For a detailed description of the battle please consult "Great Battles of History Refought - Brienne", Published by Anschluss.

The Defence of France

In January 1814 the French army was again on home soil after the defeats of 1812 and 1813. 73,000 men were lost as a direct result of Leipzig and Napoleon was obliged to leave another 100,000 troops in garrisons in Germany. The classes of 1802 to 1815 were called up, theoretically producing 936,000 conscripts but evasions and lack of weapons meant only 310,000 untrained recruits joined the colours.

Prince Eugene was reluctant to release troops from Italy as many were Piedmontese who, it was feared, would desert if ordered north. 100,000 were facing Wellington in northern Spain and this line was under pressure also but despite this 25,000 men and 58 guns were sent to Paris on Napoleon's demand.

In early January the French field armies mustered only 70,000 men. These faced 245,000 front line allied troops. In April this number was swelled (including depots, garrisons and line of communication troops) to 887,000.

Both side's aim in 1814 was Paris, the one to defend it, the other to capture it. However the Allies disharmonious policies meant all was not well with their plan of campaign. Britain was fully committed to forcing the Pyrenees this year and could apply no pressure elsewhere. The Russian Czar had his eye on the fall of Paris in revenge for the loss of Moscow in 1812 although his subordinates informed him that Mother Russia was now safe from further direct attack and she had given more than her share of lives and resources in the wars against the French. Any more waste would be purely for the benefit of Austria, Prussia and Britain.

The Austrian Emperor, advised by Metternich, was prepared to offer Napoleon terms. Most of Austria's territory was recovered and she was wary of seeing any increase in power and influence of her old adversaries Prussia and Russia.

The Prussian King was under the thrall of the Czar and wanted to agree his plans, but his people harboured a violent hatred of France and Napoleon in particular. His advisors emphasized that for the safety of his crown, the total destruction of Napoleon was essential.

Berlin thus put pressure on their senior commander in the field, Fieldmarschall Blucher, to capture Paris. The Austrians and Russians had their own agenda and were inclined to be more lenient. While the talking continued, Napoleon worked like a demon, his immense energy undiluted by defeat, to build up France's defences.

Preliminary moves

In November 1813 the Allies opened a series of war councils and Napoleon, feigning interest, entered into negotiations. However both parties continued to make ready and when the talks stagnated the Allied columns marched. The Army of Bohemia crossed the Upper Rhine at Basle, securing direct communications with Austria. The Army of Silesia crossed the middle Rhine near Coblenz with the intention of occupying the French until the Army of Bohemia closed up. The Army of the North was mainly occupied reducing the various garrisons Napoleon had left behind, as well as securing Holland and keeping an eye on Davout, based near Hamburg.

Napoleon meanwhile had his main force facing the Rhine, in detached corps. He had intended to fight a major action in defence of Paris, believing the two Allied armies combined mustered only 80,000 men. When reports reached him of their true strength he changed his plan to that of the Central Position which had given him victory so many times in the past. He would strike one army and overwhelm this weaker force before it could join with the other.

The Rhine barrier was lost in early January and the French corps under MacDonald, Marmont, Victor and Ney fell back rapidly. Only Mortier fought a gallant series of delaying actions over 18 days from Langres to Bar-sur-Aube. With the front collapsing Victor was replaced and Marmont given overall command of a new defensive line along the Meuse but this position was compromised before the orders to hold it had taken effect.

Leaving his brother Joseph to organise the defence of Paris, Napoleon rode in haste to Chalons-sur-Marne where he arrived on 26th January. Invigorating all around him with his customary zeal, he decided at once to attack Blucher's Army of Silesia, the smaller of the two Allied forces. Blucher forced Victor from St Dizier on the 27th. Schwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia was then at Bar-sur-Aube, dangerously close to joining Blucher. Napoleon ordered Mortier, Bourdessoulle and Colbert to join him but his attack would be disjointed. It would have to do.

Blucher read intercepted dispatches in the small hours of the 29th, revealing that his position was now exposed with possibly 30,000 to 40,000 men behind his flank. Yorck's corps was outside supporting distance. Sacken's corps which had gone forward to Lesmont was ordered to retrace it's steps with all speed.

