Hello Chaps,
Just going to throw my oar in and have a paddle!
Ray, you could base your units sizes to how they were at the start of the campaigns fighting, bofore Quatre Bras.
Cookes Division was heavily engaged at Quatre Bras. Coming into action at around 6pm and taking many casualties when clearing the Bossu Wood. One French source claims over 500 guardsmen as killed or wounded.
Also, 1st Hanoverian Brigade under Kielmansegge, from Altens Division was engaged at Quatre Bras, taking anumber of casualties.
Most of the British units came into action later, in support of the sterling work done by the Netherlands units.
Pictons Division was very heavily engaged, with Picton himself being wounded. Hard work for Scots units, with the 1st losing 150 from 604, 42nd losing around 188 from 526, 79th about 258 from 703!
Halkett's 5th British brigade from Alten's Division was severly mauled. The 69th, unluckily losing it's colours for the second time in the Napoleonic Wars. Some units in this brigade were so depleted, they had to combine with other units to form square at Waterloo.
British Light infantry battalions were traditionally over subscribed and strong in numbers. But in this campaign, they varied (51st-626, 71st-936, 52-1,130).
Incidentally, Sergeant Morris' memoir's (73rd foot) from the 1813 and 1815 campaigns are very good. As are Captain Mercers (RHA), who mysteriously never received his Waterloo medal(?).
Also, you can field the Duke of Brunswick for the Brunswickers if doing Quatre Bras.
I use the 'In the Grand Manner' Napoleonic rules, which are also 1/20 ratio. I understand what you mean about the British square looking odd with five stands of six.
Organising your units on historical numbers can be a pain. Some of the British heavy cavalry were very weak in numbers. British cavalry also left at least one squadron at home depot (along with it's guidons). French and Prussian infantry battalions were also small during this campaign. You can give some British horse artillery 9pdrs instead of 6pdrs, and most of the French artillery 4/6pdrs instead of 8pdrs!
I've always thought Quatre Bras was a very hard fought battle. With the Netherlanders giving an excellent account of themselves. The French struggling to get to the cross roads, to be bounced back by the newly arriving British and Germans.
I've played it as both French and Allied, and always feel a little frustrated in not being able to make much more headway than the originals. French 24 figure battalions being brittle i find!
Anyway, sorry to have rambled on. Went completely off topic there! Hope this was of interest......
Regards,
Dean
http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleoni ... E_BRAS.htm
http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Briti ... ERLOO.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... &x=11&y=14
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... &x=11&y=17
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Ligh ... =1-3-fkmr0