Clash of Empires The Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Waterloo 1815
- Martin Boulter
- May 20
- 15 min read
In this article I’m going to use the Napoleonic Clash of Empires Battle System to recreate the Battle of Waterloo 1815. The ‘Hundred Days’ campaign culminating in the battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815 marked the end of Napoleon’s epic story. In this last gamble Napoleon still exhibited some of the qualities of a great commander but his brilliance was diminished by poor health and over confidence. At the start of the campaign the Emperor’s decision to make Marshal Davout minister of war was an inefficient use of his ablest subordinate whose tactical skill would have been better employed on the field of battle. This error was compounded by Napoleon’s over reliance upon the brave but rash Marshal Ney whose failure to seize the vital junction at Quatre Bras on the 16th and reckless squandering of the French cavalry at Waterloo undoubtedly contributed to the French defeat. Also critical was the failure of Marshal Grouchy to march to the sound of the guns which denied Napoleon much needed reinforcements to counteract the arrival of the Prussians on the battlefield. Ultimately, however, it was Napoleon’s lethargy and lack of command and control during the campaign that allowed these mistakes to take place.
Background
After the debacle of the Russian campaign Napoleon’s European enemies were encouraged to join forces and revolt against him. Following defeat at the massive battle of Leipzig 1813 and an inspired yet futile fighting retreat to the gates of Paris Napoleon was forced into exile on the island of Elba. There he remained for a year when news of unrest in France caused by the return of the hated monarchy prompted Napoleon to escape and return to power in France. Despite overtures of peace, the allied nations were determined to overthrow him and began assembling their forces accordingly. Needing a quick and decisive victory Napoleon mustered an army of 124,000 men made up mainly of raw recruits and the few remaining veterans of previous campaigns. The Emperor then moved apace to drive a wedge between his nearest enemies the Anglo-Dutch army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian army led by Marshal Blucher. They were concentrating in Belgium and their forces consisted of 95,000 and 124,000 men respectively. Thus, using his traditional strategy of the central position Napoleon’s surprise attack caught Wellington and Blucher off guard. However, the battle at Ligny against the Prussians and Quatre Bras versus the Anglo-Dutch army failed to deliver a decisive result. Moreover, although the Prussians had been pushed back their army remained a viable fighting force and Wellington received assurances by Blűcher that the Prussian Army would reinforce him. Therefore, the main showdown would take place at Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815.
For the battle Wellington adopted a strong defensive position south of the village of Waterloo with most of his army concealed behind a ridge and anchored upon three strong points. On the right was the farm and château of Hougoumont; in the centre the walled farm of La Haie Sainte and at the left the hamlets of Papelotte, La Haie and Frischermont. These were garrisoned by some of his best troops namely the British Guards, King’s German Legion light battalions and the Nassauers respectively. The only weakness of his position was a forest to the rear which would have prevented an orderly withdrawal.
On the other side of the battlefield Napoleon’s main concern was to stop the Prussians from joining Wellington’s army and for this reason he had detached a third of his army under the command of Marshal Grouchy to chase the Prussians and prevent them from linking up with the Anglo-Dutch army. However, this pursuit was late setting off and failed to prevent Blűcher from rallying his troops at Wavre. On the morning of the 18th Napoleon prepared to attack but delayed for several hours to allow the ground to dry after a torrential rainstorm. The Emperor was concerned that the manoeuvring of his artillery and ricochet effect of the cannonballs would be impeded by the sodden ground. However, this delay was fatal because it gave the Prussians time to make their appearance on the battlefield. As for Napoleon’s battleplan this consisted of an unimaginative frontal assault against the British positions and for this he practically delegated full command to his rash subordinate general Marshal Ney. The reason for this lack of finesse and leadership is unknown but it may have been due to a combination of over confidence and illness. Either way the scene was set for a great slaughter as both sides slugged it out along a restricted front.
