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The Waterloo Ambush!
June 18, 2014 by warzan
My my how things have changed for me in a week.
Only last week, I set out (reluctantly I might add) to learn a little about Waterloo (today is the anniversary of the Battle 199 years ago), in the process I have become hooked.
From my original position of thinking about Napoleonic era battles as a bunch of men mincing around like prancing peacocks, I have come to realize that is was all quite the opposite. Men of the utmost courage who were facing a huge change in warfare, where battles were still ultimately fought hand to hand, but had the added horror of ranged fire (both light and heavy) thrown in.
What looked like madness to me, marching directly up to your enemy while they were firing right at you, now has become clear that it was not only a valid tactic, but pretty much the only tactic that was possible, given the unique set of conditions warfare faced in those times.
The brightly colored uniforms, allowed easy identification of your comrades, and camouflage would have been fairly pointless for most soldiers as fighting had to be up close and personal.
Having taken the time to learn just a little (yes I know I love to butcher history on the weekender) I am humbled by the courage of these men, and the warfare they engaged in. Frankly it must have been terrifying.
This is a journey I'm fairly sure I'm going to continue for some time to come.
I received a ton of emails and feedback from the Waterloo feature in the weekender, and I'd like to thank everyone for reaching out to support/help. I have since watched some Sharpe for the first time (and the silk stocking full of shit) and quite enjoyed it.
But the movie Waterloo (1970) was by far my favorite watch over these last days.
The scale was incredible and even then they had only 15,000 soldiers and 2000 horses (the battle had something like 150,000 men and 25,000 horses - oh and did i mention 400 cannons! apparently when Naopleon let loose the guns, they were heard in Kent!)
Fabulous movie, unbelievable battle, two incredible men in Wellington and Bonaparte, and I have embedded it above to have a watch of it 🙂
I have been ambushed by Waterloo... will you?
Waterloo is fantastic, comes a close third to Lawrence of Arabia which is following Zula. Old movies still outshining most of the new twaddle.
Super pleased you’ve read up on this type of warfare!
Colonel von trapp seems a litle put out !
Heh Warren and history its like Shark and cheese, trust me its a fun combo.like British and Hanovariran troops fighting.
Thank goodness The Battle of Ignsy didn’t dent the determination of the Prussians .
It was also a charge of the Union Divison that was a factor in the final. The union division had the 6th Inniskilling (yeah I know I have a thing for Irish divisions) but the Scots part held the colours of the 45eme.
Unfortunately a timely counter attack from the French killed many in the union division.
At waterloo and the seventh coalition
Dunno why it cut the end off, just staying the seventh was a collection of very strange bed fellows haha.
Great battle though well done on your looking into the period my friend
I think Marshal Ney’s confrontation with the returning Napoleon was particularly well-done.
This officially started the 100 Days campaign?
It is a fascinating period, but my favourite part of it is probably the early to late revolutionary war where Napoleon was invading into Italy
There is also a great Russian film bases on Borodino as well
Russian cinema has indeed put out some great war movies set in their history. Shame they don’t get much exposure here in the US (not sure about UK), mostly because of the language barrier and the general attitude that “Russkies are bad guys.”
Warren has joined the Dark Side of historical gaming. I’m sure I speak for all my fellow historical Sith Lords when I say: “Welcome!”
The 1970 Waterloo is indeed a classic. The American counterpart is the 1993 movie: Gettysburg. Based on Michael Shaara’s iconic novel “The Killer Angels,” it’s an en epic portrayal of what is still the largest battle ever to take place in the Western Hemisphere. It’s “America’s Waterloo,” with something like 180,000 men involved on both sides, and 53,000 casualties.
Not to overload you, Warren (this movie is about 4 1/2 hours long), but here’s a link for anyone who’s interested. Thousands of reenactors were used, some of it was filmed on the actual battlefield, and it shows both the grand sweep of massive movements and charges (Pickett’s Charge near the end is still one of THE moments in recent American cinema) and small, visceral engagements like 20th Maine’s defense of Little Round Top.
Starring Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee, Tom Berenger as James Longstreet, and Jeff Daniels as Joshua L. Chamberlain.
There’s even a British colonel in there from Coldstream Guards as an observer with the Confederates!
The biggest difference between Waterloo and Gettysburg is that by 1863, the technology of firepower had advanced just enough to where the “Napoleonic tactics” really had become insane. There were ballistic-shaped musket bullets, breech-loading repeating rifles in some units, and advances in artillery manufacture which enhanced firepower and range, some of which is shown in true, cinematic, horrific effect. The movie makes the point of showing generals referring to Napoleonic tactics, then showing how sadly out of date some of their thinking had become.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jIHB3rTgk
Because the movie is so long:
4:14 sets the scene.
