Colborne’s Doom at Albuera - with Soldiers of Napoleon

Continuing a series of historical re-fights, testing scenarios and ideas of how they might work, as well taking away the player’s ability to choose their own force, this would be a scenario from the Battle of Albuera in the Peninsula. Not the entire battle, that isn’t what SoN seeks to recreate, instead an hour or two, this time on the far right flank of the Allied line, as the French launched their first flanking attack, taking the ‘southern knoll’ high ground and attacking the Spanish line holding the ‘northern knoll’, and to include the fateful arrival of Colborne’s British brigade in a counter-attack that turned into a disaster as it was caught by surprise by the French cavalry in the one of the battle’s most famous events. Having worked out the forces, made a simple map of the battlefield and added a few extra special rules to help recreate the action (like the heavy rain storms that blew through on the day), it was time to crack-on. This time, for a change, flipping a coin, I got the French.

The first turns would see my two infantry brigades advance on the Spanish lines, and having deployed my columns, they attacked en masse, whilst the guns deployed onto the southern knoll’s high ground and opened fire with some effect on the Irlanda (Irish) volunteer battalion. It seemed, give the weakness of the Spanish line, especially on their left (with just 2 militia battalions and 1 4 pdr gun), the French would overwhelm them. Not so. As my columns closed in, sending out skirmishers to harass the Spanish, who could do little back, a sudden withering volley from the Spanish line turned two battalions into a bloody mess, including my best (the combined grenadier battalion leading the attack on my right). Reeling back to rally, the French were suddenly in disorder and losing stands. Even the militia battalions in line (with some good rolls) blasted my columns into a mess. My voltiguers had done good work, but the Spanish had rallied as well and completed their ‘hold the line’ objective. Nowhere did the French reach the Spanish and in response a few of my line battalions formed into lines to try and respond with their own volleys… the Spanish were fighting hard and well ahead on VPs.

On turn 3, the British reserve brigade arrived on the Spanish right, Colborne’s 4 line infantry battalions and their 6 pdr guns, these pressed forwards to counter-attack and it looked like they might flank the French attack and threaten the guns on the knoll. I had 1 reserve infantry battalion to throw in their way.

That was, until the French light cavalry arrived, the full Vistula lancers regiment and 2 small hussar units rode in, in columns of march for speed but with a ‘well drilled’ special event, raced forwards and smoothly deployed into lines, ready to attack. The British were sitting ducks, no time to form square before the lances were lowered and the charge! sounded. In the French cavalry crashed, predictably, through the British in lines, winning both melees and causing a lot of disorder (they weren’t lucky enough to capture the colours though, but it was close).  As the British pulled back and rallied to save themselves, a quick rally on the professional and elite cavalry saw them back in good order again. Using a consecutive order (sometimes its worth taking the hit, for the gain), they charged again, into 2 different British battalions and again, it was carnage (well, the hussars just won, by dint of being better quality troops than line infantry). Still, 2 more melees won and the British had to rally again, the cavalry attacks had earned 10 VPs in a turn and the French had turned round the earlier Spanish lead on VPs.

On the right, after much difficulty, and another Spanish withering volley, two of my infantry columns finally charged. One was defeated and pushed back, the other, the doughty grenadiers won and pressed on victorious, the Spanish militia that had flayed them with repeated volleys now running for their lives.  

By the end of turn 5 it was very close, but the French had just broken the Spanish (a good ‘How Goes the Day’ rolled also helped). The Allied break point  was 20, the French had 22 VPs. The French break point was 20, the Allies had 20 VPs… so a very marginal win to the French.

The game had played out very close to the actual day, the French infantry attack floundered against unexpectedly tough Spanish resistance, but Colborne’s counter-attack had been shredded by the lancers and hussars… still, with a bit more luck or maybe just not bad roll at the end, it could have been different. Great fun. 

French guns are dragged up onto the southern knoll. Target rich environment ahead.

Vielande's brigade advance on the French right, confident of a swift victory.

Brayer's brigade in the centre, 6 battalions in attack column (have are 'bis' troops though).

Vielande's attack approaches the hillock, held by 2 Spanish militia battalions and 1 4 pdr gun.

French fire support.

The weak Allied left needs reinforcements, the reserve Navarre volunteers are on the march to their aid.

On the Allied right, Colbornes 4 battalions arrive at the march.

The French winning the skirmishing duel in the centre. But closing the gap into musket range hurts a lot, from the Irlanda and Patria battalions.

To counter the British counter-attack, the French cavalry, led by the mighty Vistula lancers, gallop on at top speed.

