Jean Campaign – Day Three

Campaign Map

Main French depot at Hellin – 60 days supplies
French attack Ubeda
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – occupy Ubeda
14th French army – attack Jodar
15th French army – rally and resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – retreat to Linares
2nd Spanish army – defend Jodar
3rd Spanish army - rally and resupply at Alcaudete

4 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy – capture 6 supplies – escort lose10% casualties

Battle of Jodar – Move 2

At the end of move 2 the Spanish are in position on the three game objectives.
These are the bridge on the left, the woods in the centre and the village on the right

The French enter the table at the start of move 1, and are delayed by the difficult terrain.
The CinC has taken command of most of 42 corps and is between the river and the hill

On the right the Spanish cavalry charge the French gunners as they emerge from the woods. The gunners take shelter in the woods, and the rest of the corps halt. 4 Spanish corps advance to pin them in the woods, and they remain there throughout the battle.

In the centre 41 Baden corps advance through the pass. They pin 5th Spanish corps between the woods and the village, and attack and take the woods.

On the left 42 Polish corps has two brigades on the left bank, and the remainder on the right bank commanded by the CinC. 6 Spanish corps have 6 pounder artillery, which are easily outgunned by the heavier French 9 pounders. The first attack in on the left bank, where the two Spanish brigades lose the melee and retreat. The CinC then moves forward his artillery, and the cavalry pin the infantry on the right bank. The squares take heavy casualties and the whole corps breaks and runs back to the town.

Having taken two of the three objectives the French have won the game

The French lose 1 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (500 men)
The Spanish lose 5 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (2200 men)

Comments

The French have won the first three battles, as was expected. Despite having detached 6 infantry and 3 cavalry brigades they are as strong as they will ever be. They have the advantage of surprise, and the Spanish army is not deployed at the start of the campaign.

During this period the Spanish guerrilla capture another supply train, killing 10% of the escort brigade and capturing 6 more supplies.

As the French advance they will have to detach more infantry to garrison the three towns they have taken. They will also have longer lines of supply, and be even more at risk from guerrilla attacks. In three days the French have lost 9 days supplies, leaving just 60 days for the rest of the campaign.

The French started the campaign with 90 days supplies. Each day they need 9 days, one for each of the 9 corps. The loss of 9 days to guerrilla means that they must complete their campaign in 8 days instead of  9.

In addition the supplies lost will have to be replaced from the main depot at Hellin.  It will take three days to reach Ubeda from Hellin, and each day they are subject to guerrilla attack. Of the 6 days supplies they lost today, 3 were to replace those lost yesterday. Clearly this will have a major impact on the mobility of 13th Army as they advance to take Linares and Andjuar.

To capture a convoy the guerrilla have to roll 5 or 6 with 1D6. If they roll 1 or 2 they lose 10% casualties. A 3 or 4 results in no casualties, the supplies continue to their destination and the guerrilla have to retreat to their base.

You will see that the French have been unlucky, not only to lose two convoys but for both of them to belong to the same army. The main depot at Hellin can divert supplies from 14th and 15th Army Groups, but they will still have to travel at least three, and possibly four, days to reach 13th Army.

It is very early days, but I am quite pleased how the new rules are affecting the campaign. I doubt that it will continue to have such an impact, but you never know!

Jean Campaign – Day Two

Campaign Map

Main French depot at Hellin – 81 days supplies
French attack Ubeda
Guerrilla brigades activated

13th French army – attack Ubeda
14th French army – hold Elche
15th French army – occupy Huelma

1st Spanish army – hold Ubeda
2nd Spanish army – advance to border
3rd Spanish army - defend Huelma

5 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy – fail – no casualties
10 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy – fail – no casualties
14 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy – capture 3 supplies – escort lose10%casualties
15 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy – fail – no casualties

Battle of Obeda – Move 2

The game objectives are the three hills in the centre of the table
The winner will be the side who holds at least two of them

The game open with 3 Spanish corps in position on the centre hill
1 and 3 corps are either side of Ubeda, they may move at the start of move 1

The French army will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

By move 2 all corps were on the table, and it was clear that the Spanish would reach the game objectives before the French could. However the French were able to prevent the Spanish cavalry and artillery from taking up forward positions, and this would play an important role in the game

Only infantry could fight on the hills, and both 37 and 39 French corps infantry reached their objective without any artillery casualties, and without any threat from Spanish cavalry. The Spanish defenders put up a good fight, but the French took both hills.

