Talavera Campaign – Day 5

Campaign Map

In the north the French attack Avila

In the centre the French advance towards Talavera

In the south French retreat having lost the battle of Torrecilla

 

Guerrilla bands attack El Casar in the north

Also convoys in the centre and south

They lose 30% and rout at El Casar

They fail in the centre and lose 20% casualties

But they take the convoy in the south and the escort lose 10% casualties

Battle of Avila

Avila is a walled town, and as such is a tough nut to crack

It is held by the Spanish, and they need all the help they can get

British corps are on the left and right.

All three corps have casualties from earlier fighting

The French also start the game with casualties

They will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

End of battle

The French artillery are more effective than the Anglo-Spanish

However they are not as lucky with their dice throws

So they fail to soften up the Spanish garrison of Avila

The French do take the right half of the town

But the Spanish immediately counter attack

And there are two British brigades in support

Both armies suffer similar relatively light casualties

At nightfall the Spanish still hold half of the town

The British still hold the flanks, though they have had to withdraw

The French have failed, Wellington wins the battle

Comment

Only three of the nine towns in this campaign are walled, and Avila is one of them.   Normal built up area rules apply, but in addition they get a plus one for enemy artillery or skirmish fire or for melee. 

Artillery require a 6 at long range, or 5 or 6 at short range.   If the artillery have 10% casualties they have minus 1, so cannot hit at long range and require 6 at short range

Skirmishers require 6 to hit.   C class have minus 1 so are unable to hit at all.

All built up areas are difficult to attack, but walled have an additional minus 1 for the attackers.    The melee rules are complicated, but attackers normally must be able to attack two sides of the building at the same time, and even then the defenders need to have at least 10% casualties or be C class for the attack to be likely to succeed.

Normally the attacker waits until the defender has received at least 10% casualties, or they have been shaken or routed by casualties.   Only one brigade is allowed within each town section, and will often have taken casualties.  They are then vulnerable to a counter attack.

Often the battle will be decided by the fighting outside the town.   Or the battle will end with one side holding halt of the town.   A decision is then taken on which commander will order a retreat – taking all circumstances into account.

At Avila it was agreed that the French were too weak to continue for a second day.  Not only on casualties, but also because they only had one days supplies left.