Well disciplined, they form line to attack. Hussars cover their right flank.

Back on the hillock, the Spanish militia have held out and driven back Veilande's columns with withering volleys.

The Irlanda battalion, disordered but fighting on and holding back the French columns as well.

Charge! The lancers go in, and tear Colborne's redcoats to shreds. A second charge saw all 4 British battalions withdrawing in disorder and needing several rally cards. Guard lancers (treated as here), are very good troops.

‘Das Heu Heilige’ - Soldiers of Napoleon scenario

I’m currently working a series of scenarios for SoN, all historical re-fights linked across a major battle, in this case Waterloo. Here, we tested out the La Haye St scenario, but with the Austrians defending it, so ‘Das Heu Heilige’ (maybe?).

It was a good scrap, the French in all out attack with the Grand Assault and Take a Strongpoint objectives, the Austrians defending with Hold the Line. The defender’s forces, with 3 heavy cavalry regiments in reserve had the better Breakpoint, and it looked a tough ask for the French, given the excellent troops holding the farm buildings, reinforced by riflemen (jaegers) and more feldjaegers in the nearby ‘sandpit’ quarry.

With such forward positioned units, the fight was on from turn 1, the French having reached the farm’s southern orchard and skirmish firing from both sides. The French manoeuvred to get the first charge in, taking fire, when a handy ‘Stalled’ event brought their plan to unleash the ‘Vive L’Empereur ‘ card on turn 1 to an end (phew!), the veteran light infantry in the farm held on, but after a ‘withering volley’ from the French lines outside, it took 2 rallies to keep them in the fight. In the process, they withdrew from the barn (far too hot), to the farm house. As per history, I send a landwehr battalion marching towards the farm to aid them… but they didn’t get that far (as per history).

The French cavalry came forwards in columns, at the quick, galloping hard and, in turn 2, before I had moved my landwehr, used a fierce charge event to thunder into and over them… the landwehr, caught in line, where ridden down and routed. Meanwhile, back the farm, more skirmish fire was exchanged and the rifle’s skirmishers were hurting the French again, but the return fire, from voltiguers that had reached the barn also forced the defenders to use a ‘stand firm’ event, they were still there, but no aid was coming. On an up-note, the Austrian gunners were having  field day, their fire broke one infantry battalion with repeated accurate bombardments, and the cuirassiers got a whiff of grapeshot too, blasting them, but they rallied, and lost 2 stands to regroup.

Turn 3, and it was no holds barred. The cuirassiers, rather than be caught again in front of the guns, charged them and cut down the gunners, in another fierce cavalry charge (sometimes you just get the right special event). The 1st Cuirassiers were running riot. My infantry were forced to form square as the second regiments moved up to threat and intimidate them. At the farm, the desperate stand of the defenders was coming to an end, too many French skirmishers were now surrounding them, and so, after a heroic effort they broke. The farm was now empty. The French were on top, well ahead in VPs. I need my cavalry now – bring up the heavies!

No, not yet, they were late, and so I had to endure a fifth turn without them. The French occupied the farm and could claim their ‘Take a Strongpoint’ objective, meanwhile the last of the 1st Cuirassiers swung away, circling the farm and attacked the riflemen in the sand pit from the flank. They scored a narrow win, by 1 point, and pushed the jaegers out of their cover, but skirmish fire from them would break the rampaging regiment in return, but the damage done. They had earned the French 9 VPs…

Finale of turn 5, and my heavy cavalry arrived, but too late to save the day. The capture of the farm strongpoint mean the French had amassed 22 VPs, equaling the Austrian breakpoint. A win. The Austrians had amassed 12 VPs, needing 18 to break the French, so a solid win for old Bony’s boys.

That was a pretty good recreation of the day's action, except the result. The key here is holding that farm and without reinforcements, those few (but tough) defenders are in trouble.  With hindsight, I should have sent more men to help, but with those very aggressive cuirassiers roaming about, it is risky to advance. The earlier arrival of my own ‘big boots’ would have helped swing things (maybe), but such are the vagaries of war… waiting for that cavalry adds a nice tension to the game for the defenders.

Shots of the action… 

The battlefield around the central farm

French skirmishers in the orchard south of the farm, facing Austrian skirmishers and attached jaegers

The Austrian left line the sunken lane's hedge.

Jaegers hold the sandpit quarry, having deployed their own skirmishers to aid at the farm.

Onward the cuirassiers! ... on the French far left.

The farm is becoming encircled by the many voltiguers

Having destroyed the landwehr battalion and artillery battery, the regrouped cuirassiers come under skirmish fire from the farms kitchen garden, more jaegers in the hedges.

