5th March 1814 - Second battle of Cambo

Bayonne Campaign Area

This battle will be fought at the same time as the battle of St Jean

17^th French corps have orders to hold and resupply

2^nd British corps have orders to move to I04 on engage

3^rd British corps have orders to hold and resupply and avoid contact with the enemy

French                                     British

16000 infantry                         31200 infantry                       

1000 cavalry                           1900 cavalry              

30 guns                                   60 guns

3^rd British corps have 900 casualties and 9 infantry brigade in rout

Special Rules

17^th corps must hold Cambo until the end of the battle

They are not allowed to retreat except in rout

They are not allowed to react to 3^rd British corps until they enter the table

19^th corps starts on the table

They will immediately start to move off left to join the battle of St Jean

3^rd British corps will arrive at the start of move 5

They will attempt to rally 9 infantry brigade each move until they arrive

If they fail the brigade will not arrive with the corps

Table at start of wargame

19^th corps are centre left marching towards St Jean

17^th corps are centre holding Cambo

2^nd British corps will enter bottom right

3^rd British corps will enter bottom centre at the start of move 5

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Centre left - 19^th French corps marching towards St Jean

Centre - 17^th French corps move reserve infantry to the right of Cambo

Bottom right - 2^nd British corps start to arrive between farm and woods

Off Table – 9 infantry brigade fail to rally

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Centre left - 19^th French corps marching towards St Jean

Centre - 17^th French corps move wait for British to come within artillery range

Bottom right - British cavalry move forward to engage Polish lancers

Off Table – 9^th infantry brigade fail to rally

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

19^th French corps have left the table

British dragoons melee Polish lancers result is a draw

Remainder of British corps start to deploy north of the farm and woods

French infantry deploy to hold road to St Jean

Off Table – 9^th infantry brigade fail to rally

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

British dragoons continue melee and rout Polish lancers

Remainder of British corps prepare to advance on Cambo

French artillery cause 10% casualties to British dragoons who retreat shaken

Off Table – 9^th infantry brigade fail last attempt to rally

 

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

2nd British corps artillery cause 10% casualties to French gunners

3^rd British corps arrive on table

French order redeployment to west of Cambo to protect St Jean road

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

2^nd corps cavalry have rallied

2^nd corps advance on the right

3^rd corps advance on the left

French have redeployed to left of town

Polish lancers have rallied in Cambo

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Polish lancers join extreme left of French line

2^nd corps artillery unlimber

2^nd and 3^rd corps advance towards Cambo

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

All artillery now in range and open fire

Garrison of St Jean are shaken due to artillery fire

2^nd corps infantry skirmish with garrison of St Jean

Left hand British infantry brigade also shaken due to artillery fire

 

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

2nd British corps have taken Cambo and routed the garrison

The remainder of the corps is moving to cut the road to Peyrehoarde

4rd British corps is moving towards the St Jean road

The Polish brigade sent to retake Cambo have halted shaken

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

2^nd British corps occupy Cambo and continue towards the Peyrehoarde road

3^rd British corps skirmish with Polish infantry on road to St Jean

17^th French corps hang on desperately until nightfall.

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

2^nd British corps sweep behind Cambo and attack French flank

3^rd British rout infantry between artillery and the town

General Darmagnac orders his corps to retreat

Polish lancers ordered to cover the retreat.

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

Polish lancers lose melee and rout

Gunners and last infantry brigade join the retreat

With his entire corps in rout General Darmagnac surrenders

17^th Corps Surrender

All four infantry brigades, plus the gunners and cavalry, are all in rout.

The British have two formed brigades of dragoons in hot pursuit

To avoid complete destruction Darmagnac surrenders his corps.

Game Casualties

French suffer 4400 infantry and 100 cavalry casualties

They also lose all 30 guns

The entire corps is in rout

British suffer 1200 infantry and 100 cavalry casualties

Game Summary

With odds of two to one the end result was always going to be a British victory

17^th corps had to hold Cambo until nightfall, as part of the joint battle with St Jean

This meant that they had to bear the full brunt of both British corps

By nightfall every single man in the corps was in rout, including their cavalry

The British still had two cavalry brigades to pursue them

The only possible result was the surrender of 17^th Corps.