Eagles at Quatre Bras: Boardgame Edition! Saalfeld 1806

Continuing with this quaint, Sunday tradition I knocked off work early today, set up my Decision Games "Saalfeld: 1806" and tried it with Norm's excellent Eagles at Quatre Bras rules.  I was able to play the game with minimal modifications. 

Really the only mod I had to make was with the troop quality.  The DG game has varying degrees of troop quality ranging from 3 (worst) to 7 (best).  Norm has 3 degrees of TQ "mixed ability" (worst) "reliable" (average) and "good" (best).  If the troops were 3's I made them mixed, 4, I made them reliable, and 5 or higher I made them good.

Prussians are defending Saalfeld above.  French coming on from the right (their baseline)  

Saxons defending below Saalfeld.  I love this map!

The defensive scheme around the Saalfeld Perimeter

 10.00am
French under Victor begin maneuvering to assault Saalfeld.  Sibelle's guns open up on the Prussian infantry around the perimeter of the town.  One of Claparede's Regiments go into columns.

French units preparing to assault.  note the unit on far right.  I turned them 90 degrees to represent them in column.  One of Claparede's Regiments are in column.  meanwhile Sibelle's guns are ready to bombard the city!

 The Saxon guns go silent, running out of ammo!  The Saxons adjust their line, anchoring their defense on

Hoyer's guns go out of ammo!

 10.44am
French Cavalry under Lannes move out into the field and challenge the the allied cavalry.

 Claparede's assaults against Saalfeld are thrown back by stalwart Prussian infantry.  Even with artillery support, and asault columns, Saalfeld will prove a tough nut to crack.

11.09am
 Claparede is repulsed again and the Cavalry can't gain an advantage below the city.

Units turned upside down are disorganized.

The Prussian light cavalry tear into the 21st Chasseurs who are sent packing with heavy losses.

12.01 Hours
Reinforcements arrive on the field and the large French infantry division randomly arrives in the central woods.

French reinforcements marching towards the Saxons.  Claparede's inability to breach the line in Saalfeld, I'm hoping to break the Saxons outside the city and take the field with casualties instead of a geographic victory.

Disorganized French units but the assaults grind on

12.43pm
The swirling cavalry clash outside the city continues with the French lights getting to worst of things.  The main fighting is occurring along the highway to Saalfeld where the French have attempted to cut.

Small dice are heavy casualty markers

Nothing surprising here.  Claparede's infantry having more success in line attacks.

Suchet's Division fans out into the attack!  Eager for a crack at the brittle Saxons.  Will history play out?

 1.04pm
Suchet's attack fans out.  Claparede breaks down at Saalfeld and the French Cavalry is pushed back.  The French are getting alot of HC markers.  I forgot about the quality rule and the French have not been getting an extra die roll in their combats when the quality is higher.

Suchet's attack is fanning out!  I'm bringing up artillery to help in the assault

Trying to flank the Saxons.  I should have backed up the assault so the units in contact coulnd't retreat!

 1.35pm

 2.12pm
The Prussians start shifting units in Saalfeld while the Saxon defense starts to break up.

Claparede is chipping away at the Prussians and enjoys some brief success.

Most of the French are sent packing from Suchet's assault.  Things aren't looking good for the French.

The French aren't giving up yet though and their assaults continue.

 

The French line up and give it another go.

Saxon disordered unit in the center.

Reille's troops are sent back but rally and come forward again!

 In the heavy combat that ensues along the Saalfeld highway, Louis is killed!  Slowly, a hole starts to form in the Saxon line and the defense is fractured.  The French though are still too beat up to exploit the gap.

Hors de Combat!  Louis won't be the only general to fall today...

 3.00pm
The Allies get the jump on the French outside the city.  The 21st is knocked out along with General Lannes is killed.

 who

in the ensuring cavalry clashes - the French General Lannes is killed and the 21st Chasseurs is destroyed!  

 3:32pm

 French attacks break up outside Saalfeld.  Claparede's troops get a toe-hold in Saalfeld but can't sustain it when they're promptly surrounded by Saxon and Prussian infantry.

Claparede is trapped in Saalfeld.

The Saxon infantry breaking up but the French still have more HC markers.

4.13pm 
The French give it one more push outside Saalfeld but it's just not happening.  The French have 4 more HC markers than the allies and it doesn't look like their attacks are going to be successful.  I call the game.

Endgame

If you've made it this far i applaud your tenacity!  This was a fun diversion from my 7 day workweek.  I had been wanting to play Saalfeld for years.  The map and counters are gorgeous, even though I didn't actually play Saalfeld. I'd been jonesing to play some Napoleonics and Norm's EAQB really scratched the itch!  It's funny how quickly you forget lessons learned and there were some tricks I forgot about from the epic Christmas offensive.

Supporting units by placing brigades behind brigade in contact is imperative to keep up the assault.

Combined arms is critical to keep pressure on units through multiple attacks like artillery, columnar assaults, line attacks.

Attacks are mostly inconclusive so you have to do whatever you can to keep pressure on enemy units and remain in contact.

reserves are crucial to keeping the offensive going.

If you think these points sound like a general talking to his brigade and division commanders, I think you'd be correct.  That's what I love about Norm's EAQB rules - they make you think like a general and I appreciate that.  I will admit, playing them with a boardgame set isn't as fun as playing with miniatures, but when you're working practically around the clock you'll take whatever gaming you can get!  Have a great week everyone, stay safe and keep healthy!