Riflemen try to ho,d off the voltiguers by the felled tree roadblock.

The French take the orchard and cautiously advance on the barn, their objective. 

But, the French are in the barn and courtyard.

The Austrians heavies arrive, but too late this time. They can't retake the farm anyway.

The remnants of the 1st Cuirassiers (man of match to them), drive the jaegers out of the sand pit in a last gasp charge.

 

BATTLEGROUP: TORCH. CLASH ON THE THALA ROAD, TUNISIA, 1943

One of our occasional games in Tunisia using Battlegroup Torch, this time 800 pts per side in a Recce Screen scenario (for which I, the Germans, did not take enough recce). Set, vaguely, near the Thala Road as British armour fought to stop the advance of 10th Panzer Division out of the Kasserine Pass (towards Thala). Known as Gore Force, it included Valentines and Crusader tanks, against 10th Panzers III and IVs.

Lots of pics of this fight. The first 5 turns were the recce screen, something of issue for the Germans with their mere 2 recce units (Kradschutzen squad and SdKfz 222, both spotting for a off-table 80mm mortar battery), vs the Brit’s 5 (2 x Daimler armoured cars, sniper team, foot patrol and recce HQ in Dingo, spotting for off-table 25 pdr battery - ouch!). The recce battle was only ever going one way, as I lost my kradschutzen trying to prevent the British getting all the objectives early, and a handy mine-strike did for one Daimler as it moved to the central objective by the road (marked by a desert well). The 222 survived though, but was repeatedly pinned by incoming 25 pdr rounds at the farm. I gave up unpinning it until the army arrived. On Turn 6, it did, the first Panzer IIIs and supporting grenadiers in their half tracks, and the battle was on for real. The Brits had had the better of the chits in the recce phase though, so I was playing catch-up.

My plan was to go fast and hard at the objective on the ridge (to my right), take it quickly and hold it and prevent the British from having it. To this end the panzer grenadiers in the captured M3s would lead, with the tanks in support. That would be my main attack, with support to their left from more tanks, trying to get to the well objective and using their long guns here, including the tasty Pz IV F2 (and its unerring ability to mIss!). Behind woulD come the support stuff, FHQ, Luftwaffe forward air observer (come on the air attack chits, I was bound to get one right?), AA quad flak truck (on ambush fire against the RAF, resisting the temptation to use it for ground fire and get it killed, it is just a truck) and my supply truck waiting on reserve move for when the tanks ran low.

From the opposite corner the Brits would arrive, Valentines moving to their left to contest the ridge objective, crusaders and motor infantry platoon moving up the centre for the clash around the well. They had dedicated 25 pdr support, which I thought would hurt, but actually, repeated failed radio checks and some wild shooting, to miss the table, meant I got away lightly here, then my Stuka timed strike, by sheer good luck scored a direct hit on his observer in the Dingo. That was a Dingo in orbit then from a heavy bomb impact, and no more artillery spotter –fluke, but hey you take the smooth, because there is enough rough!.

My own mortars, spotted for by the handy 222 lurking at the farm, had that British ridge zero’d in and would harass it turn it after turn. Handy pinning was all that was required.

The attack on the ridge objective also went well, a timed 105 barrage pounded the ridge with harassing fire and by fluke (again) killed his sniper team holding the objective. My M3s (and 251s) pushed up fast, infantry piled out and took the objective, hiding amongst the rocks. They’d just hang tough, unable to harm the Valentines facing them, but they were distracted by the Pz IIIs in a gun battle that would not end. So, here we have two tanks that cannot hurt each other (much). 2 pdr guns bounced every hit. Short 50mm gun bounced off the Valentines front armour as well. Many hits, all for nothing. Clang, clang, clang… much ammo used. The Valentines also couldn’t easily shift the infantry, no HE shell and 1 MG.

In the centre, the British motor infantry moved a section up to take the well objective, but when they became pinned and their AT rifle team ran away (last man pinned), my third (reserve) grenadier squad raced up the road (reserve move again), then jumped out and assaulted them, wiping them out and taking the objective for me. Their MG team got the next British section (down in the scrub) head’s down too. The Germans were winning. Under attack, the British started to quick evacuate all those truck transports off the table.

