15th March 1814 - Battle of Figueras

Figueras Campaign Area

8 French               move to F05 and attach enemy                                  start on table

18 Italian             move to H05 in support of 8 corps                            arrive start move 1

20 French            move to G05 attack in support of 8 corps                  start on table

26 French            remain in place, cavalry recce south                         not involved

27 French            move to H06 and support 18 corps                           arrive start move 5

1 Spanish             move to G04 on engage                                              arrive start move 1

2 Spanish             move to G05 on engage                                              start on table

3 Spanish             move to E04 on observe                                             arrive start move 5

4 Spanish             hold in E05                                                                 not involved

5 Spanish             move to H04 on engage                                              arrive start move 1

French                                     Spanish                      

Infantry - 52000                      infantry – 52000

cavalry - 3000                          cavalry - 2000 

guns - 120                               guns - 120

Notes

1200 French and Spanish infantry are missing on garrison duty

Table at start of wargame

8^th French corps is moving through Figueras

20^th French corps is marching towards Figueras

All French reinforcements will arrive on road top right

2^nd Spanish corps is moving through pass towards Figueras

1^st, 3^rd and 5^th Spanish corps will arrive as shown

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

18^th French-arrive and move towards farm

Spanish cinc-change 1^st corps orders to Engage

5^th Spanish-arrive and move towards town

1^st Spanish-arrive and move towards 2^nd corps

20^th French-move to gap between town and farm

2^nd Spanish-deploy to hold pass

French cinc-change 8^th corps orders to Engage south of town

8^th French-deploy south of town

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Spanish cinc-change 2^nd corps orders to Hold

5^th Spanish-artillery unlimber

8^th French-artillery hit infantry, who fail morale and are shaken

French cinc-move to join 18^th corps

2^nd Spanish-deploy to hold pass

20^th French-advance between town and farm

1^st Spanish-move to join 2^nd corps

18^th French-move towards farm

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French cinc-change 18^th corps orders to Engage

20^th French-artillery miss gunners, corps advance

18^th French-corps advance towards 2^nd Spanish

8^th French-artillery hit square, who fail morale and rout, corps advance

2^nd Spanish-infantry deploy on hill facing north

1^st Spanish-artillery miss infantry, corps deploy facing town

5^th Spanish-artillery miss infantry, infantry brigade fail morale and rout

Spanish cinc-change 1^st corps orders to Hold

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

French cinc-move to meet 27^th corps

5^th Spanish-artillery miss infantry

20^th French-artillery miss infantry, corps advance between town and farm

1^st Spanish-artillery miss cavalry, infantry form square

8^th French-artillery miss infantry, corps advance towards 5^th Spanish

2^nd Spanish-artillery miss cavalry, change orders to Halt

18^th French-artillery unlimber, corps advance towards 2^nd Spanish

Spanish cinc-change 2^nd corps orders to Hold

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

20^th French-artillery miss square, corps advance towards 2^nd Spanish

8^th French-artillery hit infantry, infantry win skirmish fight

1^st Spanish-artillery hit hussars, dragoons lose cavalry melee and retreat shaken

French cinc-order 27^th corps to advance and support 20^th corps

2^nd Spanish-artillery miss infantry, lancers win melee French dragoons retire Shaken

18^th French-artillery miss infantry, corps advance to engage 2^nd Spanish

5^th Spanish-artillery hit infantry, shaken infantry brigade rallies

27^th French-arrive and move towards 20^th corps

Spanish cinc-orders 3^rd corps to move towards right flank (broken ground)

3^rd Spanish-arrive and move towards right flank

Opportunity Charge

Spanish lancers declare charge on flank of shaken French lancers

French unable to react and are cut down

See Wargame Rule 06 for details of Opportunity Charge

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

1^st Spanish-artillery hit lancers who are Shaken, dragoons rally

8^th French-lancers cut down by Spanish lancers.   Infantry win skirmish.  Shaken infantry rout

18^th French-artillery miss infantry, corps advance towards 2^nd Spanish

Spanish cinc-no orders

2^nd Spanish-artillery miss infantry

3^rd Spanish-continue to advance towards right flank

27^th French-continue to advance to support 20^th corps

20^th French-infantry lose skirmish, dragoons fail morale and rout

5^th Spanish-artillery hit infantry, infantry lose morale and rout, gunners shaken

Note.   5^th Spanish are about to break, but have held their own for six moves against 8^th French, who are double their strength.

Cavalry charge shaken square

Spanish square have survived firefight with French infantry in column, both are disordered

French artillery hit square and cause 10% casualties, Spanish lose morale and are shaken

French hussars charge, and break, square who suffer 30% casualties and rout

They rout into gunners, who fail their morale and join rout

Both then rout into right hand Spanish infantry in line, who also fail morale and join rout.

Hussars lose morale to rally, pursue routed infantry and cause a further 10% casualties

Spanish retreat

The success of the French hussar charge broke the spirit of 2^nd Spanish corps.   The rout spread and soon a second infantry brigade broke and the gunners abandoned their guns and  joined the rout.      

5^th Spanish corps was already in retreat.  

General Giron ordered the remainder of his army to break contact and retreat before the advancing French could pin them

Game Casualties

Spanish lose  4400 infantry , 300 cavalry and 30 guns

French lose 2000 infantry and 400 cavalry

Game Summary

It was a bad Spanish decision to offer battle against equal numbers of French in an encounter battle where they had no terrain advantage.

Despite this they did well to hold their own for the first six hours of the battle.

However once the French were concentrated, and ready to attack, the outcome was never in doubt.   It was a lucky French cavalry charge which caused the actual rout, but this was an advantage to the Spanish.   Had they fought until nightfall they would have lost considerably more casualties.

Total casualties at the end of this battle

Spanish 4500 casualties and five brigades in rout

French 2400 casualties and three brigades in rout