A.C.E. 2/ACE CD 2.iso/CD01BITS/FOGLORYD.LHA/FieldsOfGlory.doc

Text File | 1995-04-19 | 164KB | 3,647 lines

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     .                       »»»» PRESENTS ««««

                                FIELDS OF GLORY
                                ===============
                                              TYPED BY SHARD - N&B


Fields  of  Glory  brings  to  life the fire and fury of Napoleon's last
battles  in  an  exciting  and  innovative  way.   This game puts you in
command  as  no  other  game has ever done before.  All the action takes
place  right  before  your eyes.  Your troops, horses and guns march and
fight  across  an accurate landscape.  Cannon and musket smoke erupts as
your  troops  fire  and  engage in close combat.  But Fields of Glory is
more  than  just a graphical representation of Napoleonic warfare, it is
also highly playable and historically accurate.

The  ability  to  issue  orders at different levels of command, lets you
direct  the  overall  course  of the battle through your generals, while
giving you the opportunity to become closely involved in the fighting at
strategic  points.  Your generals are influenced by their personalities,
military  expertise  and  their  ability  to  inspire their troops.  The
historical  accuracy  present  in this game is second to none, but it is
within the extensive database that the meticulous research that provides
the background of the game is fully realised.

By  playing  Fields  of  Glory you can change history and experience the
excitement  of leading your troops to victory.  The vital decisions that
shape  the  course  of  battles are yours to make.  Your tactical skills
will be stretched to the utmost as you do battle on the Fields of Glory!


David Chandler


GAME OVERVIEW
-------------

In  1815  Napoleon  from exile on the island of Elba, returned to France
and made his way to Paris in triumph.  His disbanded troops took up arms
and  flocked  to  his  colours.   The defeated ruler of Europe was, once
again,  Emperor  of  France.    The  Allies were taken by surprise.  The
master  military tactician was back!  The Anglo-Allied army commanded by
the  Duke  of  Wellington was based in Belgium, he would have to combine
forces  with Bluchers Prussians to defeat Napoleon.  The Emperor marched
north  to  drive  a wedge between the two armies.  The battle lines were
drawn for the Waterloo Campaign.

Fields  of  Glory launches you into this moment in history.  It lets you
lead  the  Anglo  Allied, French or Prussian army into battle; by taking
command  at  army,  corps,  division  or  brigade level the unique Close
quarters  Combat  System  pitches  you  into  the  excitement of furious
battles  waged in a tense 'against-the clock' atmosphere.  Watch cavalry
charges,  infantry forming squares to beat them off, buildings destroyed
by  cannon  fire  and all the carnage of nineteenth century warfare.  In
addition, Fields of Glory carries out your command decisions quickly and
effortlessly with the user friendly point-and click windowing interface.

Fields  of Glory includes a stunning and comprehensive Waterloo Campaign
Database  enabling  you to view, at a glance at any point in the battle,
the status of all your troops and a biography of all your generals - all
depicted in glorious colour.

Experience  the grandeur, splendour and excitement of Napoleonic warfare
in  battles  ranging  from  fictional  small  engagements  to  the  huge
historically  accurate  conflicts  of  Waterloo  and Ligny, through five
levels of realism.  Watch your troops fight in close up on the isometric
battlefield or select wider tactical views.

MicroProse  brings  you the sights, the sounds, the scale, the sweep and
colour of the Waterloo Campaign in one exciting game; Fields of Glory.

THIS MANUAL

The  manual  contains all reference information to help you enjoy Fields
of  Glory  to the full.  It contains general information relevant to all
computer  systems.    Specific details on Keys, Installation and Loading
will  be  found  in  the Technical Supplement included in your Fields of
Glory package.  The manual is divided into the following sections:

A  First Battle Guide to take you into the fictional battle of Nivelles.
Its  purpose  is  to  get  you used to the Close quarters Combat System.
Here is your first 'whiff of grapeshot'!

A  Game  Options  section  follows  with  full  reference information on
conducting the battle: selecting and deploying troops and issuing orders
at all levels of command.

A  brief  outline  of  Combat  Tactics  and  Troop Formations.  Use this
section  to  gather  information  on  where  to move troops and, in what
formation, for maximum effect.

A  Campaign  Database section with details on how to access and use this
unique game feature quickly and effectively.

A section on Weapons used during the campign.

A  section  on  What  Actually Happened?  Compare what you have done, or
hope to do, with real events.  Can you learn from others' mistakes?

SORTING THE MATERIALS

Your  Fields  of  Glory  package  contains  this  Manual,  a   Technical
Supplement, all Battle Maps and a set of disks to run the game.

THE CONTROLS

The Mouse Controller
Fields of Glory was designed to be used with a mouse controller.

Keyboard Controls
The  keyboard  can  be  used to emulate certain mouse commands.  See the
Technical Supplement for details.

Selecting Options
This  manual  will  refer  to  selecting  options;  you  will do this by
pressing  the  specified  mouse button: Left Mouse Button (LMB) or Right
Mouse Button (RMB).

Position the pointer over an 'action area' and press the LMB.

The  manual  will  also  mark any Action to be carried out by the player
with a 'bullet point' (.) as above.

When  you  are  in  the  Database  the RMB will always return you to the
previous screen.

THE POINTERS

The Sword Pointer
This  is  the  standard  pointer.  It can be positioned over the 'action
areas' before selecting a series of options.

The Target Pointer
When  selecting  a  position  to  move a unit to, the sword pointer will
change into a cross target shape.

Click  once  on  the  chosen battle screen position with your Left Mouse
Button (LMB).

The Artillery Target Pointer
When selecting a target for the artillery, the sword pointer will change
into a cannon ball shape.

Click  once  on  the  chosen battle screen position with your Left Mouse
Button (LMB).

The Magnifying Glass Pointer
When  zooming-in  on  a  battle  screen,  the  pointer  will change to a
magnifying glass icon.

Position  this on the area where you wish to zoom-in and select with the
LMB.

The Move Pointer
If  a Unit's Order Box is obscuring an area of the battle screen you can
easily move it to another location.

Position  the pointer on the gold band at the top of the open box.  Hold
down  the  LMB  and  move  the  mouse.  The box will move to your chosen
position.

THE BATTLE GUIDE
----------------

This  section  is an introductory guide to the Battle of Nivelles played
at  the  lowest  level  of  realism.    Fields of Glory is like no other
computer game and so this tutorial is recommended for all players.

GETTING STARTED

Install  and  load  Fields  of  Glory  as  detailed  in  your  Technical
Supplement.

After  the  opening  sequences  you will be taken to the Copy Protection
Screen.  Enter the correct word from the manual using the page reference
given.

Main Menu Screen
The  Main  Menu  Screen  allows  you  to select a previously Saved Game,
Select  a  New  Game,  view  the  Database  and configure a list of game
options.

For the purposes of this guide, simply select a New Game.

Select Battle Screen
The  Select  Battle  Screen  shows  the  four  historical battles of the
Waterloo Campaign:

Quatre Bras           Wavre
Ligny                 Waterloo

plus two fictional battles:

Nivelles              Wagnee

Select  Nivelles  (by  positioning  the pointer on Nivelles and clicking
with the LMB).

Select Army Screen
The  Select  Army  Screen  lets you choose the army you wish to command.
These choices conform to historical limitations so, for instance, Quatre
Bras  has  the  Anglo-  Allies  versus  the  French  while Wavre has the
Prussians versus the French.

Select the French.

Realism Level Screen
The Realism Level Screen offers the following choice:

Conscript:  A very forgiving mode for the novice.  Good for getting used
to  battlefield  formations,  movement  and  the  effects of positioning
military units.

Regular:  A  slightly more realistic level that gives your opposing army
more intelligence and makes the geography of the battlefield a factor.

Vetern: A good level for the competent player.

Elite:  For  the  experienced  player, not to be undertaken by the noice
unless he wants to be destroyed by the opposition.

Guard:  Extremely  difficult  to  win.    The  tactics  employed by your
computer  opponent  will  match  the  brilliance  of  the   three   army
commanders.

Select Conscript.

Deployment Options
You  enter the Main Battle Screen at the Four Mile Map Level and will be
given  your  Deployment  Options.   These options give you the chance to
deploy troops in any particular battle from three options:

Historical:  An  historical  starting point for your battle.  All troops
are  positioned  by  the  program on the battlefield in their historical
starting positions.  This deployment will alwavs remain the same.

Non-Historical: A suggested non-historical deployment of all troops with
the  further  option  to  re-deploy  just  your own side within your Own
Deployment Area (ODA).

Free-deployment: This option displays the historical starting points for
both  sides  but  allows  you  to  re deploy ALL troops within realistic
limits  (for instance, you are not allowed to deploy behind the enemy).
You may only re-deploy within your ODA.

For this Guide, select Historical Deployment.

Once  you  have finished these selections you will be ready to fight the
battle.

Fighting the Battle

Note  that  a  Brigade is the smallest unit you can control in Fields of
Glory.  However, in the Prussian Army a Division is called a Brigade and
a Brigade is called a Regiment.

Command Structure

             Army      --
                          |
             Corps     --
                          | -- In Game Units
             Division  --
                          |
             Brigade   --

             Regiment

             Battalion

             Company

In general, 2 to 5 Brigades make up a Division, 2 or more Divisions make
up a Corps and 2 or more Corps make up an Army.

Main Battle Screen
You will see the Main Battle Screen at the Four Mile Map Level.  Troops,
Flags and cannons will be visible.

Move  your mouse pointer around the screen and then place it on the Maps
menu on the top right of the screen.

Selecting things from Menus can be done in two ways:

The  LMB  will  open  the  menu  as  long  as  the  LMB is kept pressed.
Highlight your choice and release.

Selecting  with  the  RMB  will  leave  the  menu open until a choice is
highlighted and selected with the LMB.

Zoom-Out
Select  Maps  by  pressing the RMB.  The Menu will stay open.  Highlight
and  select Zoom-Out with the LMB.  You will now see the Eight Mile Map.
This will only show Command Flags.

Zoom-In
Return  to the Four Mile Map Screen by selecting the Zoom-in option from
the  Map  Menu.   Position the Magnifying Glass pointer in the centre of
the screen and press the LMB.

Zoom  in once again repeating the above procedure.  Place the pointer on
a  unit  of troops and select with the LMB.  You will enter the One Mile
Map view of those troops; formations, commanders on horseback, limbered/
unlimbered cannon are all clearly visible at this level.

Map  Scrolling;  You will not see all of the One, Four or Eight Mile Map
on  screen  at  one  time  but  will  have to scroll around it using the
pointer and RMB.

Position  the pointer at one edge of the visible map then press the RMB.
The  map  will  scroll  in that direction.  When it stops scrolling, you
have reached the limit of the battle map.

Return  to the Four Mile Map Screen.  It's from this point that you will
fight your first battle.

Study Your Position
Scroll  around  the  map to view the geography of the battle area.  Note
carefully  the  position  of  troops,  artillery, cavalry, hills, woods,
roads, towns and rivers.

Study the position held by the enemy troops.  Where has the enemy placed
his cavalry and his cannon?

The  Commanders  Flags:  In  general,  the  larger  the  flag,  the more
important the commander.

Select the largest French flag.

A  Command  Orders  box  will  pop up showing details of the commander's
name, his portrait, his command unit operational order and status.

The  Command  Orders  box  lets you issue orders to the troops under his
command or to just the commander.

You  can  also  view  the  database  by  selecting  the  portrait of the
commander.  Don't do this now!

Close the Command Orders Box by clicking on the closing gadget (top left
corner)  and  carefully  select  the  centre of the group of troops just
below the large flag.

A  Brigade  Orders  box  will  pop  up with the name of the Brigade (1st
Brigade 1/13/IV), its formation (Column), its movement orders (Holding),
its status (Formed) and a Portrait of a troop member.

You can access the Database by selecting the portrait Don't do this now!


Giving Orders

Keep the Brigade Orders Box open.  Select the Holding movement order (by
highlighting  'Holding'  and  pressing  the  LMB).  The Brigade Movement
Orders box will open to give you the choice of:

Assault            Deploy
Hold               Withdraw

Select  deploy  (by highlighting 'deploy' and pressing the LMB) and move
the  pointer  to  just below the clump of trees to the side of the large
flag.  You will notice that the pointer has changed to the Target shaped
icon.  Position it carefully and select with the LMB.

The unit will form up and begin to move to the chosen position.

Zoom-In (see above) on this unit to watch their progress.

Messages: When that position is reached by the troops you will receive a
pop-up message from their commander.

Read the message carefully.

The left hand icon button on the sheet closes the window and returns you
to  the  battle.   The commander/unit that issued the message will flash
for  a few seconds.  The right hand icon button simply closes the pop up
window.

Return  to  the  Four  Mile Map (Zoom Out) and examine the enemy forces.
Check for any movement or action.

Moving  a division: In the same way as you ordered troops to deploy, you
can move a whole division.

(if  you're  confused about what a division is see the beginning of this
section).

Scroll to the right of the battlemap.

Select  the Cavalry Flag.  The Command Orders box will open.  This gives
you control of the 6th Cavalry Division.

Select  the  Portrait  (Maurin) to view the Database.  Don't worry about
the  battle - the action will freeze until you close all pop-up windows.

When  you  are in the Database you will see details of the commander and
all  of his command including the number of troops.  For more details on
the database, consult the section later on in this manual.

Select  the  Crossed  Swords  Icon.  You will return to the battle.  The
Cavalry  Flag  will flash for several seconds to allow you to locate the
commander.

Select the flag again to open the Command Orders box.

Select Holding with the LMB and the Movement Orders box will pop up.

Select  Deploy and position the Target pointer just past the bend in the
road.

The  whole  division  will  form up and move to that point and a message
will appear when they have successfully achieved that objective.

Commanding Artillery Units

Position the pointer at the base of the cannon (marked) and select.  The
Battery Orders box will open.  This shows:

Limbered    -  Hooked up to horses and ready to move
Unlimbered  -  Ready to fire

The current Movement Order (Advance, Back-Up, Halt)

The Target Order to select an enemy position and fire.

The Status of the Unit (Formed, Routed, Disordered)

Highlight  Holding and select Advance in the Movement Orders box.  Place
the Target pointer an inch in front of the cannon (2 cm) and select.

If  the box obscures your view you can drag it out of the way by placing
the  pointer  on  the  bar at the top of the box selecting with the LMB,
holding it down and dragging the box to a more conveinient position.

The  unit  will now move to that point.  Note that the speed of movement
depends on the realism level chosen.

Select  Target  and  place  the  Cannon  Ball  pointer  on  the  nearest
concentration of enemy troops.  Press the LMB.

The  artillery  unit will try to fire at the enemy.  If they are 'Out of
Range' or 'Out of the Line of Sight' you will be given a message to that
effect.  Press the LMB to close the message.

The artillery unit range will vary depending on the type of guns in that
unit.    For  details on the number and type of guns you can consult the
Database (see the Database section in the manual).

Make  sure the Battery Order box is open.  Select the portrait (position
the  pointer  on  the  picture and press the LMB) to enter the Database.
Once  inside  the  Database  select  the  central portrait again to view
specific information including a biography.

You  will  see  details  of  the  Artillery Unit including the number of
guns/howitzers.    Note  that each artillery unit in Fields of Glory has
historically  accurate  equipment  and  that if a cannon is a 12 pounder
(lb) it will have a greater range than a 6 pounder (lb).

Select  with the RMB to return to the main Database screen.  Then select
the  Crossed  Swords  icon  to  return  to  the Main Battle Screen.  The
artillery  unit  (a cannon) will flash for a moment to remind you of its
position.

If  you  have followed the above introduction you should have controlled
the  basics  of  Fields  of  Glory.    You  can  zoom  in and out of the
battlefield,  issue commands, move artillery, infantry and cavalry units
and consult the Database.  Now, you are advised to begin an attack.

A  Suggested  Opening  Attack:  How do you begin?  This manual will only
give  you  a starting off point.  It cannot guide you through a complete
battle  because  Fields  of  Glory games are more complex than any chess
game  and  with  a  greater  combination  of moves.  This is a suggested
opening  series of manoeuvres.  Obviously the rest of the battle will be
a reaction to enemy tactics.

You are advised to consult the combat tactics section in this manual for
basic  Napoleoic War strategies and to read the What Actually Happened?
section  of  this  manual.    These  two  sections  are invaluable as an
introduction to manoeuvring on a battlefield.

Nivelles  is a fictional battle in Fields of Glory that might have taken
place.    It is the simplest battle, with the two opposing forces facing
each  other  almost  in  a  line.    If you succeed in scoring a victory
(announced by the Staff Officer's Report) you may wish to fight Nivelles
again  but this time choose to re-deploy your troops in what you feel is
a better and more advantageous position.

You  may wish to re-deploy the enemy troops or switch sides and take the
side  of  the  Anglo-Allies.   Fields of Glory allows you a multitude of
options just within one simple battle, imagine the options you will have
when you tackle Waterloo!

Note  that all battles in Fields of Glory take place against the clock.
If you do not act, the enemy will sieze the advantage.

GAME OPTIONS
------------

This  section  contains full reference information on starting the game,
conducting  a battle, deploying troops, and issuing orders at all levels
of command.

Main Menu Screen
The Main Menu Screen has the following options:

Start New Game
Select to begin a new game.

Load Saved Game
Select to continue a prevously saved game.

View Database
View the Database for the French, Anglo Allied and Prussian armies

Select Battle

Nivelles
A  fictional  battle  that allows you to get used to the game.  Here you
can  experiment  with  basic tactical manoeuvres without having to worry
about  things  happening  out of your control.  Although Fields of Glory
will  fight  the battle for you during complex tactical manoeuvres, this
battle lets you move your forces almost like a game of chess.

Army Commanders:

Anglo-Allied  William of Orange, HRH The Prince of
              Orange, Commander 1st Army Corps.
French        Maurice Etieme Gerard
              Commander of 4th Corps.

Wagnee
Another fictional battle but of more complexity than Nivelles.