The battle was opened at about 11:25 A.M. by a concentrated bombardment by Napoleon’s ‘Grand Battery’ but this cannonade proved ineffectual against the British lines that were protected by the reverse slope of the ridge. A diversionary attack against Hougemont to try and induce Wellington to weaken his centre achieved the reverse as a stalwart defence by the British (Coldstream) Guards syphoned off more and more troops from the French centre. At this juncture the main thrust was carried out by D’ Erlon’s corp which advanced towards the British in a huge and unwieldy column. This was badly mauled by British artillery and then smashed to bits by a cavalry attack. This was carried out by Uxbridge’s heavy cavalry brigade which included the famous Scots Greys. However, the British cavalry overextended their attack and exhausted and disordered were in turn repulsed with great slaughter by a strong force of French lancers and cuirassiers. Meanwhile, the Prussians were beginning to make their presence felt on the weak French right flank for although Grouchy had caught up with the Prussians he was making a meal of dealing with their rear guard. Neither did he make any effort to march to the sound of firing from the west. This allowed the Prussians to link up with Wellington’s forces albeit in dribs and drabs. In response to this Napoleon extemporized a defensive line to hold the Prussians back and reinforced this with most of his reserves including the Middle Guard. Napoleon sent orders for Grouchy to draw close and support him but by now there was no hope of the Marshal reaching Waterloo.
By about 4:00 P.M. after a failed assault upon the farmhouse of La Haie Sainte Marshal Ney mistook a redeployment of some British lines as a sign that Wellington was retreating and in a fit of exuberance led a heroic but ill-advised massed cavalry charge against the British centre. In response the British infantry calmly formed squares around which the thousands of French cavalry now swirled their momentum dissipated and their attack broken up by volleys of musket fire and the serried ranks of bayonet points that bristled from the squares. Having been momentarily distracted by events on the right flank Napoleon was incredulous at this reckless use of cavalry without infantry and artillery support. Desperately the Emperor tried to salvage the situation with well-coordinated attacks which bore fruit when La Haie Sainte was at last captured after its valiant defenders of the King’s German Legion ran out of ammunition. By about 6 P.M. dangerous gaps were beginning to appear in the British battle line, but Wellington and his troops stubbornly held on to give the Prussians time to break through which now they were beginning to do.
In a last-ditch effort shortly after 7 P.M. Napoleon sent in the Imperial Guard but despite their reputation for invincibility these redoubtable soldiers were unable to prevail against the British lines that poured volley after volley of musket fire into them. Having suffered horrendous casualties, the Guard began to fall back and with their defeat all hope of victory was lost. As Wellington counterattacked the remnants of the Old Guard put up a valiant last stand to allow Napoleon to escape ahead of his disintegrating army. When asked to surrender with honour they defiantly refused and were killed to the last man. When back in Paris Napoleon was a broken man and accepted that any further resistance was futile and surrendered to the allies. He spent the last of his years as a prisoner on the tiny South Atlantic Island of St. Helena where he died on May 5th, 1821.
Using the Clash of Empires rules the battle strength and capabilities of the combatants can be shown as follows: -
A unit represents 3-4 infantry battalions, 9-12 cavalry squadrons or 16-24 guns.
French Army at Waterloo
The French forces at Waterloo consist of 15 Infantry units, 10 Cavalry units and 6 Artillery units (incl. of 2 Horse Artillery). There is also an Imperial Guard contingent which consists of 6 Elite Infantry units, 3 Elite Cavalry units and 4 Artillery units (incl. of 1 Horse Artillery). This amounts to 72,000 troops divided into 7 Corps inclusive of 3 Cavalry Corps. The French army consists of an amalgamation of French veterans who have returned to the colours for this campaign and a large number of hastily raised conscripts. This means that the French army at Waterloo is a Mixed Army that uses 1D10/1D8 for its Battle Dice (highest scoring die only). All units are trained regulars and therefore, the Infantry units have a Combat Rating of ❶, Cavalry ❷, and Artillery ❸ (❹for Horse Artillery). On the Combat Rating to Fighting Bonus Conversion Table in the rulebook this equates to +4 FB for the Infantry, +5 FB for the Cavalry, and +5 FB for the Artillery (incl. of Horse Artillery). This gives a total of +14 FB. In addition, the Imperial Guard contingent which is elite has a total FB of +9. This gives a grand total of +22 FB. For Tactical Deployment the French are using the Attack Column as their predominant formation. This formation gets a +2 (+3 Initiative Win) * modifier for Infantry Melee and is very resilient to Cavalry Shock Action. It also gets a +1 bonus to Command Initiative, which is attributed to the rapidity of movement of this formation. The main drawbacks of the Attack Column are its restricted firepower and vulnerability