Grognard Simulations, Inc.

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Rules for

Incredible Courage 100 Days

Ligny
Copyright © 2015

Napoleon’s Last Victory

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Incredible Courage 100 Days - Ligny Supplemental Rules

Incredible Courage 100 Days – Ligny – Supplemental

Rules
Game design by Chris Fasulo Sr
Copyright © 2015

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Questions and Comments ....................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Map Construction ................................................................................................................... 3
2 Counters ...................................................................................................................................... 3
3 Command Control ....................................................................................................................... 3
3.1 Attachments and Detachments to the Task Organization ...................................................... 4
3.2 Old and Middle Guard............................................................................................................. 4
3.3 Unit Scales and Number of Men per Company ...................................................................... 4
3.4 Prussian Doctrine and Special Rules ....................................................................................... 4
3.5 French Doctrine and Special Rules .......................................................................................... 4
4 Weather ....................................................................................................................................... 5
5 Options ........................................................................................................................................ 5
5.1 VI Corps Early Arrival............................................................................................................... 5
5.2 Prussian III Corps Pinned ......................................................................................................... 5
6 Tactical Mentoring....................................................................................................................... 5
7 Designers Notes ........................................................................................................................... 6
8 Historical Commentary ................................................................................................................ 7

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1 Introduction
This battle presents Napoleon’s last Victory against the Prussians under Blucher. The situation is
that Napoleon wants to defeat the Prussians solidly and send them running for the border and
back towards Prussia and away from helping the British under Wellington. Optional rules are in
red and are meant to deliver more realism without adding too much overhead to the game.

1.1 Questions and Comments

Contact: Support@grognardsims.com or Grognard Simulations, Inc., Attn: Incredible Courage
100 Days - Ligny, 3752 Becontree Pl, Oviedo, FL 32765.

1.2 Map Construction

When putting this Ligny map together with the Quatre Bras map the best results will be
obtained by placing the Quatre Bras map sheets over the top of the Ligny map sheets.

2 Counters
The game pieces show the units that fought the battle, and information markers.
Units are color coded for nationality.
 Dark Blue background are Prussians
 Light Blue background are Imperial French
There are several types of marker, and their use is shown in the relevant rules section.

3 Command Control
There are some specific doctrinal differences between the sides that cause some changes to the
basic rules. This section also highlights command changes based on task organizing specific to
this battle only. The Prussian Army in this battle had come a long way. They were fairly flexible
and resilient. The Doctrinal and Special Rules are in effect for all four 100 Days Battles.

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3.1 Attachments and Detachments to the Task Organization

There were a number of command alterations specific for this battle. These changes are only
applicable to the Battle of Ligny.
 The French 7ID, which is assigned to the II Corps, was detached to the III Corps for the
Battle of Ligny and took heavy casualties there, and was then assigned to stay at Ligny.
This division traces command to the III Corps Commander.

3.2 Old and Middle Guard

The two senior divisions of the French Imperial Guard were technically the Divisions of
Chasseurs and Grenadiers. The French player may reorganize the 8 Regiments such that there is
an Old Guard and a Middle Guard division. The Old Guard division consists of the 1st and 2nd
Grenadiers a Pied and the 1st and 2nd Chasseurs a Pied. The Middle Guard division consists of
the 3rd and 4th Grenadiers a Pied and the 3rd and 4th Chasseurs a Pied. Friant commands the Old
Guard and Morand the Middle Guard division. Historically the Middle Guard got the dirty jobs
first as the Old Guard was Napoleons ultimate reserve.

3.3 Unit Scales and Number of Men per Company

Unless otherwise noted here there are 150 infantry in a company and between 100-150 cavalry
in a squadron.
 French Guard Infantry: 200 infantry
 French Guard Cavalry: 200 cavalry

3.3.1 Stacking Limit Adjustments

Up to 900 infantry may stack in a hex. Up to 600 cavalry may stack in a hex. Only like flagged
units may stack together, although unlike flagged units may retreat or move through each other.
6 for all Prussian Infantry Companies
5 for all Prussian Cavalry Squadrons
4 French Guard Infantry Companies
6 French Regular Infantry Companies
3 French Guard Cavalry Squadrons
5 French Regular Cavalry Squadrons

3.4 Prussian Doctrine and Special Rules

 Prussian units without a Line formation side may not enter Line formation

3.5 French Doctrine and Special Rules

 French Guard Cavalry Regiments are made as 2 separate units of half regiments
o French Guard Cavalry half regiments add +1 DRM of support for each squadron
of the other half regiment following in a hex behind
 French Young Guard units, those with the Grenadier symbol, use the “Regular” sections
on the variable strength charts

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 French Middle and Old Guard units, those with the Eagle symbol, use the “Guard”
section on the variable strength charts
 All other French units with the Grenadier symbol, use the “Regular” section on the
variable strength charts

4 Weather
The weather for all the Ligny scenarios is clear.

5 Options
The following options are available to the players before the start of the battle. Players must
agree to the options before the battle starts.

