26 August 1813 – North Spain – Burgos Campaign

 

Map of Europe

There are five campaign areas in Europe
North Germany – French v Prussians
Central Germany – French v Russians
Southern Germany – French v Austrians
North Spain – French v British
South Spain – French v Spanish

This is the 22th campaign phase

Each star shows the location of a campaign phase
Burgos is the white star

Map of Spain

There are two campaign areas in Spain
North Spain – Fourth French and British Armies
South Spain – Fifth French and Spanish Armies

This is the ninth campaign to be fought in Spain

Burgos is the white star

Map of North Spain

There are three regions in North Spain
Oporto Region – British rear area
Madrid Region – campaign area
Barcelona Region – French rear area

This is the fifth campaign phase to be fought in North Spain

Each star shows the location of a campaign phase
Burgos is the white star

Map of Madrid Region

There are nine districts in Madrid Region

There have been 22 battles fought in this region
The French have won 23 and the British 9
Each star shows the location of a battle fought

Campaign Map

The Burgos campaign is fought between the cities of Valladolid and Burgos
The French Army of North Spain is deployed to the right of the district border
The British Army is deployed to the left of the district border
Each block represents one corps
The British objective is to take the city of Bugos

Typical British corps

Each corps has 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade and corps artillery

British Army – Duke of Wellington
1st British corps
2nd British corps
3rd British corps
4th British corps
5th British corps
6th British corps
7th British corps
8th British corps
9th British corps

British - 168000 infantry, 9000 cavalry, 270 guns

Typical French corps

Each corps has 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade and corps artillery

Fourth French Army of North Spain – Marshal Soult
28th Young Guard corps
29th French corps
30th Polish corps
31st French corps
32nd Westphalian corps
33rd Italian corps
34th French corps
35th French corps
36th Vistula corps

168000 infantry, 9000 cavalry, 270 guns

Campaign Diary

01 February 1813 - Austria, Britain, Prussia, Russia and Spain declared war on France
20 February 1813 - Anglo/Portuguese army operational in Oporto Region
27 February 1813 - Fourth French army operational in Burgos Region
22 March 1813 - Start of Valladolid campaign phase
29 March 1813 - British win Valladolid campaign phase
10 May 1813 - Start of Llanes campaign phase
19 May 1813 - British win Llanes campaign phase
25 June 1813 - Start of Talavera campaign phase
02 July 1813 – French win Talavera campaign phase
25 August 1813 – Start of Burgos campaign phase

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign. The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign
02 - Five campaign areas
40 - Introduction to the campaign in northern Spain
41 - Fourth French Army order of battle
42 - British Army order of battle
43 - Daily diary for the campaign in northern Spain
44 - Battle reports of all battles fought in northern Spain
45 - Summary of campaign in northern Spain

Summary of North Germany Campaign – 25 August 1813

 

Regional map of North Germany

There are three regions in North Germany
Osnabruck Region is the rear area for First French army
Their main depot is in Osnabruck
Brunswick Region is the rear area for the Prussian Army
Their main depot is in Berlin
Brunswick Region is the disputed area between them


Diary of North German Campaign
The French Grand Army was destroyed during the 1812 Russian campaign
Napoleon had to create a new army to fight the 1813 campaign

01 February 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France
01 February 1813 Formation of First French army in Osnabruck region
19 February 1813 First French army declared operational.
20 February 1813 Prussians invade Brunswick region
25 February 1813 Prussians occupied the city of Brunswick
26 February 1813 Napoleon advanced into the Brunswick region
28 February 1813 French occupy the city of Hannover
01 March 1813 Start of Brunswick campaign phase
08 March 1813 French win Brunswick campaign phase
12 April 1813 Start of Lubeck campaign phase
19 April 1813 French win Lubeck campaign phase
21 May 1813 Start of Goslar campaign phase
07 June 1813 Prussians win Goslar campaign phase
11 July 1813 Start of Wismar campaign phase
18 July 1813 French win Wismar campaign phase
19 August 1813 Start of Hildesheim campaign phase
25 August 1813 French win Hildesheim campaign phase

Reference
The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign.
The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign
02 - Five campaign areas
10 - Introduction to the campaign in Northern Germany
11 – 1st French Army order of battle
12 - Prussian Army order of battle
13 - Daily diary for the campaign in Northern Germany
14 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Northern Germany
15 - Summary of campaign in Northern Germany

25 August 1813 – North Germany – End of Hildesheim Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Blucher won four of the six battles fought
Napoleon won the other two, including the final one for Hildesheim
The Prussians retreated but held Harsum, Holle and Seesen all within Hildesheim District.

