17th April 1814 – Battle of Mataro

Mataro Campaign area

18^th Polish and 24^th Italian corps have orders to attack Mataro

2^nd Spanish and 5^th British both have orders to hold

7^th Guerrilla have orders to rest and resupply

One French and one British brigade are missing on garrison duty

Allied - 28000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns

French - 28000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns

Table at start of wargame

Allied Brigades        7 infantry      2 cavalry       2 artillery

French Brigades      7 infantry      2 cavalry       2 artillery

2^nd Spanish and 5^th British start on the table

7^th Guerrilla will retreat at the start move 1

18^th Polish start on the table

24^th Italian arrive in G02 at the start of move 1

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Suchet orders 18 Polish to advance north of hill

24 Italian enter table behind the Poles

2 Spanish deploy between woods and village

and take command of guerrillas in village

British retreat towards town

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Suchet orders 24 Italians to advance south of hill

Poles advance towards Spanish

Cavalry move onto hill

British put second brigade in town and extend front

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

18 Polish deploy to attack Spanish

24 Italians advance towards British

British cavalry advance to spot Italians

Move 4 -1100 to 1200

All four corps within sight and blinds replaced with figures

18 Polish send brigade to engage village

Remainder of corps deploy to attack Spanish

24 Italian advance towards British

Cavalry move through woods to protect flank

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

24 Italian ordered to engage British

British move onto hill south of town

Spanish send brigade to support guerrillas in village

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

18 Polish rout guerrillas with 10% casualties, supports shaken

24 Italian move through woods to attack British southern flank

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Table is extended to the left as battle is now near town

18 Polish infantry enter village

24 Italian continue to advance

British and Spanish artillery open fire, but no casualties

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

Poles and Italians prepare to engage enemy

British and Spanish artillery continue to fire, still no casualties

Shaken Spanish brigade rally behind woods

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

18 Polish advance towards Spanish

24 Italian hit infantry on hill, who are shaken with 10% casualties

Spanish gunners hit infantry, who pass morale with 10% casualties

British artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

18 Polish advance towards Spanish

24 Italian advance towards hill

Spanish gunners hit infantry, who pass morale with 20% casualties

British infantry fail morale and rout, nearby cavalry are shaken by rout

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

28 Polish advance towards Spanish

24 Italian cavalry charge and rout shaken British dragoons with 20% casualties

Spanish commander orders a general retreat

British commander orders a general retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 800 infantry

British lose 400 infantry and 200 cavalry

Spanish lose 100 guerrilla

Game Summary

 The French plan is to pin the British and attack the Spanish

They were not aware that a guerrilla band held a village on the flank of their advance, and were forced to detach a brigade to take the village

This delay allowed the Spanish to redeploy to meet the attack.

The Italian corps was ordered to take the hill to the south of Mataro

To do so they had to pass through difficult terrain

The delay allowed the British to occupy the hill with cavalry and infantry

The Italian gunners routed the infantry on the hill

The nearby cavalry were shaken, and routed in turn by the Italian cavalry

With the loss of two brigades Murray ordered his corps to retreat

Espana immediately ordered the Spanish corps to retreat

The difficult terrain slowed down the French attack

This allowed the allied corps to deploy to meet the attack

The delay also robbed the French of sufficient time to deliver their attack

Total casualties, including from earlier battles, at the end of the battle

French          800 casualties  

British           600 casualties and two brigades in rout

Spanish        100 casualties and one guerrilla in rout