38:00 shows a Union Cavalry commander (General Buford) agonizing over the first tactical decisions of the battle the day before it starts. Great acting IMHO.
1:10:30 shows Lee and his generals trying to maintain the momentum in the chaos of the first day’s battle.
1:49:30 shows Lee’s mission briefing on the morning of the second day.
2:11:00 begins the smaller-unit action of the 20th Maine Regiment’s epic defense of Little Round Top on on the Union Army’s far left flank.
3:02:00 shows the fateful conference between Lee and Longstreet on the morning of the third day, where Lee decides to launch Pickett’s Charge against the Union center . . . over Longstreet’s objections.
3:07:00 shows where Lee references Napoleonic artillery tactics, and mistakenly believes they will win him the day.
3:16:00 – Longstreet’s order briefing with his divisional commanders for the fateful attack. DETAILED tactics. Watch the scene through to 3:19:20 . . . the best acting of the movie, when Longstreet takes Pickett aside and fearfully asks . . . “George? Can you take that ridge?”
3:20:20- Longstreet confides to a friend what’s really going to happen, his “mathmetical equation.”
3:29:00 – the artillery opens up to support Pickett’s Charge, the largest artillery barrage ever staged for a movie.
3:46:00 – the beginning of Pickett’s Charge. Begins 20 minutes of epic movie making and tragic carnage.
Their is a shortened version out on DVD only 2 and a half hours I think the battle on the hill is epic.
Seconded. I’ve loved Gettysburg since I was in Middle school (when it came out). Absolutely epic film.
Augh, @blackbrunswicker ! You make me feel old! 😀 I’d just gotten out of the military when this came out.
Yes, @zorg , my DVD set at home is something like 3 1/2 hours, I’ve heard of shorter versions (like the one you describe). This one on Youtube is the full, director’s cut 4 1/2 hour monster. Includes a lot of . . . well, frankly bad scenes I can fully understand why they were cut. But it also has scenes like Lee confronting his all of II Corps commanders (Ewell, etc . . . not just Trimble – “we could have taken that HILL!”), on the night of the first day. Interesting, but very long.
Was a pity that Gods and Generals was pretty poor in comparison, and a even bigger pity that the 3rd movie was never made
Very true. The prequel was pretty poor, focused too much on Jackson who is somewhat overrated as a commander (soap box for another forum). The fact remains that Jeff Sharra is not his father, Michael. I’ve tried to read several of Jeff’s novels, both American Civil War and American Revolution, and they’re tough to get through.
Not seen the complete full film keep missing it every time it comes on ill just keep trying but.
I take it that full version is like the directors cuts versions’ more understandable because they haven’t cut half of some of the story out of sections like they did on (aliens) for example.
One of us, one of us!
No matter how exciting or well told a story is, it can’t match up to real deeds by real people. Horus didn’t really revolt against the Imperium, Aegon Targaryen didn’t really invade Westeros with a fleet of dragons; but Alexander did conquer most of the known world before he was 30, a small Greek force did hold the pass at Thermopylae for three days against a much bigger Persian army, and Napoleon did accomplish victory after amazing victory. Many of these events helped shape the world as it is now and they were fought between real people who displayed outstanding courage and bravery far beyond anything I would ever be capable of. People really did land on the beach at Normandy seventy years ago, many of us will have had family members or colleagues who were there. There’s just no replicating that in fiction no matter how well it is done.
Genres like sci-fi and fantasy can put extraordinary miniatures onto the table and present evocative worlds to play in. I love non-historical gaming as much as I love historical gaming for what it can do that historical gaming can’t. What it can never be is as real and truly evocative as historical gaming. Over on Gianna’s “why should I play 40K thread”, one of the main answers given for its appeal is its immersive nature. It has countless codices, novels, magazines, computer games, comics, fan movies, podcasts, blogs, supplements, downloads and on and on. This is undoubtedly true and a very good reason for getting into 40K. Historical gaming has all this and more. You could live several lifetimes and barely scratch the surface of what’s out there. With every step you take you gain a greater understanding of how we got to where we are now and a deep appreciation for the courage, talent, sacrifices, and amazing deeds that brought us here.
It’s not a surprise to me that anyone, once they take the time to really look into it, is hooked by all of this.
Well said, sir. Well said.
Agreed with Oriskany – Brilliant post, Sir!
