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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

23rd April 1814 – Battle of Mataro


Mataro Campaign area
Two French corps have orders to attack one British and one Spanish corps
The aim is to take the British supply base of Sabadel
Spanish - 27600 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns
French - 24000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns
Table at start of wargame
Spanish Brigades    7 infantry       2 cavalry       2 artillery
French Brigades      6 infantry       2 cavalry       2 artillery
Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
French advance, but halt just outside spotting distance 
Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
 French advance, both armies within spotting distance
Replace blinds with figures
18 French infantry and cavalry move onto hill
24 French advance artillery and cavalry
British react to French advance
Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
French continue to advance
Allied artillery open fire, no casualties
Move 4 -1100 to 1200
French continue to advance
French artillery unlimber
Allied artillery continue to fire, no casualties
Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
The French have now advanced into the middle of the table
The table is now extended at the bottom to include Sabadel
The main allied position is now in the centre of the table
The garrison of Sabadel can now be used if required
But the British commander would have to move there to issue orders
Meanwhile the allied and French artillery exchange fire, no casualties
Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
French deploy ready to attack
Spanish gunners receive 100 casualties, fail morale and rout
Nearby garrison test morale because of rout, pass and remain formed
Move 7 – 1400 to 1500
French continue to advance
24 French infantry hit by artillery, pass morale with 400 casualties
Move 8 – 1500 to 1600
Spanish village garrison receive 400 casualties and are shaken
18 French cavalry charge Spanish lancers, who retreat shaken
24 French cavalry charge British dragoons, who are routed with 100 casualties
British infantry in right woods shaken with 400 casualties
Move 9 – 1600 to 1700
Suchet orders both corps to attack
18 corps infantry attack village and nearby square
French lose 800 casualties
Spanish routed with 3600 casualties
Rest of 2 Spanish corps join rout
24 corps attack right hand woods
French lose 1200 casualties
British lose 2000 and rout
Murray orders 5 British corps to retreat to Sabadel
Spanish rout
Spanish infantry in woods lose 2400 and rout
Nearby square lose 1200 and rout
Gunners are already in rout with 100 casualties
Remainder of Spanish infantry and cavalry join rout
British rout
British infantry in right hand woods lose 2000 and rout
Cavalry are already in rout with 100 casualties
British in left hand woods are shaken
Highland square and gunners cover the retreat

Game Casualties
French lose 2000 infantry
British lose 2000 infantry and 100 cavalry
Spanish lose 3600 infantry and 100 cavalry

Game Summary
The French advanced in corps columns between the woods and hills
When they spotted the waiting Spanish and British corps they deployed
18 corps was ordered to attack the Spanish held village
The Spanish gunners took first casualties, lost their morale and ran
The remainder held their post, but without artillery support took heavy casualties
The French infantry stormed the village and routed the whole Spanish corps
24 corps was ordered to attack the British held woods
Their gunners were less helpful, indeed they failed to cause any casualties
The British gunners caused damage to the leading brigade
The French hussars charged, and routed, the British heavy dragoons
This allowed the infantry to storm the woods and rout the defenders
The battle ended with the Spanish in rout and the British retreating to Sabadel

Total casualties, including from earlier battles, at the end of the battle
French          6,800 casualties 2 brigades in rout
British           2,500 casualties 2 brigades in rout
Spanish        8,200 casualties 7 brigades in rout

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