18th March 1814 – Battle of Irun (3)

Irun Campaign Area

1 British                              move to F09 on attack                   arrive F09 move 1

2 British                              move to E08 on attack                   arrive F09 move 9

3 British                              move to E07 on attack                   arrive F09 move 5

4 British                              move to F08 on attack                   start in F09

5 French                              move to F07 on attack                   arrive F07 move 1

11 Polish                             move to G08 on attack                  arrive G07 move 1

17 Westphalian                 move to G08 on attack                  start in H07

29 French                           move to G09 on observe               start in G08

French                                     British            

Infantry - 58000                      infantry – 44400

cavalry - 3000                          cavalry - 3000 

guns - 120                               guns - 90

Notes

4000 British infantry are absent on garrison duty

4000 French infantry in Irun under command of 29 French corps

Table at start of wargame

4^th British have orders to attack

29^th French have orders to move to the farm on observe

17^th French have orders to move to Irun on attack orders

French HQ, 5^th and 11^th corps will all enter the table at the start of move 1

British HQ and 1^st corps will enter the table at the start of move move

3^rd British corps will enter the table at the start of move 5

2^nd British corps will enter the table at the start of move 9

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

4 British-advance towards farm

29 French – British cavalry opportunity charge column in flank

17 French-advance towards Irun

British cinc-order 4 corps “hold farm”

5 French-arrive on table

1 British-arrive on table

11 French-arrive on table

French cinc-order 17 corps “engage farm"

British hussars Opportunity Charge French column

British cavalry pass test to Opportunity Charge French column in flank

Both infantry brigades and artillery all fail morale to react

Gunners lose 20% and rout taking their guns with them

23 brigade fail morale and are shaken

24 brigade fail morale and join rout

Hussars pass test to Pursue

Charge nearest enemy, who are 23 brigade

23 brigade lose 40% casualties and join rout

Wargame Rule 06 covers Opportunity Charges

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

4 British-occupy farm, recall cavalry

5 French-continue to advance

French cinc-order 11 corps “engage farm”

11 French-continue to advance

British cinc-order 1 corps “hold”

1 British-start to deploy

29 French-both infantry and gunners fail morale and continue to rout

17 French-continue to advance through Irun

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

5 French-continue to advance

British cinc-no orders

French cinc-no orders

29 French-24 brigade rally to Shaken, 23 brigade and artillery rout off table

11 French-continue to advance

17 French-continue to advance

4 British-start to deploy

1 British-continue to advance

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

17 French-continue to advance

5 French-continue to advance

11 French-start to deploy

1 British-start to deploy

4 British-continue to deploy

French cinc-no orders

British cinc-no orders

29 French-29 brigade fail morale, remain Shaken

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

3 British-arrive on table

1 British-complete deployment

British cinc-order 3^rd corps “deploy between 1^st and 4^th corps”

French cinc-no orders

29 French-take command of 21 brigade (garrison), rally 24 brigade

17 French-continue to advance

4^th British-continue to deploy

5 French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

17 French-complete deployment

British cinc-no orders

1 British-wait for French to approach

3 British-continue to advance

French cinc-order 5^th corps “Engage”

29 French-waiting for orders

5 French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

11 French-continue to deploy

4 British-continue to deploy

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

5 French-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale

French cinc-change 29 corps orders to “support 17 corps”

3 British-artillery advance and unlimber

British cinc-change 3 corps orders to “Hold”

1 British-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

29 French-garrison leave town and deploy to advance

17 French-artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

11 French-deploy to engage enemy

4 British-occupy woods and redeploy artillery

Note – French are now deployed and advance to engage the British

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

British cinc-move to join 2 corps (off table)

1 British-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale

5 French-artillery fire on square, 10% casualties, fail morale and are Shaken

3 British-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

29 French-advance to support 17 corps

4 British-15 brigade enter village to support riflle brigade

French cinc-change 17 corps orders to “Attack village”

11 French-advance to engage British

17 French- artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

17 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

4 British-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, lose morale and Shaken

4 British-garrison skirmish, 10% casualties, pass morale

British cinc-change 2^nd corps orders to “deploy on right of line and engage”

11 French-artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

1 British-Artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

29 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

3 British-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

French cinc-change 17^th corps orders to “Engage”

17 French-infantry skirmish woods and garrison, 10% casualties, pass morale

2 British-arrive on table

5 French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

5 French-change orders to “Halt”

French dragoons charge shaken infantry square

Dragoons pass test and charge

Infantry cut down, lose 30% casualties and rout

Nearby gunners test morale for rout, fail test and join rout

Dragoons test to pursue, fail and halt disordered

British hussars charge disordered dragoons

Dragoons lose 50% casualties and rout

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

4 British-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

4 British-infantry in woods skirmish, 10% casualties, fail morale and are Shaken

3 British-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, fail morale and are Shaken

2 British-continue to advance

17 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

11 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

5 French-artillery fire on cavalry, 10% casualties, pass morale

29 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

French cinc-change 5^th corps orders o “Hold”

British cinc-change 1^st corps orders to “Engage”

1 British-advance t o engage enemy

Combat in woods and buildings

Only infantry can attack buildings or woods

If they are on “Attack” orders they close and fight hand to hand

If they are on “Engage” orders they can only skirmish

At present all three French corps attacking the farm are on “Engage”

On the left Portuguese hold woods have won the skirmish combat, French rout

On the right five French brigades are attacking the farm

The Rifles garrison the farm, supported by an infantry brigade (who can not fight)

Infantry brigades skirmish during their corps turn.

Each brigade rolls one D6

Each need 4 or more if B class, 5 or more if C class skirmishers

Attackers have suffered no casualties

Defenders have suffered 10% casualties

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

2 British-continue to advance

French cinc-no orders

17 French-infantry skirmish woods and garrison, no casualties

British cinc-no orders

4 British-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

3 British-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

1 British-cavalry charge artillery, gunners evade to square

11 French-infantry skirmish garrison, 20% casualties, pass morale test

29 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

5 French infantry skirmish cavalry, no casualties

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

French cinc-no orders

5 French-infantry skirmish infantry, no casualties

29 French-infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

3 British-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

1 British-infantry volley fire, French lose 30% and rout

2 British-continue to advance

British cinc-no orders

17 French-infantry skirmish woods and garrison, no casualties

11 French-cavalry charge disordered infantry, infantry lose 30% and rout

4 British-artillery fire on infantry, 30% casualties, infantry fail morale and rout

Nightfall

Despite 20% casualties the rifle brigade continue to hold the village

Five French brigades continue to skirmish with garrison

Game Casualties

French lose 6800 infantry, 200 cavalry and 6 guns

British lose 5200 infantry and 100 cavalry

Game Summary

Neither side were concentrated at the start of the battle

The leading British corps attacked, and routed, the isolated 29^th French corps

French reinforcements arrived first, and they immediately attacked

The British managed to take the village, which they held throughout the day

At nightfall both sides had suffered heavy casualties

The French held Irun all day, the British held the farm all day

Both sides withdrew to rest and rally their routed brigades

Total casualties at the end of this battle

French 7000 casualties and six brigades in rout

British  5700 casualties and three brigades in rout