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Friday, December 27, 2013

14th March 1814 – Campaign Diary

Campaign Map
Macdonald and Blucher fight battles at Geilenkirchen and Mongladbach
Prussians win at Geilenkirchen, French win at Mongladbach
Victor is defeated when he attacks Sacken at OppenheimFourth French and Bavarian start the Clerval phse of the campaign
Wellington is defeated when he is attacked by Soult at Irun

First French and Prussian Army
Two battles were fought today

Two Prussian attack one French corps at Geilenkirchen
Prussians win, French retreat towards Heerlen
3rd Prussian lost 400 infantry, 13th Polish lost 100 gunners

Three French attack two Prussian corps at Mongladbach
French win, Prussians retreat towards Neuss
French lose 800 infantry and 100 gunners
Prussians lose 2000 infantry and 200 gunners
Second French and Russian Army
Four French corps attack four Russian corps at Oppenheim
Russians win, French retreat towards Bad Kreuznach
French lose 6400 infantry and 300 cavalry, and have five brigades in rout
Russians lose 5600 infantry, 100 cavalry, 100 gunners and three guns
Third French and Austrian Army
Austrians rest and recover
French concentrate at Molsheim
Fourth French and Bavarian Army
Deployment at the start of the Clerval campaign
Fifth French and British Army
Four French corps attack two British corps at Irun
There are a further three allied corps within supporting distance
French win, Allies retreat towards San Sebastian
Allies lose 7200 infantry and 200 cavalry and abandon 60 guns
French lose 2000 infantry
Sixth French and Spanish Army
Both armies concentrate at Figueras

Friday, December 20, 2013

14th March 1814 - Battle of Irun (2)



Irun Campaign Area

7 French                      move to E05 on attack orders           arrive move 1
17 Polish                     move to E05 on attack orders           start on table
19 French                    move to F05 on attack orders           arrive move 1
25 French                    move to G04 on engage orders         arrive move 1

1 British                      halt in E04 on hold orders                start on table
2 British                      move to E06 on engage orders         arrive move 5
3 British                      halt in E05 on hold orders                start on table
4 British                      halt in F03 on hold orders                arrive move 6
5 Spanish                    halt in F02 on hold                            arrive move 9

French                        Allied             
Infantry - 56000          infantry – 60000
cavalry - 4000            cavalry - 5000 
guns - 90                     guns - 120

Notes
1200 allied infantry are missing due to garrison duty

 


Table at start of wargame
17th French corps are marching towards Irun
7th, 19th and 25th French corps all arrive at the start of move 1
1st and 3rd British corps, plus 6th guerrilla band, are all on hold orders
4th British corps will arrive at the start of move 6
2nd British corps will arrive at the start of move 5
5th Spanish corps will arrive at the start of move 9




Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
British cinc – orders 1st corps to occupy town and 2nd corps to hold left of town to woods
7th French – move towards hill
19th French – stuck behind 17th French
25th French – move towards hill
1st British – move to town
French cinc – orders 17th corps engage left of road and 19th corps right of road
3rd British – move to deploy between town and woods
6th guerrilla – no movement  



Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
25th French – move towards hill
19th French – move towards town
1st British – start to deploy along road
8th French – continue to advance on hill
French cinc – orders 7th corps engage woods
3rd British – complete deployment
British cinc – move to meet 4th corps
17th French – continue to advance
6th guerrilla – no movement


Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
7th French – continue to advance
1st British – cavalry and artillery retreat to road
17th French – continue to advance
British cinc – no orders
6th guerrilla – no movement
19th French – continue to advance
3rd British – infantry form square
French cinc – order 25th corps advance over hill
25th French – move onto hill

 

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200
6th guerrilla – no movemen t
French cinc – move to centre
3rd British – no movement
25th French – continue to advance
7th French – continue to advance
19th French continue to advance
British cinc – no orders
1st British – cavalry move to right flank
17th French – continue to advance


Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
6 guerrilla – no movement
17th French – continue to advance
British cinc – change 2nd corps orders to “engage woods”
3rd British – infantry retreat
French cinc – change 19th corps orders to “engage”
1st British – move to their left to make space for 4th corps
19th French – advance into woods
2nd British -  arrive and enter woods
25th French – continue to advance on hill
7th French – deploy artillery on hill

Note – 2nd British corps has only one infantry and one cavalry brigade


Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
The table has been moved to the left
This is to allow the fighting to take place in the centre of the table
It will also allow 4th and 5th corps to move in reserve if required




Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
6 guerrilla – now part of 2nd British corps
4th British – arrive on table and move towards centre
2nd British – infantry move into woods to replace guerrillas
17th French – artillery miss town, remainder of corps advance
3rd British – retire to bottom of woods
1st British – artillery hit infantry who rally
7th French -  artillery hit infantry who rally, remainder of corps advance
19th French – corps advance, artillery unlimber
British cinc – orders 3rd corps to retreat out of artillery range
25th French – continue to advance
French cinc – no orders issued
 

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500
2nd British – infantry move into woods         
French cinc – order 25th corps to engage
3rd British – artillery miss infantry
25th French – continue to advance
17th French – artillery hit garrison, who are shaken
7th French – artillery miss infantry in woods, remainder of corps advance
19th French – continue to advance
4th British – continue to advance
1st British – artillery hit infantry attacking town, who fail morale and rout
                    3 infantry brigade move into town as reserve
                    Rally shaken garrison
British cinc – order 4th corps deploy between town and woods



Move 8 – 1500 to 1600
1st British – artillery hit routers, who continue to rout
                     3 infantry brigade now town reserve
19th French – continue to advance
4th British – continue to advance
British cinc – orders 3rd corps to move towards woods to make space for 4th corps
3rd British – artillery miss infantry
2nd British – 10 infantry brigade occupy woods, guerrilla now reserve
French cinc – no orders
17th French – artillery hit garrison, who fail morale and are shaken
25th French – continue to advance
7th French – advance and skirmish woods



Move 9 – 1600 to 1700
1st British – artillery and infantry attacking town, who pass morale and rally
                    3 brigade replace shaken 1 brigade as town garrison
                      Hussars charge dragoons, melee is a draw and both are disordered
                      Shaken 1 brigade (in town reserve) rally
7th French – dragoons charge dragoons, melee is a draw and both are disordered
                      Three infantry brigades skirmish woods, cause 10% casualties but British hold
British cinc – no orders
French cinc – no orders
25th French – dragoons rout hussars, nearby Portuguese infantry shaken
3rd British – artillery hit infantry who fail morale and are shaken
19th French – artillery miss infantry
                      chasseurs charge artillery, gunners evade to nearby square
17th French – artillery miss infantry, remainder of corps advance
                         Infantry skirmish town garrison, but no casualties
4th British – continue to advance
2nd British – infantry in woods skirmish, no casualties
5th Spanish – arrive on Move orders, cannot engage French
                      infantry arrive in square



Move 10 – 1700 to 1800
7th French – infantry skirmish highlanders in woods, who rout
                      guerrillas join the highlander rout
                      cavalry lose melee and retreat shaken
4th British – continue to advance
19th French – retreat cavalry, infantry skirmish town
1st British – artillery hit infantry who rally
                     Portuguese infantry fail morale and rout
                     Hussars fail to rally and continue to rout
17th French – artillery hit garrison who fail morale and are shaken
25th French – cavalry charge shaken Spanish square, who rout
5th Spanish – cavalry and artillery arrive on table
British cinc – order 2nd and 3rd corps to retreat
3rd British – infantry retreat and abandon guns
2nd British – cavalry retreat facing enemy
French cinc – order 17th corps to attack town

Note – Wellington accepts defeat, but must hold French at bay until he can disengage


Move 11 – 1800 to 1900
17th French – artillery rout garrison, who take the reserve brigade with them
                      infantry rout shaken highlanders who take gunners with them                    
2nd British – cavalry cover retreat of infantry and guerrillas
1st British – all rout
4th British – deploy to cover retreat of the Army
British cinc – orders General Retreat
3rd British – continue to retreat
19th French – advance in pursuit
7th French – artillery rout square
25th French – dragoons rout Spanish cavalry
5th Spanish – infantry square covers retreat and rout of corps

Note – The allied army has broken contact and retreat covered by 4th corps

Game Casualties
Allies lose 7200 infantry and 200 cavalry and abandon 60 guns
French lose 2000 infantry

Game Summary
The Allied Army was heavily outnumbered at the start of the battle
Their reinforcements arrived too late to make any real difference to the battle
The 4th British corps was in position to cover the retreat of the Allied Army.

Total casualties at the end of this battle
Allies 7400 casualties and nine brigades in rout
French 2000 casualties and one brigade in rout