FULL AAR for Classic 45 year-old Battle of Waterloo wargame - Wellington's Victory

[Merlenoo]

I first played the full battle scenarios of  SPI's "Wellington' Victory" - First Edition, back in 1980, and 40 years later in July, 2020.
Both sessions were long playing, exciting, and ended with very different outcomes.

When I played the first time, I had relatively vague knowledge of the famous historical battle, and I stuck to the game's rules and system.
At the time  the recent  replay, I had since acquired a comparably more voluminous academic awareness of the Waterloo Campaign due to much more history on the battle getting published.

With the wealth of info from these new sources I saw an opportunity to revamp the classic of all Waterloo wargames, with a general overhaul of the gaming system before I did the July 2020 replay, which became the testing ground for my new approach. Except for one or two glitches which I tweaked during the replay, the solitaire-played game achieved very realistic results in terms of Napoleonic battle tactics and combat outcomes.

In this condensed AAR (After Action Report ) below, I've made a condensed overview of the many variants.
For anyone interested in more details of this replay, I also have a replay blog post,  and a replay youtube video post, each dedicated to describing the session played, in depth.

The game's map (x4 map sheets) still has the most accurate representation of the battlefield, almost 50 years later, very few Waterloo wargames since have (almost) matched its topography details and accuracy - in my now-scholarly opinion on what the battlefield must have looked like.
I did use more artistic skills to tweak the map where there were a few cosmetic appearance improvements needed - such as  the 'fortress hexes' of Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte, and even my added Plancenoit Church.

The counters were almost a complete overhaul - to match the new house-rules.
Some I totally redesigned, others I based on patterns used in other games, and a few I borrowed to use from other games; including the WW2 classic, Advanced Squad Leader.

The major change for the counter system, was getting rid of the strength-points (SPs) and artillery ammo supply markers.
I also largely did away with the skirmish company counters.
The above were time-wasting excesses that did not really reflect the actual battle;
- in reality, skirmisher companies did not create sudden losses to targeted enemy units the way volley firing, melees, and artillery canister salvos would do. So, for my game play, skirmishers are an invisible force - assumed deployed, but unseen. I kept  the use of artillery crews in the game.
- unit casualties are best represented by step-loss through flipping full strength unit counters t their half strength side, and a further critical loss result removes the counter. This is a more realistic approach, and making game-flow much less tedious in time and fidgeting with endless trading of SP counters.

I completely overhauled the Combat Results Table system for infantry firing, close-combat melees, and artillery firing (including nationality specifics in ammo types - such as Brits spherical case, French accuracy and cannonade tactics, and Prussians with the longest range heavy calibre cannons).
I also redid the morale checking system, allowing for subtle variations, such as nationality and unit types.

Leader counters were important; I jazzed them up using contemporary game designs of these pieces - ie, most leaders had historical portraits of the actual commanders added on them from Division level up, and brigadiers for Wellington's army.

I revamped the movement rates as they were plodding-ly slow in the original system. With the new realistic movement point and terrain effects enhancements there was greater fluidity for maneuvering.

Whereas the game's hexagon system gave formed units 6 surrounding facings, mine had 12, including hex faces and vertices.

Lastly, I had a whole bunch of historical variant rules that were distinct conditions set to be triggered during the game play, such as; captured or lost  specific terrain objectives (fortresses/hills/towns/villages). Perhaps too long for me to elaborate on them all here.

Playing solitaire, I made a system that let me play without bias at a tactical level, but I had a wide assortment of strategic actions that were either chosen by random die rolls at certain game turns, or triggered conditionally (ie, if this occurs, then use this pre-set action now....). So, while there was a 30% chance of various historical strategic phases playing out during the game (ie, D'Erlon's flawed mass infantry attack), there were more possibilities of new strategies or improved-upon historical army actions (ie, the Prussian 1st Corps arriving on the map by 2 - 3 pm, or no bakery fire occurring at the town of Wavre, allowing the Prussian IV Corps to arrive in the battle an hour or two earlier than itdid)

Here is my compacted AAR of the July 2020, much-tweaked, Wellington's Victory wargame for the full day of battle scenario, using 10 AAR images as a lively visual reference.
Again, for further replay details, refer to the links given above.

