27th March 1814 – Battle of Roermond

Roermond Campaign area

1,3 and 17 French corps attack Roermond

7 French corps has orders to move towards Maastricht

1,2 and 3 Prussian corps have orders to halt and resupply

4 Prussian corps has orders to attack Heerlen

Prussian          38,800 infantry           3000 cavalry               90 guns

French             34,000 infantry           3000 cavalry               90 guns

Prussian HQ    halt and resupply

1 corps            halt and resupply                                          

2 corps            halt and resupply                                          

3 corps            halt and resupply                                          

4 corps            move to Heerlen on attack

French HQ       move C05, C04                      

1 corps             move C05, C04 on attack                              

7 corps             move D02, C02, C03 on attack         

13 corps           move B05, C05, C04 on attack         

19 corps          move C04 on attack                          

Note.  

7 French corps and 4 Prussian corps will not take part in the main battle

4 Prussian corps attack on 12 French brigade at Heerlen will be decided off table

Table at start of wargame

Prussian Brigades       10 infantry      3 cavalry         3 artillery

French Brigades          9 infantry        3 cavalry         3 artillery

Prussian HQ                 start on table           

1 corps                         start on table

2 corps                        arrive move 2

3 corps                         start on table

French HQ                     start on table

1 corps                          start on table

13 corps                        start on table

19 corps                        start on table

Not e.   1 and 3 Prussian corps will not be able to move until the start of move 2.

Note 2   Each corps has two blinds to provide fog of war.

Note 3   The corps number confirms which square each corps is in

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

French corps advance and deploy cavalry to recce

Prussian corps unable to move until Move 2

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

French cavalry sight 1 Prussian corps, who have to place figures on table

Prussian cavalry  sight 1 French corps, who have to place figures on table

2 Prussian corps arrives on table far right

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French cavalry sight 3 Prussian corps, who have to place figures on table

Prussian cavalry sight 13 French corps, who have to place figures on table

Only 2 Prussian and 19 French remain on blinds

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Table has been extended to the right to include the town of Roermond 

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

French advance to attack

13 French lancers charge 2 Prussian hussars, result is draw and both disordered

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

19 French spotted and replace card with figures

Cavalry melee continue, result another draw

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

2 Prussian spotted and card replaced by figures

All French artillery fire, all miss

1 French cavalry receive 10% artillery casualties, pass morale

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

French continue to advance to attack

1 Prussian cavalry 10% casualties and shaken

3 Prussian cavalry 10% casualties and shaken

1/3 French infantry 10% casualties and pass morale

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

1 French cavalry charge shaken hussars and rout them

Nearby landwehr infantry join rout

Nearby square fire on 1 French cavalry who rout

1/1 French infantry lose firefight, lose 20% casualties and retire shaken

19 French gunners receive 10% casualties and shaken

2/6 Prussian infantry receive 10% casualties from artillery, pass morale

Prussian CinC orders town garrison to rejoin 1 corps 

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

1/1 French infantry rally

1/1 Prussian and 1/3 French infantry draw firefight

2/6 Prussian infantry receive 20% casualties from artillery, pass morale test

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

Prussian 1/1 infantry lose firefight, suffer 50% casualties and rout

Prussian 1/3 infantry lose firefight, suffer 20% casualties and rout

4 French cavalry charge and break shaken square who rout

Nearby infantry square fire and break cuirassiers, who also rout

Prussian centre break

The  French Old Guard have struggled to break 1 Prussian corps.

Both suffer heavy casualties, but the Prussians finally break and rout

With the loss of his centre, Blucher orders a general retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 2,400 infantry, 300 cavalry and 100 gunners

Three brigades are in rout and one shaken

Prussians lose 4,400 infantry and 200 cavalry

Five brigades are in rout and one shaken

Game Summary

The Prussians occupied a strong defensive position

They held their left and right flanks throughout the battle

The French Old Guard attacked 1 Prussian corps in the centre

The Prussians fought well, and held their ground for most of the battle

Both sides suffered heavy casualties

But the better morale of the Old Guard won the day

The Battle of Heerlen

15 miles south 4 Prussian corps attacked Heerlen

The town was held by 12 French brigade

The garrison put up a strong defence, but were finally overrun

The Prussians lost 800 casualties

The French lost 2000 casualties

The survivors retreated towards Maastricht

Total casualties, including from earlier battles,  at the end of the battle

Prussians  7,400 casualties and five brigades in rout

French 8,800 casualties and four brigades in rout