Because 3 Spanish corps were deployed on the centre hill at the start of the game, their artillery were well placed at the entrance to the pass. This made it very difficult for 30 French corps, and their infantry could not advance until their artillery had forced the Spanish gunners to withdraw towards Obeda

At the end of the game the French had taken two of the three game objectives, and had won the game.

Comments
On this second day the Spanish were aware of the French invasion, and had issued orders for 1st and 2nd Armies to move up to the border. Both French and Spanish moved at the start of move one, and this allowed the Spanish to occupy all three objectives before the French could reach them

But the more aggressive French cavalry prevented 1st and 2nd Spanish corps cavalry and artillery from deploying at the French end of the two valleys, and this allowed the French infantry to attack without any danger from the Spanish cavalry or artillery.

On this second day of the campaign the Spanish guerrilla brigades were activated. Only four were able to attack convoys, but one of them managed to capture the convoy from Minateda to Mortallalla (in the south) and three days supplies.

For the first time I have limited the number of supplies available to the French. They have 90 days supplies, which is sufficient to resupply all nine corps for 10 days. It would take a minimum of 9 days for the French to reach all nine towns in Jean district. So they have only enough spare to supply all nine corps for one more day. When a corps runs out of supply it must immediately retreat until it can find supplies, and it has attrition losses of one casualty (400 infantrymen or 100 cavalry or artillery decided by a dice roll) for each day.

The French have already lost 1 day’s supplies for three corps to guerrilla activity. Not only will this disrupt the smooth arrival of supplies to 15th French army, it will also reduce the overall supplies for the campaign.

Jean Campaign – Day One

Campaign Map

The campaign opens with a surprise French attack on Huelma

French main depot – 90 days supplies
13th French army – hold Riopar
14th French army – hold Elche
15th French army – attack Heulma

1st Spanish army – hold Ubeda
2nd Spanish army – hold Jodar
3rd Spanish army - defend Huelma

Battle of Heulma – Move 2

The battle opens with all three Spanish corps on the table, but 7th and 9th corps either side of the town and not allowed to move until the start of move 2. To win they must hold all three game objectives (in the centre three squares). Village on the left, small woods in the centre and large woods on the right. 8th corps is in and around the centre woods.

The French enter the table at the start of move 1. They engage 8th corps before the other two Spanish corps can arrive, but are unable to reach the other two objectives before the Spanish.

The battle is very even during the first six moves. On the left the Spanish hold the village and keep the French at bay. In the centre there is a prolonged fight for the centre woods. On the right each side holds two of the four sections of woods.

During move 7 the French attack the woods in the centre and drive out the Spanish defenders. Meanwhile they have occupied two of the four sections of wood on the right.

During move 9 there is extensive fighting for the village on the left and the woods on the right, but the French gradually gain the upper hand.

Move 10 is a bad one for the Spanish. One rout near the village spreads and all of 9th corps retreat. On the opposite flank there is a similar panic, leaving the French in possession of three of the four sections of woods. In the centre the French hold the small woods, but are unable to make any further progress. But the retreat of 7th and 9th Spanish corps forces 8th corps to do the same.

Comments
French start the game with two infantry brigades detached for garrison duty, and one cavalry brigade patrolling the lines of supply. The Spanish are full strength, plus one militia brigade in the town.

For this campaign the Spanish gunners have been increased from C to B class, making them the same as the French. In addition they have two 12 pounder and one 6 pounder guns. The French have one 12 pounder and two 9 pounder guns. This imbalance calls for caution where one side has the longer range guns.