Tweaked game counter samples




Pre-Battle


First action in the battle; my special Solitaire-game strategic movement random die roll, has Napoleon's brother, Jerome begin the game battle, with an attack on Hougoumont (30% chance of that option - other start options included a wide outflanking move, or a French two division attack to overwhelm the chateau position).  It's here that is one of the few places on the map with skirmisher company counters [British) used. The French attack lasts 2 hours and eventually involves two French infantry divisions, and forces Wellington to send in a Guards brigade as reinforcements, and a brigade of Kings German Legion infantry. The French actually broke into the garden temporarily, and Jerome was severely wounded and had to leave the game. My special British Bull all-Howitzer battery rules came into play too, as did  my own fortress hex mechanics.
Fight at Hougoumont


Crisis at Hougoumont


Strategic random phase two was rolled for next, since the French failed to capture Hougoumont. The rolled result was the 30% chance of the historical D'Erlon massed infantry attack taking place. Other variation options included a wide east-side flanking move, and a corps attack supported by an entire French cavalry corps - rather than the historic single cuirassier brigade alone.

As a prelude to the French massed infantry attack, as with most Waterloo wargames, the French Grand Battery special inclusion comes into play.
In my rules - long story short - my French gunners in the Grand Battery can [kind of] see Wellington's army behind the higher hillcrest across the valley separating the two armies. Without divulging this special system at length, basically I adapt a medley of Advanced Squad Leader's game rules used for artillery bombardment and Sniper random target selection. Basically, the Grand Battery had a wide target zone across the hidden Allied army, and the French batteries in the Grand Battery were each indirectly firing into this zone each game turn, with a number of target points to fire at, from which random hit  hexes were determined; Allied units in the hit hexes were then subject to a die rolled bombardment hit result = ie, step loss, and or morale check.
French Grand Battery Sets-up ahead of D'Erlon's attack



Things got interesting in this two hour fight taking place along Wellington's entire left flank and the center. As is common in most replays I've seen, Wellington's left flank is broken and pushed far back.  In this replay,  the hamlets and farms on Wellington's extreme forward left positions, are mostly captured by the French brigades of  Durette. Equally successful, is Marcognet's French infantry Division capturing the eastern half of the 'Ohain Ridge' on Wellington's Left. They have pushed back two Hanoverian Brigades and one of Picton's Highland brigades, and Bijlandt's brigade. General Picton's other Highland brigade holds its ground east of the croddroads, sending back Donzelot's French infantry division. The farmhouse of La Haye Sainte - held by a KGL light battalion, forward of Wellington's center, is completely surrounded by the French 1st Infantry Division. The supporting French cuirassier brigade momentarily wreaks havoc among the two German infantry brigades to the west of the crossroads.
Action on Wellington's Left


The battle becomes more intense. The French infantry divisions of Donzelot and Marcognet, and the cuirassier brigade are counter-attacked by the two British Heavy Cavalry brigades in Wellington's center. My special sules for British 'Glory-charging' comes into effect; allowing a special combat session involving long bonus-infused combat charge movement for the British cavalry regiments. But a mandatory over-charge* penalty is applied, which created the realistic result of any successful charging unit carrying on too far and isolated, and susceptible to enemy counter attacks. This happened to one British Dragoon regiment, and it was NOT the Scots Greys in this replay. The charge has some successful overruns of French infantry battalions and the cuirassier brigade,  but the French counter attack by Lancers is devastating, and Marcognet's Division holds onto its gains on the Ohain ridge.
Charge of the British Heavies



Wellington's Left flank is mostly in chaos. La Haye Sainte is captured by the French, and a counter attack by Hanoverian Brigade in the center to retake it, is unsuccessful. The French Grand Battery resumes pummeling Wellington's positions on and behind Mont St.Jean hill on his right flank. Marcognet's Division solidify their gains. A new strategic random event is activated; Milhaud's French IV Cavalry Cotps and the Imperial Guard Light Cavalry Division are sent to exploit the gap in the enemy line on Ohain ridge. They are stopped from charging north of the Ohain Road by the timely arrival of General Lambert's British infantry brigade which forms squares just in time.
Lobau's French VI Corps has been set in motion to move to the French right flank, as the strategic random variant for the Prussian army's upcoming arrival has activated.
French advance in the east