Army Commanders:

Prussian      Gebhard Leberecht Von Blucher, Prince
              of Wahlstadt. Field Marshall, Commander
              of the Prussian Army.
French        Marquis Emmanuel de Grouchy Marshal
              of France, Commander of Right Wing.

Quatre Bras
Based on the real battle using historical deployments, 16th June 1815.

Army Commanders:

Anglo-Allied   Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
               Field Marshal, Commander Anglo-
               Allied Army.
French         Michel Ney, Price of Moscova
               Marshal of France, Commander of Left
               Wing.

Ligny
Based on the real battle using historical deployments 16th June 1815.

Army Commanders:

Prussian       Gebhard Leberecht Von Blucher,
               Prince of Wahlstadt. Field Marshall
               Commander of Prussian Army.
French         Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
               Commander of L'Armee du Nord

Wavre
Based on the real battle using historical deployments, 18th June 1815.

Army Commanders:

Prussian       Gebhard Leherecht Von Blucher,
               Price of Wahlstadt.
               Field Marshal, Commander of
               Prussian Army.
French         Emmanuel de Grouchy, Marquis.
               Marshal of France, Commander of
               Right Wing.

Waterloo
Based on the real battle using historical deployments, 18th June 1815.

Army Commanders:

French         Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
               Commander L'Armee du Nord.
Prussian       Gebhard Leberecht Von Blucher,
               Prince of Wahlstadt. Field Marshal,
               Commander of Prussian Army.
Anglo-Allied   Arthur Welleslcy, Duke of Wellington
               Field Marshal, Commander Anglo-
               Allied Army.

Select Army

Select which side you wish to control in your chosen battle:

Nivelles          French versus Anglo-Allies
Wagnee            French versus Prussians
Quatre Bras       French versus Anglo Allies
Ligny             French versus Prussians
Wavre             French versus Prussians
Waterloo          French versus Anglo Allies

Note that the Prussian army will appear at Waterloo as an added resource
controlled  by  the  computer.  If you are on the Anglo-Allied side, you
can  adjust  your  tactics to benefit from this resource.  If you are on
the  French  side  you  will  have  to  react  to  the appearance of the
Prussians trying to join up with Wellington.

Select the Realism Level

These  options  give  you a chance to choose a level of realism from the
following:

Conscript
A  very  forgiving mode for the novice player.  Good for getting used to
battlefield formations, movement and the effects of positioning military
units.

Regular
A  slightly  more  realistic  level  that  gives your opposing army more
intelligence and makes the geography of the battlefield a factor.

Veteran
A good level for the capable player.

Elite
For the experienced player, not to be undertaken by the novice unless he
wants his troops to be quickly destroyed on the battlefield.

Guard
Extremely  difficult  to  win.    The  tactics employed by your computer
opponent will match the brilliance of the three army commanders.

Troop Deployment Menus

Before  you  begin  any  battle you'll be given the option to place your
forces  in positions of your own choosing or accept pre-set deployments.

The Menus will show the following information in Deploy Mode:

Deploy Menu

Save  Game:  Highlight  and Select to save the game at this stage.  This
option  allows  you to save a deployed position, so that you can restore
your favourite deployment for each battle.

Start Game: Highlight and Select to begin the game.

Abort: Return to initial Deploy Option Screen.

Show Menu
A  battle map can become quite crowded with symbols so for clarity, when
deploying  units/commanders,  the Show Menu allows the player to see, in
isolation, individual troop types, commander types and nationalities.

Highlight  and  select  to  turn on or off the following from the battle
map:

Army Commanders          Division Commanders
Wing Commanders          Brigade marked positions
Corps Commanders

Infantry                 Artillery
Cavalry

All Anglo-Allied Forces All Prussian Forces All French Forces

Options Menu
Place  Troops  On/Off:  This  option enables high level commanders to be
deployed on the battlefield with all the troops they are commanding

Maps Menu
Zoom-In:  Highlight  Zoom-In  then move the pointer out of the Unit Box.
The  pointer will turn into a magnifying glass.  Place over the area you
wish to zoom-in and select You can only zoom-in one level at a time.

Zoom-Out:  Highlight and select Zoom-out.  You will move up one level at
a time.

Units Deployment Box
When  you  are in Deploy Mode, you will be able to select Flags or units
of troops and this will open up the Units Deployment box.

The  Units  Deployment Box allows you to examine troop/commander details
in the Database, view organizational details, move units, change the way
they are facing and select troop formations.

Portrait
A  picture  of  a  Troop  member  or  Commander  -  Select to access the
Database.

Unit Name
Brigade    Corps/Division

Mode
Move  Unit: When in this mode, move the pointer out of the box and place
in  the  chosen  position.   The pointer will change to the Target icon.
Select  with  the  LMB,  The troops will appear at the selected position
instantly and the Box will close automatically.

Change  Facing:  When  in this mode, move the pointer out of the box and
place  in  the  chosen  position.  The pointer will change to the Target
icon.    Select with the LMB.  The troops will swivel round and face the
selected position and the Box will close automatically.

Type of Formation
This presents a sub menu.  Highlight and select to change the formation.

Note that units will only adopt correct formations for their troop type.
For  instance,  only  French  infantry can adopt a Mixed formation; only
Light Infantry can adopt a Skirmish formation.

The  formation options will vary depending on troop type.  If the option
does not appear it is historically incorrect for that unit to adopt that
formation.  For more information consult the Troop Formations Section in
this manual.

Infantry:
Column         Square
Line           Mixed
Skirmish

Cavalry:
Column         Line

Artillery:
Limber         Unlimber

Close  the Units Deployment Box by selecting the 'closing gadget' in its
top left corner, or select the LMB anywhere outside the Units Deployment
Box.

The Main Battle Screens

Background
The  Main  Battle  Screen  is where all the Close Quarters Combat System
action takes place.  It can be viewed at three map levels.

Battlefield  Four Mile Map: You will enter the Main Battle Screen at the
Four  Mile Map level.  This means that the distance from one edge of the
screen  to the other represents about four miles.  You can go to the One
Mile  battle  screen  or  the  tactical Eight Mile Map view by selecting
Zoom-In and Zoom out functions in the Map Window.

Scrolling the Map: At all levels there are more parts to the battlefield
then  you  can see on the screen.  You can scroll around the battlefield
by  moving  the sword pointer to the edge of the screen and holding down
the RMB.

The Menus
The  Menus  at  the top of the screen can be accessed by positioning the
pointer  over  the  menu  name and selecting with the LMB.  Keep the LMB
pressed, highlight and release to select.

Alternatively,  press the RMB to keep the menu open.  Select with LMB or
close by clicking on the map with the LMB.

The Game Menu
This menu has the following items accessible:

Restart:  Select  if  you want to begin a new game.  Restart will return
you  to  the beginning of a historical deployment or to the point before
deployment if you are using non historical deployment.

New Game: Select to return to the Main Menu Screen.

Save Game: Save the Game and then continue the current battle.

Auto  Save  (minutes):  Select to implement the Auto Save function.  You
may also choose to turn Auto Save off.  You are recommended to save your
battles regularly in case something goes wrong with your tactics.

Realism  Level  Chosen: This displays the difficulty level chosen during
the game start up.

Game  Speed:  Select  a  game  speed  that  suits your tactical decision
making.  Select from:

 Slow     Normal   Fast

Sounds On/Off: Select to turn battle sounds on or off.

Music On/Off: Select to turn the game music on or off.

Pause  On/Off:  Select  to  freeze the game.  Select again to resume the
game.    You  can  still scroll around the map and enter the Database in
this mode but the game time will remain frozen,

Quit Game: Selecting this option will give you a choice to:

Save  and  Quit  to  the  Operating  System
Quit to the Operating System
Continue the Game

The Database Menu
In  any  battle  you  will  only  be  able  to  view   the participating
troop/commander  Databases.   If you want to examine the entire Database
select this option from the Main Menu.

The Information Menu
The Messages option will show a sub-menu giving the following options:

Last Message Received       -   View the last message
Brigade Messages on/off     -   Toggle Brigade Level messages
Division Messages on/off    -   Toggle Division Level messages
Corps/Wing Messages on/off  -  Toggle Corps/Wing Level messages

Messages  will  be  displayed  in  a large pop up box on the Main Battle
Screen.    The  box includes two buttons: the left button returns you to
the  Battle  Screen  with the message sender highlighted (flashing); the
right  button  closes the window.  The box, like all the window boxes in
Fields  of  Glory can also be closed by clicking on the 'closing gadget'
in the top left hand corner.

Clock  and  Date On/Off: The time and date will appear on the top bar of
the Main Battle Screen.

Note  that  all  battles take pace 'against the clock'.  Act quickly and
decisively.

Maps Menu
Zoom  In:  Highlight Zoom-In, then move the pointer out of the drop down
menu.    The  pointer will turn into a magnifying glass.  Place over the
area you wish to zoom-in and select.

Zoom-Out: Highight and select zoom-out.  You will move up one level at a
time.

You can only zoom-in/out a single level at a time.  Repeat the operation
to zoom a further level.

Battlefield Map Details

The  battlefield  map  includes details of terrain, hills, roads, towns,
buildings, rivers, bridges and woods.  Take time to familiarize yourself
with  the  geographical  location:  it's  the combination of terrain and
tactics that wins battles!

The Command Flags
Command  Flags are used to identify commanders and act as 'action areas'
for  accessing Orders Boxes.  Apart from the One Mile Map level, all map
scales repeat the same graphic information:

Infantry Commanders Flags are rectangular

Cavalry Flags are pennants

All Corps Commanders Flags are tinged with gold.

All Divisional Commanders Flags are plain

The One Mile Map
This  level of map displays Brigade flags as parts of the brigade unit.
All  commanders  are  shown  as mounted figures with colour coded horses
indicating the command level differences.

Commander             Horse Colour

Napoleon              White
Wellington            Chestnut
Blucher               White

Wing (French only)    White

Infantry Troops       Grey
Cavalry Troops        Grey

Infantry Division     Black
Cavalry Division      Black

                      Graphic

Brigade               Troops plus Flag
Artillery             Guns, Horses and Limber unit

Other Map Scales (Four Mile, Eight Mile)
Flags  are  used  to  show  commanders at all map scales.  The flags are
sorted  by size and type with special flags for the army commanders.  No
brigade flags are shown at this scale, only troops and guns.

You can also select enemy troops/commanders on the various maps but this
will  only  inform  you  who they are.  You will have full access to the
Database,  except  where you are playing at the higher levels (Elite and
Guard)  but,  obviously,  you  have no control over military orders.  In
addition  at Waterloo, if you are on the Anglo Allied side, you will not
be able to command the Prussian troops.

Map Scale     Command      Graphic

Eight Mile    Army         Flag
              Wing         Flag
              Corps        Flag
              Division     Flag

Four Mile     Army         Flag
              Wing         Flag
              Corps        Flag
              Division     Flag
              Brigade      Troops
              Artillery    Gun

Moving Troops Around the Battlefield

Issuing Orders

Command Orders (Four Mile and Eight Mile Maps)

Position the sword pointer over an appropriate flag.

Select with the LMB.

A Command Orders Box will open (see illustration below)

Highlight  Operational  Orders to see a sub menu with appropriate orders
for that unit.

Assault:  Use this order as an all out attack on a selected enemy unit.
But  use  with  caution!    Units  close  with the enemy and enter melee
(hand-to-hand)  combat.    Infantry will attempt to fire a volley before
closing in with fixed bayonets

Hold:  Units are ordered to Hold the current position occupied by them.
This  order will also change the facing of the troops by positioning the
pointer  in  the  direction you wish them to face and selecting with the
LMB.

Deploy: Use this order to make all your tactical moves.  For instance if
you  wish  to  display  to the enemy that you are strong on one flank so
that  he  moves troops away from other parts of the battlefield.  Troops
will  move  at  normal  speed  to  effective  weapon  range and make any
formation/direction  changes deemed necessary for successful deployment.

Position  the  target  pointer  where  you wish to deploy the troops and
select  with  the  LMB.  The unit will move there taking the appropriate
time considering terrain and other obstacles.

Withdraw:  Use this order to draw the enemy out of position or to remove
your  troops  from  a  difficult situation.  Units will disengage from a
Hold/  Assault/Deploy  order and withdraw while keeping their formations
intact.  Units withdraw to the selected point.

Highlight an operational order and select it with the LMB.

Brigade Orders (Four Mile Map)

Position the pointer in the centre of a troop unit.

Select with the LMB.

A Brigade Orders Box will open (see illustration above).

An  appropriate  formation  can be selected from the following that will
appear in a sub-menu (if applicable).

Infantry Formations

Lie:  Infantry  units  advance upon each other in line and when in range
fire  volleys.    Line  formation gives the maximum number of soldiers a
chance  to  fire  and  a  well  ordered force can destroy the opposition
swiftly.

Column: Developed to control a conscripted army that lacked the training
to  manoeuvre in Line, Column formation is deeper and not as wide as Lie
formation.    It  is  easier  to  maintain this formation and it is more
effective  in close combat but it's more vulnerable to volley and cannon
fire.

Skirmish: To reduce the enemy's firing effectiveness, light infantry can
be  used  as a screen in Skirmish formation.  They are harder to hit but
more vulnerable to close combat attack.

Do  not  confuse  the Skirmish formation that can only be given to light
infantry  with the Skirmishers that all Infantry Units automatically put
out.

Square:  A formation that is used as a defence against cavalry.  It is a
hollow  square  with  troops  about  four  ranks  deep pointing bayonets
outwards.  Troops in a Square can fire volleys against attacking cavalry
in the knowledge that they will not be charged down or attacked from the
flank or the rear.

Mixed:  A French brigade formation in which the battalions in the centre
are  in  Line  while  battalions  on  the  two ends are in Column.  This
formation  benefits  from the extra firepower of a Lie formation and the
greater effectiveness of a Column formation in close quarters combat.

Cavalry Formations:

Cavalry can be ordered to adopt Column or Line formation.

Operational Orders:

Highlight  the  Operational  Order  and  Select  to see a sub- menu with
appropriate orders for that unit such as:

Assault        Deploy
Hold           Withdraw

Highlight  an  operational  order  and  select  it  with  the  LMB.   If
neccessary,  you  will  have  to select a position for this action to be
carried  out  with  the  target pointer.  The order will then be carried
out.    If  the  action  is  in  the  process  of being carried out, the
Operational  Order  will  give  you  that  information   (for   instance
'Deploying').

Troop Status

The Status Information will show one of three conditions:

Formed:  The  troops  are formed into an effective unit and are ready to
recieve orders from their Commander.

Disordered:  The  troops  are in the process of forming up, they are not
yet a fully effective unit.  Troops can become disordered in the face of
enemy  action or when crossing rough terrain, rivers etc.  They can give
orders.

Routed:  This means thatthe troops are not an effective unit.  They have
been  dispersed  by  enemy  action  and are running away.  Routed troops
cannot be given orders.

Battery Orders (Artillery - Four Mile Map)

Position sword pointer over a cannon at the Four Mile Map.

Select with the LMB.

A Battery Orders Box will open (see above).

Formation:  Select  between  Limbered  (hooked up to horses and ready to
move) or Unlimbered (ready to fire)

Movement  Orders:  Highlight  this  menu  item  to  see  a sub-menu with
appropriate orders for that unit such as;

Advance:  Advance  to  the  designated  position.     The   Battery will
automatically Unlimber when in position.

Back-Up: Withdraw to a designated position.

The  Battery  will  halt  and  hold a position.  They will fire when the
enemy are within range.

Highlight  an  operational  order  and  select  it  with  the  LMB.   If
necessary,  you  will  have  to  select a position for this action to be
carried out with the target pointer.

Target

Choose this option to fire your cannons.

Highlight and select this option.

The  cursor  will  become  the artillery target pointer (a cannon ball).
Place  on  the  chosen  target and select with LMB.  The unit will point
towards the target and, if the object is in range, will open fire.

Various message boxes will pop up to give you information (for instance,
if you are too far away).

At  the  easier  levels,  you  will  not  be allowed to fire on friendly
troops.  At the more realistic levels you are free to make that mistake.

Issuing Orders (One Mile Map)

Introduction:  At  the  One  Mile Map you will see an isometric close up
view  of  the  battle  area.    You  will not be able to see the overall
picture but can focus in on individual engagements.  You will be able to
see  clearly units getting into formation (Line, Column, Skirmish etc.),
casualties  and  damage to cannon and buildings.  This is the best level
to  use  to  watch  basic  battle  tactics  in  action  (such as cavalry
attacking infantry and the infantry forming up into a square).

The Commander: The commanders at the One Mile Map level are all shown on
the field of battle.

Select on actual figure to view the Command Orders Box.  This Box is the
same  as  the Four Mile/Eight Mile Map levels above.  Giving a commander
orders  (such  as  Deploy)  will  result in every unit under his command
performing that order.

The Brigades: Brigades are shown as clusters of men, in correct uniform,
with a flag or standard positioned in the centre of the information.

Note that each individual infantryman represents about 70 actual troops.
One  mounted  figure  represents  70 cavalrymen and one battlemap cannon
represents a maximum of 3 guns.

Position the sword pointer over a Brigade flag.

Select with tne LMB.

A Brigade Orders Box will open issue Orders and Change Formations in the
same way as the Four Mile Map Views (see above)

At  the  One  and  Four  Mile Maps, you can watch the troops changing to
different formations.

The End of the Battle

When  the  battle  is  deemed  to  have  ended  you will recieve a Staff
Officer's Report with the official outcome.

You will then be given the option to return to the Main Menu Screen.


COMBAT TACTICS
--------------

Overview

Fields  of  Glory allows combat to be carried out quickly and decisively
once  opposing units approach within an appropriate range of each other.
The  main  factors  to bear in mind when considering battlefield tactics
are:

Mobility and Assault are the keys to Napoleonic warfare.

Cannons should be used to disrupt enemy units before an Assault.

Battles  are won by driving the enemy from their positions with infantry
or cavalry attacks.

A  unit  which breaks under an assault will suffer high casualties under
pursuit.

Infantry in Combat

Infantry Types
Although  national differences may occur, infantry are generally divided
into four basic types:

Militia:  Poorly  trained  troops  who  perform  the basic line infantry
tasks.

