisenau's meticulous professionalism, The Prussian II Corps arrived east of Fleurus with several hours still to run before sunset. Quickly closing upon Gerard's IV Corps, with Marshal Grouchy commanding the defence, the Prussians routed the French as emphatically as the latter had routed Zieten's Corps in the morning. For no material loss, the Prussians overran foot and guns alike, and threw IV Corps all the way back to Charleroi. Marshal Grouchy was slightly wounded in the action.

The probing actions of the French right wing cavalry also led to a clash at Yvoir. Marching up from Dinant, Thielmann's III Corps met the III Cavalry Corps of general Kellerman the Younger just outside the town. Very much a cavalry action, losses were heavy, with honours even. Both sides lost 2 horse stands, but as this constituted the whole of Milhaud's command, this was something of a strategic defeat for the French. 

Clash at Yvoir: Kellermann's III Cavalry Corps
in a bloody fight with Thielmann's III Corps 
cavalry.

Nightfall 16 June 1815

The reconciliation of losses for 16th June were as follows:
French: 2 horse (out of 5; III Cv Corps disbanded), 2 foot, 2 gunners:
Anglo-Dutch: 2 foot (Reserve Corps)
Prussian: 2 foot (I Corps), 1 horse (III Corps).

17 June 1815.

The Prussians were first up and stirring on the morrow.  I think I stated earlier that all three armies got their own initiative dice. I allowed Napoleon just a slight advantage: he got the benefit of a tied die roll.
The rolls for this morning were Blucher-4; Napoleon-2; Wellington-2. Napoleon having the margin of the tie, he got to move second.

Prussian IV Corps at Huy

The missing corps from both armies arrived at the edges of the map area during the morning of the 17th. Bulow's IV Corps arrived at Huy (having rolled a 5 for arrival); and the Allied II Corps appeared at Alost (having rolled a 6).

Anglo-Dutch II Corps marching through Alost

Blucher victorious at Ligny.

Meanwhile, the campaign along the Belgian frontier developed apace. The morning after his victory over the Ziethen's I Corps, than Marsghal Grouchy found himself under attack by the whole of II Corps, led by Prinz von Blucher himself. The outcome was a shattering defeat for the French. Incurring heavy losses to foot and guns, IV Corps was bundled pell mell back into Charleroi, pursued by the victorious Prussians.

Blucher follows up Grouchy's retreat to Charleroi

The rule set I was using forced the defeated to retreat to the next town, or two grid areas, whichever was the nearer. So Grouchy's Corps found itself back in Charleroi, with Blucher following in pursuit.

General action on the Anglo-Dutch front

Meanwhile great events were developing on the Anglo-Dutch front. Worsted the day before at Quatre Bras, Wellington renewed the fight, probably owing to the roads to the rear being occupied by the column of the Cavalry Corp. That blockage was to prove something of an embarrassment for the Allies. The Cavalry Corps had to intervene to halt the advance up the Nivelles towards Waterloo.

Battle of Soignes

The big battle, however, was taking place at Soignes. There, the Allied I Corps found itself assailed by the French I Corps, led by Marshal Ney, coming up from Mons, I Cavalry Corps of General Pajol along the Binche road, and General Vandamme's III Corps marching from Seneffe. This was the first really big battle of the campaign. 

Battle of Soignes:
(a)
Allies:
I Corps: 7 Foot, 2 Artillery (figures) => 7(F)+2(H)+2(Arms present) = 11D6
Rolled: 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
French:
I Corps: Marshal Ney, 4 Foot, 1 Horse, 2 artillery => 1(Ney)+4(F)+1(H) +2(G) +3(AP)=11D6
Rolled: 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1

Allied I Corps lose 2 Foot units (figures);
French I Corps lose 2 Horse units.
(b) 
Allies:
I Corps: 5 Foot, 2 Artillery => 5+2+2 = 9D6
Rolled: 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 1 1
French:
III Corps: 5 Foot, 1 Horse, 2 Artillery => 5+1+2+3 = 11D6
Rolled: 6 6 6 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 
Allied I Corps lose 3 Foot units (no cavalry because no cavalry to lose; nor Army commander, he being not present)
French III Corps lose 2 Foot units.
(c)
Probably I ought to have left it here, as the Allied Corps had already been defeated...
Allies:
I Corps: 2 Foot, 2 Artillery => 2+2+2 = 6D6
Rolled 6 4 3 3 3 1
French:
I (Light) Cavalry Corps: 2 Horse => 2+1 = 3D6
Rolled: 5 4 1 
Allies lose 1 Foot unit; 
French lose both cavalry units present - they can not lose the third.

Considering the odds, the Allied I Corps had acquitted itself extremely well, both sides losing 6 units overall in the battle. However, in their own turn, what remained of I Corps, 1 infantry and 2 gunners, fell back to Enghien, at which point they hoped to gather in stragglers and patch up some walking wounded to continue the fight.

Battle of Quatre Bras, and, just beyond, of Nivelles

There were two other battles during the same day, on the road between Nivelles and Waterloo the clash of the Allied Cavalry Corps against the leading elements of the Imperial Guard, and the reduced Reserve Corps against Reille's II Corps in the thick country just north of Quatre Bras - really a continuation of that battle. 

