Cordova Campaign – Battle of Cordova

Battle of Cordova – table at start of game

Both armies are full strength at the start of the game
Each army has three corps
The Spanish have 12 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry and 3 corps artillery
The French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry and 3 corps artillery
The French infantry are better quality, the cavalry and artillery the same quality

There are three game objectives
The centre bridge on the left, the hill in the centre and the hill on the right
The Spanish occupy each objective with one corps

The French start the game on the south bank of the river Guadalquivir
They can only cross the river by using the four bridges and one ford
To do so they must cross in column of march

Cordova is the main Spanish supply and administrative city
To win the campaign the French must occupy the city

End of move 12

St Cyr takes command of half of 42nd Italian corps on the right bank
Roussard has command of two elite brigades on the left bank
St Cyr pins the Spanish on the right bank, Roussard attacks on the left bank
The Spanish are quickly routed and the Italians secure the left end of the brigade
The Spanish rally and counter attack, but are routed once more
However their artillery on the right bank fire on the Italian infantry causing heavy casualties
Both brigades retreat out of artillery range, leaving the Spanish in control of the bridge

In the centre 41st Polish corps cross the river and attack the hill in the centre
The Spanish reinforce the hill and fight despite heavy casualties
Abbe moves his infantry from the centre to reinforce the hill
A desperate Polish attack takes the hill as night falls

On the right 40th French corps advance on both banks of the river
Spanish dragoons charge and rout the French dragoons
Despite this the French infantry attack and take the hill.

At nightfall the French hold two of the three objectives and win both the game and the Campaign

French have lost 8 infantry, 3 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3600 men)
Spanish have lost 16 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (6600 men)

French have 3 brigades in rout
Spanish have 11 brigades in rout

Comments

Despite the heavy Spanish casualties this game was in doubt until the end of the final move.
At the start of move 12 the Spanish were in possession of all three objectives
A prolonged infantry melee was fought on both hills, and was in debate right to the end
The Spanish only had to have one brigade on either hill to win the game and campaign
However their three critical dice rolls to decide the outcome were 1,1 and 2
It was a much more tense and uncertain game than the final casualties would indicate.