Line:  Generally  a  moderate  level  of troops, trained to manoeuvre in
tight formations

Light:  Troops  of  a higher motivation that could participate in looser
formations such as skirmish.

Shock:  These  troops  were  highly motivated.  Their primary role is to
carry positions by assault.  The French Old and Middle Guard are of this
type.

Infantry Tactics

Skirmish:  The  order  for  Light  infantry  sent ahead to screen a main
attack  or  to  fire at enemy formations.  Skirmish fire can disrupt the
enemy before an assault.

Assault:  The  assaulting troops will fire only one musket volley before
closing  to  bayonet  range; stopping to reload would halt an attack and
make  it  break  down.    To renew an attack would mean committing fresh
troops to get it moving again.

Infantry are tightly packed to keep cohesion and discipline, even though
this makes them vulnerable to artillery and musket fire.

Often  enemy  troops  flee before the attack is closed, or the attacking
troops  falter  before  they have had a chance to press home the attack.
In  either case, casualties will be high for the side that fails to push
home  its advantage.  Hand to hand combat between infantry formations is
a  gamble  unless  the  enemy  troops  have  already  been  disrupted by
artillery  or  skirmisher  fire.    Once  an enemy is disrupted, victory
always favours the attacker.

Infantry Organization Chart

Name        Composition         Military Notation    Note

Company     100-300 men          I
Battalion   (4-12 Companies)     II
Regiment    (2-3+ Battalions)    III
Brigade     (2-5 Regiments)      X                  The basic game unit

Division    (2-3+ Brigades)      XX
Corps       (2+ Divisions)       XXX
Wing        (2+ Corps)           XXXX               French army only

Army        (2+ Wings or Corps)  XXXXX

Cavalry in Combat

Cavalry Type

Light  Cavalry:  Use  light  cavalry  to  attack enemy positions, pursue
broken  formations  and  as  a  screen  for the army.  In general, light
cavalry are capable of riding longer and harder than other mounted units
and  are  less  effective  during the actual battle than heavy or medium
cavalry.

Heavy  Cavalry  and  Medium  Cavalry: To be used in a shock role; either
fighting  enemy  cavalry  or  attacking  infantry.  Generally made up of
bigger men on bigger horses than the light cavalry.

Cavalry Tactics
All cavalry have a shock potential on the battlefield.  They are used to
counter  enemy  cavalry,  harass  artillery  and infantry.  In addition,
cavalry protect friendly infantry and artillery.  They are also expected
to ride down disrupted enemy elements.

Cavalry Organization Chart

Name      Composition        Military Notation   Notes

Company                        I
Squadron  (2-3 Companies)      II                100-200 men
Regiment  (2-3 Squadrons)      III               300-900 men
Brigade   (2-3 Regiments)      X
Division  (2-3+ Brigades)      XX
Corps     (2+ Divisions)       XXX

Artillery

Artillery Types

Foot  Artillery:  Foot  artillery is used to support infantry formations
and  to  form  "Grand Batteries" to concentrate fire at a section of the
enemy line before an assault.

Horse  Artillery:  A  faster  moving  unit than foot artillery, they are
there to support cavalry units and to operate with the infantry.

Artillery Tactics
Long  range  fire  will disrupt enemy formations, causing them to become
disordered;  reducing  the number of effective enemy troops.  Long range
fire  is not capable of annihilating enemy formations but artillery fire
was  always  the  main  cause of casualties on a Napoleonic battlefield.
Close range artillery fire can devastate enemy troop formations.

Artillery Formation
Guns  used  are  identified by the weight of their shot.  In this period
they  vary from three to twelve pounders and are made up of batteries of
between  four  to eight guns.  A battery deploys its guns about 30 yards
apart and occupies as much of the battlefront as possible.

Artillery Organzation

Battery (4-8 guns)     (100-300 men)

Attached  to  infantry  or cavalry organization or placed into artillery
reserves.

Combined Arms Operation

By  using  all  three arms (artillery, infantry and cavalry) in combined
arms  operations  you will be able to manipulate the battlefield to your
advantage.

Artillery

Use  guns  to  disrupt  the  enemy at the start of any general attack or
during  an  infantry assault.  Bring artillery forward with the infantry
so  that they can devastate the enemy at close range before the infantry
closes.

Use  artillery  with  cavalry  to  disrupt  enemy cavalry and to bombard
infantry  who  have  formed  squares  to  defend themselves against your
cavalry.

Cavalry

Cavalry  (apart from combined arms operations above) can also be used to
slow  down  and  stop  enemy  attacks.   Cavalry can charge and break up
infantry,  if  they  are  out of square.  If enemy infantry stop to form
squares as a defence they would be halted from an attacking position and
allow friendly artillery and infantry to throw back an attack.

There  are  numerous  counter measures that can be used against combined
arms  attacks  but it is your task, as the commander, to co-ordinate the
three arms both in attack and defence.


The Fields of Glory Database
----------------------------

Overview

The  Fields  of  Glory  Database  gives  you  access  to  a mass of game
information  and  may be consulted at any time during play.  It is there
to  give all details of commanders, troops and their organization within
each  army.    The  database  will  give  you a breakdown of commanders'
abilities, troop numbers and current condition.  Each unit is accurately
illustrated  with  a typical portrait.  You may consult information from
all three armies and can access it from various modes.

The  current  battle will be frozen in time until you return to the Main
Battle Screen.

Accessing the Database

Controls

The  Left  Mouse Button (LMB) selects an option.  The Right Mouse Button
(RMB) returns you to the previous screen.

The Database Menu

Position  the  sword  pointer  on  the  Database menu on the Main Battle
Screen  and  select with the RMB.  A menu will stay open allowing you to
select  the  Database for your choice of army.  For each battle you will
only  be  able  to  access  the  troops  actually  participating  in the
engagement,  but  you  can  view  all of the database from the Main Menu
Screen.

Highlight  the army you wish to view then select with the LMB.  You will
be taken to the Fields of Glory Database.

The Flag Option

You can also access the Database at any time during a battle by clicking
on  the  individual Commanders' flags or troop flag/standard (each troop
formation carries a flag or standard) and then selecting the Portrait in
the Orders box

The Database Layout

Once inside the database you will see the following information:

The Portrait

A  Portrait  of the selected Commander/unit appears in the centre of the
screen.    The  portrait  is  a  guide to the importance of the selected
commander:  head  and  shoulders  portraits  are  reserved  for  the top
commanders  such  as  Napoleon  and  his  marshals; three quarter length
portraits  for divisional commanders, full length portraits for brigades
of  troops.    In  addition  troop  portraits feature an aspect of their
function:  artillery  hold  an  implement from their guns, infantry hold
muskets  and  cavalry  carry  either swords or lances.  In this way it's
possible  to assess quickly the function of troops and their commanders.


Commander's Details

Select  the  Portrait  with  the LMB and you will be taken to a detailed
information screen.  Details shown are:

Position in army         Leadership
Ability                  Complete name and dates
Personality              A short biography.

There  are  advantages  and disadvantages to each type of commander, and
getting  to  know  the  commander's strengths and weaknesses are just as
important as getting to know the troop types.

It  should  be  remembered  that  these  gradings are a guideline to the
likely  behaviour  of a commander, not a guarantee that they will always
behave  in  a  particular  way.    It  is, however, true that a Plodding
Commander  is  more  likely to follow orders to the letter, but not with
such vigour as a Rash one, while a Rash Commander may forcefully attempt
to  carry  out his orders, he may, having done so against the odds, then
decide to seize what he believes are opportunities.

Professional Rating

Poor          Good
Mediocre      Excellent
Average

This measures the commander's ability to get the best out of his troops.
This  will  effect  the commander's units abilities on firing, melee and
formation changing.

Leadership

Unispiring    Inspiring
Poor          Charismatic
Average

This  measures  the  commander's  ability  to  bolster the morale of his
units.  This affects the unit's ability to charge, receive a charge, and
form an emergency Square.

Personality

Plodding      Impetuous
Cautious      Rash
Average

This  measures  the commander's ability to follow orders and how hard he
will  try  before pulling back and/or asking for assistance.  It affects
the  controllability  of  the  commander's units, and indirectly affects
their morale and thus their effectiveness.

Brigade Details

The  above  information  is available down to divisional commanders.  At
Brigade level you will see the following information:

Small  up/down arrows on the lower left/right of the screen allow you to
scroll through the information.

Select with the RMB to return to the Main Database Screen

The Legend

Below  the  central  portrait  in the Main Database Screen are found the
following details.

Units Commanded Scrolls

To  the left and right of the central portrait are scrolls that show the
units  commanded  by the figure in the main picture.  By selecting these
smaller  portraits  you  can access details of these sub-divisions.  The
selected  portrait  will  be  placed in the centre space and any further
sub-divisions will be shown on either side of it.

The Icon Block

Just below the Legend is the Icon Block

Left and Right Arrow Icons
Select  these  icons  to move to a unit or commander at the same command
level as the one you are examining.

Up and Down Arrow Icons
If  the number of units commanded exceeds six you can scroll up and down
by  clicking  on  these  arrows.  They will not function if there are no
other units present.

The Chevron
Select  the  chevron (the upside-down 'V' shapes) to move up through the
command structure: from troop units up to army commander.

The Command Structure Tree
Select  the  command  structure  tree  to view a schematic of the troops
commanded by the figure in the portrait.

You  will  see  the  portrait  of the commander plus a diagram featuring
units shown in shorthand battlefield notation.

Order of Battle Chart

This  form  of  notation  allows  you  to  see, at a glance, the command
structure and the different types of units in each army.

Note  that  Infantry  Corps can include Infantry, Artillery and possibly
Cavalry while Cavalry Corps only include Cavalry and Artillery.

French Army (White on Blue)

The Command

Napoleon

Wing Command

Army Reserve Command

Corps Command (Infantry)

Divisional Command (Infantry)

Cavalry Corps Command

Cavalry Divisional Command

Corps Artillery Command (Infantry)

Divisional Artillery Command (Infantry)

Cavalry Corps Artillery Command

Cavalry Divisional Artillery Command

THE UNITS

Guard Infantry

Guard Light Infantry

Guard Heavy Cavalry

Guard Dragoons

Guard Chasseurs a Cheval

Guard Lancers

Guard Foot Artillery

Guard Horse Artillery

Line Infantry

Light Infantry

Heavy Cavalry (Cuirassier or Carabinier)

Dragoons

Light Cavalry (Hussars or Chasseurs a Cheval)

Lancers

Foot Artillery

Horse Artillery

British and King's German Legion (White on Red)

The Command

Wellington

Army Reserve Command

Corps Command

Divisional Command

Cavalry Corps Command

Corps Artillery Command

Divisional Artillery Command

Corps Horse Artillery Command

Divisional Horse Artillery Command

The Units

Guard Infantry

Line Infantry

Light Infantry/Rifles

Guard Heavy Cavalry

Heavy Dragoons

Light DragoonS B

Hussars

Foot Artillery

Horse Artillery

Hanoverian (White on Green)

Corps Command

Divisional Command

Line Infantry

Light Infantry

Landwehr Infantry

Hussars

Foot Artillery

Brunswick (White on Light Grey)

Brunswick Contingent Command

Line Infantry

Light Infantry

Foot Artillery

Horse Artillery

Nassau Reserve Contingent (Yellow on Green)

Line Infantry

Dutch-Belgian (White on Brown)

The Command

Corps Command

Divisional Command

Cavalry Divisional Command

The Units

Line Infantry

Light Infantry

Militia Infantry

Heavy Cavalry

Light Dragoons

Hussars

Foot Artillery

Horse Artillery

Prussian (White on Dark Grey)

The Commanders

Blucher

Corps Command

Divisional Command

Cavalry Corps Command

Cavalry Divisional Command

Corps Artillery Command

The Units

Line Infantry

Light Infantry

Landwehr Infantry

Light Dragoons

Hussars

Uhlans

Landwehr Cavalry

Foot Artillery

Horse Artillery

The  accompanying  details printed to the side of the icon break down as
follows:

X or I (see details in previous section)

First number is the unit itself (Brigade number/Name)

Second number is the parent unit (Division).

Third (if applicable) the parent of the parent unit.  If this is a Corps
it is shown in Roman numerals.

C means Cavalry

A means Artillery

For example, 1/21/III is the 1st Brigade, 21st Division, 3rd Corps.

Select  the  individual elements of the schematic to view details of the
units  and  their  commander.  A window will open up showing the smaller
portrait.   Click on the smaller portrait to access detailed information
about the individual unit.  This includes:

Commander
Portrait
Name of Unit
Troop Type
Status
Troops (Number)
Strength (as a percentage)
Comprising (elements of)
Commanders of individual units
Historical Background
Battle Honours

Small  up/down arrows on the lower left/right of the screen allow you to
scroll through the information (if necessary)

The Crossed Swords

Select  the  Crossed Swords icon to go to (or return to) the battlefield
or  Main  Menu  (if  accessing  Database).     Upon   returning   to the
battlefield,  the selected commander/unit will flash for several seconds
to indicate where that individual or brigade are.


Battlefield Weapons
-------------------

The Cannon

A  long barrelled artillery gun classified by weight of iron ball fired.
A cannon was smooth bored and loaded from the muzzle.  The heaviest guns
made  for  field  warfare were 12 pounders.  All cannon fire was direct;
indirect  fire over the heads of your own units was impossible.  A round
shot  could  be  propelled  a  maximum  of 1200 yards but 'bounced' much
further  (1800  yards).    Close  range artillery fired point blank with
canister  caused  devastating  damage  on target units and could stop an
assault dead in its tracks.

The Howitzer

A shorter barrelled gun that fired fused shells, designed for high angle
fire  and  classified  by  its  bore  diameter  (for  instance  '6  inch
howitzer').  Like all guns of the time it was loaded through the muzzle.


The Limber

The  limber  was  a  two wheeled carriage made out of wood and framed by
iron  that the gun could be attached to and moved around the battlefield
by teams of horses.

Projectiles

Roundshot
An  iron  ball, employed for ricochet fire; bouncing and carving through
units of troops until it lost its momentum.

Canister
Fired  at  close  range, a caster was a tin case full of lead balls that
scattered upon leaving the barrel like shotgun pellets.

The Common Shell
Explosive material held together in an iron sphere that had a fuse which
was  set  off  by the action of firing.  This was used in a Howitzer and
fired  at  a  high angle over fortifications or friendly troops onto the
enemy.

The Musket

Usually  carried by the infantryman, the musket was a smooth bore weapon
with  a  flintlock  (a  small  device  to produce a spark) to ignite the
powder.    The  charge  and  projectile  were  both inserted through the
muzzle.    The  musket  was made up of an iron tube attached to a wooden
stock.  A tiny 'touch-hole' was bored on the right side of the tube that
allowed  a  spark  made  by the flintlock to ignite the propellant.  The
musket  fired  a  one  ounce  lead  ball  in  a prepared cartridge which
included  powder and ball.  The musket was not accurate beyond 100 yards
but it was usually fired at lines of men not individuals.

The Rifle

Rifled  muskets  worked along the same lines as the smooth bore muskets,
but  the  barrel had internal spiralling grooves that gave the ball spin
thereby allowing greater accuracy.

The Carbine

A  short barrelled and light form of the musket carried by most cavalry;
used  when  skirmishing  and  fired from horseback or on foot.  It had a
limited  range  and  accuracy.    French  cavalry often carried a longer
barrelled version known as a dragoon musket.

The Pistol

Carried  by  cavalry  in their saddle holsters, pistols were practically
ineffective  in  active  conflict.    Pistol  range was such that it was
easier to use a sabre in close engagement.  The fact that pistols needed
a  different  calibre  of  ammunition  from  the  carbine  was  also  an
additional encumbrance.

The Sabre and Sword

The main weapon of the cavalry and used in two distinct ways; the slash,
using  the edge of the sabre and the thrust, using the point of a sword.
The  thrust  requires a thinner blade with a sharp point.  French medium
and  heavy cavalry used the narrow straight bladed sabre while the light
cavalry  from most of Europe were equipped with the curved bladed sabre.


The Lance

One  of  the oldest cavalry weapons, the lance was enjoying a resurgence
of  popularity  in most European armies.  Its strength was that, against
cavlary,  a  well  ordered lancer formation could prevent opponents from
closing  in  to  sabre range.  The lance was also very effective against
infantry or in a skirmishing, reconnaissance role.

The Bayonet

A  triangular  sectioned  blade  with  a  socket that could fit over the
muzzle  of  a  musket;  locking into place over the weapons front sight.
All  troops  with  muskets  had  bayonets  which  effectively made their
weapons  into pikes.  The socket allowed the musket to be fired with the
bayonet  in  position.    The bayonet was almost a psychological weapon;
once the enemy were shattered by volleys of musket fire a bayonet charge
would often result in the wavering troops breaking ranks and running.


The Army Commanders
-------------------

Napolean Bonaparte - 1769-1821

One  of the greatest military careers ever known began when Napoleon was
commissioned  into the artillery after military school.  Intensive study
of tactics paid dividends in 1793 when, as commander of the artillery in
the  French  Republican  Army,  he  helped  to recapture Toulon from the
British.    He  was made a brigadier general and eventually found favour
with  Barras,  the leader of the Directory.  Napoleon was made commander
of  the  army  in  Italy  and  Egypt.    Huge  military  success was the
springboard  for  his  coup  d'etat  in  1799  and his assumption of the
Imperial  Throne  in 1804.  His military skills were based on a profound
knowledge of tactics, speed and mathematical precision in manoeuvres and
a flair for finding the enemy's weakness and punishing it.

Napoleon's  main  characteristic  was  his energy; as he bustled between
points  of  battle  action  making  tactical sense out of the chaos of a
battlefield.    His leadership qualities, enhanced by the devotion shown
to  him  by patriotic Frenchmen, was only marred by his failure to trust
subordinate  generals  with  the  independence   they   required.    His
charismatic  personality, encapsulated in his personal relationship with
many  of his troops inspired the French nation for many decades to come.


