Campaign Move 12

1600-2100 10 August 1813

  Battle of Torrente at nightfall

16^th Italian corps have fought a hard battle, but must withdraw during the night

They have suffered 7 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties

3^rd Spanish corps have suffered too many casualties to pursue the Italians

They have taken 7 infantry and 1 artillery casualties

4^th Spanish corps have not suffered any casualties

They are ready to pursue the Italians at first light.

This was a convincing Spanish victory

  Battle of Miravat at nightfall

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

Battle of Tortosa at nightfall

17^th French corps have not had sufficient time to close with the enemy

They have achieved a victory of sorts by driving the Spanish back to the bridge

They have not received any casualties during the battle.

1^st Spanish corps have managed to hold the bridge

By a timely retreat they have avoided a major battle and probable defeat

They have suffered 2 infantry and one cavalry casualty

At nightfall all of their brigades are formed

This was an partial French victory

Campaign Move 11

1200-1600 10 August 1813

  Battle of Torrente at 1600

Severoli has withdrawn his corps to a new position between the farm and the hill.   He must hold this position until nightfall

4^th Spanish corps have occupied Torrente and deployed to the north to attack the Italian right wing.

 

3^rd Spanish corps are moving to attack the farm

  Battle of Miravat at 1600

Elio has deployed his corps across the Miravat road. 

His infantry hold the northern hill

His cavalry hold the southern hill

Harispe will hold the centre and attack on his right

Two infantry brigades have been sent along the northern hill

Infantry and artillery advance in the centre

Lancers hold the left flank

Battle of Tortosa at 1600

1^st Spanish corps had already crossed the river Ebro when they sighted 17^th French corps marching towards Tortosa on the Cambrils road.   Both corps had their cavalry deployed to recce Tortosa.   The French chasseurs charged and routed the Spanish dragoons.

Del Parque deployed his corps between the woods and the hill, and his infantry to form square.

Halbert ordered the garrison of Tortosa to join the main corps, deployed his infantry in column of attack and advanced towards the Spanish.  

Del Parque immediately ordered his corps to withdraw towards the bridge.

Campaign Move 10

0800-1200 10 August 1813

Battle of Torrente at 1200

The battle started with general Severoli (top right) in full retreat to reach the Lerida road before 4^th Spanish corps (top left) could cut him off.

This frantic retreat caught both Spanish commanders by surprise.   3^rd Spanish corps were deployed in a defensive position to prevent the Italians from reaching the town of Flix (off table bottom centre).   4^th Spanish corps (top left) expected to have to fight for Torrente (top centre).

Severoli ordered his corps to concentrate between the farm (top right) and the hill to the north of the Lerida road.   The slow response of the Spanish commanders allowed him to do so without any urgent pursuit.

 

4^th Spanish corps occupied the abandoned Torrente and started to deploy to the north of the town to attack the right of the new Italian position.

3^rd Spanish corps advanced to attack the farm from the south.

Battle of Tortosa – Move 8

1900-2000 10 August 1813

  Table at the start of move 8

Left – Spanish in position to hold the bridge

Right – French advancing but still out of musket range

  1st Spanish corps

General del Parque (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Hold bridge

Artillery fire on 22^nd French (total 3 – no casualties)

4^th infantry retreat 8” onto bridge

1^st infantry move 2” to left in square to protect cavalry

Artillery manhandle 2” back towards bridge

3^rd infantry test morale for shaken (total 3 – pass become disordered)

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Engage enemy

Artillery fire on Spanish gunners (total 5 – no casualties)

22^nd 23^rd and 24^th infantry advance 6”

Halbert moves to centre of corps

Artillery manhandle 2” forward

24^th infantry skirmish with 1^st Spanish (total 6 – one casualty)

1^st Spanish test morale for first casualty (total 3 – pass remain formed)

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

5 Command Points

Moves to join Halbert

Change corps orders to Hold

Game Notes

Del Parque has managed to withdraw his corps to the bridge

He has suffered light casualties, but all of his brigades have held their morale

Halbert has pushed the Spanish back to the bridge

Night has robbed him of the opportunity to press home his attack

He has inflicted light casualties on the enemy, and received none himself

He is well placed to attack again at first light

Suchet has ordered Halbert to halt and hold his position

He is not prepared to risk casualties so late in the day

He is confident of victory if the Spanish do not retreat over night.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Table at end of game

Left      –   Spanish infantry in position in front of bridge

                 Spanish cavalry in reserve protected by square

                 Shaken infantry on bridge have rallied

Right    –   French infantry brigade skirmish with Spanish square

                 French cavalry unable to advance due to enemy square

                 Remainder of French corps have halted out of musket range

Game Result

17^th French corps have not had sufficient time to close with the enemy

They have achieved a victory of sorts by driving the Spanish back to the bridge

They have not received any casualties during the battle.

