6th April 1814 – Battle of Hasselt

Hasselt campaign area

Both armies have orders to attack

Prussian           44,000 infantry            3,000 cavalry                 90 guns

French               36,000 infantry           3,000 cavalry                 90 guns

Prussian HQ    halt

1 corps              halt on hold

3 corps              move to G05, F05 on attack

4 corps              move to F06 on attack

French HQ       move D05, E05

1 corps              move D05, E05 on attack

13 corps            move E03, E04, E05 on attack

19 corps            move E04, E05, F05 on attack

Table at start of wargame

Prussian  Brigades     11 infantry      3 cavalry           3 artillery

French Brigades          9 infantry         3 cavalry           3 artillery

Prussian HQ                   start on table F05

1 corps                             start on table E05

3 corps                             arrive F05 move 5

4 corps                             start on table F05

French HQ                      arrive move 1 D05

1 corps                             arrive move 1 D05

13 corps                           arrive move 1 E03

19 corps                      start on table E03

Note – 1 Prussian corps is deployed in and around Hasselt

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

1 Prussian occupy Hasselt

3 Prussian ordered to deploy between town and woods

1 French ordered to deploy between hills and farm

19 French deploy north of pass

13 French arrive on table

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

13 French ordered to deploy to the right of 19 French

1 Prussian reserve deploy

4 Prussian ordered to occupy woods

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

4 Prussian infantry enter woods

4 Prussian cavalry advance to spot 13 and 19 French to slow them down

Blucher moves to meet 3 Prussian and issue orders to them

13 French ordered to engage woods

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

1 Prussian move second brigade into town as reserves

1 French ordered to engage town

13 French advance towards woods

4 Prussian cavalry charge cuirassiers, win melee and French retire shaken

3 Prussian ordered to advance right of woods and attack 13 French in flank

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

4 Prussian cavalry receive 10% casualties from artillery, pass morale

1 French advance to engage town

3 Prussian arrive on table

19 French lancers charge dragoons, Prussians lose and retire shaken

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

4 Prussian dragoons fail morale and rout

3 Prussian deploy to engage 13 French

13 French redeploy to engage 3 Prussian

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

19 French lancers 10% casualties from artillery fire, pass morale

Blucher rallies 4 Prussian routed cavalry to shaken 

3 Prussian hussars charge cuirassiers, who retire shaken

Town garrison receive 10% casualties from guard artillery, pass morale

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

13 French shaken cavalry retire behind square and rally

19 French lancers retire out of artillery range

13 and 19 French ordered to hold, not engage

Town garrison receive another 105 casualties from guard artillery, again pass morale

Reserve brigade replace battered garrison

3 Prussian advance through woods

Blucher rallies 4 Prussian shaken cavalry to disordered

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Town garrison 10% skirmish casualties, pass morale

4 Prussian infantry 10% artillery casualties, pass morale

13 Prussian infantry in woods 10% skirmish casualties, pass morale

1 Guard infantry 10% skirmish casualtgies, pass morale

13 French ordered to hold, not engage

19 French infantry 10% artillery casualties, pass morale

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

1 Prussian replace garrison with full strength brigade

4 Prussian infantry in woods 20% skirmish casualties, pass morale

3 Prussian advance to engage 13 French

13 French infantry 10% skirmish casualties, pass morale

French Guard ordered to attack town

Guard lose melee with 500 casualties, to 200 Prussian, and rout

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

French Guard change orders from attack to retreat

3 Prussian infantry 10% skirmish casualties, fail morale and are shaken

13 French infantry 20% artillery and skirmish casualties, fail morale and are shaken

19 French lancers charge dragoons, lose melee and retire shaken

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

French guard infantry 10% artillery casualties, fail morale and are shaken

19 French infantry 20% artillery casualties, pass morale

13 French infantry lose firefight and rout with 30% casualties

13 French infantry lose melee and rout with 50% casualties

13 French gunners, cavalry and reserve infantry fail morale and join rout

French rout

13 French infantry rout having lost  firefight and melee.

Cavalry, gunners and reserve infantry all lose their morale and join rout

Marshal Macdonald orders a general retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 7,200 infantry and 300 cavalry

Prussians lose 4,000 infantry and 100 cavalry

Game Summary

French Old Guard attack Hasselt

The town is held by 1 Prussian corps

Guard artillery cause heavy casualties to garrison

Garrison is replaced twice with fresh brigades

Guard infantry storm town, but lose heavy casualties and retreat

13 French corps is pinned between the woods and the hills

They are battered by 3 Prussian corps and part of 4 Prussian corps

Finally break and rout

This was a long and hard battle

For most of the battle it could have to either side

Only in the last three moves did the Prussians gain the upper hand

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

French 9,100 casualties and 8 brigades in rout

Prussian 6,100 casualties 5 brigades in rout or shaken