14 June 1813 – Battle of Merida

Tactical map of battle area

Merida is the main Spanish depot and the campaign objective

It is held and defended by 3^rd Spanish army

14^th French army have orders to take and hold Merida 

 

14^th French Army – 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

3^rd Spanish Army – 12 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The Spanish army are deployed on the table at the start of the game

General Giron has taken command of half of 4^th corps between the town and the river

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

End of move 2

French army enter table

Left - 42^nd Polish corps halt out of artillery range

Centre left - Marshal Saint-Cyr has taken command of half of the Polish infantry plus Polish and French artillery

 

Centre right - 40^th French corps halt out of artillery range

 

Right - 41^st Baden corps infantry halt, artillery advance into range, cavalry are on the right bank of the river.

End of move 4

Left – Poles do not advance, they are happy to pin 5^th Spanish corps on hill

 

Centre left – French reserve artillery unlimber at close range to city

 

Centre right – 40^th corps advance towards city

 

Right - Spanish cavalry charge Baden artillery as they deploy

Cavalry suffer 20% casualties, are shaken and fail to charge home

 

End of move 6

Left – Polish lancers charge guns, receive casualties, fail their morale and rout

 

Centre left – Merida garrison retreat into city to avoid close range artillery

French reserve guns now masked, infantry swing left to attack Spanish held hill

Centre Right – Spanish lancers charge artillery, receive casualties and rout

French dragoons charge and rout Spanish gunners, supporting infantry join rout

 

Right – Baden cavalry charge artillery, receive casualties and rout

Spanish infantry immediately move to cross the bridge to support defence of city

End of move 8

Left  - French reserve infantry win melee and rout two Spanish brigades

 

Centre – Spanish garrison retreat to northern half of Merida

French infantry enter abandoned southern half of the city

 

Right – Spanish infantry make great efforts to hold bridge

One brigade fights two rounds of melee with French dragoons

Second brigade route two Baden infantry brigades

Infantry cross river to support defence of city

Artillery support infantry defending bridge from right bank

End of move 10

Left – Two Polish brigades prepare to attack hill held by last Spanish brigade

 

Centre – 40^th French corps have occupied southern half of Merida

They are about to attack the northern half held by two Spanish brigades

French reserve artillery moving between city and hill to support infantry attack

 

Left – 4^th Spanish corps have defeated and routed 41^st Baden corps

End of move 12

White star – combat

Yellow star – Spanish brigade in rout

Blue star – French brigade in rout

 

Left – Most of 5 Spanish corps is in rout

But the remaining brigade had just routed 2 French brigades in firefight

Spanish hold the left wing

 

Centre – French CinC has just routed limbered Spanish artillery

40^th French corps, supported by two artillery brigades, is fighting for Merida

However 6^th Spanish corps still hold half of the city

 

Right – 4^th Spanish corps have routed 41^st Baden corps

The remaining two Spanish infantry brigades are moving to support the city

Their artillery continues to fire on the fleeing Baden infantry

Summary

Despite huge casualties the Spanish win the battle

At nightfall they still hold half of the city

They also hold both flanks

 

The Polish and Baden corps are both in rout

However the French corps are still strong in the centre

But they have failed to take the city

 

The French have lost 13 infantry and 5 cavalry casualties (5700 men)

The Spanish have lost 17 infantry, 2 cavalry and 5 artillery casualties (7500 men)

 

The French have 8 brigades in rout

The Spanish have 10 brigades in rout

14 June 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 6

Siege of Adjucen day 2

14^th French army attack Merida

 

In the north 38^th and 39^th French corps move closer to Santa Amalia to resupply

1^st guerrilla attack Bargas, garrison rout with 20%, supplies lost

2^nd guerrilla attack convoy to Tomjos, lose 10% and rout, supplies delivered

 

In the centre 14^th French army attack Merida

3^rd guerrilla attack Toledo, fail and retreat with casualties

4^th guerrilla attack convoy near Albareal, lose 10% and rout, supplies delivered