Well said
Without Napoleon there probably wouldn’t have been such a dominate Prussia in Europe and thus no unification of Germany
Well put @redben I find it amusing when people have a preconceived idea history and historical gaming is boring yet enjoy other genre’s where a lot of the background and storylines are lifted straight from the pages of history.
Epic funny moment at 54:00, when Wellington catches the poor private with a piglet in his backpack. Instead of hanging him, he promotes him to corporal.
“Make it a goat next time, Paddy! You’ll make sergeant!”
Ha ha, I knew you’d enjoy that film. You are a wargamer after all. 😎
Sharpe was an amazing TV series (as was Hornblower), I wish we still made historical warfare series like that still. I have not seen that movie you linked too either – so I think that will be what I do this evening, thanks for finding it/posting it!
Savage stuff, Ponsonby!
When studying Waterloo, don’t forget the 4th of Foot British Regiment? Why? Because they were fresh from taking part in the burning Washington DC!
The scale of that cavalry charge at 1:39:20 is awesome. Damn, I wonder how many wranglers they had for this movie. 🙂
Waterloo is one of my favourite war films of all time. I love the suicidal charge that the french cavalry mades in 1:40, the Blackwatch, the Imperial Guard and Napoleon yelling “Where is Grouchy?!”.
there’s always been a rumour that Bondarchuk got quite a good way into making a much longer version of Waterloo, where you had Quatre Bras but also the Prussians fighting on for grim death against Grouchy and his 30,000 reinforcements – God, I’d love to see that version…
Well after a hard day, glad I got some beers…Night sorted.
Stick with Sharpe Warren…like Band of Brothers you will start to love those lads,
and gives plenty ideas for game scenario…which I will steal as I venture down this route.
Cheers my boy.
I’m really interested in Historical Wargaming, unfortunately I’ve been unable to find a HMG Chapter near where I live
Whereabouts are you?
Also, beware this path leads to madness;) You might end up asking if Napoleon was really a bad guy (Napoleonic Justice Code vs. British Army Corruption vs. over the hill dynasties in Austria and Russia and Germany). History degrees and writing books lies down that way.
Also this goes to one of my hang ups with Historical Gaming: fun vs. realism. Watching the Flames of War videos the game seems fun but I can’t invoke my “suspension of disbelief” enough to stop thinking “that’s not how WWII worked!” SciFi and Fantasy is so much easier to let realism go.
Of course this might be attributable to my age. My first “real” game was the old SPI “Ney vs. Wellington” wargame (as in “wargames have hexes and cardboard counters you whippersnappers!) and they’re love of historical accuracy over game play may have influenced me:)
Hell yeah, @bigterp ! Started with hexes and counters with PanzerBlitz, Panzer Leader, Arab-Israeli Wars, ASL, GDW’s Assault, and Rise and Decline of the Third Reich. Those were the days. 🙂
I think the battle around Plancenoit was probably one of the most and maybe overlooked parts of Waterloo
This was my introduction to the Battle of Waterloo
http://www.dicemaestro.com/games-articles/retroactive-battle-waterloo.asp
Let the rest have their football – we have Waterloo – Great movie, same goes for Gettysburg.
I loved Waterloo, ever since playing SSI’s “Battles of Napoleon” that I played as a kid.
For a smaller games you can take a look at sharp practice
So glad you enjoyed it. Stick with the Sharpe boxed set it’s bloody good for a TV series.
sharpes one of this best series out there about wars only thing better than it is north and south about the ACW
Great movie. I remember when it was released. It had a great influence on my early wargames. Me and a couple friends saw three showings back to back on the one ticket. I still have the book that accompanied the release.
The best part for me was the advance of La vieille garde. Stirring stuff.
There are so many what ifs you could fight out with that battle. It was so close any one of a dozen decisions could have changed things. There was an old SPI table top game called “Wellington’s Victory” that did a great job of recreating the battle.
It would be brilliant to see a Dystopian Wars Waterloo 🙂 !!!
Cracking film, second only to Zulu!
I can’t see that anyone has mentioned it but itcwascfilmed in the USSR all the extras were Soviet soldiers
Yup they were..It was the only place if I am remembering correctly that the producers could get so many extras that knew at least some of the basics of marching and firing
Waterloo great film that tries to show visually you the scale of which the battle was fought.
The Sharpe’s series is great but understandably it could give you the visual scale of the battles, does help you see the skirmishing aspect of Napoleonic fighting. The Sharpe’s books are way better, as most books to films are and well worth reading, as a side note I thought Peter Postlethwaite was brilliant as Obadiah Hakeswill.
Now all we got to wait for is Warren to start listening to ABBA songs;).
