Peninsular War, Early 1811 ish. Rearguard. Game at NBHW

Last Friday at New Buckenham I put on another small four player game using the Black Powder rules. Again a fictitious scenario set during the Napoleonic Peninsular War, this time set late 1810 early 1811 as the French were retreating from the Lines of Torres Vedras.

The basic premise was that a French rearguard had turned to fight the pursuing Anglo Portuguese at a river crossing which provided the last natural barrier before an expanse of open countryside.

The French aim was to gives the allies a bloody nose, forcing them to ease off the pursuit, allowing the main French force to cross the open countryside unmolested. With this open terrain in mind it would be considered a disaster for the French if their light cavalry brigade suffered unnecessary attrition.

The Anglo Portuguese aim was to continuing pressing the French, giving them no respite. The hope was that this, combined with their general impoverished state, would cause a collapse in their army's will to fight and allow a decisive action to be brought against them.

Table layout. 6' x 6' (tiles 2' square)

A few scenario specific rules etc:

1. The River is only fordable by Infantry. Cavalry and Artillery must use the bridge.
2. The slope of the hill to the north east is "Rough Ground"
3. The wooded areas are only accessible to troops with the "Skirmish" special rule.
4. The buildings can't be occupied and any walls are classed as "Obstacles" to movement and give "Light Cover".

The French deployment area was anywhere east of the river. The Anglo Portuguese enter in march column. The Portuguese where the road enters from the west, the British from the south.

The French deployed on table and the Anglo Portuguese had the first turn.

French force, each brigade has it's own sheet with "Special Rules" annotated.

The French Légère battalions were rated as Veteran giving additional Special Rules, in this case "Elite 5+" and "Reliable".

Anglo Portuguese force, each brigade has it's own sheet with "Special Rules" annotated.

View from the west with the French deployed.

View from the south with the French deployed. 1st Brigade to the south,
2nd in the centre and Cavalry to the north.

The Anglo Portuguese arrive.

The Portuguese headed for the French right flank guarded by their cavalry brigade. The British sent their line infantry full speed towards the shepherd's enclosure, this was to prove an error, whilst the 5/60th head for the wooded area with the intention of using this cover to shoot across the river, making the most of their range advantage.

The French left wing attacks!

The leading British battalion rushes into the sheep enclosure startling the flock, and in the confusion fails to turn into line allowing the defending French to advance and fire in enfilade causing further disorder and mounting casualties. The légère battalions forded the river and advanced at a rapid pace into the woods, beating the tardy 5/60th to this advantageous position. It would appear that to this French general, attack was the best form of defence.

The Portuguese deploy.

The Portuguese meanwhile advanced to the river, suffering only very minor casualties from the French horse artillery, left to defend this flank after the light cavalry pulled back to the hill top.

Wasn't there a battery there?

After some swift accurate shooting the horse battery disappeared in a storm of lead leaving the way open for a Portuguese advance across the river.

The Portuguese cross and the French end battalion wheels to face.

Not looking good for the British, the fusiliers have broken and fled.

So things were looking good on the Portuguese flank but alas the British were taking a hammering. One line battalion and the rifles were broken and had fled and with another battalion "Shaken" the brigade was broken despite breaking one French ligne battalion. At this point The Anglo Portuguese force would have probably withdrawn to lick their wounds, but it was a Friday club game so we carried on for a bit.

The French charged the Royal Horse Artillery half battery but unfortunately didn't quite reach, with the expected result! But at the same time another British line battalion broke!

BOOM! gone.

The French hussards also charged the Portuguese line who, in square, saw them off easily. The cacadores meanwhile evaded back across the river.

Hussards vs Portuguese squares.

At this point we did call it a night, after the 14th Light Dragoons refused to charge.  A win for the French mainly due to the unexpected aggressiveness of their left wing and also some poor morale save rolls from the British.

Final positions at game end.

So how did the scenario work out? Not quite as planned and after a post game chat a few changes have been made for any future replays.

It was decided that given the scenario narrative of the French withdrawal from the Lines of Torres Vedras, and the condition they were in historically, that maybe they shouldn't have been quite so strong for this game. With this in mind the two battalions of légère have been reduced to "Small" units, as have the two cavalry units (the French were always short of horses at the best of times).

I have also changed the légère to "Elite 6+" from "5+" and some of the commander SR values have also been adjusted.

The updated Order of Battle unit sheets, maps and briefings are in the Scenario download section.

As usual loads more pictures in the clubs Facebook Album

Tony.