Wellington - 1769-1852

Arthur  Wellesley  rose through a series of minor commissions to command
the  33rd Foot in 1793, but it was not until the war against France that
he  exhibited  his  military  talent  and  knack of winning battles.  He
commanded  the  army  in  India  and  then  in the Peninsula War and his
military  style contrasts with that of Napoleon; cautious of rash action
he had an excellent eye for defence but could also lead vigorous attacks
such  as  at  Salamanca  and  Vittoria.     A   stern disciplinarian and
meticulous  organiser,  his  bravery at the heart of the battlefield won
him  the respect of his troops.  Though only of medium build, Wellington
had  a  charismatic  presence  when  he  appeared at key points during a
battle.    He  was  almost  seen  as a mascot for success to the British
troops.    His  success  over Napoleon contributed to his later becoming
Prime Minister.

Blucher - 1742-1819

Blucher  first  served  with  the  Swedish  army but was captured by the
Prussians  in  1760  and  made  a  Hussar officer.  He left the army for
fifteen  years and his career did not take off until the battles against
the  Revolutionary  French.    At Ratkau in 1806, he fought on after the
Prussian  army  collapsed and was only compelled to surrender by lack of
ammunition.    Blucher was an inveterate enemy of Napoleon.  In the 'War
of  Liberation'  1813, he commanded the Army of Silesia which maintained
intense  pressure on Napoleon and pushed home the advantage at Leipzig.
Blucher  was  trapped  under his fallen horse at the battle of Ligny and
command  passed  to  Gniesenau  who  was  in  favour  of   a   defensive
reorganization  in  the  Wavre  area.    After  Blucher narrowly escaped
capture  by the French he overturned his second in commands decision and
marched to Wellington's assistance at Waterloo.  He also led the pursuit
of the French to Paris,

The Opposing Armies
-------------------

The French Army

The  vast  majority  of  the  troops  in  Napoleon's  army  of 1815 were
volunteers, predominantly with an intense devotion to the Emperor.  Many
of  the  line  troops had fought in previous campaigns, and the army was
based  almost  entirely  on  French nationals in contrast to some of the
earlier  armies, which had included substantial proportions of sometimes
half-hearted  allies.   Many of the troops saw themselyes as fighting to
protect their homeland from invasion once more and this must have been a
significant  boost  to  the  motivation  of  even  the  newest conscript
soldiers.

This  army  may have been smaller, hastily trained and ill equipped; but
in  terms  of  overall  quality it was probably one of the better armies
that  Napoleon had commanded and certainly one of the most homogeneous.
The  only  real  question mark hung over those troops who until recently
had  been  members  of the French army under the Bourbons.  These formed
part  of  the  right  wing under Grouchy's command and were treated with
utmost  suspicion  and  near  contempt by their peers during the Hundred
Days.

So,  amazing  as  it  now  seems, from leaving Elba with almost nothing,
Napoleon  managed  to  put 128,000 good- quality men into the field in a
matter  of  months.  With essential military equipment either improvised
or  scraped  together  from  all available sources, Napoleon crossed the
Belgian  frontier  early  on 15 June with his 'Armee du Nord' to take on
the  Allies who had so recently forced his abdication.  He was convinced
that  he  would soon make short work of the Prussians and would show the
world that Wellington's reputation was seriously over-rated.

The Prussian Army

The  Prussians were spread over a very wide area in four Corps occupying
the  area  between Wavre, Charleroi, Dinant and Liege/Maastricht.  Lines
of  communication passed through Liege and back to the Rhine - in almost
exactly the opposite direction to those of Wellington.  Thus if Napoleon
could  force  either  or  both  armies  back  along   their   lines   of
communication  (see glossary), he would split them apart, and could take
on  and  probably  defeat  either  of the two in detail.  With the added
benefits  of  surprise,  he  might  catch  at  least  one  of the armies
concentrating (see glossary) and then Brussels would be open.

Wellington  had  107,000  men and 216 guns available to him; Blucher had
128,000  infantry and 312 guns.  Both forces were very mixed in quality.
This  compared  with  the  128,000  men  and  366  guns of Napoleon, all
volunteers and mostly experienced.  If the Allies could operate together
in  a  major action, Napoleon would be outnumbered and outgunned; but in
the case of independent action, the odds were almost certainly in favour
of  the  French,  whose  force  had a strong superiority in heavy battle
cavalry and a huge and devoted Imperial Guard.

The  Prussian  and  Anglo  Allied  armies, being dispersed in a wide arc
around  and  to  the  south  of  Brussels in order to ease the strain of
forage  and  supply,  would have to be concentrated before they could be
used  in the field.  Their strength as a united force was thus initially
diluted.    If  Napoleon  could  strike  quickly  and with surprise, the
chances  of catching them individually and in isolation were very good.
Given  the  very  wide  Prussian  dispositions,  in the face of a French
advance, Napoleon expected Blucher to fall immediately back on his lines
of  communication and to concentrate towards his headquarters at Namur -
in  which  case it would be left to Wellington to meet the full force of
the Armee du Nord, even as he was himself concentrating before Brussels.


The Anglo-Allied Army

Of  the  two  Allied  armies,  the  Anglo-Allied  army  was  the   least
homogeneous.    Described  by  Wellington  as  an  'infamous'   army, it
consisted  of  a  polyglot  of  British,  German, Hanoverian, Brunswick,
Nassau and Dutch Belgian troops.  Of these the British and King's German
Legion were the most dependable, but many of Wellington's veteran troops
were  away  fighting  in  America,  leaving well trained but untried and
unproven troops in their place.

The Anglo-Allies were deployed in the area between Brussels, Mons, Ypres
and  Ghent,  with  lines  of  communication going back to Ostend and the
Channel  ports.    Thus  a  French  sweep  towards  the coast could give
Wellington severe supply problems.  In fact, Wellington was particularly
sensitive,  perhaps  excessively  so,  to  a  possible  threat  to   his
communications.   He was to keep substantial parts of his army placed at
Mons to cover his communications until almost the last minute.

The Battles
-----------

The Fields of Glory Fictional Battles

Nivelles

The  battle  of  Nivelles  is  based upon Napoleon deciding to crush the
Anglo-Allied  Army  and grab Brussels before the Prussians could move to
intervene.   To this end the main French attack is launched further east
through  Mons.    Grouchy's  Right Wing is advancing parallel and to the
right of the main French thrust under Napoleon when it meets a rearguard
of the Anglo Allied Army under the Prince of Orange.

Wagnees

Continues  with  the premise that Napoleon has attacked the Anglo Allies
first,  this  battle  is  a  result of the Prussian attempt to manoeuvre
behind  Napoleon's forces.  In doing so, they encounter the French Right
Wing  under  Grouchy.  This battle is different to the others in that it
places the French on the defensive.

The Real Battles: What Actually Happened?

The Marquess of Anglesey at Waterloo; "By God Sir, I've lost my leg!"

Wellington; "By God, Sir, so you have!"

The Battle of Quatre Bras: 16th June

Background:  The  crossroads  at  Quatre-Bras  is  where  the roads from
Brussels  (Wellington's  HQ),  Namur  (the  centre  of the area in which
Blucher  was  concentrating  his  forces) and Charleroi (the place where
Napoleon  had crossed the River Sambre) all met.  It was therefore a key
area  for  both  sides.  If the Anglo Allies could hold it they would be
able to maintain close links with the Prussians While if the French held
it they would achieve part of Napoleon's plan of splitting their enemies
forces.

The  Battle:  Reille,  the  commander  of  the  French  2nd  Corps   had
encountered  British  troops  in  the  Peninsula  War.      He   knew of
Wellington's  methods  of  hiding large parts of his army until the last
minute;  so,  noting  that  the  undulating  terrain  around Quatre Bras
provided  plenty of scope for concealment in the tall rye and that Bossu
Wood was a perfect position for a flank ambush, he advanced with extreme
caution.

The 2nd Dutch-Belgian Division commander Perponcher, under the Prince of
Orange,  commander of the Anglo Allied 1st Corps, had covered his entire
front  with the 27th Jagers in a line that stretched for almost a mile.
Behind and to the west of the road stood his remaining battalions - some
lining  the  Bossu  Wood  -  and  with  the  5th  Militia  occupying the
Gemioncourt farm.

To  the east of the road, the French 5th Division under Bachelu advanced
behind a strong skirmish line and soon pressed against Gemioncourt.  The
opposing  skirmishers  fell  back  to the farm.  The French 6th Division
commanded by Jerome, arriving late, advanced to the west of the road and
pressed up towards Bossu Wood.

Within  an  hour,  with  the  support  of  artillery,  the  outposts  of
Pireaumont and Gemioncourt had finally been taken, and Jerome was moving
steadily  through Bossu Wood as the weight of numbers told on Bijlandt's
thin  line,  which  was  retiring  in  good  order and in expectation of
reinforcements  from  Sir  Thomas  Picton,  commander of the British 5th
infantry  Division.    Suddenly, a cavalry charge was hurled against the
17th Dutch Light infantry.  The Dutch fragmented before it, some rushing
headlong  to  the  rear, others remaining in isolated groups fighting to
the last.

The  line  had  been  breached, Pire's French lancers of the 2nd Cavalry
Division  breaking  through  the  centre  in  a  spirited  charge routed
Merlen's lighter Dutch cavalry.  Had Reille started to exploit the break
in the Allied line, the battle would have now been over almost before it
had  started;  but  now  Picton's  division  arrived at Quatre Bras with
Wellington to check the French advance.

The  advancing  French infantry stopped when they unexpectedly met fresh
troops,  then  withdrew;  but  the lancers came on, some breaking off to
surround  pockets  of  Dutch  troops,  others  heading  straight for the
Highlanders who formed squares to repulse the attack.

Under  Wellington,  the British brigades now lined the hedged Namur Road
to  the  east of the crossroads, the 95th Rifles occupying the wood just
to  the north of Lac Materne, where they engaged and just held Bachelu's
advancing  infantry,  occupying  the buildings at the crossroads itself.
The  Hanoverians  were  placed behind them and to the north of the Namur
road, and the arrival of Brunswick to the west of Quatre Bras completing
the line in time to meet the next French attack.  Bijlandt's line was by
now  almost totally in ruins having faced a well organized combined-arms
attack.    Many  of  his troops had headed for the comparative safety of
Bossu Wood.

The French artillery now turned its full force on to Picton's units, who
were ordered by Wellington to lie down in the shelter of the ditches and
the  partly sunken road.  This sunken road and its thick hedges provided
cover  to  Picton's  men,  as  they  sheltered  from  the  38-gun French
bombardment  that  now opened up in anticipation of the renewed assault,
the  French columns being organized by Marshal Ney in person.  He formed
four columns, each of brigade strength to break the Allied lines.

As the four French columns of infantry advanced, screening their cannon,
the  bombardment  subsided,  and Wellington ordered Picton's troops over
the  hedges, to stand beside the Brunswick infantry to their right, near
the  wood.  The French came on with cries of 'On to victory!' 'Give them
the bayonet!' and 'Vive l'Empereur!'

All  along the British line musket volleys smashed into the heads of the
advancing  columns.  To the east of the main Brussels road, the heads of
the  splendid  blue  columns  of infantry had become a reeling, confused
mass  of  dying  and  wounded  men.    Screams  of  agony burst from the
collapsed and maimed, the once reassuring mass of the column now working
against  it  as  following  ranks  of  their  comrades stumbled over the
mangled  remains  at  their  feet and, moving onwards, themselves became
victims.    The front now halted in total confusion, trying to deploy to
return fire, the rear of the column still pressing them forward over the
bloody  mess  beneath  their  feet.   With confusion and disorder in the
columns at its height, through the smoke came Picton's Highlanders.  The
shattered columns fled.

Against  the  Brunswickers  to the west of the road, however, Jerome was
having  significantly  more  success.    Jerome's  men   swept   through
BossuWood.    French  cavalry were coming up to exploit the opening, and
the  Duke of Brunswick's 'Death's Head' Hussars were decimated by French
musketry and routed on contact by Pire's cavalry.  The Duke of Brunswick
himself  fell  a  casualty,  as the French cavalry chased the now broken
Hussars.    The  counter  attack  had  cost  heavy losses, including six
cannon;  but  it  had  stopped what might have developed into a rout and
given the infantry some respite in which to fall back and try to regroup
beyond the wood.

Successful  on  his left but checked on his right, Ney called up d'Erlon
to help his drive for the vital crossroads.  But to his consternation he
found  no sign of I Corps behind him.  It was by then around 4 pm, still
with  a  numerical  advantage,  when Ney received an order from Napoleon
(timed  2  pm),  instructing him to take the crossroads and then fall on
the  Prussian  right  and  rear.    With  Reille's  corps  already fully
committed,  Ney  bade  d'Erlon hasten to deliver what he thought was the
coup  de  grace,  for  already  his  cavalry were roaming freely through
Wellington's right and centre.

Pire had hurled his chasseurs and lancers once more at the Allied centre
in  a  surprise  attack  that took them almost to the crossroads itself,
Wellington  himself  having had to leap the (prone) ranks of the 92nd to
evade the French charge.  The cavalry was by now somewhat disordered, as
it  circled  round  behind the hastily formed square of the 92nd, before
swinging south to take the adjacent 42nd and 44th - still formed in line
- in the rear.

The undulating terrain and remaining corn concealed the charge until the
last  minute  and  took  the  British  troops  by  surprise.    The 42nd
Highlanders,  caught in the rear in the act of forming a square, managed
to complete the square with some of the lancers trapped inside.

The  French  cavalry,  by  now totally disordered, retired to the French
lines, and the respite allowed Wellington to redeploy some of his troops
to  stop  the  rot on his right flank.  The attack now settled down to a
close-range slogging match, where the firepower of the British troops to
the  centre  and  east  of the battlefield slowly began to take its toll
despite  being  partly  still in square against the possibility of enemy
cavalry  in  the  area.    Two  more  cavalry charges to the east of the
Brussels road routed a Hanoverian battalion but otherwise made no impact
on Wellington's steady squares.

The  initiative was slipping from Ney's grasp.  Its delicate balance was
now tilting towards the Allies.  They had held against the best that Ney
could  throw  against  them,  and  fresh  reinforcements  in the form of
Halkett's  and  Kielmansegge's  brigades  from  Alten's  division   were
arriving  to  bolster  Wellington's  strength.    The   French right was
actually  starting  to  fall  back.    Ney's  tired  army was losing its
superiority  of numbers.  Worse still for Ney, it was at this point that
he learned of the true whereabouts of d'Erlon.

Some  time  earlier,  d'Erlon's  corps been ordered to Ligny by an aide,
General  de  la Bedoyere.  Far from his arrival being imminent at Quatre
Bras,  d'Erlon  was  actually  already  well  on his way to Ligny, every
minute  taking  him  farther from Ney.  To save time, de la Bedoyere had
not  consulted Ney before ordering the corps to Ligny in the name of the
Emperor.

Meanwhile,  Wellington  was  not  a  commander  to  sit  idly by in such
circumstances.    A  sweeping  counter  attack  by Alten's troops on the
French  right  made  the  situation  critical  for  the  French, and the
impetuous  Ney  immediately  decided that he should recall d'Erlon.  Not
pausing  to  consider how long it would take for the order to reach him,
nor  how long it would be before that corps would appear at Quatre Bras,
Ney's almost reflex reaction effectively took this force out of both the
Ligny and Quatre Bras engagements.

Then  at  5 pm, finally outnumbered by Wellington, under pressure on his
right,  with that flank actually retiring, with no reserves, he received
a 'hurry up' message from the Emperor.  It was the last straw.  Not only
had  the  previously promised Emperor's troops never arrived, but he had
also  been  robbed  of troops critical to the success of his operations.
Napoleon  clearly  had  no  appreciation  of  the fact that Ney was hard
pressed  and now facing most of Wellington's army.  With no reserves, he
needed  time to stabilize his line and reform his right.  There was only
one  thing  left to throw at the Allies, and in a fit of desperation Ney
ordered  the  recently  arrived  cavalry of Kellermann to make an almost
suicidal  charge into the Allied lines - a brigade of cavalry against an
entire  army  Kellermann  questioned  the  order,  for  only part of his
brigade had reached the field, namely Guiton's brigade of 750 men of the
8th  aud  11th  Cuirassier  Regiments.    Ney  would  have   none of it.
Promising  him  support  from the depleted ranks of Pire's cavalry.  Ney
dismissed him with, 'Go!  But go now!'

Kellermann's  regiments moved up beneath the crest of Gemioncourt ridge,
out  of  sight of the British infantry beyond.  The 42nd Highlanders and
the  2/44th  were  still  in  square  to the east of the Charleroi road,
having already been mauled by Pire's lancers.  The 92nd Highlanders were
in  a  square that actually straddled the Charleroi road, and Wellington
himself was still sheltering there.

The  cavalry  deployed  silently  into  line below the crest.  The clear
notes  of  the  trumpet  finally  signalled  the  charge, and Kellermann
unleashed  the  brigade  forward,  straight into charge speed dispensing
with the customary build up via walk/trot/canter.  The brigade thundered
towards  the  British  squares, scattering the remnants of the Brunswick
and  Belgian  cavalry  in their path.  The squares held firm, offering a
fire that broke up the charge and caused the horsemen to flow around the
leading squares, thundering on towards Halkett's Brigade.

A  few  minutes  previously,  as  Kellermann's  units  were preparing to
charge,  Colin  Halkett  -  in  Alten's  3rd  Division, in the Prince of
Orange's I Corps - was leading his fresh brigade up in Picton's adjacent
division,  Pack's  brigade  had been under serious pressure for some two
hours;  casualties  were  mounting and ammunition was running low.  With
the arrival of the fresh troops, the second battalion of the 69th (South
Lincolnshire)  Regiment  was  ordered  to Pack to bolster his position.
Halkett therefore moved up, handed the unit over to him and went back to
bring  up  the  remainder of his brigade.  Pack ordered the 69th to form
square before moving farther along his brigade.