@warzan – Glad you enjoyed the Videos
Something interesting all the British were actually played by Russian Army and when they were getting charged by cavalry kept braking square shows you how brave you have to be willing to die for the Regiment. his is also a funny little bit of irony “Actual filming was accomplished over 28 weeks, which included 16 days of delay (principally due to bad weather).” Anyone who likes the Napoleonic period should definitely check out the Sharpe’s TV series on you tube.
Warren, I suggest you have a read of ‘The recollections of Rifleman Harris’ it’s a vivid description of the life of Rifleman Benjamin Harris of 95th Rifles mainly during the peninsular war. This book was one of the inspirations for Cornwells ‘Sharpe’ series of novels.
There are some other excellent books in that series from other campaigns as well
I thought Gettysburg was a good film but the white van driving across the background during Pickett’s charge spoilt it a bit for me! Lol.
Hey, man. That van is totally historically accurate, it represents Longstreet’s forward-thinking and little-known 1st Mechanized Cavalry Company, I Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. 😀
The unit was commanded by the same officer who would later lead the Confederate airborne dragoons before finally winding up in charge of General Lee’s drone-strike detachment. 🙂 Yeah, and you thought John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln?
I’d better knock it off before I create a new Steampunk game. 😀
Warren!!!!! I was so happy looking at Le Haye Sainte and admiring all things Napoleonic from a distance. Now you’ve gone and bloody made me watch this……you should have seen the look I got when I broke down and admitted Napoleonics would be something great to do as well
Dam you to hell sir. I’ve got better things to do than shoot at armies commanders.
It’s not the place of army commander to take pot shot at one another with cannons. that’s what the 95th is there for!
Had no idea this was the whole film when I clicked on it. awesome stuff, glad you enjoying the Waterloo historical side of gaming, it truly is fascinating period and am looking forward more!
Waterloo; absolute classic film, glad you enjoyed Warren.
Napoleonic gaming; classic of miniatures gaming. Impossible to complete a project it seems. The more you research, the more you find you need. I’ve been doing the 1809 campaign against Austria, both Italy and the Danube sectors to start, then started a few years back to include the battles in the Tyrol. I have been on this project for at least 15 years, almost done, all in 10mm. It has been immensely enjoyable. The research, the building, the painting, the organizing… Do start your own Nappy project Warren, you will never regret it, there may be times when you hate it, but never regret it.
Hi Warren,
Interresting development, you liking Napoleonic stuff…
I started as Napoleonic living history reenactor and ended up playing Space-Marines and Orks…
The movie Waterloo is great, but based on books and facts now being regarded to as “ancient”.
Especially the role of the Dutch troops, led by prince “Silly Billy” of Orange, the great grandfather of our present king, was totally swept under the carpet.
One thirt of Wellingtons army consisted of Dutch Belgian troops- which he did not trust at all for a lot of them fought for Napoleon just about a year before…
In fact they did very well at Quatre Bras (2 days before the Waterloo battle) where the stopped Ney’s army from attacking the unprepared English army through the Brussels road.
To cover up his strategical blunder, Wellington put the Dutch troops that saved his ass at Quatre Bras at the front, in plain site of the French cannon at the Waterloo Battle.
A lot of my countryman did not live to tell about this brutal execution. Bylands brigade did not fled the battlefield but was murdered on spot by French cannonballs.
The Waterloo battlefield was preserved in almost the state it was in on June 1815.
Waterloo made Wellington a rich man, and he was granted the gains of all the forests in that region and his family gets these profits until today…
So, pay the place a visit Warren, it’s woth it!
Napoleonics was one of the first genres I ever played back when I was 12. We had some cracking games using the Shako rules set, I don’t know if they were any good, it was a long time ago and I can’t quite remember the specifics!
One of the clearest moments I remember in that game was a hilariously and horrifying moment with some cavalry.
A regiment of Coldstream Guards (in Shako, I believe the were 1st rate infantry, one of my favourites at the time due to a family connection) formed square when a 3rd rate spanish cavalry regiment approached. I laughed heartily as my opponent declared that he would engage my impermiable fortress of some of the best infantry in the world. Unfortunately, due to horrendously good/bad rolls, the crappy spanish cavalry steamed straight into the square and broke it……not funny.
I then read one of the Sharpe novels, I think set in Spain, that has a historical battle retold in it, where a square of infantry is broken because of a horse too dumb to know it’s dead charging and collapsing into the line, opening a hole that is quickly exploited by the cavalry regiment, leading to the collapse of surrounding regiments due to the panic, IIRC.
Love this era, wish I could play more.