Thursday, April 26, 2012

Battle of Cambrils - Move 5

1200-1300 14 August 1813

  table at start of move 5
 Top – French are deployed to hold the Mora road
Bottom – British have halted to await reinforcements

  17th French corps
General Halbert (Average)
9 Command Points
Orders – Engage British
Artillery fire on gunners (total 7 – no casualties)
Gunners manhandle guns 2” towards enemy
22nd and 24th brigades advance 6”
Commander moves to command range of 23rd brigade
23rd brigade advance 6” towards hill

  16th Italian corps

General Severoli

6 Command Points

Orders – Avoid contact with the enemy

Arrive on table and move towards Cambrils.
All brigades have heavy casualties and must avoid the enemy until nightfall

  7th French corps

General Munsier (Average)
9 Command Points
Orders – Move to right of hill
Artillery fire on 5th Spanish (total 6 – no casualties)
26th brigade advanced 8” and form column of attack
25th brigade retire 2” facing enemy (back from edge of hill)
Commander changes orders to “Halt”

  2nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)
8 Command Points
Orders – Move to Cambrils
Commander changes orders to “Halt”
6th brigade advance 6” and form square
5th brigade retreat 3” facing enemy
Artillery limber and move 4” to right flank

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)
8 Command Points
Move to join 7thcorps
Change corps orders to “Hold”
Move to join 17thcorps
Change corps orders to “Withdraw to Cambrils
  5th British corps
General Murray (Poor)
10 Command Points
Orders – Hold
Artillery fire on 22nd French (total 5 – no casualties)
Spanish cavalry about turn to face enemy
British cavalry retreat 6” facing enemy
8th brigade turn right and move towards hill
6th brigade form column of attack and move towards hill
Game Notes
Both the Spanish and British corps have halted and taken up a defensive position to support each other and await reinforcements.
Suchet has decided that it would be too dangerous to advance further west to attack the British, and thus leave Cambrils undefended.
He has ordered 7th corps to cover 16th corps retreat to Cambrils, and 17th corps to withdraw to Cambrils.
All three of his corps commanders are now at Cambrils, and he has called a meeting to decide whether to make a last stand at Cambrils or to abandon Tortosa and retreat to Reus
Wargame rules can be found at
table at end of game

The British and Spanish corps have withdrawn to the left side of table
16th Italian corps approach Cambrils
7th French corps hold Mora road
17th French corps are about to retreat towards Cambrils

Game Result
Spanish and British halted as soon as they realised they were facing two French corps  to await reinforcements

French are expecting Spanish reinforcements from Mora and Tortosa and are not prepared to move any further west to attack British corps.

Only artillery fire exchanged and no casualties

Result – a  draw

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