Tactical
map of battle area
Background
to battle
This is an encounter battle, three corps per side all
have orders to attack
Prussian – 40000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, 90 guns
French – 44000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, 90 guns
Table
at start of wargame
2 Prussian arrive start of move 1
3 Prussian arrive start of move 1
1 Prussian arrive start of move 5
3 French arrive start of move 1
0800 - 0900
Napoleon decides to hold Brunswick until 1st
and 3rd corps arrive.
1st corps is ordered to deploy between the
city and the woods
3rd corps to face north to hold 2nd
Prussian corps
4th corps to hold Brunswick
Blucher has a longer wait, as 1st corps will
not arrive until midday
He orders 2nd corps to hold the high ground
either side of the pass
3rd corps will deploy between the two woods to
wait for 1st corps
0900 - 1100
Napoleon orders all three corps to advance and engage the
enemy
Prussian cavalry charge French dragoons to delay the
advance
The result is a draw, no casualties and both brigades
disordered
1100 - 1200
With the three French corps in the centre of the table,
it was necessary to move the table to the left to make space for 1st
Prussian corps to arrive. This was done
by removing the three squares on the left and adding three squares on the
right. The actual squares are as shown
on the tactical map. The French are now
crowded on the left, 2nd
Prussian corps extended to hold the centre, and 1st Prussian corps
arriving along the road on the right.
1200 - 1400
2nd Prussian corps delay the French moving
through the bottleneck of Brunswick and the woods to the north. The French cavalry advance to pin the
Prussians, and their artillery concentrate their fire on the infantry, who are
forced to remain in square because of the enemy cavalry. Although shaken, the Prussian infantry hold
their ground as 1st corps start to deploy behind them.
1400 - 1600
The French Guard finally clear the bottleneck, and engage
the woods.
Napoleon orders 3rd corps to attack the
Prussian held hills to the north
The Guard and 4th
corps attack in the centre.
4th corps deploys east of Brunswick and
advances in support of the guard
Prussian artillery hit the leading column, who break and
rout
The nearby French gunners are shaken by the rout, as are
the supporting column
The French attack has stalled once more.
1600 - 1800
The French Guard press home their attack in the
centre.
Halt of the infantry fight for the woods, the remainder
advance in the centre
The latter take heavy casualties from Prussian artillery,
break and rout
The Prussian cavalry on the right and centre charge to
break the attack
Both are defeated by the French cavalry, both withdraw
shaken
Conclusion
By nightfall both armies are exhausted
The French have failed to break through
The Prussians are too tired to counter attack
The French have lost 800 infantry and three brigades are
in rout
The Prussians have lost 2400 infantry and three brigades
are shaken
Outcome
The battle is a draw
On 4 March both armies will spend the day regrouping and
reorganising
The French will hold Brunswick
The Prussians will withdraw to establish the “no mans
land” square