The detachment of one cavalry brigade from each French army is new. One in three Spanish corps has always been without cavalry, and this change means that in each army only two of the three corps have cavalry support. This allows both sides to opt for the CinC to create a cavalry reserve to gain a local superiority. However in this game neither side do so.

This game was also the first to use the new maps. On the regional maps each square is a wargames table. They also show woods, rivers and mountains. The Huelma square is shown as wooded. The above photo illustrates how this would appear on the wargames table. The table appears quite open, but in fact there are different sized woods on six of the nine scenic squares. On a normal table there would usually be one or two.

This game was a good start to the campaign. It is unfortunate that the Spanish fell apart towards the end, but it could have happened to either side. It would take pages to explain exactly what happened, but it was a case of a low dice for a combat, followed by another low dice for the resulting melee. This resulted in one brigade routing, causing all friendly brigades within 4” to test their morale. Yet another low dice caused a second brigade to rout. That is half of the four infantry brigades in a corps, so the effect is a general retreat.

New Campaign Supply Rules

Campaign Map

During the Jean campaign phase I will be play testing new rules for the French supply system in Spain.

The main difference is that the French will start the campaign with sufficient supplies to allow them to attack all nine towns held by the Spanish in Jean military region, plus one day in reserve. As soon as they run out of supplies the campaign will end.

The French must detach one infantry brigade to garrison each town they capture. In addition each army (of three corps) must detach one cavalry brigade to patrol their supply routes.

The more supplies that the guerrillas can capture, the less time the French will have to reach and attack all nine towns.

Initial Deployment
The map shows the location of each HQ, corps, garrison and guerrilla brigade at the start of the Jean campaign phase.

The French have three armies, each of three corps. They have detached 6 infantry brigades to garrison the six towns east of the Jean-Hellin border. They have also detached 3 cavalry brigades, one from each army, to patrol their lines of communication and supply.

The Spanish also have three armies, each of three corps. In addition they have 15 militia brigades to garrison each of the 15 towns and cities on the map. When a town is occupied by the French, the militia garrison becomes a guerrilla group. They must operate within the nine squares surrounding their town and their task is to attack French supply columns. The nine militia brigades west of the border are still in garrison, the six east of the border have moved to nearby villages and operate as guerrillas.

French Army
At the start of the campaign each corps has 4 days supply
Each friendly town has 3 days supplies
The main depot receives 9 days supplies each day

The campaign will last a maximum of 10 days
The main depot starts the campaign with 90 days supplies

To resupply a corps must halt for one full day
It must be within one days march (3 squares) of a town.
It can resupply up to 4 days, providing the town has sufficient supplies

Spanish Army
There is no Spanish supply system and consequently no convoys
Each corps will be supplied by the nearest town
The town will collect these supplies from nearby farms and villages

The Spanish have a maximum of 3 day supplies per corps, or independent brigade. This is to reflect their lack of a formal supply system. This is one less than the French, and means they must resupply more often

At the start of the campaign each corps, and militia brigade, has 3 days supplies.
Resupply for regular troops is the same as for the French

Militia brigades in garrison will always maintain 3 days supplies
When the town is occupied by the French the garrison becomes a guerrilla brigade
They must always remain within the nine squares around the town

Guerrilla Brigades
Their role is to attack French supply columns
They can only do so if there is no French corps within one days march (3 squares)
Or a cavalry brigade within one square
They must be adjacent to the convoy to attack it

Due to limited supplies they can only ambush a convoy once in four days
Day 1 – move to set up ambush
Day 2 – attack the convoy
Day 3 – return to their village/hideout
Day 4 – rest and resupply

Attack Convoy
Guerrilla brigade roll 1D6
Minus 1 for each casualty

1 or 2 Guerrillas lose 10% French save convoy
3 or 4 No casualties French save convoy
5 or 6 Guerrillas take convoy French suffer 10%