Jean Campaign – Day Eight

Campaign Map

 

Main French depot at Hellin – 9 days supplies

Spanish occupy Huelma
Spanish attack Ubeda
French retreat to Mortalalla
French attack Linares
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – attack Linares
14th French army – regroup and resupply at Jean
15th French army – retreat to Mortalalla

1st Spanish army – attack Ubeda
2nd Spanish army – regroup and resupply at Martos
3rd Spanish army – occupy Heulma

10 guerrilla attack convoy Hellin to Tobarra – fail no casualties

Second battle of Linares – Move 4

13th French Army commanded by Marshal Suchet attack Linares
1st Spanish army commanded by General Giron attack Ubeda

French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades are detached to protect lines of supply
They have lost 4 infantry and 1 cavalry battle casualties (1700 men)

Spanish have 13 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They have lost 9 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery battle casualties (3800 men)

On 6 August Marshal Suchet was unable to take Linares, and retreated to Ubeda to regroup and resupply. General Giron remained at Linares to regroup and resupply. The Spanish had suffered more casualties than the French, but Giron was determined to follow up his victory and take Ubeda. Suchet was determined on a second attempt to take Linares. At first light the Spanish set off to take Ubeda, and the French to take Linares. Neither side was aware of the intentions of the other

On the left 1st Spanish corps took position in and around the farm, due to the slow French advance over the high ground. However 37th Young Guard corps cavalry and artillery were able to deploy between the hill and the farm, and cover the infantry deployment. The French took the farm, but were driven out by a Spanish counter attack. The Spanish held the farm at nightfall

In the centre 2nd Spanish corps reached the woods first, but 38th French corps reached the southern edge at about the same time. Neither side occupied the woods, but the French artillery caused the Spanish cavalry to rout. This allowed them to force the infantry into square, and their own infantry to take the woods. At nightfall the French held the woods

On the right 3rd Spanish corps occupied the two northern wooded sections by the time 39th Vistula corps reached the southern edge. There was a prolonged infantry melee for the woods, which the Poles finally won. The Spanish corps was smashed, and all five infantry brigades routed. At nightfall the Poles held the woods.

Having taken two of the three game objectives, and routed ten of the sixteen Spanish brigades, the French won the battle.

Comments

Despite the French having an elite guard corps, and fewer casualties than the Spanish, this was a very hard fought game. Both sides started with considerable casualties, and consequently both had very brittle morale. This caused both armies to fight a very cautious game.

Half way through the game the French artillery caused casualties to the Spanish cavalry in the centre, resulting in their rout. This allowed the French to push forward and force the Spanish artillery to withdraw. This in turn allowed the French infantry to attack the woods on the left and in the centre. They would eventually take both objectives.

The farm on the right was more difficult. The Spanish artillery had longer range than the French, and they were protected by heavy cavalry and a mass of infantry. So the young guard were reluctant to attack the area to the right of the farm. With the loss of the Spanish centre t he guard infantry were able to storm the farm and drive the Spanish out. The Spanish guns caused 20% casualties to the elite French infantry. The 1st Spanish grenadier’s then counter attacked and drove the weakened French infantry out. Their rout caused the supporting French infantry to withdraw. At nightfall the Spanish still held the farm.

But the Spanish army was broken. They had suffered very heavy casualties, and two of their three corps were in retreat or rout. At nightfall the Spanish commander ordered the third corps to abandon the farm and retreat. The French won the battle.

Always good fun to have such a close run wargame. On the last move there was a prolonged melee for the woods in the centre and on the left. All four brigades involved had 20% casualties, the loss of just one more would taken them down to 30%, which is an automatic rout. The Spanish only had to achieve 3 or more on their dice throw to achieve this. The first brigade rolled a one, the second a two. Both Spanish brigades fled with 30% casualties, both French brigades held with 20% casualties.

Only one more game to decide the winner of the campaign. It could easily go either way

Capture French Eagle

Melee

For many years I have preferred to fight multi corps wargames, usually three per side.   Each corps has a game objective, and the winner is the side which takes and holds at least two of them at the end of 12 moves.  This provides a lot of flexibility, particularly for the attacker, who can tailor his attack to suit the terrain and the condition of his army.   The CinC is allowed to take create a reserve by combining brigades for any or all of the three corps under his command.   Normally these are artillery and infantry, or artillery and cavalry.   This will reduce the combat ability of at least one of his corps, but he can give them the task of avoiding a major battle, but attempt to pin the enemy corps opposite them.      This type of game provides both players with the type of tactical problems experienced by a senior commander, rather than a corps, divisional or brigade commander.   

