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

  17^th 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

22^nd and 24^th brigades advance 6”

Commander moves to command range of 23^rd brigade

23^rd brigade advance 6” towards hill

  16^th 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

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

Artillery fire on 5^th Spanish (total 6 – no casualties)

26^th brigade advanced 8” and form column of attack

25^th brigade retire 2” facing enemy (back from edge of hill)

Commander changes orders to “Halt”

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Commander changes orders to “Halt”

6^th brigade advance 6” and form square

5^th brigade retreat 3” facing enemy

Artillery limber and move 4” to right flank

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

8 Command Points

Move to join 7^thcorps

Change corps orders to “Hold”

Move to join 17^thcorps

Change corps orders to “Withdraw to Cambrils

  5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Hold

Artillery fire on 22^nd French (total 5 – no casualties)

Spanish cavalry about turn to face enemy

British cavalry retreat 6” facing enemy

8^th brigade turn right and move towards hill

6^th 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 7^th corps to cover 16^th corps retreat to Cambrils, and 17^th 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

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

table at end of game

The British and Spanish corps have withdrawn to the left side of table

16th Italian corps approach Cambrils

7^th French corps hold Mora road

17^th 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

Battle of Cambrils – Move 4

1100-1200 14 August 1813

  table at start of move 4

 

Top – French move to right to stop Spanish and defend Mora road

Bottom – French move towards British behind reinforced cavalry screen

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

6 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Artillery advance 4” and unlimber

6^th, 7^th and 8^th brigades advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

  5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Change orders to “Hold”

Artillery advance 2”

Spanish lancers about turn and retire 14”

5^th and 7^th brigades form square

British dragoons retire 6” facing enemy

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

3 Command Points

Move to join 2^nd corps

(not enough CP to change their orders)

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Move to 17^th corps

Change orders to “Engage British”

Move to join 7^th corps

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

10 Command Points

Orders – Engage British

Artillery advance 2”

12^th chasseurs advance 14”

7^th dragoons advance 12”

23^rd and 24^th brigades form column of attack and advance 3”

22^nd brigade advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

7 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

Commander moves to centre of corps

Artillery advance 4” and unlimber

27^th brigade advance 4” and form column of attack

26^th brigade advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

Game Notes

Suchet has decided to hold his right flank and attach with his left.

7^th corps are taking position to stop the Spanish advance, hold the Mora road and cover the retreat of 16^th Italian corps.

 

 

17^th corps have been given orders to engage the British.  The combined cavalry brigades  have been moved to the right flank, to prevent the Spanish moving to assist the British.  The remainder of the corps are advancing on the British

 

 

The Spanish CinC has twice failed to gain sufficient CP to change the orders of 2^nd Spanish corps to halt!   Meanwhile the Spanish continue to advance towards the Mora road, and the waiting French.

 

 

Murray has reacted to the advance of 17^th French corps by halting his corps and withdrawing his cavalry behind the infantry squares.  He is not  prepared to risk his horsemen against equal numbers of French cavalry.

 

 

Suchet must now defeat the British before Spanish reinforcements can arrive.   As 17th corps moves west to do so they leave Cambrils undefended.

 

 

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Move 3

1000-1100 14 August 1813

 

  table at start of move 3

Top – Spanish corps advance screened from 7^th French corps by the hills

Bottom – British surprised to find 17^th Spanish corps approaching from Tortosa

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade advance 6”

Artillery advance 8”

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

6^th, 7^th and 8^th brigades form column of attack

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Change 7^th corps orders to “Move to right of hill”

Move to join and take command of 7^th dragoons

Move with 7^th dragoons to join 17^th corps

Place 7^th dragoons under command of 17^th corps

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

25^th brigade move to right edge of hill and spot 2^nd Spanish corps

Artillery limber and move 16”

26^th and 27^th brigades turn right and advance 8”

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

11 Command Points

Orders – Move towards British

Assume command of 7^th dragoons

Artillery advance 7” and unlimber

24^th brigade advance 12” and form square

22^nd brigade advance 16” and form column of attack

23^rd brigade (in square) advance 2”

5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade form column of attack and advance 6”

6^th brigade advance 8” and form square

7^th and 8^th brigade advance 8” and form column of attack

Commander moves to centre of corps

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

3 Command Points

Move to join 2^nd corps

(not enough CP to change their orders)

Game Notes

Both sides have again made use of multiple moves to deploy.

Multiple moves are allowed providing there is no enemy within 16”

Rule 5 covers movement

Marshal Suchet has moved 5^th dragoons from 7^th to 17^th corps

This is so that 17^th corps can match the combined Spanish and British cavalry brigades facing them

Suchet has also ordered 7^th corps to move to the right of the hill.  
This is to protect the Mora road, as 16^th corps are now approaching Cambrils

 Both the British and Spanish commanders thought that they would only have to face 7^th French corps.   They were not expecting 17^th French corps to arrive from Tortosa.

