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Friday, February 21, 2020

23 October 1813 – Battle of Corunna

Tactical map of battle area
Despite his defeat at Lugo Wellington orders a counter attack on Corunna
He wants to disrupt the French and prevent them attacking Santiago.

French – 32000 infantry, 1800 cavalry, 60 guns
Russian – 32000 infantry, 1900 cavalry, 60 guns
Table at start of battle
All troops are on the table at the start of the game
The British are on engage orders
The French are on hold orders
5 Spanish militia brigade (bottom right) is not part of the game
In the campaign they have orders to move to farm top right
They will do so if they can, and will only fight if attacked
Move 1 : 0800-0900
British and Spanish advance

French wait to see where British will attack
Soult takes command of 7th corps artillery
Move 2 : 0900-1000
British and Spanish continue to advance
Wellington takes command of 2nd hussars and moves to centre
Move 3 : 1000-1100
British continue to advance
1st dragoons receive 10% casualties, fail morale and are shaken

16th Italian corps infantry deploy into line
Artillery hit British dragoons who are shaken
Italian hussars advance to charge shaken dragoons
Move 4 : 1100-1200
2nd British corps infantry skirmish with garrison, inflict 10% casualties
2nd British corps artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

1st British corps infantry continue to advance through woods in centre
1st British dragoons lose melee and rout with 40% casualties

Wellington moves 2nd hussars to right to cover loss of dragoon brigade

Italian hussars charge and rout shaken British dragoons
Italian artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

Suchet moves artillery forward to engage infantry attacking Corunna
Move 5 : 1200-1300
2nd British corps press home their attack on the eastern half of Corunna
Artillery continue to fire on garrison, but no casualties
A second brigade is sent forward to join the skirmish
However the deployment of artillery under Marshal Soult prevents the second division joining the attack

1st British corps clear the woods and advance on the French centre
Their artillery fire on infantry, but no casualties

Wellington arrives with the hussar brigade to support 1st corps

7th corps send an infantry brigade forward to support the garrison of Corunna
They exchange fire with the leading brigade and inflict 10% casualties
The British pass fail their morale test and are shaken

Soult deploys his artillery to engage any infantry who approach Corunna

16th corps artillery fire on Portuguese brigade in square, but no casualties
Their hussar brigade rally and return to their own lines
Centre brigade moves forward and engages in firefight with leading enemy brigade
They win the firefight and rout the British with 20% casualties

Conclusion
Even at this early stage of the battle Wellington admits defeat
He has lost his dragoon brigade and one of 1st corps brigades
They now have only two brigades to attack four French brigades

By moving his hussar brigade to the right flank he has left the left unsupported
2nd corps have no answer to the artillery about to engage their attack on the town
The same artillery prevents their remaining two brigades from supporting the attack

It is clear to Wellington that the odds have moved in favour of the French
To continue the attack risks the loss of half of his army
He orders 1st and 2nd corps to break contact and retreat

The French have lost 800 casualties
The British have lost 1400 casualties and two brigades in rout


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