 

In the south 15^th French army rally, regroup and resupply after battle of Calamonte

3^rd Spanish army regroup in and around Calamonte

6^th  guerrilla attack Guadamur, fail and rout with 10% casualties

13 June 1813 – Battle of Calamonte

 

Tactical map of battle area

15^th French army have orders to attack Calamonte

3^rd Spanish army have orders to defend the town

Both armies start the game with light casualties

 

 

43^rd French Army – 9 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

3^rd Spanish Army – 12 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The Spanish army is on the table at the start of the game

CinC has placed two infantry brigades in the town

He has taken command of the militia brigade and placed it at the far left

 

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

End of move 2

Left – 45^th Italian corps advance to the left of the hill

9^th Spanish corps swing to their right to fire on them

 

Centre – 43^rd French corps infantry advance through the pass

The CinC has taken command of their cavalry, artillery and one infantry brigade

He advances to the right of the corps

7^th Spanish corps wait for them to enter artillery range

 

Right – 44^th Westphalian corps advance to the right of the farm, lancers on their left

8^th Spanish corps artillery open fire, but no casualties

End of move 4

Left – 45^th Italian corps swing right to engage 9^th Spanish corps

Their cavalry observe the Spanish reserve cavalry

 

Centre - 43^rd French corps and army reserve all advance towards the town

7^th Spanish corps artillery hit leading infantry brigade, who pass their morale test

Spanish withdraw towards the town

 

Right – 44^th Westphalian corps advance, artillery unlimber

Cavalry move onto hill to threaten Spanish artillery

Spanish gunners fire on infantry, but no hits.

End of move 6

Left – Cavalry melee draw, 10% casualties each side

Italian infantry charge artillery, shaken with 10% casualties

Spanish infantry counter attack and rout leading brigade into supporting brigade

Italian artillery rout infantry brigade

 

Centre – Reserve artillery charge and rout Spanish gunners

Supporting infantry brigade fail morale and join rout

43^rd French corps advance towards town

 

Right – Westphalian lancers charge and rout gunners, despite 30% casualties

Supporting infantry brigade fail morale and join rout

Westphalian artillery and infantry advance in pursuit

End of move 8

Left – 45^th Italian corps fail and rout

Spanish have also lost three brigades, but continue to hold barn and artillery support

 

Centre – 7^th Spanish corps concentrate in and around the town

43^rd French corps advance to attack Calamonte

 

Right – 8^th Spanish corps attempt to retreat towards town

But they are hard pressed by 44^th Westphalian corps

End of move 10

Left – Italian corps in rout, less artillery which is moving to support the centre attack

9^th Spanish corps have three brigades in rout, the remainder are moving to support the town

 

Centre – 43^rd French corps have lost their cavalry, but their artillery open fire on town at  short range.   The infantry are in position to attack if the garrison are shaken.

7^th Spanish corps have lost three brigades, but still hold the town firmly

 

Right – 44^th Westphalian infantry have to deploy to attack Spanish infantry.  They win the melee, but lose valuable time.   

End of move 12

Left -  Spanish CinC has rallied one infantry brigade and one corps artillery

Italian artillery is approaching town, but too late to join battle.

 

Centre – French artillery fire on garrison at short range and inflict 10% casualties

However infantry pass morale test.   All available Spanish infantry now concentrated around the town.   Garrison still stand firm.

 

Right – Westphalians have finally broken 8^th Spanish corps, but it is too late for them to get close to the town before nightfall.

Summary

The Spanish have put up a determined defence and delayed both 44^th and 45^th corps long enough to prevent them getting close to the town.   In doing so they have suffered heavy casualties and lost two of their three corps artillery (the third was rallied during move 12 by the Spanish CinC).

The French have also suffered heavy casualties, especially their cavalry.   Two of the three brigades are routed and the third is shaken with 30% casualties.   45^th corps have broken and run, except for their artillery who have attempted to join the battle for the town.