The  Prince  of  Orange,  however, not understanding what was happening,
found  the  69th  in  the act of forming square.  Being perhaps somewhat
piqued  that  an officer from another corps was messing about with 'his'
battalion  he  ordered  them back into line again.  There were protests.
The Prince insisted, and it was while the infantry were in the middle of
this  manoeuvre  that  Kellermann's  cuirassiers,  now emerging past the
leading British squares, fell upon them from the flank.  For the 2/69th,
it  was too late to reform into square.  Two companies only were able to
turn  to face the onslaught before they were isolated from the main body
and  charged  down.    It  was  a  desperate  situation  for  the 69th.
Garavaque's troops thrust into the very heart of the unformed battalion,
aiming for the colours (the capture of which qualified for a bounty).

With  nothing  capable  of  stopping  the  charge, the 69th made for the
shelter  of Bossu Wood.  Unchecked, Kellermann drove forward, and headed
on  towards the nearby 33rd, who were also unformed.  Shaken by the fate
of  their  comrades  of  the 69th, they too fled towards the wood, where
they could reform in safety.  Next in the line of charge, the 2/30th had
just  been  able to form square in time and had easily repulsed the 11th
Cuirassiers.

Wherever  friendly  troops  cleared  the British lines, French artillery
remorselessly pounded the dense targets of the British infantry squares,
and  Ney had throw in all the infantry support he could scrape together.
But it was not enough.  The supporting attacks were slowly grinding to a
halt.    Elements  of Pire's tired and reformed division had by now also
come  up, as Kellermann pushed forward almost to the crossroads itself.
There  blown  from the charge, deep in Wellington's lines, disordered by
the  melees and with no local infantry support, the cavalry came under a
murderous  cross-fire  from  the  30th, 73rd and a battery of the KGL as
Kellermann tried to reorganize his command.

The  French  infantry supporting attacks were now being firmly repulsed,
the  heavy  cavalrymen  who  had  done  so  much  damage  were  now   in
considerable  disorder.    Parties of Highlanders were able to range the
field relatively safely in active pursuit of Kellermann's cuirassiers.

Meanwhile,  at  the  crossroads the remains of Kellermann's blown charge
was  being shot to pieces.  In a hail of fire from Wellington's battered
ranks,  the  decimated  cavalry  fled  in  disorder to the safety of the
French  lines.    Kellermann himself had his horse shot from beneath him
and  only  managed  to  return safely from the charge by clinging to the
stirrups  of  two  of  his men.  For no significant gain, the charge had
cost  him  more  than  a  third of his magnificent brigade.  Even as the
cavalry  retired to the safety of the French lines, Wellington was being
further  reinforced  by the 5,000 troops of the British Guards Division,
who stormed into Bossu Wood.

There  was  no  longer  any question of Ney taking Quatre Bras, only the
possibility of holding Wellington at bay.  There was nothing he could do
when,  at  around  6.30,  in  typical form, Wellington realized that the
French  had  shot  their  bolt  and ordered a large scale counter-attack
across  his  entire  front.   By 7.30 pm.  Bossu Wood was back in Allied
hands,  the  Allies  had  taken  Pireaumont, and advanced to Gemioncourt
brook.   By 9 pm, in the rapidly fading light, the battle was over.  Ney
had been pushed back to his starting positions, and the battle had ended
in  a  tactical  draw.    As  dusk turned to night, Wellington's British
cavalry and Horse Artillery reinforced his position.

Strategically,  Wellington had at last managed to get his army together.
He  now  had  confidence  in  many  of  his  previously unproven troops.
Further,  his lines of communications were untouched, and he had control
of  a  road  network  that  could  take  him in any direction he wanted:
forward  to link with the Prussians (if they had won at Ligny), north to
cover Brussels, or back towards the Channel ports.

Losses  in  the battle were about 4,300 for the French, while Wellington
had  lost  2,275  British,  369  Hanoverians,  and 819 Brunswickers, but
substantial  numbers  of  the  wounded on both sides appear to have been
able  to  return to the ranks within 24 hours or so.  No separate return
could  be  made  for  the Dutch-Belgian troops, a great many of whom had
headed  for the relative security of Bossu Wood.  As the day closed, and
having  fought  the  French to a standstill, Wellingtons next move would
depend on the Prussians at Ligny.

The Battle of Ligny: 16th June

Background:  On hearing of Napoleon's advance through Charleroi, Blucher
decided  to  move  his  forces  to Ligny, a mid point between Namur (the
centre of the area in which he was concentrating his forces), and Quatre
Bras  (a  vital  crossroads  on  the  road  linking him to Wellington in
Brussels).   Ligny provided a reasonable defensive position with a range
of  hills  overlooking  a  stream  which the French forces would need to
cross.

The  Battle:  The unexpected forward deployment of Blucher's army lining
up  on  the morning of the 16th awaiting his assault made this very much
an  opportunist  battle  for  Napoleon.    The Prussians had based their
defence along the Ligny, a small but marshy stream that was difficult to
cross  except  at  its  four bridges.  Ten villages and hamlets had been
prepared  and  incorporated into the defence line, which helped to cover
all  four  of  the  bridging  points and thereby deny them to Napoleon.
Rising  ground  to  the  rear  made  an  advantageous  position  for the
supporting Prussian columns.

There  were  flaws  in  the  position,  however.  By following the Ligny
stream,  Blucher's  line  formed  a  salient  that  was open to flanking
artillery  fire;  by the same token, troops placed on the forward slopes
of  the  hills  would  be exposed to massed artillery fire without being
able to advance across the Ligny to engage.

Napoleon's  plan  was  simple.    He  would  use his cavalry to keep the
Prussian  left flank busy, while with his superior numbers he engaged in
a  frontal  assault  on  the Prussian centre and right.  After a massive
artillery  bombardment  and  attrition  by  his  infantry, part of Ney's
forces  would  be  ready  to appear on the Prussian right wing.  As this
force  enveloped  their right, Napoleon would smash through their centre
with  his Guard, to destroy almost all of the Prussian army at a stroke.
There  had been no sound of gunfire from Quatre Bras during the morning,
so Napoleon assumed Ney had occupied the crossroads without a hitch, and
was  probably  already  on  his  way to Ligny.  In three hours' time the
campaign  will be decided.  If Ney carries out his orders thoroughly not
a gun of the Prussian army will get away.'

At approximately 2.30 pm the battle started.  In the excitement and heat
of  combat, however, the 10,000 men of Lobau's VI Corps at Charleroi had
been  completely  forgotten,  and Napoleon's staff had also forgotten to
inform  Marshal  Ney that his presence would be required at Ligny at his
earliest convenience.  Later in the day Napoleon was to wish dearly that
he had access to even one of these two forces.

The  fighting  was  hard  from  the  very  start, and by engaging across
Blucher's whole front Napoleon stopped him being able to redeploy troops
in  his  forward line.  Even in the early stages of the battle, although
Blucher  had  numerical superiority, he had to make good losses from his
reserves.   These in their turn were subjected to a heavy bombardment as
they waited on the forward slopes of the hills.

The  western  end  of the battlefield was particularly important to each
side,  enabling  as  it did communication and possible reinforcement for
both  parties  with  their  friendly  troops  -  Ney for the French, and
Wellington  for  the  Prussians.    The  fighting  here was particularly
vicious  and  with no quarter given or asked for Prussians and Frenchmen
tore  at  each  other  in  hand-to-hand combat, eyery shattered, burning
building  in  the  villages  contested right to the very end.  Prisoners
taken  were  ruthlessly  slain.    Around  the villages of Ligny and St.
Amand  losses  were  very  heavy  on both sides.  The fighting for Ligny
village  was particularly bloody, but after five attempts involving very
intense  hand  to  hand  action,  the  surviving  French  forces finally
succeeded in prising part of it from the Prussian grip.  Losses of up to
60 per cent were reported by the French units at Ligny itself.

By  3.15 pm, shattered by artillery fire from the flanks, and seeing the
French  pouring  into Ligny, the Prussian salient began collapsing.  The
majority  of  Blucher's  force was now committed to prop up his line and
fill  the  huge  gaps scythed by the artillery bombardment.  Now was the
time  for  Napoleon  to  send in his Guard in conjunction with d'Erlon's
flanking  manoeuvre.    But  where was d'Erlon?  As he ordered the Guard
forward  to  form up, Napoleon sent an urgent appeal to Ney to hasten to
his  aid:  'The fate of France is in your hands...  do not hesitate even
for  a  moment to...  direct your advance on the heights of St.  Amand.'
Ney had received his message at 5 pm.

Unable  to  wait  any  longer  for Ney or d'Erlon Napoleon formed up his
Guard to smash through the crumbling Prussian centre.  But at 5.30, just
as  the  assault  was  about  to roll forward, an alarm spread along the
lines.    A  long  column of troops was appearing behind the French left
flank.   Scouts reported it as hostile.  Had Wellington broken through?
It  could  not be d'Erlon - it was in the wrong place.  Clearly Napoleon
could  not  risk committing the Guard at such a time, and the attack was
postponed while aides galloped to the column to determine its status.

It  was,  in  fact,  d'Erlon.  A poorly written order had ordered him to
conduct  his  march  on 'Wagnee' instead 'Wagnele'; hence his arrival at
completely  the  wrong  place.    In addition, he had failed to push out
advance  orderlies  to  warn  friendly  troops  of  his arrival.  So the
resultant surprise had not only delayed a critical attack but had caused
the French left (under Vandamme) to become decidedly nervous,so that the
Young Guard had to be deployed to bolster them, and at one stage General
Lefol had been forced to turn his own artillery on to his panic stricken
men as they deserted the line.

It was only by about 6.30 pm that the true situation was made clear, and
the  Guard could roll forward.  In that respite Blucher had consolidated
his  line  and  had even pressed the wavering French left with a scratch
force  to  retake part of St.  Amand.  With the almost incredible irony,
even  as  the Guard formation was being re assembled, the news came that
d'Erlon's  corps, now clearly in sight of the Prussains, had just turned
around  to  march  back  to  Quatre  Bras with almost all of its troops.
Ney's order of recall had arrived.

Nevertheless,  for the Prussians the final act had begun The Young Guard
threw them out of St.  Amand, and by 7.30 pm the grand assault was ready
to  be launched into the very heart of the reformed Prussian positions.
More  than  two  hundred guns opened up on the desperately thin Prussian
centre.    Then  at 7.45, as a thunder storm broke over the battlefield,
more  than  six  thousand men of the Guard marched forward in a combined
arms  assault  that  swept back into Ligny and smashed into the Prussian
lines.  The 21st Prussian Regiment charged the advancing grenadiers, but
were  intercepted  by the accompanying French cuirassiers and thoroughly
mauled.    Two  squadrons  of  the 1st Westphalian Landwehr cavalry were
sacrificed  as  they  charged  the  disciplined  ranks  of  the Guard to
absolutely  no  avail  as  the  French swept on and through the village.
Nothing  could  save the battle for the Prussians now, but Blucher could
still  have  his army from the worst horrors of pursuit if he could just
buy some time.

Blucher  positioned himself at the head of Roder's cavalry and hurled it
at  the  advancing  French  Guard.   It was a forlorn hope.  The Guard's
squares  easily  beat  off the attack, Lutzow himself falling wounded at
the  head  of  the  shattered  6th  Uhians  now down to only 300 men.  A
further  charge  was  launched  at  the squares by two more regiments of
Prussian  cavalry,  but  suddenly  from  the  Bank  came a charge by the
supporting  French  cuirassiers, which smashed into the reeling Prussian
attack.    A  succession  of  piecemeal  cavalry  charges  was similarly
repulsed  as the squares of the Guard coolly met the attacking Prussians
with  measured  volleys  before  the remnants of the broken cavalry were
scooped up by the onmi present French cuirassiers.

Blucher  himself had fallen in one of the charges as his horse was shot.
He  lay  there,  pinned  for  some time as French cuirassiers repeatedly
swept  by,  over terrain packed with bodies where he and many others had
fallen  during  the  day.  It was well after dark before a faithful aide
finally  managed to drag him out and take him to the rear, where liberal
applications of gin and garlic revived him enough to rejoin his army.

Meanwhile, the Prussians were in a state of confusion with no leader and
an army retiring in disarray looking to put time and distance between it
and  the  inevitable  French  pursuit.    The general staff had to agree
quickly  among  themselves  where to go to regroup, for they had already
been  pushed back from the main routes to Namur, their principal line of
communication.  And so, in poor light at the drizzly roadside, Gneisenau
and  the  corps  commanders  met  to decide an alternative route for the
battered  force.    The only name on the maps clearly visible to all was
Wavre,  somewhat to the north of Ligny.  So it was that Wavre was chosen
as a first stage before retiring eastward towards Liege.  By almost pure
accident  it  was  the  one  place  Napoleon did not expect, and the one
direction that would allow the Prussians the slightest option of joining
up  with  Wellington  before  Brussels.    Not  that  Gneisenau  had any
intention  of  moving  to  join  Wellington;  not  only  was  he  highly
suspicious  of  his  allies, almost to the point of Anglophobia in fact,
but he was fully expecting the French pursuit to keep him fully occupied
as he fell back.

But  -  amazingly  - as the Prussian army withdrew from the battlefield,
the  anticipated French pursuit did not materialize.  Although deserters
fled  in  droves, the majority of the army was able to maintain cohesion
and retire unmolested on Wavre.  The pursuit was actually late in coming
at the direct order and responsibility of the Emperor.  After the battle
he made Ligny his headquarters and hoping and believing the Prussians to
be  totally crushed, he refused to allow a rigorous pursuit that night.
Perhaps  here  again  we  can  see the evidence of the over-optimism and
missing  energy  that  only a few years before would have galvanized his
cavalry into immediate and aggressive pursuit.  After Jena, for example,
the  French  pursuit was so vigorous that it lasted almost to the Baltic
and ended the entire campaign.

The Battle of Wavre: June 18th-19th

Background: Wavre was chosen almost by accident as the location to which
the  Prussians  were  to  regroup  following  their withdrawal after the
battle  of  Ligny,  Wavre turned out to be little more than a rear guard
action  with Thielman's Corps holding off the French while the remainder
of  the  Prussian  army  under  Blucher  headed  for  the battlefield at
Waterloo.    Had Grouchy attacked more strongly, or earlier, he may have
prevented  one  or  more of the Prussian Corps from arriving at Waterloo
where they turned the tide against Napoleon.

The Battle: Wavre nestles in a lightly wooded valley, spanning the River
Dyle  by  the  two  strong stone bridges that link the two halves of the
town,  the  valley rising on either side to provide commanding artillery
positions  in the event of a defence.  It was here that the main part of
the  Prussian  army  had  finally  halted, grateful of the reprieve from
pursuit  that  had  allowed  it  to elude the French grasp.  Grouchy had
indeed  been  late  starting  his  pursuit  on  the  17th, Napoleon only
releasing  him  at  lunchtime.  Even then, contact having been lost with
the  Prussians  the  night  before,  the leisurely pursuit had initially
headed  north  east  from  the  battlefield  towards Gembloux, not north
towards Wavre.

By  nightfall  Grouchy's  main  force was camped around Gembloux itself,
just  seven  miles north east of the Ligny battlefield, with his advance
cavalry  strung  out  a  few  miles  farther along the road, all heading
north-east.    He  was already slightly east of the Prussian army, which
was  consolidating  some  twelve  miles north and west of him behind the
untouched  IV  Corps.   Sloppy French reconnaissance had also completely
missed  a  reinforced  Prussian  cavalry regiment positioned at Mont St.
Gilbert,  just six miles away to the north west, and slightly behind his
left,  and it was only at 10 pm that night that the true location of the
Prussian  army  at  Wavre became known.  The axis of pursuit was pivoted
northwards  the  following  day; Vandamme was ordered to begin the march
north  at 6 am the next morning, Gerard following some two hours later.
Tired after the fighting and marching of the previous days, the army was
slow  to  start,  giving the Prussians an extra two hours grace to begin
their  manoeuvres,  time  that was not to be wasted by Bluchers 'kinder'
who by 8 am were already widening the gap between the two forces.

The  Prussian IV Corps under von Bulow was still intact, not having been
engaged  at  Ligny.    This  fresh  corps  at  least  could  be  sent to
Wellington's  aid  at  Mont  St.  Jean and Blucher was insistent that he
would  not break his word to Wellington to support him with at least two
corps  if  the  French gave him enough breathing space, von Bulows corps
was  at  Dion  le Mont, two miles south-east of Wavre itself, and it was
ordered  to  move at 4 am through II Corps (which was still south of the
Dyle)  through Wavre to Chapelle St.  Lambert, and if the battle at Mont
St.   Jean had begun but not otherwise he was to attack the French right
flank.    By  the  time  the French columns started out on the 18th, von
Bulow  was well on his way, reaching St.  Lambert with his advance guard
at  around  10 am.  But moving more or less through the remainder of the
army,  along  a  single  road  and through a crowded town, was at best a
recipe  for  confusion  and  congestion.   Even worse, a serious fire in
Wavre  slowed  down the main body of IV Corps and it was not until after
midday that the main body arrived at St.  Lambert.

As  von Bulow was struggling through the chaos of Wavre and the Prussian
II  Corps, Grouchy was unconcernedly getting ready to sit down to a late
breakfast.  It was 11.25 am.  In the distance could be heard the rolling
thunder  of  the  first cannon fire from Napoleon's Grand Battery to the
west  and Gerard and some other senior officers recommended that Grouchy
should march to the sound of the guns and join the Emperor.  It became a
very  heated discussion, and Gerard put his point in such a tactless and
insulting  manner  that  Grouchy took offence and insisted on keeping to
his  latest  orders  from the Emperor.  These were rather poorly written
and somewhat ambivalent, but they had clearly indicated the need to take
possession of Wavre.  He had no intention of invoking the notorious fury
of  the  Corsican for disobeying orders, as Ney had already done in this
campaign.    Had  Grouchy  marched  west  at this point, he would almost
certainly  have  intercepted the Prussian IV Corps under Bulow before it
reached the field of Waterloo.

However,  Grouchy  had  reasonable  cause  to  be  cautious about moving
westward.    He  had actually sent a dispatch from Gembloux the previous
night to appraise Napoleon of the Prussian threat, but no new orders had
come.  In point of fact his dispatch had reached the Emporer at around 2
am, where it was either forgotten or ignored, for it was not until 10 am
that  Napoleon  chose  to  issue  orders  to  Grouchy  and these clearly
indicated  that his presence at Waterloo was not required.  In any event
these  orders were not to reach him until it was far too late for him to
intervene at Waterloo.

