23rd April 1814 – Battle of Mataro

Mataro Campaign area

Two French corps have orders to attack one British and one Spanish corps

The aim is to take the British supply base of Sabadel

Spanish - 27600 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns

French - 24000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns

Table at start of wargame

Spanish Brigades    7 infantry       2 cavalry       2 artillery

French Brigades      6 infantry       2 cavalry       2 artillery

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

French advance, but halt just outside spotting distance 

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

 French advance, both armies within spotting distance

Replace blinds with figures

18 French infantry and cavalry move onto hill

24 French advance artillery and cavalry

British react to French advance

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French continue to advance

Allied artillery open fire, no casualties

Move 4 -1100 to 1200

French continue to advance

French artillery unlimber

Allied artillery continue to fire, no casualties

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

The French have now advanced into the middle of the table

The table is now extended at the bottom to include Sabadel

The main allied position is now in the centre of the table

The garrison of Sabadel can now be used if required

But the British commander would have to move there to issue orders

Meanwhile the allied and French artillery exchange fire, no casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

French deploy ready to attack

Spanish gunners receive 100 casualties, fail morale and rout

Nearby garrison test morale because of rout, pass and remain formed

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

French continue to advance

24 French infantry hit by artillery, pass morale with 400 casualties

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

Spanish village garrison receive 400 casualties and are shaken

18 French cavalry charge Spanish lancers, who retreat shaken

24 French cavalry charge British dragoons, who are routed with 100 casualties

British infantry in right woods shaken with 400 casualties

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Suchet orders both corps to attack

18 corps infantry attack village and nearby square

French lose 800 casualties

Spanish routed with 3600 casualties

Rest of 2 Spanish corps join rout

24 corps attack right hand woods

French lose 1200 casualties

British lose 2000 and rout

Murray orders 5 British corps to retreat to Sabadel

Spanish rout

Spanish infantry in woods lose 2400 and rout

Nearby square lose 1200 and rout

Gunners are already in rout with 100 casualties

Remainder of Spanish infantry and cavalry join rout

British rout

British infantry in right hand woods lose 2000 and rout

Cavalry are already in rout with 100 casualties

British in left hand woods are shaken

Highland square and gunners cover the retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 2000 infantry

British lose 2000 infantry and 100 cavalry

Spanish lose 3600 infantry and 100 cavalry

Game Summary

The French advanced in corps columns between the woods and hills

When they spotted the waiting Spanish and British corps they deployed

18 corps was ordered to attack the Spanish held village

The Spanish gunners took first casualties, lost their morale and ran

The remainder held their post, but without artillery support took heavy casualties

The French infantry stormed the village and routed the whole Spanish corps

24 corps was ordered to attack the British held woods

Their gunners were less helpful, indeed they failed to cause any casualties

The British gunners caused damage to the leading brigade

The French hussars charged, and routed, the British heavy dragoons

This allowed the infantry to storm the woods and rout the defenders

The battle ended with the Spanish in rout and the British retreating to Sabadel

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

French          6,800 casualties 2 brigades in rout

British           2,500 casualties 2 brigades in rout

Spanish        8,200 casualties 7 brigades in rout