Scenario: Rear-Guard at Quatre Bras

This is the first in a series of Black Powder Napoleonic scenarios I plan to post up on my blog. I've played many different Napoleonic rule sets over the years and one of the great things to come out of that is many scenarios and scenario books.  I've taken the liberty of converting existing scenarios for other rule sets into Black Powder equivalent scenarios.

This particular scenario is a conversion from the "Napoleonic Scenarios 1" book for the "General de Brigade" rules. The scenario books for "General de Brigade" are some of the best out there ... a great resource if you pick them up. So now on to the scenario ...

REAR-GUARD AT QUATRE BRAS (June 19th, 1815)

*Note: This is a "what if" scenario ...

Overview: Following Napoleon's default at Waterloo, the French 7th division has arrived at Quatre Bras to provide a rear-guard action for the withdrawing French army. If successful, the Prussian pursuit of the French army will be halted and Napoleon will be able to reconstitute his forces in safety. Marshal Ney, famous for his rear-guard actions during the withdraw from Russia, has been tasked with this key action.

Duration: The games ends after 12 turns, or when either the French or combined Prussian/British armies break (more than 1/2 of the brigades in the army are broken). Victory points are awarded for:

• Each objective that is held is equal to the number of victory points indicated by the table setup diagram.
• For each broken/destroyed enemy unit score 1 victory point.
• For each shaken enemy unit score 1/2 victory point.

To hold a terrain feature, no enemy units occupying the terrain feature with a least one friendly unit located partially or completely within the terrain feature. When the game ends, the side with the most victory points is the winner.

Objectives - French: Hold Quatre Bras until the game ends.

Objectives - Prussian/British: Take and hold Quatre Bras or break the break army (three brigades).

Table Setup: The diagram below displays the table and terrain setup as well as the starting deployment areas for the brigades involved. This scenario uses a 6 foot by 8 foot table (28mm miniatures).

Table setup and initial deployments.

Order of Battle - French:
Commander-in-Chief - Marshal Ney (Staff Rating = 9)

1st Brigade - Piat (Staff Rating = 8)
- 2 x Line Infantry Units
- 2 x Light Infantry Units
- 1 x Foot Artillery Unit

2nd Brigade - Brue (Staff Rating = 8)
- 3 x Line Infantry Units
- 1 x Light Infantry Unit
- 1 x Foot Artillery Unit

3rd Brigade - Blanchard (Staff Rating = 7)
- 1 x Cuirassier Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Carabinier Cavalry Unit

4th Brigade - Pire (Staff Rating 8)
- 1 x Lancer Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Chasseurs-a-Cheval Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Horse Artillery Unit

5th Brigade - Corbineau (Staff Rating 8)
- 2 x Old Guard Infantry Units
- 2 x Young Guard Infantry Units

Order of Battle - Prussians/British:
Commander-in-Chief - Gneisenau (Staff Rating = 9)

1st Prussian Brigade - Steinmetz (Staff Rating = 8)
- 4 x Musketeers Infantry Units
- 2 x Landwehr Infantry Units
- 1 x Jager Companies Unit
- 1 x Foot Artillery Unit

2nd Prussian Brigade - Losthin (Staff Rating = 7)
- 2 x Musketeers Infantry Units
- 3 x Landwehr Infantry Units
- 1 x Landwehr Cavalry Unit

3rd Prussian Brigade - Luztow (Staff Rating = 8)
- 1 x Hussars Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Uhlans Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Dragoons Cavalry Unit
- 1 x Horse Artillery Unit

(Arrives turn 2 at the indicated entry point - see table setup diagram)
1st British Brigade - Grant (Staff Rating = 7)
- 2 x Line Infantry Units
- 1 x Highlander Infantry Unit
- 1 x Light Infantry Unit
- 1 x Rifle Companies Unit
- 1 x Foot Artillery Unit
- 1 x KGL Hussars Cavalry Unit

Special Rules:
All rules from the Black Powder expansion book: Albion Triumphant: Volume 2 - The Hundred Days Campaign, are in effect for the French, British, and Pussian armies.

I hope you enjoy this scenario. I'll be playing it in the coming weeks and posting a battle report to accompany the scenario, so stay tuned.