Later Louis XIV vs Anglo-Dutch (1690's)

[shadowdragon]

Later Louis XIV French versus War of League of Augsburg Anglo-Dutch
Period 1692-1700

The battle is a hypothetical one using Scenario 4 (Holding Action) from the book Programmed Wargames Scenarios by Charles Grant. I enjoy these scenarios since they force the armies to do things that players, with their bird’s eye view and perfect battlefield knowledge would never do. In this case the scenario’s random generation of overall orders gave the French a very tough task. However, it was closer than the results below suggest.

Overall Situation: The French army under Marshal Luxembourg has defeated an Anglo-Dutch army led by William III. William has decided to delay the advancing and so far victorious French, and has chosen to fight holding some hilly area that lies across the major road that has been the retreat route of the Anglo-Dutch forces. Luxembourg on the other hand is in the full flush of victory and is pressing down the major route brushing aside all opposition to strike at the heart of William’s defeat army before they can rally themselves.

Anglo-Dutch Army
Great Commander – William III
Artillery – 1 X BG Medium Guns (British)

Infantry Commander (TC) – Count of Solms

Dutch Brigade (3,000):
1 X Superior BG Foot – Dutch ‘Blue’ Guards
1 X Average BG Foot – Sturler’s (Swiss) Regiment

British Brigade (3,000)
2 X Average BG Foot – Churchill’s and the Queen Dowager’s Regiments

Hanoverian Brigade (1,500)
1 X Average BG Foot – d’Herleville’s Regiment

Cavalry Commander (TC) – Duke of Ormonde
British Brigade (1.000) – 1 X Average Armoured BG / Wood’s Regiment
Hanoverian Brigade (1,000) – 1 X Average Unarmoured BG / Leib Regiment
Prussian Brigade (1,000) – 1 X Dragoon BG / Leib Dragoon Regiment

Total: 9 BG (11,000)
Points: 582

French Army
Great Commander – Marshal Luxembourg

Advance Guard (3,000)
1 X Superior Carbiniers BG – Listenois Dragoon Regiment
2 X Superior Cavalry (Unarmoured, Impact/Melee Pistol) BG – Condé’s Regiment and the Gendarmerie

Right Flank Guard (1,000) – Comte de Gournay (Troop Commander)
1 X (Dismounted) Dragoon BG – d’Hautefort’s Regiment

Left Flank Guard (1,000) – Prince Conti (Troop Commander)
1 X Superior Cavalry (Unarmoured, Impact/Melee Pistol) BG – Gramont’s Regiment

Main Body (6,000) – Duke of Berwick (Troop Commander)
2 X Medium Artillery BG
1 X Superior Foot BG – Royal Regiment
2 X Average Foot BG – du Biez and Gondrin Regiments
1 X Elite Cavalry BG – Maison du Roi

Total: 11 BG (11,000)
Points: 799 (but effectively only 783 since I forgot the Listenois Dragoons were superior)

Orders:

Anglo-Dutch – defend forward, but only losses of 5 AP are acceptable. Start to withdraw after losing 4 AP.

French – Advance Guard will attack quickly down the main route. The main body will attack on a broad front – probing for weakness. Flank guards will support as appropriate.

An overhead photo of the battlefield is below. The Anglo-Dutch infantry is at the top of the photo, flanking any force that would move down the main road. The Anglo-Dutch cavalry and artillery are on a hill to the other side of the road with the Prussian dragoons forward in a village. The French Advance Guard is just emerging from some woods that are astride the main road, while the flank guards are in support on either side of the woods.



A description of the battle will follow.

Note: the miniatures were originally intended for the War of the Spanish Succession using the Principles of War rules for which the infantry regiments consisted of 12 figures in 3 or 4 bases. I’ve decided to move to FOG:R and extend it to the War of the Spanish Succession. So the regiments of foot have been expanded to 6 bases (18 figures), but I’ve also added a base of pikes so that they can be used for late 17th century forces.

[shadowdragon]

Close up photos of the battle at the start:

Prussian dragoons in the village:


Anglo-Dutch Cavalry and Artillery


Anglo-Dutch Infantry


French Advance and Left Flank Guards


French Right Flank Guard

[shadowdragon]

Course of the Battle

The programmed French orders were tough – a quick advance of the advance guard against an enemy occupying higher ground. As well there were some pesky enemy dragoons in a village to harass the left flank. Since the only immediately available firepower unit was the Listenois dragoon regiment it was sent to screen the village while the Gramont regiment joined the cavalry regiments of the Advance Guard in an attempt to sweep the inferior Anglo-Dutch cavalry off the hill and clear the way. The right flank guard (d’Hautefort Dragoons) were sent to harass the left flank of the Anglo-Dutch foot. William seeing that his cavalry and artillery were in danger of begin isolated from the foot, sent the Dutch brigade forward into a position where they could provide flanking fire on any French troops approach the British artillery on the hill.

The Dutch Brigade moving to close the gap with the cavalry and artillery:



While the above orders might seem suicidal to the French – given the tactical disadvantage of fighting enemy uphill, the French cavalry were more numerous and superior and often a vigorous attack against a defeated enemy is the right thing to do. Note that the Anglo-Dutch army was “fragile”. It would start withdrawing with the loss of just 4 AP. As it turned out, the French captured the British artillery and both the Prussian Dragoons and the Hanoverian foot came within 1 base of being auto-broken. If either event had occurred the capture of the British guns would have initiated an Anglo-Dutch withdrawal. The loss of the Hanoverians, Prussians and artillery would have exceed the maximum of 5 AP and the Anglo-Dutch force would have lost the game.

The French cavalry by-pass the village and leave the Listenois dragoons to cover their flank. The Listenois dragoons got the first kill in, eliminating one base of Prussian dragoons. However, the Prussians got the next two kills and auto-broke the Listenois dragoons – which is because, in the busy holiday time, I forgot that the Listenois was purchased as “superior” and not “average” carabiniers. It’s possible this mistake cost the French their victory.



On the other flank, d’Hautefort Dragoons engage the Anglo-Dutch foot. The dragoons destroy two bases of the Hanoverian BG before Churchill’s regiment turns to provide extra firepower support. Again, the next kills are against the dragoons who are auto-broken.




Meanwhile, the French Main Body arrives. However, other than a few artillery shots and an exchange musketry fire with the Prussians they don’t take any other part in the fight.



The deciding combat, was the cavalry battle. Condé’s Regiment took the brunt of the artillery fire, losing one base. Later they would lose another base to combined fire of the British artillery and the Dutch Guards before they would charge and capture the British guns. Along with part (1 base) of Condé’s Regiment, the Gendarmerie charge Wood’s Horse. Gramont’s regiment moves up to provide overlap support, but the combined tactical advantage of being uphill and with armour proves too much for the French. Condé’s Regiment loses a base and is destroyed. The Gendarmerie also lose a base. Wood loses nothing. The next turn the Hanoverians charge Gramont’s regiment, which loses a base in melee as do the Gendarmerie. The following turn the Gendarmerie is destroyed and Gramont the turn after. The Dutch Guard also recaptures the guns. Having lost 5 BG, the game was essentially over.



I will re-do the battle with different orders, which are that, except for eliminating isolated positions (e.g., the Prussians) or seizing high ground if the opportunity presents itself, the French will wait for the Main Body to deploy before their main assault. However, the Anglo-Dutch army will be tougher in defence. They will not start to withdraw until they have lost 6 AP and can accept losses of 7 AP. Plus, the more deliberate deployment means the French will have less time for their attack to succeed as the Anglo-Dutch intention is to “delay” and not “defeat” the French.