BP Peninsular War...Battle of the Gebora 1811

This weeks 28mm Napoleonic game AWI game that I arranged at the SESWC was based on the Peninsula War Battle of the Gebora fought on 19 February 1811. The game was a further test of an amended turn sequence which has been proposed in the & Blenheim rule modifications by Ian Hopping available on the Yahoo BP Forum.  

Militant priest blesses the Spanish line

The Setup
The game was fought across an 8ft by 6ft table. We used the standard movement and ranges given in the rules not the 66% version that we have used in many of our previous games. The terrain was assumed to be generally open but dominated by a long ridge on which the Spanish army deployed

I made the French command 8 for this game whilst the Spanish were initially 6 rising to 7 after the first turn. John Glass supported by Hugh Wilson commanded the Spanish Army bulked out by a Portugese Brigade provided by Angus Konstam. Dougie Trail supported by myself and Brian Philips commanded the French. The French and Portuguese were rated as per the standard BP Napoleonic troop ratings, the Spanish were all rated as unreliable, their infantry and cavalry had reduced hand to hand and morale values and in addition their cavalry had reduced stamina.

French engage Spanish and Portuguese skirmishers

Historical Background
In a bid to help extricate Marshal André Masséna's army from its position in Portugal—mired in front of Lisbon's defensive Lines of Torres Vedras—Marshal Jean Soult led part of the French Armée du Midi (Army of the South) from Andalusia into the neighbouring Spanish region of Extremadura and laid siege to the important fortress town of Badajoz. Viscount Wellington and the Spanish Captain-General Pedro Caro de La Romana sent a large Spanish army to raise the siege. La Romana, however, died before the army could depart, and command fell to General Gabriel Mendizabal. Supported by a small force of Portuguese cavalry, the Spaniards reached the town in early February 1811.

Having reinforced Badajoz, leaving behind a 7,000-strong garrison, Mendizabal’s field army's 9,000 infantry settled on the heights of San Cristóbal while the 3,000 horse encamped behind them on the plains of the Caya.

Soult, however, largely ignored the Spanish army for the next few days, concentrating instead on building up his siege lines and battering Badajoz. Heavy rains also flooded both the Guadiana and Gebora rivers, rendering them impassable, so that between 11–18 February, the French were only able to shell the southern end of the Spanish line, pushing the Spaniards further away from Badajoz and the protection of the San Cristóbal fort.

2nd Hussars restore their reputation

French Briefing

By the afternoon of 18 February, the rains had abated, and lower water levels made the Gebora river fordable again. That evening, Soult sent a force under Marshal Mortier's command to the north bank of the Guadiana river across a flying bridge. Joined by more cavalry regiments under Latour-Maubourg, the French were now ready to ford the Gebora to attack the Spanish lines at dawn on 19 February.
There is heavy fog on the morning of the 19th as Mortier orders the attack to begin. A cavalry brigade can be committed to a flank march on the French right flank.

French Army of the South

Infantry brigade
3 battalions of Infantry and 1 gun

Infantry brigade
3 battalions of Infantry and 1 gun

Infantry brigade
3 battalions of Infantry and 1 gun

Light Cavalry brigade
2 Lt Cavalry Regiments and 1 horse gun

Cavalry brigade
2 Dragoon Regiments and 1 horse gun

Spanish Briefing

The army is deployed defensively along the heights of San Cristóbal with the cavalry brigade deployed in reserve behind them on the plains of the Caya. There is heavy fog on the morning of the 19th as men of the infantry outposts along the Gebora run back into the camp reporting that massed French troops are crossing the river. Arriba Espana!

Army of Estremadura

Spanish brigade
4 battalions of Infantry and 1 gun

Spanish brigade
3 battalions of Infantry and 1 gun

1 detachment of Guerillos Small Sk

Portuguese brigade
4 battalions of infantry and 1 gun
1 detachment of Lusatian Legion Small Sk

Cavalry Brigade
2 regiments of Spanish cavalry classed as light

How the game played

The Spanish deployed as directed in a line along the ridge with their cavalry in reserve on the road to Portugal. The French committed their infantry in the centre and right - banking on a flank march by the Dragoon brigade to unhinge the Spanish line. The light cavalry brigade was deployed to cover their open left flank.

