Nap Campaign: Battle of Tremleurr. 18th April 1808. Turns 7 - 10

 TURN 7

The Scots Greys have been pushed back again but a moment for the British to celebrate. The Life Guards (middle of photo) successfully defeat a Cuirassiers regiment buying time. There is a risk of it being isolated if it conducts a sweeping charge, tempting though that is against a light cavalry unit. Therefore the Life Guards hold their ground being the only British cavalry unit not subject to the 'Gallop at Anything' rule reflecting their greater discipline.

The Young Guard charges the Brunswickers with one being caught in square formation. Despite being at a significant disadvantage, both Brunswick units hold on - just!

A Dutch horse artillery battery, despite being shaken, delivered a shattering round of canister into the Guard Lancers. It proved too much for the Guard cavalry unit. Already shaken, the huge losses inflicted caused them to break leaving the field.

Continued -

Guye's Young Guard Brigade, all 2 battalions of them, are now in a position to fire into the flanks of the advancing Dutch columns including 2 artillery batteries. D'Aubreme's Dutch militia reformed into line to fire into the French with no effect. The French on the other hand delivered highly effective volleys breaking the 3rd Dutch Militia leading to the brigade being broken.

The destruction of Bourgeois' Brigade leaves just the 2 battalions of Charlet's Brigade, now all that's left of the 1st Division, holding the line against the advance of the Dutch and a KGL battalion. They are positioned within the farm buildings and a fence line along the road.

The small French 7th Division of 5 battalions along with the 3rd Lancers are all that remain holding the French centre. 

Of Piat's Brigade that had charged the British line, only the 1/4th Line remains in contact (middle of photo) slugging it out with the British 2/30th Line in a fairly even contest. To the right the Guards Brigade makes an appearance having reformed into double lines to pass through the gap in the woods.

The French Lancers had considered a charge but with the close proximity of the artillery battery decided to assist in forming a new defensive line. 

On the French right flank the hoped for breakthrough by the Hanoverians appears to have happened. And once again it has fallen to Best's Brigade to achieve the honours (far left).

The already shaken 1/85th Line that had been lining the hedgerow, was badly cutdown by devastating volleys from 2 of Best's battalions. (Exceptionally high dice rolls with very poor defensive rolls by the French and then dreadful break test rolls!). This resulted in Brue's Brigade breaking with its surviving battalion retreating (top right). Durutte now has to hastily reconsider his defences and begins falling back.

An overview at the end of turn 7. Although it is bleak for the French on their right flank and centre, the allies are facing a similar bad outcome on their right flank.

TURN 8

The cavalry action continues on the French left flank with both sides struggling to mount co-ordinated assaults due to exhausted troopers. British and Brunswick cavalry seek to take advantage of two shaken Cuirassiers regiments charging into the static units. Nearest the camera, the Inniskillen Dragoons bounce of the Cuirassiers but the Brunswick Hussars to their left has more success. They very nearly destroy their opposite number forcing them into a disorderly retreat.

The aftermath of the cavalry combats. Although they have had the better of most of the melees, the Cuirassiers struggle to overcome the British heavy cavalry despite pushing them back. The Cuirassiers formations have become scattered and in need of reorganisation.

At the top of the photo, Soult's 4th Light Cavalry Division repositions with the intention of bringing more pressure to bear on the Brunswickers.

Danger looms for the Brunswick infantry. The Young Guard column overcomes the Jaeger battalion pushing them back. The Brunswick square continues to hold out but the 1st Line battalion collapses when it suffers serious casualties from combined artillery fire. A large gap opens up their line.

Bylandt's Dutch Brigade supported by the 8th KGL Line begin their assault on Charlet's Brigade. Two combats are fought both of which prove indecisive and will continue.

The collapse of D'Aubreme's Brigade provides Guye's Young Guard Brigade with an opportunity of falling on the rear of Bylandt's force. He seeks to take advantage of this firing on the retreating Dutch and moving a battery to begin firing on the allied force. It is immediately successful inflicting significant casualties on the 8th KGL Line and causing it to be shaken.

