I have now started to construct the terrain and have laid out the surprisingly numerous watercourses. I have researched many maps including the old Belgian army Overview.
In my opinion a chap called Wupperman and our own Mike Robinson have provided the most useful and detailed maps of Quatre Bras.
The distances and approximate positions of the built up areas are also marked on the sand table. Sculpting and roads will be next which will allow the buildings to be positioned as accurately as possible.
This is an overview of the field showing the lake Materne looking towards Quatre Bras. Piraumont is on the left foreground with Thyle on the right. The watering can is inside the Bois de Bossu ( honest). Gemincourt is in the middle distance located on the heights of Gemincourt above the stream of its name.
Piraumont / Liralle although the sculpting of the heights of Liralle, Heights de la Hutte and Bois de Hutte are incomplete, hence the hole!
The crossroads with the outline of the Bois de Bossu shown by the cane outline and the watering can.
The one surprise that springs to the eye is the very small area where the original main action took place. The triangle formed from Gemincourt stream to the Bossu wood to the crossroads is very limited for troop concentrations of the period. When you factor in the crops this will prove a very interesting re-fight indeed.
Happy modelling.
Chris