Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745

Army: French.

CinC: de Saxe

Command

Units

Bases

Description

Grade

Formation Strength

Lutteaux

2

8

Irish Foot

E

 

 

4

16

French Foot

C

160

Chabannes

1

4

Gardes Françaises

E

 

 

1

4

Gardes Suisses

E

 

 

4

16

French Foot

C

 

 

2

8

French Foot

I

 

 

3

3

Medium Artillery

 

 

 

1

1

Light Artillery

 

200

Montagne

3

12

French Foot

C

 

 

1

4

French Foot

I

 

 

1

1

Light Artillery

 

90

Clermont-Tonnere

1

4

Maison du Roi

G

 

 

1

4

Carabiniers

E

 

 

6

24

French Horse

C

 

 

2

8

French Foot

C

 

 

1

1

Light Artillery

 

262

Army Morale:

8


Army: Allied.

CinC: Cumberland

Command

Units

Bases

Description

Grade

Formation Strength

Konigseck

1

4

Dutch Horse Guards

G

 

 

1

4

Dutch Horse

E

 

 

1

4

Dutch Dragoon

C

 

 

3

12

Dutch Foot

C

 

 

1

1

Medium Artillery

 

178

Waldeck

1

4

Dutch Foot Guards

G

 

 

1

4

Dutch Grenadiers

V

 

 

2

8

Dutch Foot

E

 

 

4

4

Light Artillery

 

160

Ligonier

1

4

British Horse Guards

G

 

 

1

4

British Dragoon Guards

G

 

 

1

4

British Dragoon

E

 

 

1

4

Hanoverian Horse

E

 

 

1

4

Hanoverian Dragoon

C

 

 

1

4

British Foot Guard

G

 

 

4

16

British Foot

E

 

 

1

4

Hanoverian Foot

C

 

 

3

3

Light Artillery

 

 

 

1

1

Medium Artillery

 

 

 

1

1

Heavy Artillery

 

346

Ingoldsby

1

4

British Foot

E

32

Army Morale:

8

Scale :
Grand

Background
The French army under de Saxe has managed to surprise the allied forces by laying siege to Tournai. The Allied army under the command of Cumberland has managed to catch up with the French after a long march, but the French have managed to find an excellent position to receive the Allies attack.

Deployment
Both sides must deploy within their own deployment areas.

Special Rules
The French gain three rounds of bombardment on the Allies before the first turn. All commands on the Allied side must start with Hold orders, apart from Ingoldsby’s which can have Attack orders. The Allies take the first turn.

Outcome
The battle started with Ingoldsby’s ineffective attack on the Barri wood. An equally ineffective attack is launched by the Dutch on Fontenoy where the strength of the defense surprises and pushes back the defenders. At this point Cumberland ordered Ligonier’s force to advance which it did, suffering heavy casualties from French artillery. Despite this the Allied infantry managed to drive into the French line brushing aside the French guard. After repeated attacks from French and Irish foot the Allies began to fall back. The Allied army eventually withdrew to Vezon, the French did not pursue.

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