Battle of Nivelles:
Allies:

Cavalry Corps (leading elements): 5 Horse => 5+1 = 6D6
Rolled: 6 5 3 2 1 1
Imperial Guard (leading elements): Napoleon, 4 Foot, 2 Horse => 1+4+2+2 = 9D6
Rolled: 6 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 1
Allies lose 1 Horse unit. Having no foot or gunners present, they could lose neither
French lose nothing.

This counted as an Allied defeat, so the Cavalry Corps fell back to the road junction south of Waterloo.

Battle of Quatre Bras (continuing):
Allies: 
Reserve Corps: Duke of Wellington, 4 Foot, 2 Artillery = 1+4+2+2 = 9D6
Rolled: 6 6 5 5 3 3 2 1 1
French II Corps: 5 Foot, 1 Horse, 2 Artillery
Rolled: 6 6 6* 6* 5 4 4 4 4 3 2 
Allies lost all four Foot units, and the Iron Duke had to roll twice for survival. He rolled a 5 and a 6 - and dies on the battlefield
But the Reserve Corps again gave as good as they got: the French losing 1 Foot, 1 Horse and  2 gunners.
But the loss of the Army Commander sent the remnants of the Reserve Corps reeling northwards, through wooded country, where they were to fetch up on the Brussel-Wavre road.

Prussian III Corps south of the Sambre River

As the day wore on, Thielmann's III Corps crossed the Meuse at Yvoir, and marched to Fosse-sur-Sambre. Observing this, General Exelmans led his II (Dragoon) Corps to follow the importunate Prussians, abandoning Namur, which town they briefly occupied and entering Yvoirat the end of the day.

Vengeance at Quatre Bras

Br Cav Corps victorious

There was just one last action at the close of the day (the benefit of moving last). Rebuffed before Nivelles, the Allied Cavalry Corps turned upon the French II Corps at Quatre Bras. The costly success over the Reserve Corps having left II Corps still disordered (casualty returns are made 'overnight') the Cavalry threw the French out of Quatre Bras and back down the road towards Charleroi. 

So matters stood at nightfall of the 17th June. 

Br II Corps exiting Ninove

Br I Corps, defeated heavily at Soignes, falls back to Enghien.

Napoleon about to engage the Br Cav Corps with 
his Imperial Guard

General view looking west from Huy.

The remnants of AD Reserve Corps, without 
Wellington, retreats to the Wavre-Brussels road.

Night: 17-18 June.

After all the action of the day, and the reorganising and rallying of strays and stragglers, the armies stood thus:

French:

I Corps: Marshal Ney, 4 Foot, 2 Artillery - At Soignes
II Corps: 4 Foot, 1 Horse, 1 Artillery - Near Charleroi
III Corps: East of Soignes
IV Corps: Marshal Grouchy, 3 Foot, 1 Horse, 2 Artillery - At Charleroi
VI Corps: 4 Foot, 2 Artillery - At Philippeville
I Cavalry Corps - merged into I Corps
II Cavalry Corps: 2 Horse - At Yvoir
III Cavalry Corps: - disbanded
IV Cavalry Corps: 2 Horse - near Binche
Imperial Guard:
(a) Napoleon, 4 Foot, 2 Horse - At Nivelles
(b) 2 Foot, 1 Sapper, 3 Horse, 2 Artillery - at Seneffe
(c) 2 Artillery - south of Seneffe on the Binche road.

Total: 44 Strength Points

Prussian:

I Corps: 3 Foot, 1 Horse, 1 Artillery - At Gembloux
II Corps: 

(a) Prinz von Blucher, 4 Foot, 1 Artillery south of Fleurus/Ligny on Charleroi road.

(b) 2 Foot, 2 Horse, 1 Artillery At Fleurus/Ligny
III Corps: 4 Foot, 2 Artillery at Fosse-sur-Sambre
IV Corps: 5 Foot, 3 Horse, 2 Artillery - At Huy

Total: 33 Strength Points

Anglo-Dutch:

I Corps: 3 Foot, 2 Artillery - At Enghien
II Corps: 7 Foot, 2 Artillery - exiting Ninove
Reserve Corps: 3 Foot, 2 Artillery - West of Wavre on Brussels road
Cavalry Corps: 6 Horse, 2 Artillery - on road South of Waterloo.

Total: 26 Strength points

The Anglo-Dutch Allies have certainly been knocked about, but so far they have given as good as they have been taking, apart from the loss of their Army Commander. It seems that the Earl of Uxbridge has taken over command, but for game purposes he is no Wellington. Despite at the end of the day forcing Reille to retreat, the Allies ar under heavy pressure from the forces under Ney's command, and the Imperial Guard.

Meanwhile, sinister activity is developing along the line of the Sambre. Blucher stands before Charleroi seemingly determined to attack the place. Thielman's III Corps has insinuated itself south of the river, seizing the town of Fosse. Marshal Grouchy is in a bit of a dilemma, possibly somewhat eased by the presence nearby of the recently defeated II Corps, and VI Corps marching up from Philippeville. Beyond Thielmann's Corps, General Exelmann's dragoons bid fair to cut the Prussians off from their LOC to Namur.