Dragoons ride to the rescue

The French attacked with their centre and right infantry brigades with the left brigade slightly echeloned in reserve. The attack was not a success and they quickly lost 4 battalions to the determined Spanish resistance. The flank march of the Dragoons was diced for and they would not arrive until the 5th turn. On The French left flank their light cavalry brigade charged the Spanish cavalry - the outmatched Spanish Dragoons forced the Chasseurs a Cheval to retire and swept forward into the 2nd Hussars. The melee was drawn and both units became shaken. The Dragoons retired back and the Hussars held. Next turn the Spanish lancers charged the halted shaken 2nd Hussars who amazingly broke them at once!

Dragoons strike home on surprised Spanish left wing

Eventually the flank marching dragoons arrived behind the Spanish left flank and their attack and a renewed attack by the French infantry broke 6 Spanish units in two turns. Amazingly poor Spanish break test dice rolls saved the day for the French and turned what looked like a near disaster into a notable victory.

The game played well and everyone agreed that the revised turn sequence was a promising development.

Northern ridge swept free of Spanish troops

This week....Bennington return match

This weeks 28mm AWI game that I arranged at the SESWC was a repeat of last week’s game based on the Battle of Bennington August 16, 1777 using Black Powder Rules. I had hoped that USA friends Ray Neal or Dave Cooper would be at the club but neither could get there. The game was a further test of an amended turn sequence which has been proposed in the “& Blenheim” rule modifications by Ian Hopping available on the Yahoo BP Forum. Though intended for the WSS I am more than convinced that they might be suitable for the AWI.

The Setup
The game was fought down a 8ft by 6ft table. We used the standard movement and ranges given in the rules not the 66% version that we have used in many of our previous games. The terrain was assumed to be wooded except for an area of open ground in front of the farm and the Hessian redoubt. The 24 figure units were classed as standard units, the 12 to 16 figure units as small units and the 6 figure unit as a tiny unit. I amended the British army OB from the last week’s game replacing the skirmishing Canadian unit with a formed Loyalist unit. I made all the commanders 8s for this game whilst last week they had been 7s.

Hugh Wilson commanded the British Army. Colin Smith and I commanded the Patriots. Iain Holt spectated and provided morale support.

How the game played
The British army deployed in a defensive line midway across the table facing the open area. Hugh deployed their 5 units from right to left - the Loyalists across the track from Bennington, the dragoons holding the nearby homestead, the Hessian musketeers in line, then the Jaegers holding a hilltop redoubt and finally the Indians in the woods on the left.
The Patriots had the New Hampshire & Vermont Brigade commanded by Colin on table on their left flank intending to advance down the track to attack the dragoons and the Hessians. Their attached riflemen were deployed on the far right facing the Indians in the woods. The Massachusetts Brigade which I commanded was of table at the start of the game.
The battle opened with the 2 formed units of the New Hampshire & Vermont Brigade making a rapid advance down the track towards the loyalists and Hessian who they engaged in a firefight. On the far right the riflemen became engaged in a hand to hand combat with the Indians who had advanced to hold the forest homestead.
The Massachusetts Brigade came onto the table in the first turn and rapidly advanced through the forest onto the open ground and advanced on the Hessians and the Jaegers.



Massachusetts doomed charge on the Hessians

 The Indians forced the Vermont rifles to retire from the hand to hand combat but then were engaged in a firefight with both the militia rifle units who eventually forced them in turn to retire back from the homestead.
Hugh decided that the Hessians being heavily outnumbered should charge the left hand unit of the Massachusetts Brigade. They scored 6 unsaved hits in the hand to hand combat and the militia dissolved. They were then charged by the Green Mountain Boys and whilst engaged by them they were then charged in the flank by a Massachusetts unit and broke. The Massachusetts unit then sweeping advanced into the homestead and broke the defending Dragoons.


Green Mountain Boys charge home

 The Loyalists slowly fell back along the track engaged by the New Hampshire militia They broke the over confident Massachusetts unit which attempted to charge them but were then broken in turn by the fire of the New Hampshire men and the Green Mountain Boys.



Loyalists and New Hampshire men engaged

Throughout the action Hugh had been attempting to bring on his reinforcing column and had never succeeded. With his force reduced to the Jaegers holding the redoubt and the Indians he decided to retire from the field.
The whole game took just over 90 minutes to play.  Compared with the previous weeks playing of this game this one was characterised by amazingly good command dice rolling by the Patriot players. Once again we thought that the modified turn sequence worked in this game.

Rule changes

1. TERRAIN EFFECTS
Formed troops advance at half speed thru woods. Formed troops are not an ‘unclear target’ in woods. Troops in woods get the morale modifier for cover except when charging to contact or in hand to hand combat.

