7 August 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 6

 

Main French depot at Hellin – 30 days supplies

French attack Jean
No Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – retreat to Ubeda
14th French army – attack Jean
15th French army – resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – retreat to Linares
2nd Spanish army – battle of Jean
3rd Spanish army - resupply at Alcaudete

Guerrilla brigades have no opportunity to attack French convoys

6 August 1813 – Battle of Linares

Tactical map of battle area

13th French Army commanded by Marshal Suchet attack Linares
1st Spanish army commanded by General Giron defend Linares

French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades are detached to protect lines of supply
They have lost 4 infantry and 1 cavalry battle casualties (1700 men)

Spanish have 14 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
This includes the militia garrisons of Linares and Ubeda
They have lost 6 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery battle casualties (2600 men)

 

Table at start of battle

Spanish hold the three game objectives at the start of the battle
1 corps farm on the right
HQ and 2 corps small woods in the centre
3 corps large woods on the left
2 militia brigade are garrison of Linares
3 militia surprised by French advance and run for cover in large woods on left

French will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French arrive on table
CinC centre right has taken command of artillery from 37 and 38 corps
37 corps advance slowly over the hill on the right
38 corps advance between woods and farm in the centre
39 corps advance to the left of farm

Spanish react to French advance
CinC has taken command of two infantry brigades to the right of the road
1 corps advance to engage French as they advance beyond hill
2 corps artillery unlimber
3 corps artillery unlimber

3 militia reach safety of woods on the left

End of move 4

French infantry form column of attack
CinC move artillery to support 38 corps
37 corps advance over hill on the right
38 corps wait for artillery to deploy
39 corps artillery open fire on woods

Spanish artillery open fire
CinC artillery fire on French gunners
1 corps wait for French to attack
2 corps artillery fire on French gunners
3 corps infantry withdraw from left hand woods section

End of move 6

French attack woods
CinC split grand battery to engage Spanish HQ and 2 Corps
37 corps remain on hill observing 1 Spanish corps
38 corps blocked by CinC deployment
39 corps occupy forward section of woods

Spanish withdraw left and centre
CinC advance artillery to engage 38 French corps
1 corps advance to threaten centre
2 corps withdraw out of artillery range
3 corps 10% casualties on one brigade, retreat to rear half of woods

End of move 8

French attack woods on the left and centre
CinC infantry charge and rout gunners
37 corps outnumbered, pin 1 Spanish corps
38 corps cavalry rout Spanish lancers
39 corps occupy nearest woods section

Spanish retreat to keep out of range of French gunners
CinC gunners routed and abandon guns
1 corps wait for French to advance
2 corps lancers rout, then rally with 20% casualties
3 corps withdraw behind woods

End of move 10

French attack woods on the left and in the centre
CinC redeploy guns to engage farm on the right
37 corps continue to pin 1 Spanish corps
38 corps attack 2 Spanish corps
39 corps attack 3 Spanish corps

Spanish withdraw but keep control of all three game objectives
CinC withdraw to rear of woods in the centre
1 corps hold farm on the right
2 corps cavalry lose melee and rout, taking one infantry brigade with them
3 corps hold part of woods on the left

End of move 12

French continue to attack woods on the left and the centre
CinC artillery hit farm twice, but garrison continue to hold
37 corps continue to pin 1 Spanish corps
38 corps break Spanish centre
39 corps fail to take woods on the left

Spanish hold two objectives and dispute the third
CinC drive French out of woods in the centre
1 corps hold farm despite 20% casualties
2 corps break and rout
3 corps dispute woods on the left

Summary

On the right 37th French corps are too weak to attack
But pin 1st Spanish corps throughout the battle

In the centre the Spanish hold woods and farm

On the left 3rd Spanish corps hold three sections of the woods
They also continue to hold the fourth section

The Spanish hold two objectives and dispute the third
They win the battle

French have lost 3 infantry casualties (1200 men)
Spanish have lost 8 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (3400 men)

6 August 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 5

Main French depot at Hellin – 36 days supplies

French attack Linares
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – attack Linares
14th French army – regroup and resupply at Jodar
15th French army – rally, regroup and resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – defend Linares
2nd Spanish army – regroup and resupply at Jean
3rd Spanish army - rally, regroup and resupply at Alcaudete

14 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Mortalalla – fail and rout – guerrilla lose10%casualties
15 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Minateda – fail and retreat – no casualties

5 August 1813 – Battle of Alcaudete

Tactical map of battle area

15th French Army commanded by Marshal Augereau attack Alcaudete
3rd Spanish army commanded by General Del Parque defend Alcaudete

French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades are detached to protect lines of supply
They have lost 3 infantry and 1 cavalry battle casualties (1300 men)

Spanish have 13 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They have lost 7 infantry battle casualties (2800 men)

Table at start of battle

3rd Spanish Army is in position on the three game objectives
Hill on the left, woods in the centre, village on the right
CinC has taken command of the left half of 8th corps, plus 9th corps artillery

15th French Army will arrive at the bottom of the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French arrive on table and advance towards the town
CinC has taken command of the right half of 45th corps
43 corps advance into woods, they are outnumbered in infantry and cavalry
44 corps advance towards woods in the centre
45 corps advance to the left of CinC

