24th March 1814 – Battle of Hechtel

Hechtel Campaign area

Five Prussian corps attack Hechtel

Three French corps have orders to rest and supply, two to support Hechtel

Prussian          52,000 infantry           4000 cavalry               120 guns

French             52,000 infantry           4000 cavalry               120 guns

Prussian HQ    move to B05

1 corps            move to B05 on attack

2 corps             move to D04 on attack

3 corps             move to C04 on attack

4 corps             move to E05, E04 on attack

5 corps             move to C05 on attack

French HQ       halt

1 corps             halt on hold and resupply                            

7 corps             move to E03 on attack

13 corps          halt on hold and resupply                            

19 corps          move to C04, C05 on attack

Table at start of wargame

Prussian Brigades         13 infantry      4 cavalry         4 artillery

French Brigades           13 infantry    4 cavalry         4 artillery

Prussian HQ                on table at start

1 corps                        on table at start

2 corps                        will not take part in wargame

3 corps                        on table at start

4 corps                        arrive D05 move 5

5 corps                        arrive D05 move 1

French HQ                  arrive B05 move 2

1 corps                        arrive B05 move 2                             

7 corps                        will not take part in wargame

13 corps                     on table at start

19 corps                      on table at start

Note

19^th and 25^th French corps have amalgamated prior to the wargame

2^nd Prussian and 7^th French corps will not take  part in the wargame

They will contain each other off table

Both armies have two brigades each absent on garrison duty

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Prussian hussars charge cuirassiers, lose melee and retreat shaken

1 Prussian corps advance

2 Prussian corps start to deploy

19 French corps also start to deploy

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Napoleon arrives with 1(Old Guard) corps

Prussian artillery open fire, but no casualties

Prussian army starts to deploy

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Both armies continue to deploy

Blucher orders his right wing to hold and left wing to engage

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

3 Prussian infantry receive casualties from artillery

19 French gunners receive  casualties from artillery

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

4 Prussian arrive on table

3 Prussian ordered to advance and engage

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

1 and 13 French ordered to advance and engage

19 French and 3 Prussian skirmish

French 10% casualties, Prussians 20% casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

19 French infantry receive artillery casualties

1 and 13 French advance to engage the enemy

3 Prussian advance to skirmish French held hill

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

1 French infantry shaken by artillery fire

19 French infantry shaken by skirmish combat

Napoleon orders 19 French to withdraw from hill

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

1 Prussian infantry receive artillery casualties

3 Prussian infantry storm hill and rout 19 French

Napoleon orders his Army to withdraw

The Old Guard advance is slowed down by the broken ground

19 French corps is broken, only the cavalry remain to cover the retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 4,400 infantry and 3 guns

Prussians lose 2,400 infantry

Game Summary

19 Prussian win cavalry melee and take southern hill

Napoleon arrives with the Old Guard

Blucher orders his right wing to hold and his left to engage

Napoleon has a strong defensive position, but orders his left to attack

It would take too long for 1 corps to join 19 corps

So Napoleon orders 1 and 13 corps to attack through the broken ground

This delays the French attack, and allows 4 and 5 Prussian to deploy

Meanwhile 3 Prussian press home their attack on the southern hill

19 French are broken and rout

With the collapse of his right flank Napoleon orders his Army to withdraw

2 Prussian v 7 French

This combat is decided off table

Prussians lose 1200 infantry

French lose 400 infantry

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

Prussian 3,600 casualties

French 4,900 casualties and four brigades in rou