Talavera Campaign – Day 2

Campaign Map

In the north the French attack Villacastin

Guerrilla attack a convoy from El Casar to Segovia

They are driven off with light casualties, supplies delivered to Segovia

 

In the centre 2^nd Anglo-Spanish army concentrate at Maqueda

Guerrilla also attack a convoy from Madrid to Mostoles

They are also repulsed with light casualties and the supplies delivered to Mostoles.

 

In the south the French occupy San Martin

3^rd Anglo-Spanish army retreat to Torrecilla

A third guerrilla group attack a convoy from Valdemoro to Carranque

They suffer heavy casualties and again the convoy arrives safely at Carranque

 

The Guerrilla take advantage of the French advance to attack their lines of supply.

However all three attacks fail, and the Spanish suffer casualties

All three convoys arrive safely and without any casualties

Battle of Villacastin

The town of Villacastin is situated on a crossroads in a valley with mountains to the east and west, it is occupied by 7^th Spanish corps.    1^st and 2^nd British corps occupy the high ground to the west.

 

General Vandermaesen has orders to take the town.  To do so he has two French and one Polish corps.   He has high ground to cross in order to reach the town  On his left 13^th Polish corps must cross a large hill.   29^th French corps must advance through the pass in the centre.   28^th French corps has open ground, but dominated by a farm.

End of battle

This was a costly battle for both armies.  

The Poles bore the brunt of the fighting.   By nightfall three of their six brigades were in rout.   1^st British corps also lost heavy casualties, and also had three brigades in rout.

On the opposite flank 28^th French corps were expected to be the main attack, due to the open ground.  However neither side could gain an advantage and at nightfall the French attack was called off.

General Vandermaesen created a reserve from half of the Polish corps, including their artillery.   He supported 29^th French corps and their attack on Villacastin until their infantry stormed the town.  He then redirected the reserve to support the Polish attack on the left.   The French took the town, and held it despite a determined counter attack by the British.

At nightfall both sides have six brigades in rout and have suffered heavy casualties.   But the French take the town and win the battle.  

Comments

The Spanish guerrilla made an early appearance in this campaign.   Providing there are no French corps within two squares they are allowed to attack either convoys or garrisons.   These engagements are decided by a simple dice throw as follows:

01 guerrilla rout with 30% casualties

02 guerrilla rout with 20% casualties

03 guerrilla rout with 10% casualties

04 guerrilla capture supplies, escort no casualties

05 guerrilla capture supplies, escort 10% casualties

06 guerrilla capture supplies, escort 20% casualties

 

The guerrilla were particularly unlucky with dice rolls of 3, 3 and 1

The new rules allow for a fast moving, and unpredictable, game.   However it would appear that hand to hand fighting does tend to be prolonged, often lasting two or three moves.   This is because at the end of each phase any brigade which received casualties has to test their morale.   Usually both sides receive casualties, and both sides pass their morale test.   There is no reward for breaking off the melee and retreating, so both sides continue until one side, or both, rout.   A brigade with three casualties automatically routs, causing friendly brigades within 4” to also test their morale.

I will have to look at both the melee and morale rules to see if I can solve this problem.