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Thursday, October 23, 2014

9th April 1814 – Battle of Olot



Olot Campaign area
Encounter battle between Vic and Angles
Both corps have orders to advance and engage

Encounter battle between Ripoll and Olot
All corps are on engage orders

1 Spanish         orders to move towards Ripoll
3 Spanish         orders to move towards Olot
4 Spanish         orders to move towards Olot
6 French            orders to move towards Olot
24 French         orders to move towards Ripoll


Spanish             43,600 infantry            1,000 cavalry                 90 guns
French               24,000 infantry            2,000 cavalry                 60 guns


Table at start of wargame
Spanish Brigades        11 infantry      1 cavalry           3 artillery
French Brigades          6 infantry         2 cavalry           2 artillery

1 Spanish         enter bottom left start of move 5
3 Spanish         enter centre left start of move 1
4 Spanish         enter top left start of move 1
6 French           start on table marching north
24 French         start on table marching west


Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
Spanish cinc orders 24 corps to move to farm
French cinc orders 6 corps to engage farm
3 Spanish arrive on table
6 French move towards farm
4 Spanish arrive on table
24 French advance


Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
French cinc orders 24 corps to engage Spanish
3 Spanish deploy from column of march
Spanish cinc orders 4 corps to hold
6 French advance
24 French deploy from column of march
4 Spanish deploy from column of march


Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
24 French advance, are spotted and replace blind with figures
4 Spanish spotted by French cavalry, replace blind with figures
Spanish cinc orders 4 corps to hold
6 French spotted, replace blind with figures
3 Spanish spotted, replace blind with figures
Spanish cinc orders 3 corps to hold farm

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200
Spanish cinc moves to join 1 corps (off table)
3 Spanish artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties
6 French advance, cavalry move onto hill
French cinc no orders
24 French advance


Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
French cinc no orders
4 Spanish artillery on infantry, no casualties
24 French artillery on infantry, 10% casualties pass morale
Spanish cinc orders 1 corps to engage
6 French infantry skirmish farm, 10% casualties pass morale
1 Spanish arrive on table, spotted by cavalry, replace blind with figures
3 Spanish artillery on infantry, no casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
Spanish cinc no orders
3 Spanish artillery on infantry, no casualties
French cinc no orders
6 French skirmish farm, 20% casualties pass morale
1 Spanish advance
24 French artillery on infantry, 20% casualties fail morale and rout
24 French infantry skirmish farm, 10% casualties fail morale and rout
4 Spanish artillery on infantry, 10% casualties fail morale and shaken


Move 7 – 1400 to 1500
Spanish cinc orders 4 corps to retreat
4 Spanish limber and retreat artillery
French cinc orders 6 corps to attack farm
1 Spanish move towards hill
3 Spanish artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties fail morale and shaken
24 French lose firefight and rout with 30% casualties
24 French cavalry fail morale for nearby rout and are shaken
6 French artillery hit square, pass morale
6 French attack farm, both lose 20% result draw

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600
3 Spanish replace garrison of farm
4 Spanish form square to cover retreat
6 French continue to attack farm, garrison retire shaken
24 French change orders to halt and rally shaken cavalry
1 Spanish change orders to halt
French cinc orders 6 corps to hold
Spanish cinc orders a general retreat

Game Casualties
French lose 3,600 infantry
Spanish lose 3,600 infantry

Game Summary
Both armies have orders to advance and engage
However one Spanish corps will take four hours to arrive
The Spanish halt to await the arrival of their third corps
The French press home their attack
Spanish gunners prove ineffective, but their infantry stubborn
The Spanish left flank is broken, but inflict sufficient casualties to halt the French
French infantry take the farm, but halt to protect their left flank
1 Spanish corps arrives too late to take part in the battle
But they do threaten the French left flank
Suchet orders a halt to consolidate his gains
Giron orders a general retreat to rally his army
The French would claim a victory because they took the farm
The Spanish would claim a draw because casualties were even
However the Spanish did retreat from the field of battle

Total casualties, including from earlier battles, at the end of the battle
French 3,600 casualties 2 brigades in rout and 1 shaken
Spanish 4,600 casualties 2 brigades in rout and 1 shaken



1 comment:

  1. In my view, the Junta at Cadiz should accept Giron's victory claim: the Spanish fought the French to a standstill, after all. It seems doubtful that the French would be have been able to make any further progress once the 1st Spanish Corps got into action.

    Was there any particular reason why the Spanish pulled out rather than the French?

    ReplyDelete