 17^th French corps arrived with campaign orders to move towards the farm, which is directly towards the British.

Suchet is aware that 1^st Spanish corps is somewhere in the area of Tortosa, but has no indication of whether they are following 17^th corps towards Cambrils.  

He must now decide whether to fight a holding battle to allow 16^th Italian corps to retreat through Cambrils, and then follow them north.  Or whether to attempt to defeat the allied army before reinforcements can arrive from Tortosa or Mora.  If he attacks the British, but fails to beat them, and Spanish reinforcements arrive his whole army could be destroyed.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Move 2

0900-1000 14 August 1813

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Cavalry advance 14”

22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th brigades advance 8”

Artillery advance 8”

Commander moves to centre of corps

23^rd brigade advance 4” and form square

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Move to join General Halbert

Change 17^th corps orders to “move towards British”

Move to join General Munsier

5th British corps 

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Artillery advance 28” and unlimber

5^th brigade advance 16” and form square

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Hold Cambrils

Waiting for new orders

2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

6 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade advance 8” and change to column of attack

Artillery advance 8”

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

Commander moves to centre of corps

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

4 Command Points

No orders issued

Game Notes

Both sides have again made use of multiple moves to deploy.

Multiple moves are allowed providing there is no enemy within 16”

Rule 5 covers movement

7^th corps are on Hold orders. 

They are out of range of the enemy and  would like to advance into artillery range.

To do so the CinC must first change their orders to Move or Engage

2^nd Spanish corps are still out of sight of the French commanders, so they are not allowed to react until  the Spanish move into sight.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Move 1

0800-0900 14 August 1813

  Table at the start of move 1

7^th French corps deployed in front of Cambrils

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

7 Command Points

Orders – Hold Cambrils

Cavalry about turn, retire to main battle line, about turn to face enemy

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

4 Command Points

Move to meet 17^th corps

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

7 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade advance 16”

Artillery advance 16”

6^th brigade advance 8”

8^th brigade advance 8”

Commander moves to centre of corps

  5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

British cavalry advance 24” and form line

7^th brigade advance 16”

Spanish cavalry advance 24” and form line

Commander moves to centre of corps

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

4 Command Points

Moves to join general Elio

17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

23^rd brigade advance 16”

Artillery advance 12”

24” brigade advance 8”

22^nd brigade advance 8”

Cavalry advance 16” and form line

Commander moves to centre of corps

Game Notes

Both sides have made use of multiple moves to deploy.

Munsier has withdrawn his cavalry to join his main battle line, but left his infantry outpost on the hill

Halbert has moved to the west of the Cambrils road to threaten the British right flan

Murray has two brigades of cavalry, the Spanish cavalry of 2^nd corps have been attached to him for the duration of this battle.  He has deployed both to protect his deployment

Elio is advancing to the north of the hills, and is out of sight of both French corps commanders.  He is hoping to cut the Miravat road to prevent the Italian corps escaping via Cambrils.

Multiple moves are allowed providing there is no enemy within 16”

Rule 5 covers movement

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Set Up

strategic map at 0800 14 August 1813

Campaign Background

7^th French corps hold the strategically important town of Cambrils, which commands the main road to Tarragona and is the cross roads for Mora and Tortosa.   It is also the concentration point for the remaining French corps.

17^th French corps has been ordered to abandon Tortosa and march north to Cambrils.   16^th Italian corps is approaching from the north having lost their battle at Mora the previous day.

2^nd Spanish and 5^th British corps have joined forces to take the town.   The previous afternoon the British cavalry had attempted to move closer to the town but were forced to retreat by a strong French skirmish line.

  tactical map at 0800 14 August 1813

The battle will take place in the nine squares outlined in white.  

General Munsier has deployed his corps at Cambrils, with a strong skirmish to the west of the town.

General Halbert is approaching the town on the Tortosa road.  He will arrive at the start of the battle.   Marshal Suchet is approaching from the north on the Mora road, and will also arrive at the start of the battle.

2^nd Spanish and 5^th British corps will arrive from Miravat at the start of the battle.

  Wargames Table at start of battle

Cambrils is centre right.

7^th French corps is deployed in front of the town

17^th French corps will arrive on the road bottom right at the start of the game

French CinC will arrive on the road top right at the start of the gam

5^th British corps will arrive on the road centre left

2^nd Spanish corps will arrive above the road centre left

Spanish CinC will arrive with 2^nd Spanish corps

7^th French corps

Cavalry and infantry on the hill are the skirmish line which repulsed the cavalry the previous afternoon.   The remainder of the corps are deployed in front of the town either side of the Miravat road

Special Rules

We are play testing new rules for command and control.

Each commander rolls an average dice and adds the number of formed brigades under command

The wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleoniccampaignrules.blogspot.com/

The latest entry is a draft of the new rules