That, of course, doesn’t last, things change. A Valentine finally scored a penetrating hit on a Pz III, first tank kill, and his second infantry platoon, on foot, was now closing in on the ridge objective, if under MG ambush fire from my grenadiers and their supporting transport, their pinning would keep the British counter attack struggling forwards for several turns. Taking a counter to remove that pinning resulted in an air attack counter, and the RAF did show up! Damn. A Hurribomber came buzzing in next turn, only to be shredded by quad 20mm flak rounds. Pinned and with 2 damage, only 1 point left, the Hurricane got a pasting. Quad on ambush fire, nice work!  The Hurricane would try 3 times to attack, getting pinned every time, be lucky not to get shot down and then give up and stay pinned. Too hot down there. I never took the counter for under air attack.

I also drew an air attack counter, hurrah for the air observation officer in his little 250. Then rolled a 1, so no Luftwaffe help… typical. Dice malfunction. Another Stuka would be so handy, and the British had no AA defence.

Oh well, we’d been at it for 3-4 hours and both side’s counter stacks were building, it was close. The Germans clung on their objectives, in the centre the panzers moved up, but one was hit by a Crusader and KO’d. One Valentine, pinned by HE fire, failed a morale test and the crew bailed, still no kills, but at least it was out of action. Another Valentine survived a second mine strike counter (man these things are tough). My tanks were low on ammo, mostly AP rounds although throwing HE to pin Valentines had become handy. The resupply track rumbled up as the first panzers fell back to meet it and rearm.

And that was about it… we had run out of time. The game had lasted all afternoon, but neither side had actual broken. We added up the numbers to see which side was closest to breaking. The Germans were, just. But (and this is something we did not realise mid-game), the Germans actual had all 3 objectives. A draw then? Slight German win on objectives?, but a fun fight. The tanks had really struggled against each other, and my veteran grenadiers had done great work in getting to those objectives and holding them. Good fun. 

Thala road, Germans moving on from the bottom, Brits from the top.

Kradschutzen moving up the road on a recce.

SdKfz 222 in support at the farm.

Daimlers of the Derbyshire Yeomanry lead the British recce force.

Foot patrol move into an olive grove, go on ambush fore, and get forgotten about.

Early timed Stuka strike, scores no hits, the Daimler it targeted was already dead from a stray mine.

Kradschutzen, on foot now, try to hold an objective.

25 pdr's open up on the farm.

First Pz IIIs move on.

Followed by panzer grenadier's half tracks.

Motor infantry platoon and supporting 6 pdr (dangerous gun in '43) deploy in the centre.

Grenadier squad takes the ridge top objective (marked with a KO'd gun).

Valentines move against them. Tough as old boots...

The F2 moved to cover the German left, if only it could hit a Crusader!

Flank covering force on the Thala rd. Ahead the Brits have the well objective. Not for long...

Used a heavy infantry gun, supporting direct HE fire from a captured 25 pdr. An ammo low counter saw it withdraw off the tabe. Not much in that limber then...

On ambush fire, bring on the RAF!

Pz III pinned by 2 pdr shells off the gun mantlet.

Ah, thr RAF is here... Hurribomber about to meet quad flak...

Attack up the road, and the Germans have the well objective too.

Rear echelon stuff, FHQ, air liaison officer's 250 and comms link armoured car.

British motor rifle platoon in trouble. Finally a Pz III got a Crusader.

The foot platoon try to attack the ridge, but 4 MGs on suppressing fire make it hard work getting anywhere.

The panzer grenadiers hold their end of the ridge.

More ammo please... supply half track moves up.

German counters... its 49 out of 54 BR

Brits, 39 out of 52.

Oh, give it up, even at under 10" these tanks can't score a killing hit. 
Good prolonged gun duel though...

SOLDIERS OF NAPOLEON, THE SUNKEN LANE

This was refight for a historical scenario, one of series of such that I’m working on and this was a play-test, to make sure I’m on the right lines with it and that they play as good, close games (not all historical battles make good wargames - in fact most don’t really). Here, I had to tweaked some aspects, including forces and timings and deployments (slightly), to try and make a more balanced scenario,

The game was a French attack against an Austrian defended position, along a hedge lined lane. Three French infantry brigades  would lead, with strong cavalry reserves in a cuirassier and light cavalry brigade, so 5 brigades in all. The Austrians would have a screening landwehr brigade out front, with a second landwehr brigade deployed behind to the left and a tough grenadier brigade deployed to the right rear, both with artillery close support. They also had a strong reserve of a cuirassier brigade waiting to arrive and counter-attack those advancing French infantry.

A simple set-up then, with French in all out attack and the Austrians defending.

We got the models on the tabletop, or waiting close by to arrive from reserve, and set-to with Turn 1. Drums beating, the French infantry began their advance. Here they come!