Bulow's Prussian IV Corps arrives on the battlefield  - Strategic  random variants included an early or later Prussian arrival of their II and IV Corps, but the historic arrival time was randomly rolled for as the game turn arrival. Behind the IV Corps, which snakes through the single roadway traversing the Paris Woods, appears the lead of the II Corps at the Lasne defile on the edge of  the north-east game map.
The Prussians arrive



Wellington's left flank is completely caved in after Marshal Ney leads the Imperial Guard Light Cavalry Division in a charge that sweeps away Kempt's Highland brigade from the ridge just east of the crossroads.  The Marcognet's French infantry beat back the counter-attack of the Hanoverian brigades of Best and Vincke, and Pack's last survivors. Bijlandt's brigade forms a meagre square.  Lambert's Brigade almost ceases to exist as losses mount below the French occupied Ohain ridge, upon which enemy cannons can be seen deploying. The few squadrons left of the Heavy Brigades launch a counter-attack with minor success.
Wellington sends the Dutch cavalry brigades and Kruse's Nassau infantry brigade to the center to try and stabilize the crisis, but the French hold them off.
Wellington's Left falls apart



A new strategic random event is triggered; success on the French Left flank instigated the activation of the French uncommitted forces of Bachelu's infantry Division and Kellermann's III Corps of Heavy Cavalry. Napoleon set's them off to attack and capture Mont St.Jean Hill on Wellington's Right flank. Fighting intensifies at  Hougoumont at the same time - and it is set on fire, but the depleted brigades of Byng's British Foot Guards and DuPlat's KGL still possess the strongpoint.
At this point, the Army Morale tracking system puts Wellington's army close to breaking point - a loss of Hougoumont or the center crossroads hex will trigger the disastrous event for the Allied army.
Kellermann's squadrons charge ahead up the slope first, but they only achieve routing one of Maitland's Foot Guard battalions, and they swarm around the plateau of the hill while the British brigade of Halkett remain steady in their squares, alongside those of Kielmansegge's Hanoverians.
(I have house-rules for cavalry charges to swirl past square formations!!!).
Allied cavalry brigades counter-charge the French horsemen, but are soon depleted in numbers and fall back.
The French now have three batteries on the Ohain ridge, blasting away any opposition in their gun sights across Wellington's pulverized Left flank.
French attack against Wellington's Right Flank




Bachelu's infantry division makes it attack but is held off by Ompteda's KGL brigade at the crossroads, and the Hanoverians near the plateau. They recover and attack once again. Kellermann's cavalry retreats except for two dragoon regiments which launch successful ambush attacks against Allied infantry targets.
A new strategic event is triggered at this time in the evening hours; Napoleon has ordered the Young Guard Division and the Imperial Guard Heavy cavalry Division to support the Mont St.Jean hill attack.
> Yes, I even had a house-rule for my new LaBedoyere commander counter to evoke the French army morale boosting "Groughy is here!" deception Napoleon had used in the real battle.

The attacking Imperial Guard formations succeed in reaching the hill crest and engage in brutal close combat across Wellington's right flank. Ompteda's brigade loses the crossroads to the fearless onslaught of Young Guard battalions. The Hanoverians on the plateau sustain heavy losses, but somehow they stand their ground with the Prince of Orange riding through their ranks and keeping their morale high. Halkett's brigade is disordered by ferocious charges of Guyot's Heavy cavalry regiments. Their retreat soon rallies, as Detmer's brigade from Chasse's Dutch Belgian Division, shows up from the reserve line, and advances up the slope of Mont St,Jean in several massive squares which cause the ambitious French Empress Dragoons to halt their glorious charge and force them to swerve east, to the plateau. There. the Hanoverian brigade is taken in flank by the French dragoons; yet, despite heavy losses, they still remain defiant, even as the Young Guard also attack them from the front.
Between Maitland's Foot Guards and Halkett's brigade, the French have created a 300 yard wide gap in the Allied Right flank front line. Wellington and other staff officers arrive at the spot to personally rally several disorganized formations and restore order.