Napoleon ordered an advance on Brienne in three columns, the right, from Vitry, composed of the divisions of Gerard, Dufour and Ricard plus Picquet's cavalry; the centre composed of the Guard toward Montier-en-Der and the left of Victor's infantry and Milhaud's cavalry down the left bank of the Marne to Rochefort, from there to join the Guard at Montier.

Blucher had some luck. Von Pahlen, leading the 3,000 strong Advance Guard of the Army of Bohemia well in advance of the main body, promised to reach him by early afternoon. Cossacks had intercepted the couriers carrying the orders for Mortier, Bourdessoulle and Colbert and these forces would not now threaten his left and rear, although Blucher was not aware of this at the time.

29th January

Blucher received reports at 8:30a.m. that his Cossack outposts at Montier-en-Der had been overthrown by more numerous French cavalry, with powerful French cavalry columns moving down the road to Brienne. Sending word to Pahlen to march his columns at their utmost, Blucher went to Brienne village and began issuing orders for it's defence. He instructed Olsuvieff's IX corps to take up position before the village facing North West as soon as possible. Scherbatov's VI corps was to hasten up the road from La Rothiere and deploy on Olsuvieff's right. Wassiltschikov's cavalry corps would watch the extreme right towards Perthes and Morvilliers.

By 1:00p.m. the French cavalry had deployed from the defile in the woods and began to walk forward.

Scenario notes:

The following conventions have been used.

• The number after a unit's name is it's morale rating.
• The boxes after a unit's morale rating are it's strength points.
• AC=Army Commander, CC=Corps Commander, DC=Division Commander.

The ground is soft in places and desultory light rain falls all day. Due to mud, roads give no movement advantage.

Turn 1 is 1:00 p.m. Dusk descends on game turn 5 (5:00 p.m.) when visibility reduces to 12". Darkness falls on game turn 6 (6:00 p.m.) when visibility reduces to 6". The last game turn is 13 (1:00 a.m. 30th January). The French are the attackers.

The west edge of the map is the unfordable river Aube. All woods are 'open'. Brienne Chateau is classed as a fortified farm (per Frank Chadwick Hundred Days Campaign rule amendments 21/11/96). It may only be attacked by one stand per turn from the west and the attacker has a -1 morale modifier before melee. However it loses this status from turn 6 onwards (in the battle a French brigade flanked the position and took it by surprise in the dark).

French Order of Battle 22,500 men and 60 guns. Emperor Napoleon (AC, Monarch)

3rd Guard Cavalry Division, Genl Lefebre-Desnoittes (DC) (Exhaustion=4)

• Brigade Dautancourt Polish Dragoons & Polish Grenadiers a Cheval 6 [ ] [ ] [ ] hv
• Brigade Krasinski 1st Polish Lancers & 2nd Eclaireurs 6 [ ] [ ] lt/l
• Guard Horse Artillery Battalion 6 [ ] [ ] md

V Cavalry Corps, Genl Milhaud (CC)

• Horse Artillery Battalion 6 [ ] [ ] md

9th Light Division, Genl Pire (DC) (Exhaustion=1)

• 9th & 16th Chasseurs a Cheval, 3rd & 6th Hus 5 [ ] [ ] lt

5th Heavy Division, Genl Briche (DC) (Exhaustion=2)

• 2nd, 6th, 11th, 15th & 18th Dragoons 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] md

6th Heavy Division, Genl L'Hertier (DC) (Exhaustion=2)

• 19th, 20th, 25th & 30th Dragoons 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] md

Young Guard, Marshal Ney (CC)

• Guard Foot Artillery Battalion 6 [ ] [ ] md

1st Voltigeur Division, Genl Meunier (DC) (Exhaustion=4)

• Brigade Rousseau 6 [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] st
• Brigade Lacoste 6 [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] st

2nd Voltigeur Division, Genl Decouz (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• Brigade Forestier 6 [ ] [ ] [ ] st
• Brigade Baste 6 [ ] [ ] [ ] st

II Corps, Genl Victor (CC)