5.1 VI Corps Early Arrival

The French VI Corps arrives 2 hours earlier than the historical time of 1900. If this option is used
the French player must roll a d10 at the end of the game. On a roll of 5-10 the level of Victory is
moved one level in favor of the Prussian player. On a roll of 1-4 there is no change to the
Victory level.

5.2 Prussian III Corps Pinned

The Prussian III Corps is not allowed to cross the Ligny Brook. If French forces cross the Ligny
Brook in the area of Maps “G” or “H” then the Prussian player is no longer restricted in this
manner. If this option is exercised then the level of victory is moved one level in favor of the
Prussian player. The reason is simple, if the French player knows the Prussians won’t be coming
over the brook then he can focus more power on other parts of the front.

6 Tactical Mentoring
French:
The Emperor was surprised and elated that the Prussians had chosen to stand their ground and
fight here. He did not fully understand the natural strength of the Ligny position and the
advantages it would provide the Prussians. Napoleon initially thought that he faced only one of
the Prussian Corps. Remember the basics. Those basics are to be sure to combine the infantry,
cavalry, and artillery when making attacks. This is going to prove difficult at best since the
terrain in this battle is rather closed. In this case the watchword is numbers, overwhelming
numbers. Be certain that when you want to take a position you assign a strong enough force to
make multiple assaults to take the place and hold it.
You hold the initiative. Use it to keep the Prussian player reacting to your advances and attacks.
This is best accomplished in the western section of the battlefield where the Amand’s are
located. Keep up the pressure there and the Prussian player will be forced to continue feeding
reserves into this area. This is exactly how Napoleon played it. When he saw that the Prussian
reserves were drained he launched the final attack with his reserve, the Imperial Guard.
The Prussians are somewhat easier to attack head-on than the British. Their best position will
be in general order in some closed terrain. Always look for some kind of flank to push your

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attack into and use artillery to weaken any strong front line units before sending in a strong
attack force that is in column. The other equalizer is units in skirmish formation. They will be
able to weaken the Prussians before the assault columns come up. But these units will be fragile
and once they get weakened in LoO they will need to be withdrawn to recover their order.
This field of battle is not typically known as cavalry country, but as either player there are a
number of places where cavalry might be used to gain the advantage. The most likely is to the
left, or northwest, of Wagnelee. There is only the 3rd Cavalry Division with some light cavalry to
hold off any Prussian advances here. At the very least you should consider taking the Guard
Heavy Cavalry Division and moving it here to provide support and assistance to the light cavalry.
The elements of the I Corps that arrive near here will help but they arrive very late in the day.
Prussian:
Blucher is the toughest guy out on the field this day. He would fight all day and even in defeat
was able to recover himself and his army well enough to put up another 2 fights at Wavre and
Waterloo. Blucher’s plan for the Prussian’s was simple, hold onto the important terrain and dish
out as much pain to the French as possible, then counter-attack to defeat Napoleon. You want
to place your troops in covered terrain as much as possible.
While the Prussians are fragile with all the Landwehr type units they also have strength when
defending in tight terrain. Place your troops in towns, woods, farms, and other like places. Back
them up with a heavy quantity of reserves. In fact the best strength of the Prussian at Ligny is
numbers. They have more troops than Napoleon. Use them to beef up the forward positions.
Don’t be afraid to counter-attack when you have lost an important hex.
As your units are eliminated in the actions for the Amand’s it will be obvious when to bring the II
Corps elements into the action. Keep them close enough to support the I Corps and yet far
enough away not to make the French know exactly where they are going to be used. The use of
the II Corps forces can be critical to the success of the battle. If the II Corps is used up too early
the French will be able to use their local superiority to hammer at any weak spot.
In addition the III Korps units that arrive after the battle starts should also be held in reserve. If
they are used to push across Ligny Stream and make a fight with the French Light Cavalry
Divisions they will find themselves in a stiff and likely losing battle. Fighting on the south side of
the stream will not benefit you and will only dissipate your troops.
The Prussian player does have some excellent batteries. Group them in protected places with
good fields of fire and keep firing at the French attack columns whenever possible. While this
advice is applicable to more than just the Prussian player, the Prussians have considerable
firepower in their artillery. They also have leaders that can fire a battery all at once, which
means that even at a long distance that battery will have a heavy effect on whatever it hits. Use
this advantage to weaken the French before they make their assaults. The more often the
French player has to withdraw his units to regain good order the longer it takes him to win. And
that means the Prussian stands a better chance of winning.

