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