Nearby, several of Bachelu's battalion rejoin the French hill attack and drive away Captain Mercer's guns away from their cannons.
Two French horse batteries have unlimbered on the plateau.
The Allied army cavalry commander, the Earl of Uxbridge is in the crumbling Allied center and calls up the Brunswick Legion from the reserves. They move up to attack the young Guard on the ridge line above them.

All seems lost for Wellington's Right flank - but no fresh French troops appear to capture the hilltop ouright.
As a distraction, Marshal Ney sends forward the Polish Lancer squadron to beat back a charge from Merlen's Dutch-Belgian cavalry brigade which galloped towards the crossroads down along the Brussels highway. The Poles make a glorious charge which takes them deep into the Highland brigades' back up positions - from which they eventually barely extricate themselves with heavy losses.
Unknown to Wellington, desperation mounts on the French side as a new threat to them is about to appear.
Wellington's crisis in the Right Flank



The Prussian IV Corps has been successfully pushing back Lobau's French VI Corps which was earlier sent to stop or hold up their advance from the Paris Woods. Finally, the Prussians send back their foes, retreating fast to Plancenoit village, behind the French Right flank.
FIRST BIG ERROR IN MY HOUSE-RULES >>> Historically, the Prussians surged forward for over a mile, pushing back Lobau's fighting retreat to Plancenoit step by step. My rules did not reflect this super-human Prussian onslaught; as a result, in my game, the Prussians get stuck fighting a slow-attrition stagnant battle with the French VI Corps for over 2 hours.
I quickly see why and fix it; I quickly adopted a special NEW rule that allowed the Prussian army to IGNORE all 'disordered unit' combat and morale results it suffered. Instead, such affected units were to remain still in good order. As such, the Prussians overall effectiveness gave them a realistic superior advantage in close combat against the weak VI Corps facing them, and reflected the Prussian 'vengeance' mentality which drove them always forward towards the French center since daybreak - marching over 8 miles of muddy terrain and halfway into one of history's fiercest battles.
The NEW rules soon get the Prussians pressing forward like a steamroller, towards the French center; and Napoleon can not ignore them any longer.
Around this time, the Prussian I Corps has arrived on the north-west map edge via the town of Ohain, and by strategic random determiniation die rolls, its advance guard moves to join Wellington's Left flank directly, instead of heading south to join Bulow's IV Corps (similar to the historical scenario that unfolded(.
French VI Corps and attached cavalry fall back



A crisis develops at sunset - for all armies.
Napoleon's  Empress dragoons regiment came close to single-handedly capturing the Mont St.Jean hilltop, but there, the surviving Hanoverian battalions foiled them and the advancing squares of British and Dutch-Belgians send back these French warrior horsemen. The Young Guard infantry is running low on ammunition in the firefights, but manage to finish off the last Hanoverians ahead of them and in this moment, the Prince of Orange is killed. The Young guard fight on valiantly for a while longer before somehow against all odds, Wellington's right flank is rallying in squares and attacking the hill crest ( In my new rules, infantry squares can move - which was very common at Waterloo).
The Young Guard are pushed back slowly downhill.
Wellington's Right flank rallies and counter-attacks



The situation is worse for the French right flank. The Prussian I Corps advance guard has arrived into Wellington's Left, with their infantry, and its cavalry brigade in Wellington's center. Saxe-Weimar's Nassau troops advance with the Prussians to retake the lost farms and hamlets,  Vivian and Vandeleur's British light cavalry brigades join the Prussian arrivals attack that  rolls the French Right flank off the Ohain ridge.
Earlier on, Marshal Ney was surprised to see the entire Grand Battery limbering up and heading south. But his attention is focused on the front line as the French start to withdraw.
French Right flank collapses