to artillery fire. A legacy of the Revolutionary Wars the French army has achieved a high level of proficiency in Light Infantry Tactics which gives them a +1 modifier for Firepower. A further +1 is awarded for the 6 Elite Infantry units. There is also a significant strike-force of Heavy Cavalry present which is represented by a formidable +2 modifier for Cavalry Shock Action. The rest of the cavalry consists of Hussars, Lancers and Dragoons which can be used for reconnaissance, screening and pursuit operations. The carrying out of these activities is represented as follows: - For +1 Initiative bonus roll 5-6 on 1D6. Modify by +1 for every 3 French Cavalry units and -1 for every 3 enemy Cavalry units. For the pursuit of a defeated opponent again roll 5-6 on 1D6 and modify by +1 for every 3 Cavalry units. If successful increase opponent’s losses by +1 on the Casualty Table. Napoleon has also equipped his army with a Grand Battery of heavy guns which gives it an Artillery Attrition modifier of +2. At the time of Waterloo Napoleon wasn’t a well man and may have been suffering from a number of maladies that act together to impair his strategic brilliance and diminish his energy. Nevertheless, Napoleon is still ranked as a great commander and rolls 2D6 for Command Initiative (highest scoring die only). The fact that many of his staff officers were picked for political reasons means that due to various deficiencies the subordinate commanders supporting Napoleon are second-rate. Therefore, the normal +2 for superior command structure has been negated. This means that the French army at Waterloo rolls 2D6+1 for Initiative with a further +1 modifier if a successful reconnaissance roll is made. Marshal Grouchy commanding the right wing of the army with a FB of +5 represents a viable Tactical Reserve or Reinforcement which Napoleon can call upon should he choose to do so. The French have a slight numerical superiority and therefore get a 1D3 advantage for opponent outnumbered. This is based upon Infantry and Cavalry units only.
Anglo-Dutch Army at Waterloo
The Allied forces at Waterloo consist of 21 Infantry units (inclusive of 1 Elite Guard unit and 2 Highland units) 8 Cavalry units (inclusive of 1 Elite unit) and 8 Artillery units (incl. of 3 Horse Artillery units). This amounts to 68,000 troops divided into four corps inclusive of 1 Cavalry and 1 Reserve corps. The Allied army is made up of a composite of British, German, Hanoverian, Brunswick, Nassau and Dutch-Belgian troops. The most reliable of these are the British and King’s German Legion but even so many of the veterans of the Peninsular Campaign are not present at Waterloo as they have been sent to America. This means that the Allied army is of Ordinary quality and uses 2D8 for its Battle Dice (highest scoring die only). Overall, all units are trained regulars and therefore the Infantry have a Combat Rating of ❶, Cavalry ❷ and Artillery ❸. On the Combat Rating to Fighting Bonus Conversion Table in the rulebook this equates to +6 FB for the Infantry (incl. of elite), +4 FB for the Cavalry incl. of elite) and +7 FB for the Artillery (incl. of Horse Artillery). This gives a total of +17 FB for the Anglo-Dutch army. For Tactical Deployment the Allies are using the Defensive Line (2 ranks) as their predominant formation. This traditional two rank formation gets a +2 (+3 Initiative Win) * modifier for Infantry Firepower but is very vulnerable to Cavalry Shock Action. The British have a long tradition of using specialised ‘light troops’ stretching back to the Seven Years’ War, but by 1803 various light infantry regiments were formed along with a Corps of Riflemen. These highly mobile troops are adept at skirmishing and the Riflemen in particular are excellent marksmen. These combined Light Infantry Tactics and Rifle Corps gives Wellington’s army an additional +2 modifier to Infantry Firepower. The Duke’s army also includes a unit of Highlanders who have a reputation as impetuous ‘stormers’ whose ferocious charge earns them a +1 modifier to Infantry Melee. The British have a heavy cavalry force, but their use is generally neglected, and they are not employed as a massed cavalry shock weapon as is Napoleon’s preference. The rest of the cavalry consists of Hussars and Dragoons which can be used for reconnaissance, screening and pursuit operations. The carrying out of these activities is represented as follows: - For +1 Initiative bonus roll 5-6 on 1D6. Modify by +1 for every 3 Allied Cavalry units and -1 for every 3 French Cavalry units. For the pursuit of a defeated enemy again roll 5-6 on 1D6 and modify by +1 for every 3 Cavalry units. If successful increase opponent’s losses by +1 on the Casualty Table. The Duke of Wellington is a first-class general who made a name for himself in Spain and Portugal, but Waterloo is the first battle in which he faces Napoleon himself. Nevertheless, Wellington’s command status is that of Inspired and therefore rolls 2D6 for Command Initiative (highest scoring die only). As for the higher echelons of the Allied command they are of mixed quality and as such don’t merit a bonus for superior command structure. Thus, the Anglo-Dutch army at Waterloo rolls 2D6 for Command Initiative with a +1 modifier if a successful reconnaissance roll is made. Wellington’s Tactical Reserve is the reinforcement promised by the Prussians.
