Mataro Campaign area
Encounter
battle as both sides advance to attack
The French
have two corps on the table and two in reserve
The Spanish
have three corps on the table and two in reserve
Spanish 70,700 infantry 2900
cavalry 150 guns
French 38,800
infantry 4000
cavalry 120 guns
Spanish HQ move with 2 corps
1 corps move B04 on engage
2 corps move B05 on engage
3 corps move C05 on engage
4 corps hold B02
5 corps move C04 on engage
French HQ move with 6 corps
6 corps move D02, C02, B02 on
attack
12 corps move
C03, B03 on attack
18 corps move C04, B04 on attack
24 corps move E04, D04, C04 on attack
Table at start of wargame
Spanish Brigades 18 infantry 3 cavalry 5
artillery
French Brigades 10 infantry 4
cavalry 3 artillery
Spanish HQ arrive move 6
1
corps start on table
2
corps arrive move 6
3
corps arrive move 2
4
corps start on
table
5
corps start on
table
French
HQ arrive move
1
6
corps arrive move 1
12
corps start on table
18 corps start on table
24 corps arrive
move 5
Note
Each corps on the table is represented
by two “blinds”
This is to speed deployment and
prevent reacting to the other deployment
When a “blind” is spotted the card is
removed and the figures placed on the table
Each corps may be divided between the
“blinds”, or all on one with the other empty
Day One – 27th March 1814
This wargame was planned as a one day
battle
However it took too long for
reinforcements to arrive
The French start the game outnumbered
three to two
Both sides are reinforced, but the
odds remain the same
The French artillery are unable to
cause sufficient casualties
The French CinC is not prepared to
attack until all four corps are available
The Spanish have more infantry, but
less cavalry and worse gunners
The Spanish CinC is not prepared to
attack until his gunners have caused some casualties
By late afternoon 24th
French and 2nd Spanish corps are still marching to join the battle
Both commanders order a cease fire
until both corps are in position
Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
Suchet
arrives on table
He
orders 12 and 18 corps to halt out of combat range and wait for 6 corps to
deploy
6
corps arrives on the table and moves to join 12 and 18 corps
1
Spanish halt and prepare to move east
4
Spanish halt and deploy cavalry to recce
5
British send 11 brigade to garrison farm and cavalry to recce
Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
6
corps continues to advance to join 12 and 18 corps
1
Spanish advance to join 4 and 5 corps
3
Spanish arrives on table and moves towards centre
Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
6 corps deploys into attack formation
1 Spanish deploy with 4 and 6 corps
3 Spanish continue to advance behind
main battle line
Move 4 – 1100 to 1200
6
corps joins 12 and 18 corps
The
French are now ready to advance and attack the Spanish
3
Spanish continue to advance behind main battle line
Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
24
French corps arrives on table and is ordered to move to centre
Spanish
cavalry screen withdrawn to avoid artillery casualties
6
French dragoons advance and spot 4 Spanish corps
Dragoons
receive 10% casualties from artillery, fail morale and rout
Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
Giron
arrives on table with 2 Spanish corps
6
French corps advance towards Mataro
Move 7 – 1400 to 1500
6 French halt and deploy artillery
18 French advance towards 5 British,
both are spotted and figures on table
Move 8 – 1500 to 1600
Suchet
orders all corps to advance and engage the enemy
12 French and 1 Spanish both spotted
and place figures on the table
Suchet moves to rally routed dragoons
Move 9 – 1600 to 1700
French
advance
British
garrison of farm receive 10% casualties from artillery
18
French infantry receive 10% casualties from artillery
Remainder
of artillery fire is ineffective
Night Redeployment
During
the night 24 French and 2 Spanish corps arrive
Both
commanders rearrange their deployment
The
same front line is maintained
But
corps are rearranged to allow for the reinforcements
Some
brigades with battle casualties are replaced by full strength brigades
Day Two – 28th March 1814
At
first light the French CinC becomes
aware that he is heavily outnumbered
He
orders his corps to hold their ground and the artillery to pound the enemy
The
Spanish CinC wants to take full advantage of his greater number of artillery
He
orders his gunners to engage the enemy, his infantry to hold their position
Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
9pdr and 12pdr guns are within range
and open fire
Spanish 6pdr guns are manhandled
forward into range
Spanish 2 and 3 infantry receive
artillery casualties but pass morale test
French 23 infantry receive artillery
casualties and also pass morale test
Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
All guns continue to fire
No French casualties
British 10 infantry (garrison of farm)
receive 10% casualties and are shaken
Suchet orders 18 corps to advance and
engage the farm
Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
All guns continue to fire
The Spanish gunners are C class, but
more effective than the French B class.
18 French infantry shaken due to
artillery fire
18 French continue to skirmish farm
French cavalry move forward
Move 4 – 1100 to 1200
18 French infantry break and rout due
to artillery casualties
6 French infantry shaken due to
artillery casualties
Spanish CinC orders a general advance
French CinC orders a general retreat
French rout
Spanish infantry advance towards the
broken French centre
Game Casualties
French lose 4,000 infantry and 100
cavalry
Spanish lose 2,800 infantry
Game Summary
The first
day of the battle was inconclusive
Both sides
waited for their reinforcements to arrive
Artillery
proved ineffective
The second
day opened with an artillery duel
Both sides
wanted to weaken the enemy before they attacked
The Spanish
gunners proved more effective than the better trained French
The British
held the farm despite short range artillery fire
The French
retreated with two brigades in rout and three shaken
Total casualties, including from
earlier battles, at the end of the
battle
Spanish 4,000 casualties
French 4,100 casualties and two
brigades in rout
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