Meanwhile,  Prussian  reconnaissance had put Grouchy's strength at about
20,000,  mainly  cavalry  (it was in fact, 33,000 including two infantry
corps).    Seeing  that no attack was immediately developing, Pirch's II
Corps  was  dispatched at about noon, and Ziethen's Corps shortly after,
adding  to  the  total  congestion  and  leaving  just  15,000  men   of
Thielemann's  III  Corps  to face Grouchy at the Dyle.  Even these would
have  moved  towards  Waterloo  if  the  congestion on the roads had not
prevented it.

The  unenthusiastic  von Bulow had assembled his corps around St Lambert
by  about  3  pm Inexplicably he did not move to engage the French right
flank as he had been ordered, but remained passively in full view of the
battlefield  below  him.   Perhaps he was resting his men before joining
the  battle,  or expecting to be attacked as he moved through the nearby
Bois  de Paris: perhaps he was just waiting for II Corps to come up from
the  chaos behind him on the road: perhaps he was expecting hard pressed
Wellington  to  break before he could deploy.  Whatever the reason, only
the  personal  intervention  and bullying of Blucher got him to move his
leading  brigade  through  the Bois de Paris to engage the French right,
and  when  at  4 pm von Bulow heard Grouchy's opening cannon fire to the
east, he very nearly turned around again.

Back  in  Wavre,  Grouchy  opened  the  attack with a frontal assault by
Vandamme  on  Wavre  itself, which cleared the southern part of the town
but  which  was frustrated at the bridges themselves.  A similar attempt
by  Hulot's  brigade on a mill slightly south of the two was also beaten
back  and,  in  an  effort  to  secure  a  crossing of the Dyle, Grouchy
diverted  the  remainder  of  Gerard's corps to Limale, two miles to the
south  west,  while  the assault was renewed on the mill at Bierges.  It
was 5 pm.

At Limale, Grouchy found a detachment of Ziethen's corps under Stengel -
possibly left there by accident - defending the single bridge across the
Dyle.  The terrain favoured defence, but the superiority of numbers soon
told,  and  the  French  had poured across the bridge and on to the high
ground before darkness brought an end to the day's fighting.

During  the  night a confused counter-attack was launched by Stulpnagel,
but this was beaten off.  Meanwhile Thielemann's appeals for help during
the  day had brought no reinforcements (indeed, during the night Stengel
marched  off  quite without orders to rejoin his estranged corps).  That
night  Thielemann  received  news  as  to the outcome of the fighting at
Waterloo;  but  no such news reached Grouchy, and on the 19th the battle
recommenced  with  the  Prussians  very  thin  on the ground.  By 10 am,
Thielemann  had  abandoned Wavre and retreated before overwhelming odds,
the  Prussian  III Corps having tied down more than twice its own number
for  some 48 hours.  But Grouchy's victory was short-lived, and at 10.30
the  news  from  Waterloo  reached  him.  Hearing that Pirch Prussian II
Corps  was  on  its  way to intercept him, he broke off and pulled back,
eventually to France.

Tactically  he had been the victor, but strategically he was beaten by a
mixture  of  lethargy  in  his  commanders  ambivalent  orders  and   an
over-cautious lack of initiative on his own part.  Once contact had been
lost with the Prussians on the 17th, time was always going to be against
the  french,  but  even  on  the 18th a more vigorous thrust towards St.
Lambert  rather  than  Wavre  would  have reduced the number of Prussian
corps available to aid Wellington and could have clinched the battle for
Napoleon  at Waterloo.  In view of the events farther to the west, it is
interesting  to  speculate what might have happened at both Waterloo and
Wavre  if  the  commanders  of the two wings had been reversed, with the
impulsive Ney following up the Prussians and the cautious but tactically
precise Grouchy meeting Wellington.

The Battle of Waterloo: June 18th

Background:  Following  the  Prussian  withdrawal from Ligny, the Anglo-
Allies  were  forced  to  avoid  being  cut  off by Napoleon's advancing
forces.    The  area  of  Mont  St.    Jean and Waterloo provided a good
defensive  position  from which to protect Brussels and at the same time
maintain  links with the Prussians who were concentrating in the area of
Wavre.

Waterloo  Dawn:  It  was 2 am before Napoleon received the dispatch that
Grouchy,  commander  of  the French Right Wing, had written at 10 pm the
previous  night.   It stated that the Prussians appeared to have divided
into  three columns and that he would infer from his current information
that  one  portion  of  the army was moving on Wavre, presumably to join
Wellington:  one  was heading to Liege, with Blucher himself and a third
including  the  artillety  was  enroute  for  Namur.   He had sent out a
cavalry  probe  to  determine  precisely where the bulk of the Prussians
were  heading.   If the mass of the Prussian army were making for Wavre,
Grouchy intended to follow them, then act to keep them from Brussels and
prevent them joining Wellington.

On  the  information  he  had available Grouchy must have thought that a
drive  towards  Wavre  would  push the remains of the shattered Prussian
army  north  and  east,  away  from  Brussels,  and keep them from their
allies.    Unfortunately for the French, Grouchy was at Gembloux when he
wrote  this,  already slightly east of the Prussians, and as a result of
the  delay  in starting his pursuit from Ligny, the Prussian army before
him was far from the broken army Napoleon expected him to find.  Even as
he  was writing his dispatch, the Prussians were actually completing the
concentration  of all four corps around Wavre.  Given that the Prussians
had  now  regrouped  Grouchy's  more  easterly  location and the various
delays  in  his  setting  out on the 18th, it is doubtful with hindsight
whether  Grouchy really had much chance of intercepting the Prussians as
he  intended.    With  the  benefit of perfect knowledge however, on the
morning  of  the 18th Grouchy headed north to Wavre.  It had turned 8 am
when  he  started, by which time the Prussians were already on their way
to Wellington's aid.

As  Grouchy's  forces  moved out, some miles away at Le Caillou, about a
mile  south of La Belle Alliance, Napoleon and his generals were sitting
down  to breakfast.  The Emperor was in ebullient mood, and was counting
on  dinner  in  Brussels.    He gave Soult short shrift when he tried to
bring  a  note of realism into the after breakfast meeting by suggesting
that  Napoleon should waste no time recalling at least part of Grouchy's
34,000  men  to  help against Wellington.  'You think because Wellington
defeated  you  that  he must be a great general.  I tell you he is a bad
general,  that the English are poor troops, and that this affair will be
no more serious than eating one's breakfast.'

In  his turn.  Reille suggested that the British infantry were difficult
to  attack  from  the  front  and  believed  that  manoeuvre was the key
Napoleon  liked  this  even  less  and broke up the meeting.  Clearly an
expensive  frontal  hammering  in a bloody battle of attrition was to be
ordered  with  no  time  for the finesse of manoeuvre.  As will be seen,
both  Soult  and  Reille  gave  advice that would probably have heralded
victory later in the day, but in the unfounded optimism of Napoleon such
experience was ignored.

Once  more  in contrast to the Napoleon of earlier years, he was content
to  postpone  the attack on the Allied lines for four hours to allow the
ground  to  dry out a little even though he had received several reports
that the Prussians were conming to Wellington's aid.  It would certainly
make manoeuvring easier and quicker, especially for his artillery, which
would also appreciate the firmer ground to increase the ricochet effects
of  their  solid  round  shot projectiles.  This was actually a somewhat
spurious  argument, however, due to the fact that Wellington had clearly
hidden most of his troops behind a ridge, out of artillery line of fire,
which  in  turn  negated the ricochet effect that the drier ground could
offer.   Perhaps Napoleon was merely rationalizing his delay in starting
the battle, for his troops were well behind in their schedule for a 9 am
start  -  a  situation  unthinkable  only  a few years previously, as he
himself  had  once  said: 'Strategy is the art of making use of time and
space.    I am less chary of the latter than of the former; space we can
recover,  but  time,  never  may lose a battle, but I shall never lose a
minute.'  Later  events  were  to  prove the four- hour delay a critical
factor  in  the  French defeat, with almost no compensating advantage to
the French.

After  scouting  the  battlefield  and  observing  Wellington's  visible
dispositions,  Napoleon went to Rossomme farm, about half a mile from La
Belle  Alliance, where at 10 am he dictated his orders for the day and a
dispatch  to  Grouchy  that  must  have  left  him  in no doubt that his
presence  at  the  field  of Waterloo was not required, Grouchy actually
being  instructed  to  direct  his movements on Wavre.  Napoleons Battle
plan  was  simple  and  uncomplicated.  A frontal assault was to be made
against  Wellington's  left  centre  by d'Erlon's I Corps, still totally
intact  from  its lack of action on the 16th and keen to prove itself in
the  eyes  of  the  Emperor.  Napoleon was not to involve himself in the
battle  directly  but  left  the fine detail of the plan - and effective
control to a battle commander, Marshal Ney.

Even  at  this  hour,  before  the  battle  had  started  Napoleon   had
unwittingly  sown  the  seeds  of  his  own  defeat.   His relinquishing
effective  control  of  the  battle  to  the  rash  Marshal   Ney,   his
underestimation  of  the  enemy  in  the face of experienced advice, his
refusal to accept the possibility of Prussian reinforcement, his failure
to  recall Grouchy and his waste of a further four hours of the day were
all to prove far reaching and instrumental in his downfall.  As we shall
see,  if  just  one  of  these  factors  had  been  changed, the fate of
Wellington at Waterloo could well have been scaled.  All would have been
unthinkable of Napoleon in his prime.

The  Battle  Opens; d'Erlon's Assault: At about 11.25 am the twenty four
12  pounder  cannon  of the French batteries in front of d'Erlon's Corps
thundered  out  against  the  Allied  positions.    Most of Wellington's
infantry  were behind the ridge, and the French cannon would have had to
focus  exclusively  on  thinning out the valuable and outnumbered Allied
artillery  opposite  had  not Bylandt's brigade been left exposed on the
forward slopes, presumably accidentally.

Simultaneously,  an  attack  was  launched by Jerome against Hougoumont,
initially  intended to be diversionary but in the event destined to last
all  day.  Some 13,000 French were to be committed against 2,000 British
Guardsmen, who successfully beat off all attacks.

By 1 pm, the guns in front of d'Erlon had been joined by a further forty
6-pounders  from  I  Corps, and another twenty four 12 pounders from the
Guard,  making  a  massed  battery of some 88 guns.  These tore into the
heart  of  Bylandt's exposed brigade, which was spared only the ricochet
effect of near-misses in the still soggy ground.

At  1.30,  even as the main attack began, a captured Prussian hussar was
presented  to  the  Emperor, and he confirmed that some 30,000 Prussians
were  on  their  way to support Wellington.  To secure the French right,
Lobau's  corps  was  ordered to form a protective defence to the east of
the main road, along with the cavalry of Domont and Subervie.

D'Erlon's  I Corps advanced with the cuirassiers of Travers on its left,
just  east of the road, and those of Duois to the west of the main road.
The  four  divisions advanced in echelon, leading from the left, so that
Allix's  infantry  would tie up the Allied centre in the area of La Haye
Sainte  while  the  main  body of the attack swept past and up the hill,
with  Donzelot's  troops  then  leading  the  assault.   However, in the
confusion  so  typical  of  war, the two central infantry divisions were
drawn  up  in  divisional  column, rather than column of divisions.  The
former  was  a  very  unwieldy  formation  of 8 or 9 battalions drawn up
densely  with  a  full  battalion  frontage  (200 files x 27 ranks); the
latter were the more usual and far more flexible battalion columns, each
with  a  frontage  of two companies (70 men x 9 ranks) drawn up so as to
leave room between battalions to allow deployment into line.

As  such,  for  most of the force involved in the main attack, there was
room  neither  to  deploy  nor  to  manoeuvre  when  they  reached their
objectives, or in the event of a setback.

Few  can  have  expected  any  setbacks  after  such  a  bombardment and
initially  all  went  well  for  the  French  assault.     The remaining
Netherlanders broke before the advancing mass of more than 18,000 French
infantry  Allix took the garden and orchard of La Haye Sainte, drove out
the  95th from the gravel pit and pressed hard at Major Baring's Germans
in  the  farmhouse  itself.   Travers cuirassiers broke one of Ompteda's
battalions  sent  to  Baring's aid, and the reminder of the French swept
past  and advanced up the rapidly emptying slope.  But the congestion in
the  French  ranks  was rapidly becoming unbearable as the uneven ground
and the gradient pressed the files and ranks together into one amorphous
mass.    Donzelot's  division, now leading the assault, halted below the
crest in order to try and deploy from his crowded formation.

Bylandt's  Belgians  may  have bolted to the rear, but Picton's division
was  ready.    They  had  been  lying  down  sheltering  from the French
bombardment in the cover of the sunken road and the broken hedges at the
top  of the reverse slope.  To Picton's cry of 'Rise up!', the 3,000 men
of  his  division  stood  up  to  meet  the anticipated assault Then, as
Donzelot tried to organize his mass of troops Picton led Kempt's brigade
forward  to  the  crest,  clearing a slight re- entrant in the ridge and
sweeping  the  French  tirailleur  skirmishers before them.  A fusillade
from the brigade tore into the deploying column from less than 40 yards.
The hail of bullets scythed down the leading ranks.  The French infantry
wavered  then,  with  a  'Charge!   Hurrah!', Picton ordered the brigade
forward  with  the bayonet to sweep the French from the hill.  They were
his  final  words.  As Kempt's brigade swept down the hill he fell, shot
through  the  temple  as the charge successfully threw back the whole of
Donzelot's division.

Meanwhile  Marcognet,  catching up with Donzelot's deploying troops, did
not  stop  below  the  crest  to  deploy but, sensing victory within his
grasp,  swept  on  over  it  in  column with enthusiastic cries of 'Vive
l'Empereur!'.    It was to be short-lived elation.  They rushed over the
crest  to  find  Pack's  extended  lines far overlapping the head of the
column.    On  command  the  British  let loose close-range volleys that
stopped the advancing column in its tracks.

On  the  crest,  Marcognet had been halted but not routed.  Farther down
the  hill  Travers  cavalry  started to move forward against Kempt's now
exposed  brigade,  picking  their way through the throng, ready to press
the British into squares for the infantry to finish off as they rallied,
or  else to ride them into the ground where they stood.  Durutte's fresh
division was also coming up on Marcognet's right.  Outnumbered by nearly
four  to  one  fully  committed,  with no reserves behind them, and with
Picton  himself  dead,  the  Fifth  Division  was only minutes away from
disaster.

In  the very nick of time, the cavalry came to the rescue.  Uxbridge had
brought  up  the  two  brigades  of  British  heavy cavalry.  Somerset's
brigade  insisted of the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards and
1st Dragoon Guards.  The other, led by Ponsonby, consisted of the of the
1st  Royal  Dragoons,  the  6th Dragoons, and the 2nd Dragoons; the grey
horses  of  the  latter  had  earned  the  regiment the nickname of 'The
Greys'.

With  a  perfect  sense of timing Uxbridge led his heavy cavalry against
the  French.    Somerset's  brigade  went  to the west of the main road,
Ponsonby's to the east.  Somerset's cavalry met Dubois' cuirassiers just
west  of  La Haye Sainte, the eastern most squadron of these cuirassiers
being partly disordered in crossing the sunken road.  The British routed
them  on  contact,  along with Allix's infantry that was pressing around
the  farm.  However (and not for the first time) elements of the British
cavalry  got  out of hand, failed to raily behind the reserve squadrons,
and took their charge right on to the French Grand Battery.

Ponsonby  attacked  Donzelot and Marcognet in two lines - the Royals and
Inniskillings  in the first line and the Scots Greys in reserve to their
left  and  rear.  The latter soon forgot their supporting role, however,
and  swept  into  Marcognet's  flanks  to complete the total rout of the
Division.    Supporting  charges  by  Vandeleur's  light brigade pressed
Durutte  back  in  rather  better  order  than  the rest of the Corps to
complete  a  charge  across  the whole sector that was unstoppable.  The
French  lost some 5,000 men and two eagles and only on the extreme right
at  Papelotte and Frischermont did they meet with any measure of success
at all.

But  the  Greys  also ignored the call to rally and swept up amongst the
French  battery.    However, together with Somerset's remnants they were
flung  back  with  heavy  losses by fresh cuirassiers and lancers.  Only
prompt  action by Vandeleur's light horse cavalry allowed them the cover
they needed in their escape.

It was now 3 pm.  A lull descended on the battle as both sides paused to
regroup.  The French attack had been broken up, but at a loss of some 40
per  cent  of Wellington's entire cavalry and nearly all of it the heavy
cavalry  that  would have been invaluable against the assaults that must
surely  follow.  And follow they did.  Napoleon, perhaps suspicious that
he might have made a mistake in giving Ney so much control, now gave him
a  direct  and  categoric  order  that  he must immediately take La Haye
Sainte.

The  French  Cavalry  Attack:  A little before 4 pm Ney took Quiot's and
Donzelot's  brigades  from  the  rallied remainder of I Corps against La
Haye  Sainte  but found that Baring's position had been reinforced.  The
attack  was  repulsed in just a few minutes but, while at the front, Ney
saw  some British battalions still returning to the cover of the reverse
slopes  and  further  'columns' of wounded heading back towards Mont St.
Jean,  Taking these to be retreating troops, he immediately ordered up a
brigade  of  Milhaud's cuirassiers to press the perceived retreat into a
rout.    Somehow the attack escalated in all the excitement, and instead
of just a brigade of cuirassiers, some 5,000 French cavalry of all types
-  many  without  orders  were  suddenly moving against the Allied right
centre.    On the ridge Wellington and his staff were amazed that such a
mistake could have been made.  Wellington ordered his troops into square
and  advanced.    Some  of  the squares to just behind the Allied cannon
lining the crest, so that the gunners could run back into the shelter of
the  squares  at  the last minute and then quickly return to the guns in
the expectation that the unsupported cavalry would be beaten back.