• Foot Artillery Battalion 6 [ ] [ ] md
• Foot Artillery Battalion 6 [ ] [ ] md

Division Duhesme (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• Brigade 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] g
• Brigade 5 [ ] [ ] g

Division Gerard "Paris Reserve Corps" (DC) (Exhaustion=4)

• Brigade 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] pr
• Brigade 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] pr

Division Ricard (from VI Corps) (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• Brigade Beleport 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] g
• Brigade Clavel 5 [ ] [ ] [ ] g

French Army Notes:

1. Each French infantry brigade, except the Paris Reservists, may detach 1x1-6 (Young Guard) or 1x1-5 (Line Brigades) skirmisher.
2. Milhaud's Cavalry Corps. I originally had this broken down to brigade stands but most of them were 1 str point so I combined these to produce the single stand divisions seen above. It might be appropriate to loose the divisional commanders and just have a three stand corps with only Milhaud represented as a CC. Exhaustion=4.
3. Key to codes: g = grenadiers present; hv = heavy (either artillery or cavalry); l = lance armed cavalry; lt = light (either artillery or cavalry); md = medium (either artillery or cavalry); pr = poorly trained regulars; st = shock troops

French Arrival Points & Times:

Pire's Cavalry Division, turn 1, point A (may NOT conduct attacks the turn it comes on). 3rd Guard Cavalry Division and balance of V Cavalry Corps, Milhaud, turn 2, point A. Young Guard, Ney, Napoleon, turn 4, point A. Duhesme Division, turn 5, point B. Balance of II Corps, Victor, turn 5, point C.

French Orders & Victory Conditions:

French orders are to inflict heavy losses on the Russian Army of Silesia, driving it south away from friendly forces to the north east (Napoleon is going for the Central Position option as he did 18 months later). If the road south from Brienne-le-Chateau can be cut for two consecutive turns by at least one in command French infantry brigade the game is considered ended in a French victory as Blucher's supply line is cut and his troops run short of ammunition and must withdraw or be overrun. Unless Blucher can be completely smashed (no more than 2 divisions non-exhausted) only a tactical victory can be achieved.

 ARMY OF SILESIA Order of Battle 17,500 men and 90 guns. Feldmarschall Blucher (AC)

IX Corps, Genl Olsuvieu (CC)

9th Infantry Division, Genl Udom II (DC) (Exhaustion=4)

• 1st Brigade, Genl Poltarazin Inf Regts Rascheburg & Apscheron 5 [ ] [ ] [ ]
• 2nd Brigade, Genl Iuschkov II Inf Regts Iafuz & Riastin 5 [ ] [ ]
• 3rd Brigade, Major Melnik 10th & 38th Jager Regts 5 [ ] [ ]
• 15th Heavy Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] hv
• 13th Light Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] md

15th Infantry Division, Genl Karnielov (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• 1st Brigade, Genl Pushkin Inf Regts Vitebsk & Kaslov 5 [ ] [ ] [ ]
• 2nd Brigade, Genl Menpistov Inf Regts Koliman & Kurin 5 [ ] [ ]
• 29th Light Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] md

VI Corps, Genl Scherbatow (CC)

7th Infantry Division, Genl Tallisin (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• 1st Brigade, Genl Kritschnikof Inf Regts Bleskow & Moscow 5 [ ] [ ]
• 2nd Brigade, Genl Augustov Inf Regts Sophia & Liebau 5 [ ] [ ]
• 3rd Brigade, Colonel Dietrich 11th & 36th Jager Regts 5 [ ] [ ]
• 10th Heavy Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] hv
• 28th Light Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] md

18th Infantry Division, Genl Bernodossow (DC) (Exhaustion=3)

• 1st Brigade, Genl Blagovenzento Inf Regts Vladimir & Duepr 5 [ ] [ ]
• 2nd Brigade, Genl Heidrich Inf Regts Lambov & Kostroman 5 [ ] [ ]
• 3rd Brigade, Genl Metscherinov 28th & 32nd Jager Regts 5 [ ] [ ]
• 24th Light Foot Battery 6 [ ] [ ] md

Cavalry Corps, Genl Wassiltschikov (CC)

