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.

Talavera Campaign – Day 4

Campaign Map

In the north 1^st Anglo-Spanish army regroup at Avila

10^th French army secure their lines of supply and advance towards Avila

 

In the centre 11^th French army occupy Maqueda

2^nd Anglo-Spanish army retreat to Talavera

 

In the south 12^th French army attack Torrecilla

 

No guerrilla activity today, after two days of extensive attacks on French lines of supply.   All groups retreat to their safe areas to resupply, regroup and replenish casualties

Battle of Torrecilla

General Picton has been tasked to hold the town of Torrecilla.   To do so he has one Spanish and two British corps.   All three have suffered heavy casualties during the fighting at San Martin.  The Spanish hold the town, and the British the hills either side.   Picton has taken command of the two best British infantry brigades and formed a reserve behind the town.

Marshal Marmont has orders to attack the town.  He has two French and one Polish corps.  They have also suffered casualties at San Martin, but much less than the Anglo-Spanish.   Their artillery are also much more effective than the enemy.   They have however had to detach one infantry brigade to garrison San Martin.    They will arrive on the table at the start of move 1.

End of battle

Marmont has concentrated the artillery of 35^th and 36^th corps in the centre, and used them to weaken the town garrison.  However this has taken longer than expected.   When he does storm the town the Spanish garrison rout.  Picton counter attacks with his reserve of elite British infantry.   They rout the French attackers, but come under fire from the French artillery.  Despite casualties they both hold at nightfall.

Confused fighting on the left between the Vistula and 6^th British corps ends in a draw.   At nightfall a Polish square holds the British dragoons at bay.   The remaining infantry brigade is still exchanging fire with the last British brigade.

The French have more success on their right, where they outnumber 5^th British corps.   By nightfall they have occupied the British held hill.

Comment

This was an action packed game, with plenty of surprises.  

Both sides had their share of lucky and unlucky dice.   With my new rules a roll of 1 or 6 can destroy the most careful plans.   This was particularly so with the superior French artillery.   Once in range they needed 6 for a hit on artillery, or 5 or 6 to hit the town garrison.   For the first 10 moves they had very little success.   However on move 11 they hit both brigades in the town, and one on the left.  

The new morale rules had an even greater influence.   A roll of 5 or 6 (adjusted by a table reflecting morale, casualties, supports etc) is required to pass.   Any other result will mean a fail, and anything from disordered to retreat to rout.   However it also means that a routed brigade can rally if they roll a 5 or 6.  

With our previous rules most combat resulted in low casualties, both sides passing their morale tests and continued rounds of melee or firefight.   Once a brigade routed it was almost impossible to rally them.   Consequently once one side started to gain an advantage it was very unlikely that the other side would recover.

With our new rules a brigade will often retreat either disordered or shaken.  But they will often quickly rally and advance again.  However they may well have caused serious problems for their commander by this unexpected loss of morale.   On the other hand a routed brigade can rally and return late in the game to add unexpected strength to a weakened corps.

We are still struggling when we are on the end of a bad dice roll, but quite happy when it happens to the other player.  Fortunately this type of unexpected result has been evenly spread between both of us.   On balance I think we prefer it, because it removes the previous chess like predictability of our games.

Talavera Campaign – Day 3

Last week’s blog entry contained a typing error.  

The title of the first photograph was Battle of Villacastin, it should have been Battle of Maqueda.   The rest of the text was correct.   Most of you will, no doubt, have missed this error.   However Bob Cordery (Wargaming Miscellany) did notice, and was kind enough to point it out.  Bob also reads my 1813 Campaign Diary blog, which is updated the week before this blog.   Both blogs covered Day 3 of the Talavera campaign phase, and Bob noticed that the battles were different.

Thanks for pointing out the error Bob; I have now emended last week’s blog. 

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.

Wargame Rules – Morale

I have felt for some time that our current morale rules make it too easy to pass when casualties are received.

They are decided by 1D6, plus or minus from a short chart.  The most important plus is 1 for a general within 4” and the same for a formed brigade in support.   The most important minus is 1 for C class troops and for each casualty.   The current morale chart is:

3 or more – pass test

1 or 2 – fail and shaken

0 or less – fail and rout

In general most brigades pass test with 1 or 2 casualties.    When they lose 3 casualties they automatically rout.   This usually results in melee lasting at least three rounds, when both sides often rout with 3 casualties.

I wanted to provide a wider range of possibilities.   First to reduce the number of rounds of melee, but also to introduce more uncertainty into the game in general. 

The new rules are also decided by 1D6, plus or minus from the same chart.   The new morale chart is:

6 – past test

5 – pass test

4 – fail and disordered

3 – fail and disordered and retreat full move

2 – fail and shaken and retreat full move

1 – fail and rout full move

Disordered - rallied automatically at the start of their next move

Shaken - has to rally by passing morale test next move

Rout - causes brigades within 4” to test morale

 

We have only used these new rules in one wargame, and the result has been dramatic.

