The battle for Hougoumont

The intended plan of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo was to disguise his main attack by diverting the attention of the allied forces towards Hougoumont. As soon as the allies sended enough reinforcements to strengthen their right flank, the Emperor would advance in mass towards the allied center and cut it in half. Napoleon underestimated Field Marshal Wellington and the troops stationed at Hougoumont. Among them, veterans from the Peninsular war; the British Foot Guards. Prince Jerome, Napoleon's brother, was the senior commander in charge of the taking of Hougoumont under the direct command of General Reille, nevertheless with support of General’s Kellerman’s cavalry cleaning the surroundings of the farm, Hougoumont never fell into French hands. The allied forces stood firm and fought bravely against overwhelming forces of the French Army. Hougoumont is one of the 3 key positions Field Marshal Wellington used to form his defensive line at the battle of Waterloo.

Hougoumont is part of our military drill school and part of our flagship the battle of Waterloo, you will command a small army mainly consisting of light and line infantry, artillery and light cavalry. This battle is focussed on capturing buildings by using the infantry and artillery in support. Both sides have 21 turns to capture or hold the Chateaux of Hougoumont and its gardens. The French army is led by Prince Jerome Bonaparte and the Allied forces are under direct command of the Duke of Wellington.

The rules of engagement are exactly the same as all our land battles, the difference between Waterloo and Hougoumont is the size of the map and the operational squares are smaller than our regular big battle maps. This game is meant as a drill school, once you have learned to master the gameplay and the abilities of the troops on the field, you are ready to lead an entire army as commander in chief on the battlefield of Waterloo.

Deployment

Both sides deploy units within their own deployment zones, which are the first 2 vertical squares starting from the border of the map. Within this zone units can be deployed on fields, buildings, and woods. Once the units move into action range, the actual battle begins. On the Anglo-Allied side, the Chateaux of Hougoumont in the center (4 units) can be occupied with infantry, however the commander can decide for tactical reasons not to occupy the farms. The battle commences with the French initiating their moves. Prepare to immerse yourself in the strategic intricacies of Hougoumont and relive the heroic deeds of those who defied the odds. Will you change the course of history, or will the legacy of Hougoumont remain untarnished? The future lies in your hands.

Game content digital download package

The battle for Hougoumont comes as a downloadable package in JPEG files, featuring a high-quality battle map size 50x70cm poster or an 20x30 inches poster, artwork 50 military units on the battlefield, game icons, dice stickers and the Marshals Unleashed game manual for you to print and build at home. Assemble your army and play.

France

  • 11 light infantry
  • 8 line infantry
  • 2 elite infantry
  • 4 light cavalry
  • 2 artillery batteries
  • 1 general
  • Total: 28 units


Allies

  • 5 light infantry
  • 6 line infantry
  • 2 elite infantry
  • 4 guard infantry
  • 2 light cavalry
  • 2 artillery batteries
  • 1 general
  • Total: 22 units


Total units in the game: 50

Gaming time + 90mn

Printing

For the best results, we recommend printing the package at a local professional printer store as the colors may vary when printed from the screen. Print the battlemaps on a 150-200gr or 40-54 lb poster print. For a sturdier feel, you can print the battle map directly onto materials like foam board or on Frontlit PVC Banner. For printing at home, you can utilize online resources like "Posterizer Online." This tool allows you to efficiently segment both maps into tiles for easy at-home printing. Simply choose your preferred format and configure the layout.

When it comes to the game pieces like the unit displays and game icons, it is recommended to print them on either semi-glossy or matte A4 size paper or 8.5x11 inches size paper. The maximum weight for the paper should be around 150-200 grams or 40-54 lb. You can find both formats available in JPEG files for your convenience. Cut the units to size using a cutting mat, glue roller, a Stanley knife and ruler. Fold the units into the correct shape using the ruler and the horizontal strip as a guide. Glue the white parts together, pressing gently after gluing to make sure no air bubbles remain.