7 Designers Notes
The biggest decision I had to make for this game regarded the map. In making the original
design of the map I had made up my mind to create an “L” shaped map. In the end a straight
line map with 7 map equivalents was made to support both Quatre Bras and Ligny battlefields

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together. This really streamlines the map layout and enhances the view of the battlefield from a
player perspective.
One of the other significant decisions I made in this game was the breakout of the scenarios. I
have made 7, which includes the Main Battle, a scenario for the left, the center, the right, and 3
additional scenarios focused on an even smaller part of the battle again on the left, in the
center, and on the right. These smaller scenarios are great for learning or even a quick fight
over a weekend, or shorter. Wagnelee, Ligny, and Boignee all have a low counter density and
reduced map footprint. There’s something for every taste in here.

8 Historical Commentary
First Contact at the Belgian Border
On Thursday 15 June 1815, at half past three in the morning, the leading French patrols crossed
the frontier into Belgium. These patrols belonged to a number of French light cavalry divisions.
They spread out along a 16 km front in search of any weak spot that might exist in the allied
front heading toward Brussels. Heavy infantry and artillery columns followed behind in a
specific march order as detailed by Marshall Soult, the Army Chief of Staff. The plan was
detailed and complex. The Armee du Nord was on the move and ready for a fight as the
baggage wagons were kept to the rear. Unfortunately the march did not go as smoothly as
planned. Commanders did not have the sense of urgency they should have and some confusion
caused delays in units getting on the road on time. This caused units to get mixed up and traffic
jams to pile up the troops before they crossed the Sambre River.
Napoleon Orders a Concentration to the Right
Once the Anglo-Allies begin to show that they will fight the French for the road to the north and
to Brussels, Napoleon formulates a plan. It is based on the concept of shorter interior lines. He
divides the Armee into 3 segments. The Left commanded by Marshall Ney, the Right
commanded by Marshall Grouchy, and the Reserve commanded by the Emperor himself. The
Reserve consisted of the VI Corps, the Imperial Guard, and the Cavalry Reserve. The Emperor’s
plan is simple. He decides to send Marshall Ney and the Left north toward Brussels in an
attempt to secure the vital crossroads of Quatre Bras and send some of his force toward Ligny in
an attempt to outflank the Prussians. But the primary punch was to hit the Prussians. Napoleon
was bringing the Right, the Reserve, and the major part of the Cavalry Reserve together for a
major battle with Blucher. Napoleon’s axis of advance caused the Allied leadership to decide on
a Prussian concentration first to the east of the Anglo-Allies near the town of Sombreffe. Since
the Prussians would be the strongest enemy force sooner Napoleon chose to attack them first.
Blucher Prepares for Battle
While The Duke of Wellington had his forces scattered over the Belgian landscape the Prussians
were able to have the I, II, and III Corps ready for battle and concentrated at Ligny. The Prussian
position was very well thought out and naturally strong. The front line positions were held in
strength by mainly just the I Korps. The main line positions were backed up by an almost equal
number of troops in reserve, the II Korps. The basic Prussian plan was to hold the front line with
the I Korps and reinforce and counter-attack with the II Korps. The III Korps would hold the
eastern flank and prevent the French from cutting the Prussians off from their retreat route.
The Opening Fight on the French left