First brigades are more likely to rout

Second they are quite likely to retreat either disordered or shaken

 

Trained brigades with no casualties almost always rally next move

But it does cause considerable disruption for the defending player

And it can cause delay for the attacking player

 

I am not sure how much I like these new morale rules

It does reduce the number of melee considerably

And I quite like the unforeseen consequences of a low dice throw

But I am not sure whether either of us like being the one who rolls the low dice

It will take a few games to confirm whether the balance is right

And it has given me a project until we start hill walking again in September.

Talavera Campaign – Day 2

Campaign Map

In the north the French attack Villacastin

Guerrilla attack a convoy from El Casar to Segovia

They are driven off with light casualties, supplies delivered to Segovia

 

In the centre 2^nd Anglo-Spanish army concentrate at Maqueda

Guerrilla also attack a convoy from Madrid to Mostoles

They are also repulsed with light casualties and the supplies delivered to Mostoles.

 

In the south the French occupy San Martin

3^rd Anglo-Spanish army retreat to Torrecilla

A third guerrilla group attack a convoy from Valdemoro to Carranque

They suffer heavy casualties and again the convoy arrives safely at Carranque

 

The Guerrilla take advantage of the French advance to attack their lines of supply.

However all three attacks fail, and the Spanish suffer casualties

All three convoys arrive safely and without any casualties

Battle of Villacastin

The town of Villacastin is situated on a crossroads in a valley with mountains to the east and west, it is occupied by 7^th Spanish corps.    1^st and 2^nd British corps occupy the high ground to the west.

 

General Vandermaesen has orders to take the town.  To do so he has two French and one Polish corps.   He has high ground to cross in order to reach the town  On his left 13^th Polish corps must cross a large hill.   29^th French corps must advance through the pass in the centre.   28^th French corps has open ground, but dominated by a farm.

End of battle

This was a costly battle for both armies.  

The Poles bore the brunt of the fighting.   By nightfall three of their six brigades were in rout.   1^st British corps also lost heavy casualties, and also had three brigades in rout.

On the opposite flank 28^th French corps were expected to be the main attack, due to the open ground.  However neither side could gain an advantage and at nightfall the French attack was called off.

General Vandermaesen created a reserve from half of the Polish corps, including their artillery.   He supported 29^th French corps and their attack on Villacastin until their infantry stormed the town.  He then redirected the reserve to support the Polish attack on the left.   The French took the town, and held it despite a determined counter attack by the British.

At nightfall both sides have six brigades in rout and have suffered heavy casualties.   But the French take the town and win the battle.  

Comments

The Spanish guerrilla made an early appearance in this campaign.   Providing there are no French corps within two squares they are allowed to attack either convoys or garrisons.   These engagements are decided by a simple dice throw as follows:

01 guerrilla rout with 30% casualties

02 guerrilla rout with 20% casualties

03 guerrilla rout with 10% casualties

04 guerrilla capture supplies, escort no casualties

05 guerrilla capture supplies, escort 10% casualties

06 guerrilla capture supplies, escort 20% casualties

 

The guerrilla were particularly unlucky with dice rolls of 3, 3 and 1

The new rules allow for a fast moving, and unpredictable, game.   However it would appear that hand to hand fighting does tend to be prolonged, often lasting two or three moves.   This is because at the end of each phase any brigade which received casualties has to test their morale.   Usually both sides receive casualties, and both sides pass their morale test.   There is no reward for breaking off the melee and retreating, so both sides continue until one side, or both, rout.   A brigade with three casualties automatically routs, causing friendly brigades within 4” to also test their morale.

I will have to look at both the melee and morale rules to see if I can solve this problem.

Talavera Campaign – Day 1

Campaign Map

The start of the Talavera campaign on a complicated looking campaign map.   Three French armies on the right, three Anglo-Spanish armies on the left.   French garrisons and supply trains on the left (blue), plus Spanish guerrilla bands (yellow).   The campaign opens with the French attack on San Martin (centre bottom).

Battle of San Martin

Spanish corps occupy the walled town of San Martin in the centre.   British corps in reserve on the left and right.   Three French corps will arrive bottom of table at the start of move 1.

A walled town adds plus 1 to the garrison for melee and firing casualties.   This makes it a very tough nut to crack for the attacking army, and usually means it is left until the end, with the main attack on the corps either side.   However in this case it is held by the Spanish, who are the weak link in Wellington’s army.   They can melee OK, but not skirmish, so they have no reply to French skirmish fire.   However they do have plus 1 for morale, so are hard to “wear down”.