The  French  cavalry  advanced spectacularly, en echelon from the right.
Funnelled  into the gap between La Haye Sainte and Hougounmont, charging
uphill,  through  high  corn and over soggy ground, it is not surprising
that  the  attack was delivered barely at a trot, and the Allied gunners
lost  no time in taking full advantage of the target before them.  Whole
files  were  destroyed  by  the  crashing  roundshot  flying through the
crowded  mass  of horses and riders, while repeated charges of shell and
shrapnell  emptied  many saddles in the rear ranks.  Then it was down to
canister  range,  where  whole  ranks  would  disappear at a stroke, the
following horses stumbling over the broken carnage that was once some of
the  finest  cavalry  in Europe.  And still they came on.  Disordered by
the  mounds  of  corpses and wreckage, the sunken road and the ceaseless
fire  of  steady infantry, wave after wave of this magnificent arm broke
itself  against  the  squares,  to  be  thrown back down the hill, where
reforming  with others similarly repulsed, they would again launch their
charge into the very mouths of the re manned cannon they had just passed
and to the infantry behind.

No  less  than  four  assaults  took place on the Allied squares by this
cavalry,  in  some  places  supported  by horse batteries, but otherwise
without  any support or co- ordination.  Advancing French infantry could
have  approached  unmolested  by  artillery  fire  as the Allied gunners
sheltered  within  the  squares  from  the  milling  horsemen,  but  the
opportunity was missed.  That premature movement may have a fatal effect
on  the  fortunes  of  the  day.   It is too early by an hour,' grumbled
Napoleon  to  Soult  'He has compromised us, as he did at Jena, came the
reply.

By  5  pm  fully  10,000  horsemen had been fed into the maelstrom in an
attempt to help the first, blown assaults yet still no infantry had come
up  in  support,  nor  any spiking equipment to silence the Allied guns.
Altlhough  casualties mounted within the British squares, they were able
to  stand  firm  while there was no threat from the French infantry, and
some  charges  by  the Allied light cavalry and the remnant of the heavy
cavalry  helped  to  clear the now tiring French horsemen from the hill.
All  had  been  relpulsed when, at last, at 5.30 pm, 8,000 infantry from
Reille's  Corps  finally  arrived  in  support.  It was too late for the
tired  horsemen  now  regrouping  in  the lee of the ridge.  Lord Hill's
infantry  swung  out  on  the  Allied  right towards Hougoumont to allow
converging fire on the French infantry as they came up on the slope.  In
view of the presence of cavalry still in the area, Wellington's infantry
had  formed  reinforced  (four-deep)  lines to meet the threat but still
gave  such  a volume of fire that within ten minutes they had broken the
attack and inflicted more than 20 per cent losses on the columns.

The  second  major assault on the Allied lines had been broken.  And now
at  least  the  Prussians  were making their presence felt on the French
right.

The  Prussians  Arrive:  Wellington  had expected the two Prussian Corps
dispatched  from Wavre to reinforce his right wing by lunch time, and he
had  left  space  in  his  deployment  behind  Picton to allow for their
arrival.    But  muddles  in Prussian staff work caused confusion on the
march  as the long columns converged, and the sticky mud slowed progress
to  a  crawl.    As  a result, the first corps to arrive, von Bulow's IV
Corps, only came into action shortly after 4 pm.  The first brigades had
emerged  from  the  Bois  de  Paris  on the far right of the French, and
behind d'Erlon's corps, while the remainder of the column was strung out
way to the rear because of the long march over difficult ground.

As  the Prussians came out of the wood, they met Lobau's corps formed up
at  right angles to the French main line, linking up with Durutte on the
French  right  Lobau  attacked  before the Prussians could deploy fully,
pushing  von  Bulow  back  on  the  wood,  but a Prussian thrust towards
Plancenoit threatened to turn Lobau's right and recovered the situation.
By  5  pm,  with  the  arrival  of Pirch's II Corps on von Bulow's left,
Plancenoit  was  threatened  from  three  sides and Lobau's corps was in
definite  difficulties.    Vicious fighting broke out on the edge of the
village,  where the Prussians retained a foothold, and Prussian reserves
were coming up to exploit it against the beleaguered French.  A division
of  the  Young  Guard  came  to their aid and briefly secured Plancenoit
before fresh waves of Prussian assaults wrested it from their grasp in a
bloody  hand to hand struggle.  The Young Guard was repulsed and Lobau's
thinking  and tired lines were being relentlessly pressed back.  If only
Grouchy had been there.

Things  were  looking  decidedly  tight for Napoleon by now and with his
front line engaged all along its length there was only the Guard left to
reinforce his wavering right.  If Plancenoit was not retaken, his entire
flank  could  collapse.  He sent two battalions of the Old Guard to take
Plancenoit itself and lined up the remaining eleven battalions along the
main  road,  facing  east.  Lobau's hard pressed corps in turn shortened
its  lines  and  moved north east of Plancetnoit.  The demonstration and
threat of the Old Guard was in itself nearly enough.  The two battalions
stormed  through  Plancenoit  in a brilliant counterattack which flung a
full  fourteen  battalions  of Prussians back from the immediate area of
the  village and bolstered the sagging morale of the French right wing.
Within  the  hour,  the  line  had  been stabilized; each side paused to
regroup forces and recover strength.

Bringing most of the Old Guard back into the central reserve at around 7
pm,  Napoleon  must  have  felt that victory was still within his grasp,
for,  while he had been preoccupied on his right with the Prussians, Ney
had remained highly active in the centre.

Wellington's Crisis: Still determined to take La Haye Sainte, the key to
the  battle,  Ney  had  set  up  a  third  assault on the Allied centre.
Launched a little before 6 pm, this time the attack was set up properly,
using  combined arms of infantry, cavalry and artillery in the assault.
Many of the Allied troops were forced into square by the presence of the
enemy  cavalry, seriously reducing the number of muskets that could bear
on  the approaching French infantry.  Worse, supporting French artillery
cut  large  holes in the densely packed formations, who could only close
ranks in the face of the combined arms assault.

The  pressure on Wellington's army was now almost intolerable.  Although
the  line  had  held  all  afternoon  casualties had not been light, and
streams  of  wounded  had  flooded  back to the rear.  Desertion was not
unknown and some units such as the Duke of Cumberland's Hussars had left
the  field  en mass.  The staying power of some of the Allied troops was
very  questionable  by now, and Brialmont described the road to Brussels
as  being so crowded with fugitives that Wellington had no choice but to
hold his ground.

Wellington's  centre  was rapidly thinning under the intense pressure of
Ney's  third  attack.  General Ompteda fell dead near the high road; Sir
William  Delancey  received  a mortal wound from a cannonball as he rode
next  to  Wellington;  Sir  Alexander  Gordon  received  his death wound
nearby;  farther  to  the  right, the Prince of Orange and general Alten
were struck down.

Kielmansegge's  tough  King's  German Legion were at last pushed back in
the  centre,  leaving a yawning gap in the Allied line.  Worse still, by
being  locked  up in squares for most of the afternoon during the French
cavalry  attack,  command  control over most of the battlefield had been
severed,  with  the  result that the garrison of La Haye Sainte had been
neither  reinforced nor re supplied Baring's men there, heavily depleted
and  having  fired  their  last  rounds, had no alternative but to fight
their  way out and rejoin the main lines.  Of the original 400 defenders
of the farm, only 42 got out.

Taking  La  Haye  Sainte  at  last, Ney wasted no time in positioning an
artillery  battery there, which enfiladed the Allied troops at less than
300  yards  range.    All  Wellington  could  do was to call in his last
reserves  from  the  extreme  left and extreme right to plug the rapidly
widening gap in the centre.

'Le  centre  est ouvert!  Vive l'Empereur!': Now was the time for Ney to
launch  one last assault to break through Wellington's decimated centre.
But  what  with?    His  own  force was stretched, engaged all along the
front, and like Wellington he had no reserves in the immediate area.  He
needed  reinforcements,  perhaps from the Guard.  He sent Colonel Heymes
to  ask  the  Emperor  for  more troops When he arrived at the Emperor's
observation  post  Napoleon  was himself under pressure on the right and
was  still  preoccupied  with his problems at Plancenoit.  The Guard was
strung  out  along the right flank in support of Lobau, and nothing more
could  be  released  to  this  wasteful  Marshal.   'More troops!' raged
Napoleon: 'Where am I to get them?  Does he expect me to make them?'

Ney's  reinforcements  were  not  to  come.   The timing would have been
critical, before Wellington's final reserves came up.  The wavering line
held as Chasse arrived from the far right, Wincke from the far left, and
Wellington  himself  brought  up the raw and uncertain Brunswickers from
the reserve to fill the gap.  To keep the Brunswickers in place he lined
up  behind  them  Somerset and Ponsonby's cavalry brigades - brigades in
name  only, for between them they were barely two squadrons strong.  His
last  reserves  had  been committed, the French had been checked for the
time  being, but where were the promised Prussians?  'Give me Blucher...
or  give  me  night...'  was  his quiet prayer.  Had he but known it, in
diverting  Napoleon's  final  reserve the Prussian attacks on Plancenoit
had probably already saved his army.  It was 7 pm.

The  Assault  by The Imperial Guard: Shortly after 7 pm the French right
wing had been propped up sufficiently to pull most of the Old Guard back
into reserve.  The French position looked strong from La Belle Alliance.
To  the  far right, Durutte held La Haye and Papelotte, with skirmishers
thrown forward to the crest of the ridge; the rest of I Corps was busily
engaged well forward on the slopes to the right of La Haye Sainte and at
the  farm  itself  the  French  cannon and sharpshooters were raking the
Allied  lines  to the right and left.  Ney had breasted the ridge to the
left  of  the  road,  and  Wellington's  lines showed considerable gaps.
Wellington  had  clearly  committed  all  his  reserves  and since Ney's
appeals  half  an  hour before he must be even weaker.  A supreme effort
all along the front was called for, with an attack by the Imperial Guard
to  smash  right through the centre and roll up the line and there could
still be enough time to tackle the Prussians before dark.

But even as the attack was being prepared, it became clear the vision of
success  before  him  was  illusory,  for  to  the French right the blue
uniforms  of  the  Prussian  I  Corps  could now be distinguished in the
distance  as  they belatedly arrived at Smohain and Frischermont to link
the  two armies.  Signs of panic were already starting to be seen on the
French right as they speculated on the disaster that would follow.  Only
a supreme effort could save the day.

Ever  ready  to take a risk, as the Guard advanced Napoleon deliberately
spread  the  news  that  the  blue  uniforms in the distance belonged to
Grouchy's  force.   It gave his weary lines the strength to make a final
effort,  and, at last, here was the Guard, marching steadily on to break
Wellington's  line.  Its use had always heralded the victorious end to a
battle - victory was near: success was certain: the Guard had never been
defeated.  'La Garde au feu!  Voila Grouchy!  Vive l'Empereur!'

Details  of  the  actual  attack  were  still  slightly  confused,  with
differing  sources  offering varying interpretations.  However, it seems
that of the fourteen battalions of the Guard, two were already committed
at  Plancenoit,  which  left twelve battalions available to the Emperor.
Leaving three near La Belle Alliance, Napoleon himself led the remainder
in column along the main Brussels road.

The  Guard  descended  into the valley.  Keeping three battlelions there
with  him, Napoleon halted near La Belle Alliance and released the other
six  to  Marshal Ney for the assault on the Allied centre.  Most sources
reveal  that  the  assault went forward in battalion columns with a two-
company  wide  frontage,  but  General  Petit of the Imperial Guard, who
helped  Ney  organize the attack, insists that a hollow square formation
was  used.    Whatever  the  truth,  it  is probable that one of the six
battalions  was  posted  at the main road south of La Haye Sainte as the
other  five  ascended the slope en echelon, the Grenadiers of the Middle
Guard  leading  from  the  right,  and  with  a  pair  of cannon in each
interval.    D'Erlons  battered  I Corps launched a supporting attack to
their  right,  while  Reille  should have provided some support from his
eastern  most battalions, but by some error these failed to materialize,
leaving the Guard to advance alone, but confident.

Had  the  attack  been  made just half an hour earlier, the centre would
have been open.  As it was, the leading battalion - the 1/3rd Grenadiers
of  the  Middle  Guard - crested the slope to be met by the Brunswickers
and  the  remains  of  the British 30th and 73rd.  The Grenadiers pushed
them  back.   The Brunswickers breaking and Wellington himself riding to
rally them.  Chasse, behind them, had brought up van der Smissen's Dutch
battery,  which  had  fired  on  the Guard with good effect, and he then
ordered  up  his  two  infantry  brigades  to  plug  the gap left by the
Bruinswickers.    D'Aubreme's  brigade  then left the field in disorder.
Ditmer's  brigade,  however,  formed up on the left of the rallying 30th
and  73rd  British  and charged the Grenadiers in fine order to hold the
line.

Meanwhile the second echelon of the Imperial Guard comprising the single
battalion  of  the  4th  Grenadiers came up on the left of the 1/3rd and
engaged  in  hand  to hand combat with Colin Halkett's brigade, who were
still  in  four  deep  line.  The line almost broke under the impact but
just  held, Colin Hikett himself rallying the 33rd by seizing one of the
colours, before falling himself.

The  fate  of  these two melees still hung in the balance when the third
and  fourth echelons arrived together in one mass, consisting of the 1st
and  2nd  Battalions  of  the 3rd Chasseurs.  There was nothing to their
front  as  they  neared  the  road,  until Wellington's voice called out
clearly  above  the  sounds  of  battle 'Now Maitland, now's your time!.
Then  the  order, 'Stand up, Guards!' The Duke had ordered all troops to
lie  down  or  shelter  behind  cover  when  under fire but not actually
engaged,  and  Maitland's  brigade  of Guards had been lying down in the
shelter  of  the banks of the road.  The fifteen hundred Guards rose, it
seemed,  from  the  very ground just fifty yards in front of the French.
Still  in  four  ranks,  they pounded the Chasseurs with rolling volleys
that  devastated  the head of the attack at point blank range The attack
wavered in disorder.

Almost  without  pausing  for breath, the Guards charged the mass of the
Chasseurs  and threw them down the hill in rout.  Near the bottom of the
slope  the  pursuing  and  disordered  Guards  ran into the French fifth
echelon  comprising  the  4th Chasseurs, before breaking off and running
back in double-quick time and considerable disorder to the crest between
Halkett's  and Adams brigades, where they hastened to form up before the
advancing Chasseurs.

As  this  was happening, Adams' brigade had not been idle.  Colborne had
wheeled  the 52nd forward to take the last echelon of the Imperial Guard
in  flank  as  it  came up the slope and halted it suddenly short of the
ridge.    A  fierce  fire  fight  lasted  for  four minutes and cost 150
casualties  in  the  52nd  alone,  perhaps suggesting from the volume of
return fire that the Chasseurs were indeed in hollow square formation at
the  time.   Nevertheless the firepower of the British soldiers took its
toll on the 4th Chasseurs and ripped the formation apart.

The attack had been halted all along the front.  In the valley, Napoleon
was  preparing to bring up a further three battalions of the Guard - 1st
Chasseurs,  2nd  Grenadiers  and 2nd Chasseurs - when, looking up to the
crest, his astonishment must have been absolute 'Mais, ils sont melees!'

Even  as  he spoke, the rearward movement of his Guard was evident.  The
entire  attack  had been repelled.  The perfect formations of just a few
minutes  before  were  now a single confused blue mass, highlighted with
the  glint  of  slashing steel as Vivian's and Vandeleur's light cavalry
hacked  within  its midst.  The impossible had happened.  The invincible
had  been  vanquished.    A  great, incredible sob sped along the French
lines - 'La Garde recule!  Sauve qni peut!'

To  the  right,  the  blue  coats seen at Smohain were now nearer, their
artillery  firing  on  the  French lines.  Could this be Grouchy firing?
There had always been considerable suspicion of the Bourbon troops under
his  control.  Had he defected to the Bourbons?  'Traison!' came the cry
'Nous  sommes trahis !  , Soon, even in the deepening gloom of twilight,
they  were clearly seen as Prussians, not Grouchy's force.  The army had
indeed been betrayed.

Seeing  the moment was ripe, Wellington raised his cocked hat forward to
signal  a  general advance.  The army descended the slope, as the French
army  crumbled before it, In the valley, only Reille's corps on the left
and the three battalions of the Old Guard at La Belle Alliance held fast
to offer a last chance of a rallying point for the fleeing army.  It was
to  no  avail.  Plancenoit was again taken by the Prussians, driving all
before  them towards the main road in their pursuit.  Only when Napoleon
saw  that all was lost did he leave the field.  The squares of the Guard
finally  broke  up  after taking musket fire in the face of overwhelming
odds,  and their commander, General Cambronne, surrendered to Colonel H.
Halkett.    At  1O  pm  Wellington and Blucher met at La Belle Alliance,
where  Blucher  offered  to  take  up  the pursuit.  This was gratefully
accepted  by Wellington, whose troops had by then been fighting for more
than ten hours.

It had indeed been 'a damned near-run thing'

Napoleonic Time Line

1792 French Revolution.  Napoleon helps overthrow royalist government in
Corsica

1793  France declares war on Britain and Spain.  Siege of Toulon held by
British.    Napoleon  in  charge  of French Republican Artillery becomes
Brigadier General.

1795  Paris  rising.    Napoleon  made second-in-command, helps suppress
rebels

1796-7  Commander of the army in Italy.  Victories against the Austrians
at Arcola, Rivoli and Mantua.

1798  Conquest  of  Egypt complete after Battle of the Pyramids.  Nelson
defeats French Fleet at the Battle of the Nile.  Napoleon escapes

1799  Coup  d'etat of 18 Brummaire makes Napoleon first of three consuls
and  virtual  ruler  of  France.    Napoleon  sets  up centralized local
government;  Code  Napoleon;  Bank  of France; builds roads, bridges and
re-equips ports.

1800 Napoleon defeats Austrians at Marengo

1801 Peace with Austria at Luneville

1802  Peace  with  Britain at Amiens.  Wellesley (Wellington) made Major
General.  Napoleon breaks treaties, takes Piedmont and Switzerland.