Spanish observe arrival of the French Army
CinC unlimber artillery facing 45th Italian corps
7 corps wait for 43rd French corps to emerge from woods
8 corps unlimber artillery facing 44th Westphalian corps
9 corps deployed back from edge of hill to avoid artillery fire

End of move 4

French Westphalian gunners retreat shaken
CinC halt and unlimber artillery out of range of Spanish guns
43 corps charged by Spanish dragoons
44 corps lose 10% artillery casualties due to enemy fire and retreat shaken
45 corps deploy into column of attack

Spanish dragoons retreat shaken
CinC wait for enemy to come into artillery range
7 corps dragoons charge artillery, receive 10% casualties and retreat shaken
8 corps artillery cause 10% casualties to enemy gunners
9 corps wait behind ridge for enemy to attack

End of move 6

French prepare to retreat having lost 43rd and 44th corps artillery
CinC orders army to cease attack
43 corps shaken gunners fail morale and rout, taking nearby infantry with them
44 corps gunners receive 10% casualties, fail morale and rout
45 corps ordered to stop attack

Spanish hold all three game objectives and win battle
CinC orders army to prepare to attack French
7 corps prepare to attack French
8 corps prepare to attack French
9 corps prepare to attack French

Summary
The French start the battle outnumbered in infantry
To attack they must weaken at least one of the three Spanish corps
Two of their three corps artillery rout due to enemy artillery fire
One infantry brigade joins the rout
Outnumbered in infantry and artillery they call off the attack
Spanish prepare to attack, French order retreat.

French have lost 2 artillery casualties (200 men)
Spanish have lost 1 cavalry casualties (100 men)

5 August 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 4

Main French depot at Hellin – 48 days supplies

French attack Alcajudete
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – rally and resupply at Ubeda
14th French army – occupy Jodar
15th French army – attack Alcaudete

1st Spanish army – rally and resupply at Linares
2nd Spanish army – retreat to Jean
3rd Spanish army - defend Alcaudete

9 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Elche – capture 3 supplies – escort lose10%casualties

4 August 1813 – Battle of Jodar

Tactical map of battle area

The French have won the first two battles, at Ubeda in the north and Huelma in the south. They now attack Jodar in the centre before the Spanish can retreat.

14th French Army – 10 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
2nd Spanish Army – 13 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The three game objectives in the centre of the table are the bridge on the left, the woods in the centre and the village on the right. The winner will be the side which occupies two of the three at the end of the game.

The Spanish army are deployed on the three objectives at the start of the game
Two brigades of 6 corps are on the left bank of the river Guadalquivir
The rest of 6 corps are on the right bank under the command of general Elio
5th corps hold the centre, with one brigade in the woods
4th corps are on the right, with one brigade in the village

The French will enter the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French enter the table and advance towards Jodar
Marshal St Cyr has taken command of half of 42 corps
40 corps cavalry are detached to patrol the lines of supply
41 and 42 corps each have one brigade detached on garrison duty

French advance towards Jodar
CinC has taken command of cavalry, artillery and one brigade
40 corps delayed by moving through the woods on the right
41 corps delayed by marching over hill in the centre
42 corps advance on the left bank towards bridge

Spanish react to French advance
CinC wait for French to advance
4 corps advance cavalry and infantry to pin French as they emerge from woods
5 corps advance cavalry to pin French as t hey emerge from pass
6 corps wait for French to advance

End of move 4

French advance
CinC advance towards bridge
40 corps gunners fail morale, abandon guns and run into woods
41 corps advance towards woods
42 corps advance towards bridge

Spanish retreat towards Jodar
CinC withdraw level with north edge of woods
4 corps cavalry charge gunners, who run away
5 corps withdraw level with north edge of woods
6 corps withdraw level with CinC

End of move 6

French attack bridge on the left and woods in the centre
CinC advance towards bridge
40 corps square (far right) advance to force cavalry to withdraw
41 corps advance to left of woods, infantry enter woods
42 corps win melee and take left end of bridge

Spanish withdraw left and centre, advance on right
CinC infantry lose morale and rout
4 corps advance supported by cavalry
5 corps withdraw to rear of woods
6 corps lose melee and rout

End of move 8

French capture bridge on the left and woods in the centre
CinC advances towards town in support of 41 corps
40 corps artillery rout cavalry, remainder of corps hold woods
41 corps capture woods and pursue retreating Spanish
42 corps capture bridge and pursue retreating Spanish

Spanish retreat on left and centre hold right
CinC abandon bridge and retreat, one brigade in rout
4 corps cavalry rout, but remainder hold village on the right
5 corps abandon woods and retreat to town
6 corps rally but unable to deploy, continue to retreat

Summary
French have captured bridge on the left and woods in the centre
They are unable to advance against the village on the right

Spanish retreat on left and centre, and must abandon village on the right
There is no chance of the Spanish retaking either the bridge or woods in the centre

The French have therefore won this battle

French have lost 1 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (500 men)
Spanish have lost 5 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (2200 men)

4 August 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 3

Main French depot at Hellin – 60 days supplies

French attack Ubeda
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – occupy Ubeda
14th French army – attack Jodar
15th French army – rally and resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – retreat to Linares
2nd Spanish army – defend Jodar
3rd Spanish army - rally and resupply at Alcaudete

4 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Riopar – capture 6 supplies – escort lose10%casualties