1st April 1814 – Battle of Savaltiere

Savaltiere Campaign area

British have orders to hold

French have orders to engage and attack

British  40,000 infantry               3000 cavalry                    90 guns

French  44.000 infantry               2900 cavalry                    90 guns

British HQ            move to C06                                                                  

1 corps                 halt on hold

2 corps                 halt on hold

3 corps                 move to E04 on hold

4 corps                 halt on hold

5 guerrilla            move to F06

6 guerrilla            move to G04

French HQ           move to E07 with 5 corps                            

5 corps                 move E07                                                        

11 corps               halt on hold                      

17 corps               move F05, E05 on engage                           

23 corps               move G05, F05 on attack   

Table at start of wargame

British Brigades              10 infantry         3 cavalry             3 artillery

French Brigades              11 infantry         3 cavalry             3 artillery

British HQ            arrive E05 move 9            march to sound of the guns

1 corps                 not involved                       pin 11 French

2 corps                 start in E05                         start on table

3 corps                 arrive E04 move 8            march to sound of the guns

4 corps                 arrive E05 move 3            march to sound of the guns

5 guerrilla            start in G05                        avoid if possible

6 guerrilla            not involved                       avoid battle

French HQ           arrive G06 move 3            march to sound of the guns                        

5 corps                 arrive G06 move 3            march to sound of the guns                        

11 corps               not involved                       pin 1 British

17 corps               arrive G05 move 1            open attack

23 corps               arrive G04 move 1            open attack

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

17 French is spotted by the guerrilla, but unaware of them

23 French advance, not spotted nor aware of the guerrilla

2 British prepare to move to south, send cavalry to recce

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

17 and 23 French continue to advance

Guerrilla fire on 17 French, no casualties

2 British move south

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Marshal Soult arrives with 5 French corps

17 and 23 French deploy into column of attack

17 French send two brigades to engage guerrilla

French and Guerrilla skirmish, no casualties

2 British deploy and withdraw cavalry

4 British arrive and advance through town

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200 - photo lost

All corps are spotted and blinds replaced by figures

4 British corps deploy north of the cross roads

2 British corps deploy south of the cross roads

Guerrillas flee south without any casualties

They have ambushed and delayed 17 French corps

5 French corps is ordered to engage the town

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300 - photo lost

French withdraw cavalry and deploy infantry and artillery

British continue to deploy to hold town

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

4 British infantry enter town

23 French ordered to hold farm

Guerrillas hide in hills

17 French artillery hit cavalry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

23 French ordered to hold farm, redeploy cavalry and artillery

4 British artillery hit gunners, 10% casualties, pass morale test

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

3 British arrive on table

22 French redeploy to counter 3 British

2 British artillery hit gunners, 10% casualties, pass morale test.

5 and 17 French outnumber 4 British north of road

2 and 3 British outnumber 23 French south of road

British artillery have damaged French artillery

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Wellington arrives and orders 2 British to engage farm

3 British spotted and move against French left flank

4 British artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

17 French skirmish the town, no casualties

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

2 British skirmish farm, garrison suffer 20% casualties, pass morale test

3 British ordered to engage 23 French

4 British artillery fire at close range, no casualties

4 British cavalry charge infantry who form square

5 French advance to attack 4 British

17 French storm northern half of town and rout garrison with 30% casualties

23 French reinforce garrison who have suffered 20% casualties

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

3 British artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties and rout

One French supporting brigade join rout, three are shaken

2 British ordered to storm farm, rout garrison with 20% casualties

17 French artillery fire on south town garrison, 10% casualties pass morale test

17 French infantry storm north and south town

North town garrison rout with 60% casualties

South town garrison rout attackers with 40% casualties

5 French square fire on cavalry, 10% casualties and shaken

5 French infantry charge and rout square with 30% casualties

4 British draw firefight with 5 French infantry, both 10% casualties

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

3 British cavalry charge and rout shaken lancers with 10% casualties

2 British artillery fire on gunners, 20% casualties and shaken

17 French infantry charge south town and rout garrison with 50% casualties

4 British infantry draw firefight, both 10% casualties both disordered

5 French cavalry charge and rout shaken hussars with 30% casualties

French capture town

17 French corps enter both sections of the town

British have six routed brigades – four infantry, one cavalry and one artillery

One British infantry brigade is left to cover the rout

British capture farm

2 British corps enter the farm

23 French have three brigades in rout and three shaken

Game Casualties

British lose 4000 infantry and 400 cavalry

French lose 5200 infantry, 300 cavalry and 300 gunners

Game Summary

French attacked north of the road and held farm

Suffered heavy artillery casualties, but took town and routed 4 British corps

British held south of the road, but changed to attack when 3 corps arrived

Captured the farm and routed 23 French corps

At nightfall the French had won the northern battle

The British had won the southern one.

The battle ended in a draw

Both armies would have to retreat during the night

Total casualties, including from earlier battles,  at the end of the battle

British 4,400 casualties and five brigades in rout

French 5,800 casualties and four brigades in rout