1803 Britain declares war on France, Alliance between France and Spain

1804  Napoleon  declared  Emperor  of  France.    Spain  declares war on
Britian.

1805  Napoleon  crowned  king  of Italy.  Army diverted from invasion of
Britian  to central Europe against 'Third Coalition' of Austria, Prussia
and  Russia.    Nelson  defeats  combined  French  and Spanish fleets at
Trafalgar.  Victory at Austerlitz.

1806 Victory at Jena destroys Prussian Army.

1807  Victory  at  Friedland.    Allied with Russia in Treaty of Tilsit.
France declares war on Portugal

1808 Invasion of Spain.  Peninsula War begins against British.

1809 War with Austria.  Austria defeated at Wagram.

1810 France annexes Holland

1812 Napoleon invades Russia.  Retreat from Moscow Grand Army destroys

1813  Napoleon  defeated  at Leipzig by old coalition of enemies.  Loses
control of Germany.

1814  Wellington  invades  France  from Spain.  Allies enter France from
Germany.  Napoleon abdicates Becomes ruler of the Italian island Elba.

1815 Congress of Vienna to decide terms of peace.  Napoleon escapes back
to  France.   French army and Marshals rally behind him.  Napoleon tries
to  divide  and destroy opponents.  He is defeated at Waterloo.  Exhiled
to St.  Helena

1821 Napoleon dies.

1840 Napoleon's body returned to France.


Fields of Glory - Glossary
--------------------------

Battery: A collection of cannon grouped together.

Brigade:  A  unit  made  up  of  3-5 Battalions.  Brigade orders are the
lowest level of orders that can be given in the game.  Prussian Brigades
are equivalent to Divisions.

Cavalry: Mounted troops divided into light, medium or heavy

Chasseur: French light infantry (literally 'hunter')

Chasseur a Cheval: French light cavalry.

Commander:  A  general or other level leader who commands an army, wing,
corps or division.

Concentration: A massing together of elements of an army

Corps:  The  main  sub  division  of  any army consisting of two or more
divisions.    French  infantry  corps  were  armies  in  their own right
consisting  of  infantry,  cavalry and artillery.  Cavalry corps consist
primarily of cavalry with artillery support.

Cuirassier:  Armoured  heavy  cavalryman Cuirass was body armour usually
breast and back plates.

Disorder:  A  unit  that has lost its cohesiveness due to enenmy fire or
close  combat.    Disordered  units manoeuvre more slowly and fight less
effectively than Formed/Ordered ones.

Division:  A  group  of  brigades  under  the  control  of  a divisional
commander.  See note re Prussian Brigades.

Dragoon: Generally medium cavalry in all armies except the British where
they  are  classed as heavy cavalry British light dragoons are, however,
medium cavalry.

Formation: The way units form up on a battlefield to allow them to fight
effectively.

Heavy  Cavalry:  Big  men  on  big  horses.   Slow moving but capable of
defeating  other  cavalry  and  riding  down enenmy infantry through the
shock of their weight.

Landwehr: German militia - second line troops.

Light  Brigade:  Brigade  comprised  solely  or  mainly  light  infantry
battalions.

Light  Cavalry:  Lighter men mounted on smaller horses.  Fast moving but
lacking the shock impact of the medium and heavy cavalry.

Light  Infantry:  Faster  moving  than  line  infantry  and  trained  to
skirmish; light infantry are generally superior to line infantry.

Ligny:  Battle  fought between the French and the Prussians on 16th June
1815 - the same day as Quatre Bras.

Limber: Two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used to tow a cannon.

Line  Infantry:  The  standard  infantry  in  all  armies.   Originally,
"infantry of the line of battle".

Line  of  Sight:  A straight line along which other troops can be seen a
line of sight is blocked by intervening objects such as hills, towns and
smoke.

Line  of Commnnication: The route along which troops travel to a battle.

Medium Cavalry: Usually classed as dragoons.  Capable of shock impact as
well as forming cavalry screens.  More effective than light cavalry, but
not as tough as heavy cavalry.

Mixed  Order:  A French brigade formation in which middle battalions are
in line while flanks are in column.

Quatre  Bras:  A  battle  fought  between  the French (Marshall Ney) and
Wellington on 16th June 1815

Regiment:  A  permanent unit of an army usually divided into two or more
battalions.  Note that a Prussian Regiment is equivalent to a Brigade.

Rifle: A musket with spiral grooves carved into the barrel that spin the
bullet and give it greater range and accuracy.

Rout: A state of affairs where a unit has been so severely defeated that
it  flees  behind  its own battle lines, Routed units lose all formation
and will not advance until rallied.

Skirmish:  A  loose formation where troops are not densely packed.  They
are  used  to  harry  enemy formations and to shield friendly units from
enemy fire, Units in skirmish formation are harder to hit with fire, but
vulnerable  to  cavalry  attack.  In Fields of Glory only Light Brigades
can  form  Skirmish  order, although all units will automatically deploy
skirmishers to cover their front.

Square: An infantry formation used to defend against cavalry attacks.  A
square  has  four  sides that all point outwards preventing cavalry from
making flank attacks.  Squares are vulnerable to enemy fire

Unlimber:  An  order used to detach a cannon from its limber to allow it
to  be  fired.    Unlimbered artillery may be moved by man-handling over
very short distances.

Waterloo:  The  final battle between Napoleon and Wellington - 18th June
1815.

Wavre:  The  battle  between  the  Prussians  and  the  French (Marshall
Grouchy) fought on the same day as Waterloo - 18th June 1815.

Wing: Two or more Corps grouped together.  This is a French organization
only.


Bibliography
------------

A Guide to the Battlefields of Europe
Editor David Chandler,
Patrick Stephens Limited,1989
ISBN 1-85260-203-1

A Near Run Thing, David Howarth,
The Literary Guild, 1969

An Encyclopedia of Napoleon's Europe, Alan Palmer,
St. Martins Press
ISBN 0312-24905-5

Armanmentaria Aflevering 25 1990, Author Various
Armamentaria / Stichting 'Vrienden van het
Legermuseum', 1990
ISBN 90-70793-08-3

Armies at Waterloo, Scott Bowden, Empire Press
1983 ISBN 0-913037-02-8

The Battle Honours of the British and Indian
Armies 1695 - 1914, N.B. Leslie, Leo Cooper
ISBN 0850520045

Battle Honours of the British Army
C.B.Nornman Pub. John Murray

The Battle of Waterloo, B.J. Hurren,
William Luscomhe Publisher Ltd, 1975
ISBN 0 86002 057 6

The Campaigns of Napoleon, David G Chandler
Publisher Macmillan, 1966

Carl Von Plotho. Publisher unknown Berlin 1818

The Face of Battle, John Keegan, Barrie and Jenkins, 1988
ISBN 0-7126-2120-2

Forward into Battle, Paddy Griffith,
The Crowood Press 1981
ISBN 1 85223 075 4

Great Battlefields of the World, John Macdonald,
Michael Joseph Ltd., London 1984

Geschichte der Koeniglich Deutschen Legion 1803-1816
Bernard Schwertfger, Publisher unknown
Hannover and Leipzig 1907

Grosser Generalstab : Das Preussische Heer in
den Jahren 1814 und 1815,
Publisher unknown Berlin 1914

Historische Rang und Stammliste des deutschen Bredow
Wedel, Heeres Berlin 1905

The Illustrated Napoleon, David G Chandler
Publisher Greenhill Books, 1991
ISBN 1-85367-086-3

In Flight with the Eagle, Raymond Horricks,
Costello
ISBN 0710 43040

Der Krieg Des verbnendeten Europa gegen
Frankreich im Jahre 1815

Napoleonic Scenarios, Rick Vossman, Buck Surdu,
Bill Harting
Battles for Empire Publications, 1991

The Napoleonic Source Book, Philip J. Haythornwaite
Publisher Arms and Armour Press, 1990
ISBN 0-85368-969-5

Napoleon's Generals Volume 1 , Tony Linck
Battle Honours / Castle Books and Publishers, 1991

Napoleon's Generals Volume 2., Tony Linck
Battle Honours / Castle Books and Publishers,1991

Napoleon's Marshals, David G, Chandler
Macmillan Publishing, 1987
ISBN 0-297-79124-9

Napoleon's Marshals Emir Bukhari, Chris Warner
Osprey Publishing Ltd, 1979
ISBN 0-85045-305-4

Napoleons Untergang 1815
Lettow Vorbeck, von,
Publisher unknown Berlin 1904

Osprey Men at Arms Series - the entire Napoleonic
Period Series

Soldatisches Fueinertum, Kurt von Priesdorff,
Publisher unknown Hamburg date unknown

Swords Around a Throne, John R Elting,
Weidenfeld and Nicholson
ISBN 0297 79590 2

Waterloo The Hundred Days, David G Chandler
Publisher Osprey, 1980
ISBN 0540 01170 3

Wellington's Military Machine, Philip J Haythornwaite
Book Club Associates, 1989


Designers Notes
---------------

Fields of Glory was conceived as a game that would be visually stunning,
fast moving and above all else fun to play.  The intention was to create
a  game  that  would  provide-thrills  and  excitement,  while  taxing a
player's ability to plan broad strategies and also make fast on the-spot
decisions.   Although our topic was the last battles of Napoleon, we had
no intention of creating just another wargame on computer.

I've  played  games with toy soldiers since infancy.  Over the years the
games  grew  more  sophisticated.  Dice and sets of rules replaced fired
matchsticks, hurled rocks, and flicking fingers.  It all got more adult,
but I'm pleased to say, it always remained as much fun as when I crawled
over the kitchen floor yelling "BANG!  BANG!"

It's the spectacle of seeing ranks of neatly ordered troops, all painted
in  glorious  colours,  marching  and  fighting  over  the tabletop that
continues  to  attract  me to gaming with miniatures.  So any attempt to
bring wargaming to life on computer would have to have all the above and
more.

Fields  of  Glory  had to come up with the goods in a major way.  Troops
had  to  move and fight.  Top down 2 Dimensional counters were not going
to  be  used in this game.  Instead, the troop graphics had to look like
real  soldiers  wearing uniforms as accurate as we could make them.  The
result was the detailed individual soldiers that make up the units.

The use of the troop graphics let us add extra visuals to the game.  The
terrain  consists  of  buildings, hills, rivers and woods that represent
the actual battlefields featured in the game.  In the battles, clouds of
smoke  erupt  from  barrels of cannons and muskets as they fire.  Troops
are  replaced  by corpses as they die and formations are reduced in size
and  effectiveness  as  casualties are taken.  Buildings and bridges are
destroyed as cannon balls hit them.

The  troops also form many different tactical formations as they respond
to  changing  conditions  Infantry attacked by cavalry attempt to form a
square  French  troops attack in either column or mixed formation, while
the  British  defend in line.  Troops who are routed are clearly visible
as a mass of fleeing men.

The  design  of the database also lets us add a further dimension to the
game  by frustrating all the generals and troops present at the battles.
The  biographies  were  provided to bring these characters to life.  You
can  check out their histories and personalities and also recognize them
within the game from their pop-up portraits.  The database is not just a
source  of impressive graphics, it also shows who commands which forces,
and  lets the player find the location of any general on the battlefield
quickly and easily.

But  computers are also useful for other things than just graphics.  The
battlefield  sounds  give you the impression of really being there.  The
roar  of the cannons and crackle of the muskets are heard along with the
sounds  of  marching  feet,  drum  rolls  trumpet calls and the clash of
bayonets and sabres.

The  music  is  based on popular marches of the period So when you enter
the  Prussian  database, you are hearing Prussian music of the day.  The
use  of  sampled  trumpets and drums to relay orders further adds to the
spectacle of the game.

Orders and Decisions

So,  with the graphics, sound and music designed, the hard work started.
Fields of Glory had to play in real time.  It was not to be a turn-based
game  where  the  player  waits  patiently  whilst the computer makes it
moves.    Once  the  game started and troops were given their orders the
game  was  to  have  a momentum all of its own.  The troops would follow
their  orders until they were successful or were repulsed by the enemy.
The  player would have to make on the spot decisions and respond quickly
to enemy actions.

The  armies  of  the  Napoleonic Wars were huge affairs.  It was obvious
that  no one could make all the decisions necessary to make these armies
fight effectively.  To cut down on the units within the game, we decided
to  use  brigades  as  the  basic  unit.  But even after deciding to use
brigades,  it  was apparent that there were still too many units for one
player  to keep track of.  The solution was simple, the player had to be
placed  in  the  role  of  Napoleon,  Wellington or Blucher.  This would
involve giving orders to the Corps commanders who would then give orders
to  their  own  subordinates.    The  army commanders would then rely on
messages to tell him how well his generals were doing.

Napoleonic  generals  also  at various times directed troops personally.
While  doing  so,  a  commander's  ability  to issue orders to his Corps
commanders  would be greatly curtailed.  Any general can only do so much
at once.

The  above  command  restraints are simulated in the game by letting the
player  give  operational  orders to his commanders, but also by letting
him  directly  control  the  activities  of  divisions,   brigades   and
batteries.    When  zoomed  into the close combat 1 mile view the player
cannot  see  what his other generals are up to.  He has to rely on their
abilities  and the orders he has given them When the view is pulled back
to  the 4 mile or 8 mile map more of the overall battlefield is revealed
along with the positions of the corps commanders, but the details of the
battle are not apparent.

To  play the game effectively the player has to issue overall orders and
then  take personal control of brigades and batteries at key spots.  The
result is a fast moving game with plenty of decisions to be made.

At  higher  degrees  of  realism,  the  personalities  and skills of the
player's  subordinate  commanders  have  also to be considered to ensure
that  the  player's  overall strategy is implemented to its best effect.
It's  no use expecting a cautious commander to make a fast assault on an
enemy position; he's more likely to advance very slowly Similarly a rash
commander  is more likely to charge advancing enemy than to hold a vital
crossroads.    It  pays to know the capabilities of your generals and to
give them orders accordingly.

Fields  of Glory was designed to be an exciting and fast moving product.
All  on the team have done their best to make it so, and I hope you have
lots  of  fun  playing it.  Just two pieces of advice, be sure to keep a
reserve, and avoid committing it in the face of enemy artillery.  Cannon
balls have no regard for the quality of your troops.

When  I joined the project in March 1992 the initial concept had already
been  drafted.  The idea was to provide a game based around the 100 days
Napoleonic  Campaign that would appeal, not only to the war gamer market
but  also  to  the  player who knew nothing about Napoleon or war gaming
.This led to the development of three of the major features of the game;
the  on-screen  graphics, the 'point- and-click' movement system and the
Database.

The  on-screen  graphics,  were  to  provide  an accurate, colourful and
visually  recognizable  representation, of all the troop types and their
various  formations.    In  order to make the game accessible to the non
expert,  we  had  to  get  away  from  the need to learn a whole list of
military  symbols  (a  feature  of  many  other computer war games!) The
animated  sprites  provided us with an historical accurate simulation of
uniforms  and terrain features, as well as a visuallv obvious difference
between the infantry, cavalry and artillery and their formations.

The  'point and click' system provides the player with a quick method of
ordering  troops  around.    This  also recreates the structured command
system  and  the use of messengers.  The individual commanders interpret
instructions  and  carry  them  out.   This occurs down to brigade level
where  an  Infantry  Brigade will attempt to form a Square if charged by
cavalry  even  if you have forgotten to tell them to do so.  The ability
to  order either individual units or an entire Corps, gives the player a
greater  degree  of involvement.  If you play at a high level of realism
your  messages  will  not arrive instantaneously or may not even arrive.
It  may  even  be ignored or amended as the commander's personality will
lead  him to make an on the spot decision, based on what they can see of
the battlefield.

The  original  idea  for  the  database  was  to  provide the historical
background  and  detail  to the game, however, as the game developed, it
was  found  that  it could also be used as an integral part of the game.
The player can use it, not just as an historical reference, but as an in
game  aid  and  a  quick method for finding troops and commanders on the
battlefield.

While any table top wargamer will recognize the concept of scaling, this
is  something  that those who have never played this sort of game before
should  bear  in  mind.  Each figure on the screen is not an individual,
but  represents several men occupying an area.  Each building or tree is
an indication of an area of buildings or trees.  There is also a warping
of  scales  between  the map, the troops and the firing ranges.  This is
done to produce a good game, which is visually pleasing as well as being
an accurate historical simulation of a Napoleonic battle.

The  database like all good historical works, contains information drawn
from  a  wide  range of sources.  Many of these disagree with each other
and  it fell to me to act as editor.  I have done my best but inevitably
someone out there will disagree.  If you check our bibliography you will
I hope, find where some of those decisions came from.

The uniform portraits have come from standard reference sources although
for the Dutch and Belgian uniforms we relied heavily on information from
the Dutch Army Museum.

The brigade portraits are usually the largest element within the brigade
and this is also what the battlefield sprite colours are based on.

The  brigade  battle  honours  and  histories  were  a  nightmare to put
together  and  a  sincere  apology to anyone whose particular regiment I
have inadvertently got wrong.

The  extensive  restructuring  of  the  British  Army,   including   the
re-numbering,  disbanding, reforming and amalgamating of regiments, made
tracing  individual  histories  very  difficult, despite several days of
research at the British National Army Museum.

The  extensive restructuring of the Prussian army in 1812, combined with
the  bombing  of  the  German  Army Records during the Second World War,
would  have  made  my  task impossible were it not for the help of Peter
Hofschroer,  who  dug  up copies of several original records.  It was on
Peter's  advice that battle honours for the Prussians are only from 1812
onwards.

In  the  game itself the historical start locations are a combination of
several  maps and reading texts.  The process is complicated by the fact
that  the  game  centres  on brigade sized units and brigades were often
deployed  split  into  their  battalions.  This is particularly the case
with  the  Dutch  Belgian  forces at Quatre Bras that initially occupied
several  buildings  over  a wide area of the battlefield.  In cases like
this  I  have  had  to  take a 'best guess' and place the Brigade in one
location.    If  you disagree, you can always use the Deploy mode to put
them somewhere else!

Adrian Earle
April 1993



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