Battle of Waterloo

Historical background

On 18 June 1815 Wellington fought his first battle against Napoleon and the last battle of his military career, at Waterloo.  Blucher’s arrival forced Napoleon to detach a large part of his army to slow the Prussian advance.

Wargame background

 No attempt has been made to recreate either the actual battlefield or the historical orders of battle.    This is a wargame based on Waterloo, but fought using 28mm figures on a relatively small table 6x6 foot.   Due to the size of the table only the main part of the battle, between Wellington and Napoleon, is fought.

Map of battle of waterloo

Historical Orbat

Wellington                              69000 infantry                        14000 cavalry              192 guns

Blucher                                  99000 infantry                        12000 cavalry              313 guns

Napoleon                               87000 infantry                        22000 cavalry              344 guns                     

Wargame Orbat

Wellington      Gifted             128 Infantry    16 cavalry        4 guns                         

Soult              Gifted             128 infantry   16 cavalry        4 guns

British commanders

Cooke            Average           32 infantry      1 gun              

Picton             Average           32 infantry      1 gun                          

Clinton            Poor                32 infantry      1 gun  

Cole               Average           32 infantry      1 gun

Uxbridge         Poor               16 cavalry

French commanders

Drouot             Gifted             32 infantry      1 gun  

D’Erlon           Average           32 infantry      1 gun              

Reille               Average           32 infantry      1 gun  

Vandamme       Poor                32 infantry      1 gun

Pajol                Average           16 cavalry

Kellerman        Average           16 cavalry

 Table at start of battle

French army nearest to the camera

2^nd and 3^rd corps left of road

Guard and 4^th corps right of road

Cavalry in reserve

British at top of table

Far left 1^st corps in and behind Hougoumont

Centre 2^nd corps in and behind La Haye Sainte

Far right 3^rd corps on and behind hill

4^th corps and cavalry are in reserve

 French left

2^nd and 3^rd corps ready to advance

5^th cavalry corps in reserve

 French right

Guard and 4^th corps ready to advance

6^th cavalry corps in reserve

 British left

3rd corps on hill, 2^nd corps behind La Haye Sainte

British cavalry in reserve

British right

2^nd corps behind La Haye Sainte, 1^st corps behind Hougoumont

4^th corps in reserve

Rules

This battle is based on Waterloo, it is not meant to be a refight of it.

We don’t have models of Hougoumont or La Haye Sainte in 28mm

We use our own rules to fight all of these battles.

Link to wargame rules

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/