• 18th Horse Artillery Battery 6 [ ] [ ] md

2nd Hussar Division, Genl Lauskoi (DC) (Exhaustion=1)

• Achtir, Marienpol, White Russia & Alexandria Hus Regts 5 [ ] [ ] lt

3rd Dragoon Division, Genl Pantchoulitcheff (DC) (Exhaustion=1)

• Kurland, Smolensk, Tver & Kinburn Dragoon Regts 5 [ ] [ ] md

Attached Cossack 'Division', Genl Karpov (DC) (Exhaustion=2)

• Karpov II & Sementschenko Cossack Regts 5 [ ] sk/l
• Lukovsin & Kutainikof Cossack Regts 5 [ ] sk/l
• Tchongonieff Uhlan Regt 5 [ ] sk/l

Army of Bohemia (part)

Advance Guard, Genl Pahlen (DC) (Exhaustion=2)

• Hussar Brigade Delanov, Grodno & Sumy Regts 5 [ ] [ ] lt
• Tchougouieff II & Illowaisky XII Cossack Regts 5 [ ] sk/l
• 4th & 34th Jager Regts (part) 5 [ ] sk
• 23rd Horse Artillery Battery (half) 6 [ ] md

Russian Army Notes:

1. Each Russian jager brigade may be split into skirmisher stands.
2. Wassiltschikov's Cavalry Corps. It may be better to dispense with the three div CO's and have just a CC, Exhaustion=4, 2- brigade, 3 skirmisher corps.
3. Key to codes: g = grenadiers present; hv = heavy (either artillery or cavalry); l = lance armed cavalry; lt = light (either artillery or cavalry); md = medium (either artillery or cavalry); pr = poorly trained regulars; st = shock troops
4. Yes its an entirely Russian army commanded by a Prussian.

Russian Deployments:

Olsuvieu, Udom's and Karnielov's Infantry Divisions, 6" to 12" NW of Brienne en route to Brienne. Scherbatow, Tallisin's and Bernodossow's Infantry Divisions, up to 6" E of Brienne, facing E. Wassiltschikov, Pantchoulitcheff's Cavalry Division, 12" to 18" S of Brienne en route to Brienne. AC Blucher in Brienne. Lauskoi's Cavalry Division and Karpov's Cossack 'Division', E of Tallisin and Bernodossow, facing N and SE. Almost on edge of woods. Pahlen's Advance Guard, up to 6" N of Dienville.

If Blucher is in base contact with a unit that is attacked he is lost on a 5 or 6 roll instead of the usual 6. He was famous for enjoying getting his hands dirty.

Russian Orders & Victory Conditions:

Russian orders are to hold both Brienne-Le-Chateau and Chateau Brienne itself and maintain the road open to the south east which is a Line of Communications. If this road is cut for two consecutive turns by the French, the game is considered ended in a French victory as Blucher's supply line is cut and his troops run short of ammunition and must withdraw or be overrun. Inflicting losses on the French is the second object.

If the French take just one of the two settlements it is still a marginal French victory as historically Blucher fell back in the night and did not try to maintain a toehold in the town (the French had taken half of it and the Chateau). Historical anecdote: Blucher did a dry run for Ligny at this battle and was nearly twice captured in Brienne in the after-dark streetfighting.

The Battlefield:

All woods are 'open', the hill is gentle single contour and desultory rain falls all day softening the ground. Due to mud there is no movement advantage from roads.

I strongly recommend Russian players do not read details of these entry points but are told the move *before* French troops are due to arrive that their Cossack picquets report enemy columns advancing "there" (just point vaguely to the top and bottom halves of the E map edge for Duhesme and Victor respectively).

This can be a knife edge game. I've played it twice with a narrow French win both times which is the historical result. The Russians have fewer troops but better artillery. The French attack posture just about negates their numerical superiority. If they can hit the Russians hard early on in the north all the defenders reserves will just about be committed as the flanking attacks arrive. In our second game there was a real hairball over the road S of Brienne. The Russians kept it open (just) but moved enough men away from their N defences that the last French attack of the night took Brienne.

The Map:

This scenario was developed by Martin Soilleux-Cardwell, comments on this scenario can be sent to Martin by email.