2. INDIANS
Indians are allowed to charge shaken formed troops.

3.  MODIFIED TURN SEQUENCE
INITIATIVE PHASE
Declare and undertake initiative movement – there is no change to the basic rules for this. All moving units to be marked as having moved this turn. (They cannot move again in Command Phase).
Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ at the end of initiative.

FIRING PHASE
Moving player carries out firing as per the rules.
All firing units to be marked as having fired this turn (for modified Command Penalties).

COMMAND PHASE
Give orders and move as per the Command phase of the rules.
There is an additional command penalty:
“-1 if fired this turn”
Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ if they have not fired before in this turn.

MELEE PHASE
Conduct Melees as per rules

This week.......another AWI game

This weeks 28mm AWI game that I arranged at the SESWC was based on the battle of Bennington August 16, 1777 using Black Powder Rules. We used it as a test of an amended turn sequence which has been proposed in the “& Blenheim” rule modifications by Ian Hopping available on the Yahoo BP Forum. Though intended for the WSS I thought that they might be suitable for the AWI as well. My thanks to Jim Wallace of the Dumfries Wargames club who pointed these out to me at Carronade, the Falkirk wargames show.

Some History

The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about 10 miles from it’s namesake Bennington, Vermont. A rebel force of 2,000 men, primarily composed of New Hampshire and Massachusetts militiamen, led by General John Stark, and reinforced by men led by Colonel Seth Warner and members of the Green Mountain Boys, decisively defeated a detachment of General John Burgoyne's army led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum, and supported by additional men under Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich von Breymann.

Baum's detachment was a mixed force of 700 composed of dismounted Brunswick dragoons, Canadians, Loyalists, and Indians. He was sent by Burgoyne to raid Bennington in the disputed New Hampshire Grants area for horses, draft animals, and other supplies.

The Setup

The game was fought down a 8ft by 6ft table. We used the standard movement and ranges given in the rules not the 66% version that we have used in many of our previous games. The terrain was assumed to be wooded except for an area of open ground in front of the farm and the Hessian redoubt. The 24 figure units were classed as standard units, the 12 to 16 figure units as small units and the 6 figure unit as a tiny unit. The figures are mainly Front Rank, with Foundry Jaegers and Dragoons and Old Glory Hessians.

Colin Jack commanded the British Army. Hugh Wilson and Dave O’Brien commanding the Patriots.

Hessian Infantry, Jaegers and the redoubt await the attack

Player Briefing and OBs

Lt Colonel Baum

You have been ordered by General Burgoyne to take an independent command and to raid Bennington in the disputed New Hampshire Grants area for horses, draft animals, and other supplies. This will also disrupt the preparations of rebel forces threatening the LOC of the British army.

You arrived at the hamlet 2 days ago and began collecting supplies. It was apparent at once that rebel forces were in the area of Bennington. Your force is encumbered by the supplies that have already been collected and cannot move quickly. Accordingly you put your command into a defensive posture and sent a courier to Burgoyne requesting orders and support.

Bad weather has hampered operations so far but it now looks likely that the rebels will attack in the morning.

An Indian courier has just arrived from Burgoyne stating that a reinforcement force under your compatriot Von Breymann has been despatched to join your command and should be with you tomorrow. Given this news you have decided to stand your ground and await the relief column.

Raiding force brigade of Lt Col Friedrich Baum

Grenadier battalion 24 figures

Jaeger detachment 12 figures

Canadian detachment 12 figures

Indian detachment 12 figures

Dragoon squadron 6 figures (on foot!)

Reinforcement column brigade of Lt Col Heinrich von Breymann

Fusilier battalion 24 figures

Grenadier battalion 24 figures

Artillery Gun & crew



Advance of the Massachusetts Brigade



General John Stark

You have been raising troops in New Hampshire to threaten the supply lines of General Burgoyne’s army advancing on Albany.

A detachment from the British Army has moved east into the New Hampshire Grants area. They arrived at Bennington 2 days ago and began collecting supplies. You at once have brought your troops forward from Manchester to confront them. The British force which seems to largely comprise German troops has taken up a defensive position west of Bennington. Heavy rain has delayed any action so far.

You have been awakened by the arrival of Parson Thomas Allen and a band of Massachusetts militiamen from nearby Berkshire County who insist on joining your force. In response to the minister's fiery threat that his men would never come out again if they were not allowed to participate, you said, "Would you go now on this dark and rainy night? Go back to your people and tell them to get some rest if they can, and if the Lord gives us sunshine to-morrow and I do not give you fighting enough, I will never call on you to come again”

So your force is now committed to attack in the morning.