The disadvantage of this type of game is that the brigade is the lowest combat element. The battalion or squadron battle is represented in an abstract way.   Brigades are rewarded, or punished, by their formation.  So column of march, line, square or skirmish are used on the table, but of course it is the whole brigade in such formation.  The brigade combat is decided by one D6, and this tends to “flatten out” the experience. The ebb and flow of battalion or squadron combat is missing. 

So it is really unusual for either side to lose a colour or eagle, until now.  And even more unusual for the Spanish to capture a French eagle.  In the second battle of Heulma 3^rd Spanish Army attack 15^th French Army.   The French had lost the first battle of Heulma, and the Spanish followed up their victory.  The Spanish were stronger than the French, not only in infantry but also artillery.   They had the same number of guns, but their 12 pdr guns had a longer range than the French 9pdr.    This dictated the Spanish tactics, which were to weaken the French infantry with artillery fire and only commit their low quality infantry when the odds were in their favour.

It took most of the game to achieve this objective.   The Spanish ignored their right flank, and concentrated the 12pdr guns between their centre and left flank.   The French held a farm with an elite brigade, thus making it a very difficult objective for the Spanish infantry.   The Spanish concentrated on the supporting French infantry and when they retreated moved their guns into close range of the farm, and surrounded it with infantry and cavalry.    The French garrison held despite 20% casualties, but once they reached 30% it would be an automatic rout.   This was the situation at the start of the twelfth, and last move, of the game.   Only one Spanish brigade could attack each side of the farm, and all of them had 10% casualties.  

The Spanish player had to decide whether to risk an infantry attack, or hope for one more artillery casualty.   Even at close range the gunners would require 4, 5 or 6 on their 1D6.   If they failed the French would hold the farm, and thus win the battle.   Their best infantry brigade would also require 4, 5 or 6 to win the melee.   He decided to risk an infantry melee, as much because it was the “right thing” to do as any other reason.  By that I mean an attack on a fortified farm would normally be decided by an infantry attack, rather than rely on artillery fire alone.   The Spanish won the melee, the garrison were now had 30% casualties.  

You will see the situation on the photo above.   There are four Spanish infantry brigades, one in the farm, one above the farm and two to the right.   The Spanish artillery are above the farm and their cavalry are surrounding the French brigade, with their eagle.

I was the Spanish player and I must admit that all of my sympathy was with the French garrison.  They held the farm for three moves, during which they received two artillery hits, at 10% casualties each.   Their luck ran out when the Spanish infantry rolled a high dice to win the melee.

Great game, and even after all these years very tense during those last four moves.   

Christmas with Napoleon

We spent Christmas with my son and his family.   He has never been interested in Wargaming, nor anything to do with the Napoleonic period.   His passion has always been creating a home cinema.   His first attempt was when he bought his first house, just as we were moving to Spain in 2006.   I had sold my house in the UK, and was dismantling my wargames room which was built in our garage.   He removed the whole table and used the wood to build a cinema in his new garage.

He had gone through many versions, but now inside the house where it is much warmer and more comfortable.   These have included a projector on the wall facing a large TV screen.   He has also dabbled with 3D, which was very impressive.   But his latest set up is by far the best yet.   There is a very large screen (see above) with the electrics and sound system fitted into the wall around the sitting room.   The overall effect is very similar to sitting in a cinema.  The screen is huge, the picture crystal clear and the sound sharp and all surrounding.

He could not wait to demonstrate it with an evening watching "Top Gun: Maverick".   I have seen it before, but never like this.  

I told him that we would love to see both Waterloo 1970 and Napoleon 2023 on his system.   He was happy to oblige, but not prepared to sit through them himself.    So he set it up so that we could watch each one on alternative afternoon

 

I have seen Waterloo many times.   The first time was in a cinema in Germany in 1970, just before our first visit to the battlefield of Waterloo.   There was a visitor centre showing Waterloo, but it was in black and white and (I believe) made in 1929!

Since then I have watched the 1970 version at least twenty times.   We bought a video and then a CD and would watch it every couple of years.   For me this is the definitive film of the battle.  The acting is excellent, particularly Rod Steiger as Napoleon.   The uniforms as very accurate, especially for a popular film.   The story line is acceptable, and the scenery very similar to the battlefield.