Prussian Army at Waterloo
The Prussian forces at Waterloo consist of 30 Infantry units, 8 Cavalry units and 10 Artillery units (incl. of 3 Horse Artillery units). These are divided into three Corps. The Prussian army is of Ordinary quality and uses 2D8 for its Battle Dice (highest scoring die only). All units are trained regulars including the large number of levied Landwehr. What these reservists lack in equipment and experience they make up for in patriotic fervour. Therefore, all the Infantry have a Combat Rating of ❶, Cavalry ❷ and Artillery ❸. On the Combat Rating to Fighting Bonus Conversion Table in the rulebook this equates to +9 FB for the Infantry, +4 FB for the Cavalry and +8 FB for the Artillery (incl. of Horse Artillery). This gives a total of +21 FB for the Prussian army. After the disaster of 1806 the Prussians reorganized their army on the French model with the core of the army being made up of the original ‘old’ line regiments which are supported by the reservists. For Tactical Deployment the Prussians are using Mixed Order as their predominant formation. This combined use of the traditional three rank line by the well-established regiments and column by the Landwehr gives the Prussian army a +1 modifier for Infantry Melee and reasonable protection against Cavalry Shock Action. The Prussian cavalry is poorly provisioned but still dependable and consists mainly of Hussars, Lancers and Dragoons. They can be used for Cavalry Shock Action, but their main function is for reconnaissance, screening and pursuit operations. The carrying out of these activities is represented as follows: - For +1 Initiative bonus roll 5-6 on 1D6. Modify by +1 for every 3 Prussian Cavalry units and -1 for every 3 enemy Cavalry units. For the pursuit of a defeated enemy again roll 5-6 on 1D6 and modify by +1 for every 3 Cavalry units. If successful increase opponent’s losses by +1 on the Casualty Table. As for the Prussian commander the 72-year-old Gebhard von Blűcher is recognized more for his fiery and fearless disposition than is military skill but can be rated as competent when partnered with his talented Chief-of-Staff Gneisenau and therefore rolls 1D6 for Initiative. There is no superior command structure bonus for this army. Thus, the Prussian army at Waterloo rolls 1D6 for Initiative with a +1 modifier if a successful reconnaissance roll is made. Blűcher has promised to come to the aid of Wellington and for this reason the Prussian army counts as a Tactical Reserve or Reinforcement. See below.
Note: - In the game an army with a 15% reserve can save against defeat on the roll of 5-6 on 1D6. Modify by +1 if reserve equal to or greater than 25% of main force. The reserve must make up at least 15% of the overall strength of the army to be viable. While in reserve the Fighting Bonus of these units cannot be added to that of the main force, although it can be added in a refight situation. A tactical reserve can also take the form of closely supporting reinforcements. A successful Tactical Reserve or Reinforcement roll will enable a defeated army to either refight the battle with no tactical advantage or withdraw with 25% casualties on both sides. Furthermore, in a refight situation an opponent can automatically use a close by tactical reserve, but a detached reinforcement will still have to be rolled for with a score of 5-6 on 1D6 required. Modify as above and by +1 for Corps de Armẻe system. Modify as above and by +1 for Corps de Armẻe system. There can only be one refight per battle.