Both armies had suffered heavy casualties and were unable to continue the campaign
It would take at least a week to resupply, regroup and receive reinforcements
However the Prussians still held Hildesheim, the campaign objective
They therefore won the campaign.

The campaign started in May and ended in July 2025

Battles fought in Brunswick Region

This was the fifth campaign phase to be fought in Brunswick Region during the current campaign. The French won four and the Prussians one.

There were 30 battles fought during those five campaigns, the French won 15 and the Prussians also won 15.

25 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

 

The Prussians retreat to Hildesheim-Goslar border
1st Prussian army – retreat to Seesen
2nd Prussian army – retreat to Holle
3rd Prussian army – hold Harsum

The French hold Hildesheim and win the campaign
1st French army – regroup at Hildesheim
2nd French army – holld Springe
3rd French army – occupy Alfeld

24 August 1813 – Battle of Hildesheim

 

Tactical map of battle area

The city of Hildesheim is the administrative centre of Hildesheim military district.
It is also the main supply depot for the French army.

2nd Prussian army, commanded by General Bulow, attack Hildesheim
They have12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 4 infantry casualties (1600 men)

1st French army, commanded by Emperor Napoleon, defend Hildesheim
They have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 6 infantry, 2 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (2800 men)

There are three game objectives

Hill at the top
Road junction in the centre
Farm at the bottom

The French occupy all three objectives at the start of the battle


The army which occupies at least two of the objectives at the end of the game is the winner.

Table at start of battle

French are deployed on the three game objectives
On the right 1st corps occupy the hill
In the centre 2nd corps occupy the woods
On the left 3rd corps occupy the farm
The army who occupies at least two of these objectives at the end of the game wins

The Prussians are not on the table at the start of the game
They will arrive at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French observe Prussian arrival
CinC commands cavalry from 1st and 2nd corps centre right
1 corps artillery advance to engage Prussian advance
2 corps observe Prussian arrival
3 corps observe Prussian arrival

Prussian arrive on table and advance towards objectives
CinC has taken command of 4th and 5th corps cavalry centre right
4 corps advance towards hill on the right
5 corps advance towards woods in the centre
6 corps advance towards farm on the left

End of move 4

French observe Prussian advance
CinC observe
1 corps artillery withdraw
2 corps observe
3 corps observe

Prussian cavalry advance
CinC advance cavalry into charge range
4 corps artillery force French gunners to withdraw
5 corps infantry advance through village
6 corps infantry advance on hill

End of move 6

French guard infantry rout then rally
CinC win cavalry melee, then charge guns
1 corps infantry and artillery rout, then rally
2 corps artillery advance to deter attack on woods
3 corps withdraw to rear of farm

Prussian cavalry lose melee and rout
CinC charge Prussian cavalry, lose melee, both brigades rout
4 corps advance towards hill, capture abandoned guns
5 corps form square, gunners run to squares
6 corps advance towards farm

End of move 8

French still hold all three objectives
CinC reserve cavalry withdraw, one in rout one shaken
1 corps artillery and one brigade rally and return to support hill
2 corps hold centre
3 corps garrison farm

Prussian advance to attack farm and hill
CinC rally routed cavalry reserve
4 corps advance on hill and to the right
5 corps unable to advance due to enemy artillery
6 corps redeploy to attack farm

End of move 10

French retreat on hill and farm
CinC both cavalry brigades in rout
1 corps lose melee on hill and retreat
2 corps hold centre but taking heavy casualties
3 corps retreat from farm

Prussian attack all three objectives
CinC reserve cavalry force gunners to abandon guns in centre
4 corps win melee on hill
5 corps advance to attack woods in centre
6 corps win infantry melee, prepare to attack farm on the left