Only in the centre have the French managed to attack the town.   43^rd corps artillery opened fire at close range on move 10, they also caused the garrison some casualties.  But it was not enough to weaken the defenders morale, and the French infantry soon found themselves outnumbered as surviving infantry brigades of 8^th and 9^th corps joined 7^th corps in the town.

The French have lost 5 infantry and 5 cavalry casualties (2500 men)

The Spanish have lost 9 infantry, 3 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (4100 men)

The Spanish have 8 brigades in rout, the French have 5 brigades.

13 June 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 5

Siege of Adjucen day 1

15^th French army attack Calamonte

 

In the north 37^th French corps start siege of Adjucen

1 and 3 Spanish corps retreat off map and leave campaign

Lines of supply restored by recapture of Bargas

 

In the centre 2^nd Spanish army rally and regroup after the battle of San Pedro.

14^th French Army move into position to attack Merida

 

In the south 15^th French army attack Calamonte

12 June 1813 – Battle of Adjucen

 

Tactical map of battle area

13^th French army have orders to attack Adjucen

Three infantry and one cavalry brigades are detached

They have casualties to three brigades

 

1^st Spanish army have orders to defend Adjucen

One infantry brigade is garrison of Adjucen

Remainder of army are all present

They have casualties to four brigades 

 

13^th French Army – 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

1^st Spanish Army – 12 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The Spanish are all on the table at the start of the game

Spanish CinC has taken command of the two infantry brigades in Adjucen

The French will arrive at the start of move 1

End of move 2

Left – 39^th Polish corps is moving over the hill on the right

Their artillery has been deployed on their right to avoid the hill

Spanish have withdrawn their artillery nearer to the farm

 

Centre – 37^th Young Guard corps have moved onto the table

But the infantry and cavalry have halted out of range of the Spanish 12 pdr guns

Their own artillery has advanced within range of the Spanish

Spanish artillery have opened fire on the gunners, but no hits

 

Right – 38^th French corps has entered the table.

They also have halted their infantry out of range of the Spanish 12 pdr guns

Their own 6pdr guns have advanced within range, but must move much closer to fire

End of move 4

Left – 39^th Polish corps cross the hill

3^rd Spanish corps wait for them to move into artillery range

 

Centre – French CinC takes command of 37^th and 39^th corps artillery plus one infantry brigade.   His intention is to concentrate artillery fire to support 37^th corps

The Young Guard wait out of artillery range for their guns to weaken 1^st Spanish corps.

 

Right – 38^th French corps artillery open fire, infantry wait out of artillery range

2^nd Spanish corps infantry withdraw out of artillery range.

End of move 6

Left – Polish infantry receive casualties as they advance, but pass morale test

Polish cavalry outflank Spanish artillery, who retreat to infantry support

 

Centre – Spanish artillery retreat to infantry supports

Young Guard and reserve artillery advance

 

Right – 38^th French corps advance, artillery exchange fire with Spanish gunners

End of move 8

Left - Polish corps advance, cavalry force Spanish gunners into square

Without artillery support 3^rd Spanish corps retreat towards town

 

Centre – French artillery rout Spanish dragoons, nearby gunners join rout]

Without artillery support 1^st Spanish corps retreat towards town

 

Left – 2^nd Spanish corps is still strong, and can hold 38^th French crops

However as 37^th Young Guard move towards hill they also retreat towards town

 

 

Summary

The loss of the Spanish centre, and two of their three corps artillery, is critical

General Giron is aware that he cannot hope to hold the French advance

He orders a withdrawal to Adjucen

 

Marshal Suchet orders his army to pursue the retreating Spanish

However he cannot hope to take the town with just four hours/moves to night

He is content to allow the Spanish to retreat confident that they will not be able to recover to fight a second day

 

The French have lost 1 infantry casualty (400 men)

The Spanish have lost 1 cavalry casualty (100 men)

They also have one cavalry brigade and one corps artillery in rout