For a refight the points value remains the same but the Battle Bonus Dice, which may have increased in number due to a higher FB, are rerolled.
*(#) Initiative also reflects the overall performance of an army on the battlefield regarding steadiness of musket volleys, effectiveness of hand-to-hand combat and adroitness of action moves such as changing formation to square as defence against cavalry. The general success of these actions is represented by the second modifier in brackets which can only be activated by an Initiative win.
Napoleonic Clash Battle Procedure:
Initiative
Cavalry Reconnaissance/Screening. For +1 Initiative bonus roll 5-6 on 1D6. Modify by +1 for every 3 of your own Cavalry units and -1 for every 3 of your opponent’s Cavalry units.
Battle Dice (highest scoring die only).
Army Combat Rating (CR) to Fighting Bonus (FB).
Calculate Battle Bonus. (Determined by various Battle Factors such as Firepower and Cavalry Shock Action which are expressed in the form of a percentage adjustment to FB).
Any other Battle Advantages such as opponent outnumbered or Tactical Advantage.
Total Battle Roll.
Pursuit of defeated enemy. For +1 bonus to enemy losses on Casualty Table roll 5-6 on 1D6. Modify score by +1 for every 3 Cavalry units.
Highest scoring Battle Roll wins and the difference between the two scores determines the number of casualties.
Conversion and Casualty Tables not shown.
French Army at Waterloo
Initiative
| Battle Dice | No. of Units and Combat Rating (CR) to Fighting Bonus (FB) | Battle Bonus | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
2D6 +1 (+1)
(Highest die only)
3 and 3
3+1 = 4
Recce/Screening 5-6 on 1D6 +1 = 2 Fail
| 1D10/1D8
7 and 4 (Highest die only) No odds or evens
| Inf ❶x15 = +4 FB Cav ❷x10 = +5 FB Art ❸x4 = +3 FB H.Art ❹ x2 = +2 FB Total = +14 FB Imperial Guard 13 units = +9 FB Grand Total = +23 FB Tactical Reserve Right wing commanded by Grouchy 14 units = +5 FB 5-6 on 1D6+2 = 2+2 = 4 (No show) | 21 Points Converts to 3D6 6+5+3 = 14
| Opponent outnumbered 1D3 = 2 | 7+23+14+2 = 46
Pursuit 5-6 on 1D6 = N/A |
Refight
Initiative N/A | 4 and 2 Evens Dice |
+23 FB | 3D6 4,4,3 (Double Bonus) 4x2+4+3 = 15 | N/A | 4+23+15 = 42
|
Battle Bonus Calculation
Battle Factor (1D6) | Modifiers
| Score | Points Value |
Artillery Attrition | Horse Art +1/ Grand Battery +2 | 1+3 | 4 |
Infantry Firepower | Light Inf. +1/ Assault Col. -2/Elite Infantry +1 | 4 | 4 |
Infantry Melee | Assault Col. +2 (+3) | 4+2 | 6 |
Cavalry Shock Action | Heavy Cavalry +2/ Versus Line (2 ranks) +2 | 3+4 | 7 |
|
|
| Total = 21 |
Roll 1D6 for each Battle Factor and apply modifiers to find total points value and then compare with total FB on the conversion table (in rulebook) to calculate Battle Bonus Dice. Double Bonus for odds or evens Battle Dice. For multiple dice double highest scoring die only.
Notes: - A poor reconnaissance roll can be interpreted as a failure to reveal the intention of Wellington and Blűcher to join forces during the battle. The subsequent low Initiative roll and no odds or evens dice suggests that one or more tactical blunders have been made. This is compounded by inadequate rolls for all Battle Factors. Nevertheless, the French would have won the battle had not Wellington made his Tactical Reserve/Reinforcement roll which signals the arrival of the Prussians. In response Napoleon tries to call upon Grouchy for support but rolls a 2 which even with a +2 modifier (i.e., for a 25% or more reserve and Corps de Armẻe system) isn’t enough for a successful reinforcement. Had the Emperor succeeded in this roll he could have either added the reinforcement FB of +5 to his own army’s FB of +24 for the refight or used the extra troops to facilitate a tactical withdrawal. The former option would have been very risky whereas an orderly retreat would have saved most of Napoleon’s army to fight another day. As it is, however, the French army at Waterloo is routed and destroyed.
