Burgos Campaign – Day Three

 

 

28 August 1813 – North Spain – Day 3

British attack Cuellar
1 British army – regroup and resupply at Quintana
2 British army – occupy Santa Maria
3 British army – attack Cuellar

French lose battle of Santa Maria
10 French army – regroup and resupply at Picuerga
11 French army – retreat to Burgos
12 French army – defend Cuellar

Battle of Cuellar – End of Move 12

This was the third battle of the Burgos campaign. The French had won the first, the British the second. The British must win this battle if they are to continue to advance towards Burgos. If they fail they will have to retreat west and abandon their campaign.

Picton fought an aggressive battle, and all three battle objectives were soon engaged.

On the left Oswald’s 9th corps quickly took the two northern sections of woods, but was unable to make any progress against the two southern sections. Munsier’s Italian corps fought back and routed all six British brigades. The gunners rallied and took shelter in the village, but were unable to man their abandoned guns. Oswald was unable to rally any of his four infantry and one cavalry brigades.

Picton took command of half of 8th British corps in the centre. They routed the cavalry and three infantry brigades of Joubert’s Vistula corps, but were unable to take the woods which dominated the road junction. The one remaining Polish infantry brigade still held the woods at nightfall.

On the right Halkett’s 7th corps aggressively attacked Villatte’s French corps. The French were forced to retreat, but kept hold of the village. Villatte launched a counter attack which routed three British brigades. Halkett continued to attack, but the French still held the village at nightfall.

Both armies suffered heavy casualties. The British lost 20 infantry and 7 cavalry casualties (8700 men) and ten brigades in rout. The French lost 18 infantry, 5 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (7800 men) and twelve brigades in rout.

At nightfall the French held all three game objectives and had won a convincing victory

Comments
 game resulted in an unusually high number of casualties on both sides. Normally this only happens in the second half of the campaign, when both sides start the game with existing battle casualties. The reason for this is that both sides were able to rally routed brigades and launch counter attacks.

The morale tests are decided by one D6 roll. Points are added for elite troops, generals within 4” and supports within 4”. If a brigade has 10% casualties and is disordered they lose two points. The plus and minus points often cancel each other out. A dice roll of 4 or more is a pass. 3 is disordered, 2 shaken and 1 rout. Both shaken and routed brigades lose two points on subsequent morale tests.

If a brigade is routed early in the game it is quite possible that they will rally and return to the fighting before move 12. This happened to both sides during this game. The result is that the brigade runs the risk of more casualties in the final stages. In this particular game a large proportion of brigades ended the game in rout with 30% casualties.

This is the second British defeat out of three battles. They are the aggressors, and must now abandon their campaign to take Burgos. It is likely that the defending French army will pursue the retreating British army and invade Valladolid district.

This would be another first since the campaign started in 2009.