1^st Spanish corps have managed to hold the bridge

By a timely retreat they have avoided a major battle and probable defeat

They have suffered 2 infantry and one cavalry casualty

At nightfall all of their brigades are formed

This was an indecisive French victory

Battle of Tortosa – Move 7

1800-1900 10 August 1813

Table at the start of move 7

Left – Spanish artillery withdraw to bridge covered by an infantry square

Right – French corps advance towards the bridge

1st Spanish corps

General del Parque (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Retreat to bridge

3^rd infantry change from square to column of march and withdraw 4”

Artillery retire 4” and unlimber

4^th infantry change from column of attack to line

1^st infantry retire 2” in square

2^nd infantry change formation from square to line

Del Parque moves to centre of corps

Del Parque changes orders to “Hold bridge”

17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Engage enemy

Cavalry form line and advance 4” to edge of hill

Artillery fire on 3^rd Spanish (total 10 – one casualty)

3^rd Spanish test morale for first casualty (total 1 – fail and become shaken)

22^nd and 24^th infantry advance 6”

Artillery manhandle forward 2”

Halbert moves to centre of corps

23^rd infantry advance 6”

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

3 Command Points

Moves to join Halbert

Game Notes

The Spanish are now in position at the bridge

By moving first 3^rd infantry have managed to withdraw out of French canister range

1^st infantry has remained in square to protect the left flank and their cavalry

The remainder have formed line to provide better fire power

Halbert is now within artillery range

His infantry are advancing but still out of musket range

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Tortosa – Move 6

1700-1800 10 August 1813

  Table at the start of move 6

Left – Spanish corps withdraw towards the bridge

Right – French corps advance towards the bridge

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Advance to bridge

Cavalry advance 8” on ridge

Halbert moves to centre of corps

22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th infantry all advance 6”

Artillery advance 4” and unlimber

Halbert moves back to command range of cavalry

1st Spanish corps

General del Parque (Average)

11 Command Points

Orders – Retreat to bridge

1^st infantry retire 2” in square

2^nd infantry form square to left of bridge

Del Parque moves to centre of corps

3^rd infantry retire 2” in square

Artillery retire 8”

4^th infantry about turn at bridge

Del Parque moves to centre of corps

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

4 Command Points

Move to join Halbert

Change corps orders to “Engage enemy”

Game Notes

Del Parque has left one brigade in square to cover the withdrawal of the artillery

The remainder of his corps are now in position at the bridge.

Halbert has followed the Spanish towards the bridge.

Suchet has changed Halbert’s orders from Move to Engage.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Tortosa – Move 5

1600-1700 10 August 1813

Table at the start of move 5

Left – Spanish corps starts to withdraw towards the bridge

Right – French corps have formed column and are starting to follow the enemy

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

4 Command Points

Moves to join Halbert

Changes corps orders to “Advance to bridge”

17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Advance to bridge

22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th brigade all advance 6”

Artillery advance 8”

Halbert moves to command range (8”of cavalry)

Cavalry turn right and move towards hill

1st Spanish corps

General del Parque (Average)

10 Command Points

Orders – Retreat to bridge

Artillery limber and retreat 4”

1^st and 3^rd brigades retreat 2” in square

4^th brigade retreats 6” to bridge

2^nd brigade forms column of attack and retreats 3”

Cavalry move 12” towards left flank

Del Parque moves to join shaken cavalry

Cavalry test morale for shaken (total 8 – pass and become disordered)

Game Notes

Del Parque has broken contact and is withdrawing his corps to take up a new position at the bridge. 

Halbert has ordered his cavalry to move to the hill and advance to threaten the enemy left flank. 

By moving on the hill they can avoid enemy artillery fire.

The sequence of morale is formed-disordered-shaken-rout.  

A morale test is required to move from rout to shaken and shaken to disordered

At the end of each move sequence disordered automatically become formed.

Rule 18 deals with morale

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/