I had watched Napoleon only once, and like almost everyone else was very disappointed.   The acting was wooded and unconvincing.   Joaquin Phoenix was the worse choice for Napoleon, particularly for the younger version.   Bonaparte was only 24 at the siege of Toulon   Phoenix was 49 when he made Napoleon.  

The battle scenes were impressive, if you knew nothing about the Napoleonic period.   I quite enjoyed the Toulon sequence, mostly because I don’t know very much about the siege.   However Austerlitz was pathetic.   I have visited the battlefield twice, and it looks nothing like the terrain shown in the movie.   Worst still there was no attempt to follow the sequence of the battle, which had it been done would have been impressive.   To concentrate on the frozen lake, and in particular to show the artillery covered in sheets at the start of the battle, is nonsense.   The very story about the losses on the frozen lake have long been discounted.   I recall reading that the lake was dredged only “a few bodies were found”

The battle of Waterloo was even worse.   Once more no attempt was made to follow the sequence of the battle, or to explain how it developed.   I have read many accounts about Wellington’s reverse ridge tactic, but never that he built trenches.   Napoleon leading the Guard on the final attack is well recorded, as is the fact that he handed over command well before they came within range of the enemy lines.   And I have never read an account of Napoleon leading a cavalry charge, which he appears to do at every battle in this move

But, for me, the most annoying thing was the large number of very large French flags carried by the French troops.    One seems to have been issued to every 50 men.  

Despite the above I did enjoy watching both movies on such an impressive sound system.   It was just like sitting in a very comfortable cinema with the latest audio and visual effects.  

Despite its age Waterloo was, and is, by far the best movie.   Even after 54 years the acting, uniform details, battle scenes and the gripping story line made this a most enjoyable movie to watch.  

Christmas Holiday

I am a creature of habit, which includes posting on this blog each week, almost always on a Sunday.   The only exception to this is rare holidays when I am separated from my trusty desktop. 

On 19 December we returned to the UK to spend Christmas and New Year with our family, as we have done each year since we moved to Spain in 2006.   The only year we missed was 2020, due to the Corona virus travel restrictions.   My daughter in law is a great believer in a traditional Christmas, with extensive decorations from 1 December and our three grandchildren ensure that there is lots of excited opening of presents on 25 December.  

When we arrived we were informed by our 8 year old granddaughter that we had to be up at 0600 on Christmas Day to “watch Father Christmas”.    Apparently there was expected to be good views of a comet, which was the Father Christmas in question.    The whole family was gathered in the back garden at 0600, but could see nothing due to extensive and very thick cloud.   Any disappointment was soon forgotten as we all regrouped in the sitting room to open the large piles of presents.

It always surprises me how easily we adjust to leaving sunny Spain for cold and often wet England.   We adjust to the drop in temperature and are fortunate my son lives in a lovely Northumberland village called Rothbury.   It is a very popular walking area, and even in December we are able to take advantage of the many walks around the village.

Even more surprising we don’t really miss our daily wargames.  

However I do miss the busy routine of our life in Spain, and particularly the almost daily administration on the computer.    We run a weekly walking group for our local U3A, and this includes preparation and recording of each walk on the computer.   In particular I post a blog each week of the walk.   Over the past year I have made short video of our various walking groups since we moved to Spain.   These are posted on YouTube as a record of our walking experience, and also a reminder for the members of the group and our friends and family in the UK.

Then there is the weekly post for my two Wargaming blogs, this one and the 1813 Campaign Diary blog.  Plus of course running the campaign itself, wargaming the battles and recording them on the diary.

Strangely I don’t miss the walks and wargames, but I do miss the busy daily routine.   We soon settle into the family routine, but have no routine of our own.   For a couple of days it is nice to visit the shops in Morpeth and Newcastle, but one day in each, particularly at Christmas time, is more than enough.   Rothbury itself has a good selection of pubs and cafe’s, plus a lovely river walk.   And we were fortunate that the weather was kinder than usual this year.  Only two days of rain, and as many sunny days of sun.   Very cold, but very enjoyable to walking.

It is lovely to be able to spend the holiday with the family, but after a few days I start to miss our normal routine and long for the warmer temperatures.   I can follow the holiday activities of our friends on Facebook, and am envious at their sunny days and temperatures of 18c.

So we were very happy to return home to the mass of emails waiting and to organise our first group walk on 2025.   Not to mention clearing the last game of 2024 off the wargames table and updating the campaign for the first one of the New Year.

Happy New Year to you all.