New Hampshire and Vermont Republic brigade Col Seth Warner

Green Mountain boys 24 figures

Militia battalion 24 figures

Rifle detachment 12 figures

Massachusetts Berkshire County brigade Parson Thomas Allen

Militia detachment 16 figures

Militia detachment 16 figures

Militia detachment 16 figures

Rifle detachment 12 figures



Advance of the New Hampshire and Vermont Brigade



How the game played

The British army deployed in a defensive line midway across the table facing the open area. Colin deployed from right to left the dragoons holding a farm on the track from Bennington, the Hessian grenadiers in cover in an enclosed field, then the Jaegers, the Canadians holding a hilltop redoubt and finally the Indians in the woods on the left.

The Patriots had the Massachusetts Brigade commanded by Hugh on table on their right flank with the New Hampshire Vermont Brigade commanded by Dave of table intending to advance down the track to attack the dragoons and the Hessians.

The battle opened with the Massachusetts Brigade advancing with their rifles occupying a homestead in front of the Indians. The Indians charged into the rifles and after 2 turns of combat forced them to retire out of the homestead. The Indians then withdrew back towards their own lines.

The rest of the Massachusetts Brigade got into the open ground and then due to appalling command rolls halted for many moves under long range rifle fire from the Jaegers.

On the Patriot left due to equally appalling command rolls the advance by the New Hampshire Brigade down the track was painfully slow. The lowpoint of the advance was when the Green Mountain Boys (the best Patriot unit) blundered and retired 2 moves to the back of the column.



Canadians defend the redoubt



 

Eventually Dave got the New Hampshire brigade into a firefight with the Dragoons and the Hessians. His riflemen proved very effective in disordering the Hessians with almost every turn of fire. the Hessians held their fire saving their First Fire for a better target. The Green Mountain Boys were slowly advancing on the farmhouse held by the dragoons and to counter this the Hessians wheeled to bring them under fire. They gave them their First Fire and missed completely! This move revealed their flank to unit of the Massachusetts militia who finally passed a command test and charged into the Hessians flank. The Hessians broke in the combat and fled. They had proved to be completely ineffective throughout the game not causing a single casualty by shooting or in the final combat. Next turn the Massachusetts militia charged again and forced the dragoons to evade back from the farm.

Disaster strikes the Hessian Grenadiers

 

At this point the Hessian reinforcement column under Von Breymann arrived and advanced down the track to face the New Hampshire Brigade and the victorious Massachusetts militia at the farm.

The reminder of the Massachusetts Brigade moved against the redoubt . The leading unit was hit by 5 shots out of 5 from the Jaegers, Canadians and Indians and broke. The remaining militia unit boldly charged the redoubt unsupported and broke in the close combat with it’s Canadian defenders.



Hessian Reinforcement column arrives



The game ended at this point which I would classify as a draw. Amazingly good and bad dice rolling was a feature of the game from all the players.



End of game situation on the British right



Rule changes

Having played the game I think we agreed that the amended turn sequence suggested by Ian Hopping produced a better feel to the game. It stopped the apparent problem of units making long moves to close to short range and shooting after movement. However the ability to shoot and then decide to charge having seen the results of the shooting gives an advantage to the attacker. We thought this allowed units to better exploit success in a firefight. You can now actually charge a disordered opponent. We will certainly try this amended sequence in future games.

Here is my slightly rewritten version of the altered turn sequence.

Amended Turn Sequence

The sequence given in the rules is modified as follows:

INITIATIVE PHASE

Declare and undertake initiative movement – there is no change to the basic rules for this. All moving units to be marked as having moved this turn. (They cannot move again in Command Phase).

Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ at the end of initiative.

FIRING PHASE

Moving player carries out firing as per the rules.

All firing units to be marked as having fired this turn (for modified Command Penalties).

COMMAND PHASE

Give orders and move as per the Command phase of the rules.

There is an additional command penalty:

“-1 if fired this turn”

Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ if they have not fired before in this turn.

MELEE PHASE

Conduct Melees as per rules

 

FURTHER NOTES

If using Brigade Morale because the Fire Phase is now before Command Phase, units that must retire due to being part of a Broken Brigade, now do so during INITIATIVE, not during the Command Phase.

Any unit that fired in the Firing Phase suffers -1 to its command. If it is part of a group of units that have been ordered (i.e. a brigade order) then the entire group suffers the penalty. Note that this is NOT cumulative for each unit that has been fired.