After losing 8:1 as the Allies at Waterloo, Evert demanded a re-match and I was happy to oblige.
Initial manoeuvres by the French army on both wings produced a volley from the Dutch-Belgian Light infantry in Papelotte that all but destroyed the approaching French Line. With Light cavalry looming into sight behind Papelotte, the French Line retired, Light cavalry taking their place to deter their opposite numbers. The Young Guard moved into the woods to engage the troops in Papelotte, causing some casualties.
However, the Dutch-Belgian Light cavalry was undeterred by the French horsemen and trotted into the thick of the French troops. They attacked what was left of the Line unit, but the infantry formed a square that the cavalry just bounced off. In contrast, the Light infantry in Papelotte continued their sharp shooting to all but eliminate the French Light cavalry.
The response from a fresh French Line unit and the Young Guard was a concerted volley that drove back the Allied cavalry and finished off the Lights in Papelotte. {And the score is 1:0 to me.} At the same time, the French Horse artillery and Light infantry attacked Hougoumont on the (French) left flank, driving out the British Light infantry.
With Dutch-Belgian Line in support, the British Light infantry countered, all but eliminating their counterparts in the woods next to Hougoumont. In turn, French Line and the Horse artillery engaged the British Lights. The fighting that followed saw what was left of the British Light Infantry make a hasty retreat while Dutch-Belgian Line occupied Hougoumont and wiped out the French Horse artillery. {That's 1:1}
While the skirmishing continued on the (French) left, all the French infantry in the centre advanced under General d'Erlon. After an exchange of fire, the French advanced again. One unit battered the British Line infantry under General Picton while the Old Guard attacked La Haye Sainte, driving out the British troops and occupying it. A fierce attack by British Line (led by Gen Hill), Rifles and artillery eliminated the Old Guard (!), but Gen Picton's men also went down as they tried to see off their attackers. The General retired to the safety of the cavalry in the rear. {Two "Force March" cards got the French centre across the valley to mix it with the Allied infantry. And the score's 2:2}
Fixing bayonets, the French Line charged up the hills, destroying two Line infantry units - one British, one Dutch=Belgian - but losing one unit in the process. {Yes, I had "Bayonet Charge" as well - 4:3 now.}
Two Dutch-Belgian Line infantry came back at the French in the centre, forcing one unit to retreat into La Haye Sainte. From here the Line infantry finished off the British Line under Gen Hill with help from the muskets of French Line advancing on their left, while the French Guard cavalry advanced in the centre. Gen Hill escaped to another British infantry unit. {With a banner for holding La Haye Sainte, that's 6:3}
The Dutch-Belgians pressed their attack in the centre, removing the infantry under d'Erlon - the General withdrew to join the Guard cavalry. {6:4}
With the French infantry hard pressed in the centre, the cavalry charged. The Guards got in amongst the Dutch-Belgian Line infantry on the hills. Light cavalry attacked Hougoumont, driving out the Dutch-Belgians holding it and seizing the farmhouse. And the Cuirassiers hit the British Line under Gen Hill outside La Haye Sainte, eliminating them even as they formed square and killing Hill into the bargain. {Yes, a "Cavalry Charge" finishes the battle 8:4.}
That may well be a victory for the French, but they have been battered, with five of their surviving units having just one block left (three of them carefully retreated to the baseline). Admittedly, the Allies had three one-block units, but they had more full-strength units left on the field.
I certainly had some useful cards there, allowing me to make a full-scale attack in the centre. My previous games have seen most of the fighting on the flanks and in the gap in the hills between Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. The usual artillery duel was missing, too. And the Allied cavalry didn't get into the fight, apart from that initial attack.
Pevans