The cannons roared, his grand battery of guns behind doing damage to the grenadiers along their hedge, whilst my on table guns returned fire into the French lines. The screening Austrian landwehr, starting the game jittery and ready to run, advanced to use a handy ‘Withering Volleys’ and inflicted heavy damage on the first French battalions, but with no Rally card for Militia, one landwehr unit in the centre broke, the other only remained in place after the brigade commander rushed to join and inspire them. Out front and exposed, it seemed the screen would not last long… which turned out to be wrong.

The French advanced cautiously, with lots of skirmish fire, but two ‘Steady Lads’ cards kept the militia in the fight and volleying away, breaking a first French line, great work from what was only a delaying/harassing force. They then fell back to rally. The French advance had quiet reached halfway yet as turn 2 ended and the Austrians had a slight early lead in VPs gained.

Turn 3, and the French had rather stalled, bogged down with too much skirmish firing at the landwehr, who again withdrew and rallied, but it cost them casualties now, as the Disruption built-up. The landwehr then returned fire with another ‘withering volley’ that cut through the French. The screening job was all but done, time to try and save them if possible with withdraw moves. The screen had slowed the French right down and done a lot of damage too, sometimes even landwehr surprise you.

End of the turn and first reserves arrived, the Austrian cuirassiers. The French infantry had been hurt, so it was time to counter-attack. The cuirassiers used a lot of cards, moving up and through the grenadiers and the hedge and ‘at the quick’, closing in on the French infantry, before a ‘ride them down’ event saw one regiment charge and pummel an infantry battalion (already in disorder from various artillery and skirmish fire). The Frenchmen were butchered and routed, almost to a bloody massacre, even losing their colours (the eagle!) in the melee.

On the French far right, a far quieter area, the brigade got going at last, at the quick, maybe here they would fair better, with only landwehr to face and no charging heavy cavalry to counter-attack.  

Back on the French left, and the troubles came in battalions (regiments actually) and the Austrian cuirassiers rallied, reformed and charged again, smashing up a second infantry battalion, who fell back and also rallied, leaving their many dead behind. One aggressive cuirassier regiment had smashed up the left-hand French brigade. But all was not lost, the French reserve cavalry all arrived, and their own cuirassiers and lancers could now retort, as they galloped up to save the infantry.

The French cavalry rushed forwards at top speed and plunged through their own infantry, heedless of them, to get to grips with the Austrian horsemen that were doing too much damage. The blue cuirassiers charged and narrowly pushed back the whites, but it was a close fight. Both would Rally and reform to try again. The lancers met the other cuirassier regiment, in a counter-charge that saw the heavies just get the upper hand and drive them back, again over their own infantry, which was becoming a real mess. Into this swirling melee of men and horses came more cannon and skirmish fire and in the end phase another French infantry battalion broke… they had had enough of being ridden over by both sides.

That was it, the French attack had broken, sound the retreat, they must withdraw before the stolid Austrian defence and their heavy cavalry counter-attack (any similarity between this a famous part of a famous part is purely intentional).  A solid Austrian win. In light of the game I made some alterations to the scenario, and in the post-game brew and post-mortum the French decided they had made a few mistakes. Firstly, they should have been more aggressive against the landwehr screen, hit them with charges in turn 1 by moving faster, and not using so much skirmish fire, the cautious advance had been the wrong call - too slow (it also allowed the Austrians to easily claim their Hold the Line objective). The cards had favoured the Austrians, both well-timed ‘withering volleys’ had been horrid, and on turn 6 I used the ‘command confusion’ event and rolled a 6, striping 2 cards from the French, which again was a big factor in not being able to save his trampled infantry battalion. Still, the clash of heavy cavalry had been fun, call it draw there, but the white cuirassiers had broken 2 infantry battalions before then, so damage done.

Work on a series of historical refight scenarios continues apace. We'll test another one soon.  

Deployment, Austrians line the lane and hedge, with landwehr and skirmishers screening

French advance begins, in a strange formation (historical though), of lines, one behind the other. A lot of voltiguers out front.

More landwehr (Grenzer standing in) on the far left end of the line.

Heroics from the 7th Landwehr as their volleys pummel the French lines, and they steadily fallback. The brigade commander arrived to inspire them and keep them fighting. Very steady lads! Heroes of the day.

Ride them down! The white cuirassiers charge and break an infantry battalion.

Cuirassiers meet lancers and see them off, just. Note, all grey (Lipizzaner) horses, apt!

Cuirassiers clash sabre to sabre, and fight each other to a stalemate, but too late to save the French advance.