Talavera Campaign – Day 3

Campaign Map

In the north the French Occupy Villacastin and the Anglo-Spanish retreat to Avila

A different guerrilla group attack a convoy between El Casar and Segovia.

They capture the supplies, but the escort escapes without any casualties

 

In the centre the French attack Maqueda.

A second guerrilla attack on a convoy from Madrid to Mostoles also captures the supplies.

Once more the escort flee without casualties

 

In the south 3^rd Anglo-Spanish army rallies at Torrecilla

But 12^th French army are already advancing from San Martin

A third guerrilla attack on a convoy from Valdemoro to Carranque is successful

The escort put up a fight, and lose 20% casualties before routing

Battle of Maqueda

Normally the game objective is in the middle of the table, but this time it is top centre.   This will make it difficult for British and Spanish brigades who rout to rally before they reach the edge of the table and are removed from the game.

It is also a much more open battlefield, which should help the attacking French.   No movement penalty for moving on hills and they should reach the town much quicker.   However the river on the left is a problem.  It reduces the deployment area for the Italian corps.   It also requires a decision whether to split the corps on both banks, which they have done in this game.   The British corps have only placed their cavalry brigade on the left bank.    The river can only be crossed via one of the three bridges.

End of battle

On the left 4^th British corps includes two rifle brigades, so I would have expected great things from them.   However the dice gods did not favour them, and they lost the opening cavalry melee.  Due to shortage of space the routed hussar brigade did not have space to rally.   Without cavalry support the two infantry brigades had to form square, and retreat from the advancing Italian infantry columns.    

The French have more effective artillery than either the British or Spanish; however it did not make any impression in this game.   Eventually the Westphalian cavalry had to drive off the Spanish gunners before their infantry could attack the town.   Despite skirmish casualties the Spanish garrison put up a better fight than expected, and a counter attack by the reserve British brigade also slowed down the attack.  But by nightfall the Westphalians had taken the town.

The Young Guard corps on the right were slow to gain an advantage.   Their cavalry lost the initial melee and had to be rallied and brought forward again.   The British dragoons were driven off by fire from a French square.  So it was late in the game when the Young Guard infantry finally advanced against the hill.  Their cavalry routed the British gunners and without cavalry or artillery support the British infantry retreated.

A third French victory, but not as comprehensive as they would have hoped

Comment

What a different result for the Spanish guerrilla.   Yesterday they lost all three combats.   Today they won all three, and inflicted heavy casualties on the southern escort.   I have never lost so many supplies, and don’t really know how much effect it will have on the advancing French armies.   It will certainly cause a prompt change in the French campaign strategy.

We used the new morale rules for this game, and it gave some most unexpected results.   It required 5 or 6 with 1D6 to pass the test.   Quite often fully strength brigades would retreat disordered.   They would rally automatically at the start of their next turn, but it would disrupt both an attack or a defence.

I like the unpredictability of the new morale rules, but Jan has more misgivings.   No doubt because on balance they favoured me more than her.   This was due to the dice rather than tactics.   And on balance it was spread between the two armies.   But you always notice bad dice more when you throw them. 

We will continue to play test the new Morale rules for another couple of games before making any decision.