End of move 12

French hold two of the three game objectives
CinC attempts to rally broken centre
1 corps counter attack ridge and win melee
2 corps lose woods and road junction
3 corps counter attack farm and win melee

Prussian hold one of the three game objectives
CinC pursue retreating enemy in centre
4 corps lose melee on hill and rout
5 corps win melee and secure woods and road junction
6 corps lose melee and rout from farm

Summary

The French firmly hold the farm on the left and the hill on the right
The Prussians hold the centre, including the woods and road junction
Having held two of the three game objectives the French have won the battle

The French have lost 15 infantry, 4 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (6600 men)
The Prussians have lost 11 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (4500 men)

There are 7 French brigades in rout
The Prussians have 4 brigades in rout

24 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

 

The Prussians attack Hildesheim
1st Prussian army – occupy Alfeld
2nd Prussian army – attack Hildesheim
3rd Prussian army – regroup Harsum

The French retreat

1st French army – defend Hildesheim
2nd French army – regroup at Springe
3rd French army – retreat to the west

23 August 1813 – Battle of Alfeld

 

Tactical map of battle area

On 20 August the Prussians defeated the French at the battle of Seesen
The French retreated to Alfeld and the Prussians entered the city of Seesen
Both armies have regrouped and the Prussians now attack Alfeld

1st Prussian army, commanded by Marshal Blucher, attack Alfeld
They have12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 3 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (1200 men)

3rd French army, commanded by Marshal Murart, defend Alfeld
They have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 5 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2100 men)

Table at start of batt

The French are deployed on the three game objectives at the start of the game

CinC has taken command of 7 and 8 corps cavalry between the road and the woods
9 corps hold the fortified farm on the left
8 corps hold the road junction in the centre
7 corps hold the woods on the right

The army who holds two at the end of 12 moves is the winner

The Prussians will arrive on the bottom of the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French react to arrival of Prussian army
CinC observe centre right
7 corps moves into woods on the right
8 corps observe in the centre
9 corps observe on the left

Prussian army arrive on table
CinC has taken command of 1 and 2 corps artillery
1 corps advance on the right
2 corps advance in the centre
3 corps advance on the left

End of move 4

French wait for Prussians to advance into artillery range
CinC observe with reserve cavalry centre right
7 corps support front of woods
8 corps observe centre left
9 corps occupy farm on the left

Prussian deploy out of artillery range
CinC deploy grand battery centre right
1 corps advance towards woods on the right
2 corps halt out of artillery range
3 corps advance towards farm on the left

End of move 6

French reserve cavalry charge grand battery
CinC reserve cavalry charge guns, one brigade shaken
7 corps one brigade lose infantry melee and rout
8 corpshold centre and observe
9 corps withdraw to rear of fortified farm

Prussian attack farm and woods
CinC gunners on right evade to square, on left halt cavalry charge
1 corps rout infantry brigade in the centre of woods
2 corps await outcome of cavalry charge on guns
3 corps enter farm on the left

End of move 8

French centre shaken
CinC both cavalry brigades in rout
7 corps fight continues for woods on the right
8 corps artillery routed
9 corps withdraw behind fortified farm

Prussian attack all three objectives
CinC advance centre right, but one battery shaken
1 corps attack woods on the right
2 corps advance in the centre
3 corps enter farm on the left

End of move 10

French fighting continues on three objectives
CinC fails to rally reserve cavalry
7 corps fighting continues in woods on the right
8 corps fighting continues on road junction in centre
9 corps fighting continues in farm on the left

Prussian press home their attack on three objectives
CinC advance with grand battery centre right
1 corps capture one woods section on the right
2 corps infantry melee in centre
3 corps infantry melee in farm on the left

End of move 12

French retreat
CinC fails to rally reserve cavalry at Alfeld
7 corps retreat and abandon woods on the right
8 corps retreat and abandon road junction in the centre
9 corps retreat and abandon farm on the left

Prussian take three objectives and win battle
CinC advance with grand battery centre right
1 corps occupy woods on the right
2 corps occupy road junction in the centre
3 corps occupy farm on the left

Summary

The Prussians have taken all three objectives and have therefore won the battle
The French have lost 16 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (6600 men)
The Prussians have lost 7 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3000 men)
The French have 6 brigades in rout, the Prussians have 2 brigades in rout.