End of battle

The Polish lancers lost the cavalry melee early in the game, which prevented the Vistula legion from pressing home their attack.   Officially a draw, but really a British victory.

Very interesting fight for San Martin.   It took 8 moves for the French to take the left hand section of the town, only to lose it again on move 9 to a Spanish counter attack.  However the whole town was taken on move 10 by a determined (and lucky) French attack on both town sections.

Convincing French victory on the right.   The French cavalry also lost the melee on this flank, but the French artillery were more effective and softened up the British infantry for the French attack.   Two French brigades routed, but all six British brigades routed.  

Comments

The key to the battle was San Martin.   The Spanish put their two best infantry brigades into the town and the remaining two brigades in reserve.   Artillery were on the left and cavalry on the right.   The artillery proved ineffective and were soon forced to withdraw.   The cavalry were routed, but rallied again – however too late to take any further part in the battle.   The French were free to send their infantry forward to attack the town.

By move 4, the four French infantry brigades were firing on the garrison.  In the new rules only skirmish fire is allowed, and C class skirmishers were ineffective.   The Spanish infantry were all C class, and one of the four French brigades.   Because of wall around the town, the French skirmishers required a roll of 6, with 1D6.   The French artillery also required a roll of 6, with 1D6.   So each move the French had four opportunities to hit the garrison.  

On the left they caused two casualties by move 8 and took the left town section by storm.   They had caused no casualties to the garrison of the right town section.   On move 9 a Spanish counter attack routed the French brigade.   It looked like the Anglo-Spanish would win the game.   But on move 12 the final French attack took the right side of the town and the garrison of the left side failed their morale and also routed.

I am very pleased with this wargame.   It has proved that the Spanish can hold their own, providing that they are given an easy to defend position.   It also proved that the British and French were equal in combat ability.  The British had held on the left, but lost on the right.

As always the whole thing depends on the luck of the dice.   But this felt like a really even handed game, where either side could win.   At the start of move 10 it seemed very likely that the French would lose.   At the end of move 12 it was clear that they had won.

Talavera Campaign – British Order of Battle

1 British corps

One of the most important principles of our 1813 campaign is that all ten armies should be evenly balanced in their combat effectiveness to ensure that both wargamers have a level playing field.  This is to say that neither side should have a wargame army that is very likely to win most, in not all, wargames.

There are five campaign areas in the 1813 campaign.   In northern Europe there are three French, one Prussian, one Russian and one Austrian.   By 1813 all of these armies were more or less equal.   The Russian campaign had destroyed the “old” French army.   Most of their replacements were newly recruited conscripts.   I have used artistic licence to redress the lack of French cavalry.   So all six armies have equal numbers of infantry, cavalry and artillery.  And each have a national strength and weakness.   For example the Russians have good artillery but poor skirmishers.

2 British corps

However Spain is a problem if I want to maintain any semblance of historical ability.   Wellington won all of his formal field battles.   The Spanish lost all of theirs.   There are lots of reasons why this was so, and none of them help me to achieve balanced wargame armies.  

Wellington’s army was Anglo-Portuguese.   By 1813 his regular Portuguese brigades were considered good enough to fight alongside his British brigades.   However in my campaign they are mostly C class.   There is one Portuguese brigade and three British brigades in each corps.   The British are either A or B class.

This would normally be sufficient to balance the combat ability of the French and British corps.   However in Spain the French also have the added burden of their supply lines and Spanish guerrilla activity.   This requires the French to detach brigades to guard their lines of supply.   It also disrupts their ability to maintain a constant supply to their forward corps, and can cause them to abandon their advance to sort out the rear area.   This is all historically correct, but it makes it difficult for the French to win a campaign based on wargames rather than real battles.

3 Spanish corps

The British and Spanish each have three armies of three corps each.

As an experiment I have removed one British corps in each army, and replaced it with a Spanish corps.   Two infantry brigades are B class, the remaining two are C. All four are C class firing and skirmish.  The cavalry and artillery are also C class, but they have 12 pdr guns which are superior to most of the French.

I think I can get away with this on historical grounds.   In the latter part of the Peninsular War Wellington was appointed as Commander in Chief of the Spanish armies.   He found this more of a disadvantage than an asset.   In fact his Spanish troops behaved so badly when he invaded France in 1814 that he sent them back into Spain!     

The intention is that the Spanish corps will be a permanent problem for the British wargamer.   It will be one third of his wargame army, far too big to be ignored.  It will have to fill one third of the battle line in each battle, and will always be a weak spot.  

However I don’t want the British player to lose every battle, so we will have to see whether this is too much of a disadvantage.   We can only do so by play testing it on the table.   By the end of the Talavera campaign we should be able to confirm whether it is a temporary error or should be a permanent feature.