Napoleon had made the strategic decision to try and win a defensive victory, by holding back Wellington and Blucher's now linked armies.
his campaign objective to keep them separated has failed.
Napoleon plans to use his artillery en masse, in combination with his uncommitted Old and Middle Guard to keep the Prussian advance in check. At the same time, it is obvious that Wellington's losses are too severe for him to push his army forward in a risky general advance.
Napoleon sets up his Middle and Old Guard battalions behind and among Lobau's VI corps that are placed in the village of Plancenoit and a large hillock to its north. The Grand Battery unlimber in a line facing east, just in front of the Brussels highway - along the heights close to the La Belle Alliance Inn. In the fading evening light, the French crews aim their guns at the two Prussian Corps assembling in large columns a mile away.
The battle finale is prepared in the last hour.
The Prussian II and IV Corps have assembled in sufficient numbers, and Blucher and his staff quickly devise an attack plan aimed at crushing the French line facing them. A three pronged advance is agreed upon.
- The northern prong (Brigades Losthin and Hake / IV Corps) is to move uphill across open ground and capture the area between La Haye Sainte and La Belle Alliance.
- The center prong ( Pirch II Corps) is to capture the hill north of Plancenoit village.
- The south prong (Brigade Ryssel / IV Corps) intends to capture Plancenoit village.
Prussians prepare a showdown attack finale



The northern prong attack only gets forward several hundred yards before a rain of French cannonballs from the Grand Battery convinces  the Prussian commanders to withdraw before their attack is slaughtered if their columns move ahead an further.
Prussian northern prong attack



The Prussian II Corps sets off on its central prong attack. It uses massive regimental columns which  initially drives back much of  Lobau's reduced 19th Division that were set up defending the hill. But a battalion of the Middle Guard and supporting artillery, fend off all the Prussian assailants  coming at them. More Middle Guard battalions arrive to secure the hill, and the Prussian II Corps is flung back in  complete disarray.
Pirsch II Corps attack against Plancenoit hill



Ryssel's brigade southern prong attack breaks into the outskirts of Plancenoit  village, helped by some of II Corps battalions hitting the north side of the village. The attack is halted by the Middle Guard battalions defending the centrally located village church and its graveyard. The street fighting is intense in the twilight gloom.  The Prussians have no reinforcements to feed into the grueling urban combat, and the French get the upper-hand when several Old Guard Battalions arrive, charging into the village at one end, and forcing the Prussians out at the other end, at bayonet point.
All the Prussian attacks have been defeated and must retreat into the darkness, half a mile to the east.
Plancenoit Village combat



The battle ends as a draw, but most definitely, Napoleon will have to withdraw his battered army overnight. Most of his Imperial Guard and most of his artillery will be preserved by escaping the joined Allied armies. He can join Grouchy who he will recall, and they will return to France. The French army has lost several generals in killed, missing, and wounded. The Prussian army losses are moderate, and they have many more troops still coming to the battlefield by the next day. Wellington's army has sustained heavy losses among most of its combat brigades and artillery batteries.

The battle ends



Deadpool of battle losses counters



There's a battle gallery of pictures I made for this replay over at this Gallery Replay Page.

Picture Sample

[Andrea G]

Great AAR!
It's already 40 years from the publication of Wellington's Victory?
Gee I AM old.
I remember playing it at the start of the eighties, would say it was 82, still a teenager.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories

[Merlenoo]

Great AAR!
It's already 40 years from the publication of Wellington's Victory?
Gee I AM old.
I remember playing it at the start of the eighties, would say it was 82, still a teenager.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories

Thanks for the feedback - I'm glad I resurrected the good memories
I've been hearing the same reply as yours wherever I've posted this AAR.
The last time I played this game prior to this AAR was 40 years ago too in my late teens.
The game is actually 45 years old now - almost half a century!!! We're old now

How did your own battles turn out?

My full scenario battle 40 years ago ended with Wellington's entire line almost forced off the map by nightfall, and the Prussians did not arrive due to Napoleon's early successes.

I made a series of battle images of the 2020 replay. I added a village of Plancenoit battle scene in the prior post, and below is action at Hougoumont at the start of the battle.