Battle of Miravat – Move 9

2000-2100 10 August 1813

  Table at the start of move 9

Left      –   Spanish brigade on hill have orders to retreat, but must break contact first

Right    –   French infantry press home their attack

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

8 Command Points

Orders – Retire to Miravat

Artillery fire on enemy artillery (total 5 – no casualties)

Elio moves to join 6^th brigade

6^th brigade retires (1”) facing enemy

Elio leaves 6^th brigade and moves to centre of corps

Gunners manhandle guns (2”) away from enemy infantry

8^th brigade (square) retires 2” to support artillery

7^th brigade skirmish with 31^st French (total 5 – no casualties)

  8^th French corps

General Harispe (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Engage enemy

Harispe changes corps orders to “Attack enemy infantry”

Harispe moves to right flank to command infantry attack

29^th brigade advance (1”) uphill and skirmish 6^th Spanish

30^th and 31^st brigade advance to attack 7^th Spanish

Harispe returns to centre to join shaken gunners

29^th French skirmish 6^th Spanish (total 6 – one casualty)

6^th Spanish test morale for fourth casualty (total minus 1 – fail and rout)

30^th and 31^st French attack 7^th Spanish (total 10 – French win)

7^th Spanish rout and lose three casualties

30^th and 31^st French halt disordered

Spanish gunners test morale for rout within 4” (total 2 – fail and become shaken)

French gunners test morale for shaken (total 0 – fail and rout)

Game Notes

This final move has allowed the French infantry to close with, and rout, the Spanish infantry

Rule 11 deals with infantry skirmish combat

Rule 13 deals with infantry hand to hand combat

Rule 17 deals with reaction to rout

Rule 18 deals with morale

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Table at end of game

Left      –   Spanish infantry in rout

                 Spanish gunners shaken, but protected by square

                 Spanish cavalry available to cover night retreat

Right    –   French infantry press home their attack and rout enemy

                 French gunners have broken and routed leaving their guns behind

                 French cavalry await orders

Game Result

8^th French corps have taken most of the battle to reach the Spanish position

But once there they quickly broke the enemy infantry

They have taken 2 infantry and 1 artillery casualties to do so

Their gunners have routed and abandoned their guns

2^nd Spanish corps had put on a brave face, but failed to deliver the goods

They have suffered 8 infantry casualties and two brigades are in rout

Although shaken their gunners remain with the guns

There is sufficient infantry and cavalry to cover the retreat

This was a convincing French victory