23rd April 1814 – Battle of Olot

Olot Campaign area

Two Spanish corps attack one French corps

The aim is to cut the main road to France

Spanish - 32000 infantry, 1000 cavalry and 60 guns

French - 12000 infantry, 1000 cavalry and 30 guns

Table at start of wargame

Spanish Brigades    8 infantry       1 cavalry       2 artillery

French Brigades      3 infantry       1 cavalry       1 artillery

One French brigade has 1600 casualties and will not take part in the battle

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

 Spanish arrive on table

French cavalry return to Olot

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

1 Spanish advance and deploy

3 Spanish spotted by French cavalry

Replace blind with figures

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

All now within sight

All blinds replaced by figures

French artillery hit cavalry, who fail morale and are shaken with 10% casualties

Move 4 -1100 to 1200

Shaken Spanish cavalry retreat and rally

Remainder of Spanish continue to advance

French artillery fire on infantry moving towards northern hill, no casualties

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

French change orders to Engage

French infantry move onto to northern hill

French cavalry move onto to eastern hill

Spanish infantry move onto northern hill

They are hit by artillery, but pass morale with 10% casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Both Spanish corps change orders to Engage

Spanish cavalry move towards northern hill

Spanish artillery open fire, no casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

French remove infantry and cavalry from hills

Spanish advance towards town

2 Spanish artillery sent to deploy on southern hill

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

French artillery hit Spanish column, who pass morale with 10% casualties

Spanish continue to advance

French cavalry move onto eastern hill to threaten advance

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

2 Spanish halt until artillery deploy on hill

French cavalry retire from eastern hill

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

French artillery retreat into town

Spanish advance towards town

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

Spanish infantry mask their own guns

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

French garrison fire on approaching infantry, no casualties

French artillery moves south of town covered by cavalry

 

Move 13 – 2000 to 2100

Four Spanish infantry brigades ordered to attack town

Garrison lose 2000 casualties and rout

Spanish suffer 2400 casualties, one brigade routs

North of town Spanish column charges French square

French break and rout with 30% casualties

Game Casualties

French lose 3200 infantry

Spanish lose 3600 infantry and 100 cavalry

Game Summary

Spanish infantry and artillery outnumber French by two to one

However they both have one cavalry brigade

Spanish cavalry suffer 10% casualties early in battle

Spanish infantry advance is delayed by loss of their cavalry

They suffer artillery casualties, but all brigades continue to advance

Spanish infantry charge, and rout, a French square north of the town

As night falls four brigades attack southern part of town

They rout the garrison, but suffer heavy casualties

French artillery and artillery in position south of town

But it is too dark to continue fighting

The French have lost two brigades, and a third has 40% casualties

Suchet orders them to retreat under cover of darkness

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

French 4,800 casualties 2 brigades in rout

Spanish 4,000 casualties 1 brigade in rout