The 2/12th Light Battalion that had been in a protracted combat at the top of the photo was finally defeated and broken. This has lead to the breaking of Piat's Brigade reducing the French 7th Division to just two effective battalions (bottom left of photo).

Best suffers command roll failures including the Divisional Commander re-roll leaving them static. The only significant movement was Dornberg who advanced his light cavalry brigade (top left).

TURN 9

While the cavalry continue to battle it out on the southern end of the battlefield, a nasty turn of events occurs for the Brunswickers. The 1st Light Battalion that had been holding out in square formation against the Young Guard has been comprehensively broken. The 3rd Light Battalion has also been defeated in combat and pushed back (top left). This has resulted in Buttlar's Brigade breaking, the largest of the Brunswick brigades.

Off camera to the left, the Scots Greys lost their ongoing combat with the Cuirassiers and has been pushed back again.

The 8th Dutch Militia (bottom left) heroically destroyed the 1/55th Line of Charlet's battalion causing the French brigade to break. Their celebration was short lived as the 27th Dutch Jager battalion storming the farm was defeated causing their morale to collapse and they left the field. This in turn resulted in Bylandt's Brigade breaking signalling the end of the allied assault in this part of the battlefield. Charlet's remaining battalion will remain in the farm.

Guye launched a Young Guard battalion at Kielmansegge's Hanoverian battalion defending the fence line but failed to make any headway falling back to where it started (middle of photo).

A charge by French lancers on the British Guards was cancelled when the Guards had no difficulty forming into a square. The last of the French infantry caused mayhem with their musketry disordering several British and KGL battalions.

A command blunder by Bruno's light cavalry brigade very nearly saw them leave the table (bottom right). 

It was looking bleak for the French on this flank until this turn! Highly effective artillery and infantry fire destroyed two Hanoverian infantry battalions leading to the collapse of morale in H.Halkett's and Berger's Brigades with both breaking. Only Best's Brigade (top of photo) was still in good shape along with Dornberg's cavalry (far left).

TURN 10

The Union Brigade try again to break the Cuirassiers, here charging a static shaken regiment and an artillery battery hoping to take another regiment in the flank as soon as the cannons have been dealt with. At the top right of the photo the Life Guards another static shaken Cuirassiers regiment.

The 1st Royal Dragoons charging the artillery were shredded by a blast of canister breaking the cavalry unit completely. The 6th Dragoons, despite having the advantage, were destroyed in combat leading to the brigade becoming broken. The Life Guards were driven back but maintained good order. 

The Brunswickers are in serious difficulty as a Guard Chasseurs regiment charges into the flank of their Vanguard Jagers who are also charged to their front by a Young Guard column. The handful of Brunswick Uhlans bravely try to halt the Chasseurs but are easily repulsed. Despite being defeated in combat with heavy losses the Jagers refuse to give up and continue the combat.

The Life Guards are charged by the 1st Cuirassiers lead by Dubois. They counter charge and a desperate combat ensues during which Dubois is killed. The melee result is a draw but with both sides shaken they both need to take break tests. The Cuirassiers fall back in good order to recover but the Life Guards sustained a catastrophic dice roll and as a result they leave the field broken. 

The aftermath with what is now a dire situation for the allies on this flank. The only fully functioning allied cavalry unit is the Brunswick Hussars with 3 infantry battalions and a battery of artillery performing what increasingly looks like a last stand.

To the north of the Brunswickers, Guye's Young Guard Brigade form attack columns in preparation for an assault on Kielmansegge's Hanoverians along the fence line. To the left, what is left of Bylandt's Brigade is retreating from the battlefield.

What should have been a final assault sweeping the last of the French from the centre is seriously delayed by most of the British and KGL units involved being disordered from French shooting. 

The loss of 2 of the 3 Hanoverian infantry brigades has seriously dented allied hopes of a rapid victory on their left flank. Only Best has broken through the French lines and takes up positions along fence lines with one battalion making heavy weather of defeating a lone artillery battery who fight on.

Dornberg is on hand to deal with any French cavalry intervention but the terrain is such that cavalry action is limited.