Anglo-Dutch Army at Waterloo
Initiative
| Battle Dice | No. of Units and Combat Rating (CR) to Fighting Bonus (FB) | Battle Bonus | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
2D6 (+1) =
(Highest die only)
6 and 3
Recce/Screening 5-6 on 1D6 = 5-1 = 4 Fail
| 2D8
6 and 3 (Highest die only) No odds or evens
| Inf ❶x21 = +6 FB Cav ❷x8 = +4 FB Art ❸x5 = +4 FB H.Art ❹ x3 = +3 FB Total = +17 FB
Tactical Reserve Prussian Army 48 units = +21 FB Roll 5-6 on 1D6 +1 = 4+1 = 5 | 22 Points Converts to 3D6 5+5+3 = 13 = 13
| Tactical Advantage 1D6 = 4
| 6+17+13+4 = 40
Pursuit = N/A
|
Refight
Initiative N/A | 7 and 4 No odds or evens | Prussians arrive. Combined FB = +38 | 22 Points Converts to 5D6 6+4+3+3+2 = 18 | Opponent outnumbered 1D6 = 2 | 7+38+18+2 = 65
|
Battle Bonus Calculation
Battle Factor (1D6) | Modifiers
| Score | Points Value |
Artillery Attrition | Horse Art. +1/ Art. Versus Assault Col. +1 | 5+2 | 7 |
Infantry Firepower | Light Inf. +1/ Rifle Corps +1/ Line (2 ranks) +2 (+3) | 3+5 | 8 |
Infantry Melee | Impetuous Inf. +1 | 4+1 | 5 |
Cavalry Shock Action | Versus Assault Col. -2 | 4-2 | 2 |
|
|
| Total = 22 |
Roll 1D6 for each Battle Factor and apply modifiers to find total points value and then compare with total FB on the conversion table (in rulebook) to calculate Battle Bonus Dice. Double Bonus for odds or evens Battle Dice. For multiple dice double highest scoring die only.
Notes: - Like the French the British fail their reconnaissance roll, but Wellington rolls very high on his Initiative which yields a 1D6 Tactical Advantage. This can be attributed to a strong defensive position which incorporates strong points and reverse slopes to protect the Allied infantry. Despite a valiant effort the Anglo-Dutch army is ground down by the French whose greater numbers especially in heavy cavalry and artillery has a marked effect. At a critical point in the battle, disaster is averted by a successful Tactical Reserve/Reinforcement roll which heralds the arrival of Blűcher and nearly all the Prussian army. Only Thielemann’s III Corps remained at Wavre to keep Grouchy occupied. In the subsequent refight the French army is overwhelmed and destroyed. The Allies suffer 25% casualties which equates to 5 Infantry, 2 cavalry and 1 Artillery units. One casualty Infantry unit is designated as Prussian.
Sources
Chandler, D.G. 1966: The Campaigns of Napoleon. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
Chandler, D.G. 1998: Napoleon’s Marshals. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Dupuy, R. E. and Dupuy, T. N. 1993: The Collins Encyclopaedia of Military History. Harper Collins Publishers.
Fosten, B. 1982: Wellington’s Infantry (2). Osprey Publishing Ltd.
Haythornthwaite, P.J. 1990: The Napoleonic Source Book. Arms and Armour Press.
Haythornthwaite, P.J. 1995: Napoleon’s Military Machine. Spellmount Limited.
Haythornthwaite, P.J. 1997: Wellington’s Military Machine. Spellmount Limited.
Hofschröer, P. and Fosten, B. 1984: Prussian Line Infantry 1792-1815. Osprey Publishing Ltd.
Hofschröer, P. and Fosten, B. 1984: Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars 2 1807-15. Osprey Publishing Ltd.
Smith, Digby. 1998: The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book. Greenhill Books.
Article Front Page Picture
French Cuirassiers charging onto the British squares during the Battle of Waterloo. Felix Philippoteaux 1874. After Alamy (IY05478346).
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