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There are 3 villages that block the advance of the French III Corps on Sombreffe. They are
Wagnelee, Saint Amand la Haye, and St Amand. All three make for excellent defensive
positions. The French began the battle with General Girard’s 7th Infantry Division attacking
Wagnelee. The battle was tough and neither side gave in. The French fighting as though the
fate of France rested on their shoulders. In the end 3 Prussian Brigades would need to be drawn
into this fight in order to keep the dam from breaking on the Prussian right. General Girard is
ultimately mortally wounded and his division is reduced by at least 50%, making it combat
ineffective for any future fighting.
The Defense on the French Right
Napoleon’s right flank was held by a cavalry screen made up of the Ist and IInd Reserve Cavalry
Corps. They had a combination of light cavalry and dragoons. They were all capably led and
were ordered to keep any Prussians in their sector under observation and if necessary to push
the Prussians back in order to secure that vulnerable flank. They had the support of the feared
and dreaded Cuirassiers of Milhaud’s IVth Reserve Cavalry Corps.
The Battle for Ligny
Gerard’s IVth Corps had the assignment of taking the town of Ligny. His arrival on the battlefield
was a bit late and he had to get his forces setup even before he could make any attack. The
delay proved costly and his progress was minimal at best. Napoleon was not happy with the
apparent stalemate and wanted Gerard to keep his troops moving through the town and take it.
There was a great deal of back and forth fighting and always savage in its execution. But the
regular French forces were not strong enough to take the town from the well prepared
Prussians. Therefore, nearing the end of the day, Napoleon considered throwing forth the
Imperial Guard to finish the job. And then…
The Crisis of the Day
The worst crisis of the day came for Napoleon when elements of D’Erlon’s corps approached the
battlefield from the west. They came from a direction the emperor did not expect. He sent
some troops out to scout and see who they were. And then, just as quickly, they left and went
off toward Quatre Bras. This would be, and remains, the most significant ‘what if’ of the battle,
and maybe even, of the campaign. Had D’Erlon been at either battlefield that day, he could
have made a significant difference in the scale of victory. Blucher, seeing the departing troops
made a bad assumption that the French were leaving the field and he ordered every spare
soldier to attack the French left flank. Brigades from the Prussian II Corps began to advance on
the French III Corps left flank. The 7ID and the 3CD could not cope with the number of Prussians
advancing. They called for help just as Napoleon thought he could finish off the Prussians, the
dam burst, and he had to dispatch the Young Guard, just about his last reserve, to stem the tide
and put right his leaning ship. The Young Guards’ efforts paid off and Napoleon finally knew the
time was right for the final assault.
The Last Successful Attack of the French Imperial Guard
Napoleon had enough of waiting for this battle to be won. He saw the conclusion of the battle,
as he did earlier, and with the failing light he directed the Imperial Guard Infantry to make the
final assault on Ligny right through the middle. They ran into determined resistance, but their
momentum was not to be stopped and the weight of their assault carried them through the
town and into the area behind it. The breakthrough was achieved. The French army though had
enough. Napoleon could not force the men to push on and chase down the defeated Prussians.

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Blucher saw the breach and was determined to close it. He rode with some cavalry and made a
counter-attack that at least made the French question whether they should press harder. The
cost to Blucher was to get knocked off his horse and almost get captured. But he didn’t and his
counter-attack did the job. The bulk of the Prussians got the time they needed to back away.
Conclusion
The battle ended as a victory for the Emperor. His only problem, the victory was incomplete.
The Prussians had indeed taken a drubbing, but Blucher intended fully to remain in the fight and
try to linkup with Wellington. Once the Prussian retreat started, it accelerated and many
soldiers simply left their post and deserted. Blucher had to be carried away from the battlefield,
unconscious, and his Chief of Staff made the initial decision on which direction to retreat. His
choice was to move a bit closer to his base of supply at Namur, but Blucher, regaining his senses,
took command and directed the retreat toward the town of Wavre. From there he figured he
could still support his ally Wellington on the morrow. It would take a bit longer than the
morrow to recover, but recover they would and by the 18th the Prussians were ready again for
battle and their rendezvous with destiny.

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Credits
Game Design: Chris Fasulo Sr

Map design and Final Artwork: Richard Barber

Pictures: The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries, Jacques-Louis David // Gebhard Leberecht
von Blücher. Artist unknown, copying Paul Ernst Gebauer

Box Cover Picture: Ernest Crofts – The Battle of Ligny

Book Sources:

French and Anglo-Allied Orders of Battle: Armies at Waterloo, Scotty Bowden 1998, Emperor’s Press

Anglo-Allied Order of Battle and Scenario Development: The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815, Mike Robinson
2009, The History Press

The Waterloo Companion, Mark Adkin 2001, Stackpole Books

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