31 August 1813 – Battle of Laguna

Tactical map of battle area

2nd British army retreated to Laguna having lost the battle of Santa Maria
11th French pursue and attack them at Laguna

French army is commanded by Marshal Oudinot
British army is commanded by General Hill

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

French have 9 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (3800 men)
British have 6 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2500 men)

Table at start of battle

The game objectives are the three squares at the top of the photo
Hill on the left
Woods in the centre
Bridge on the right
The side who controls two of the three at the end of move 12 will be the winner

Both armies are deployed on the table at the start of the game

British army in and around the Laguna
CinC centre right has taken command of 4 and 5 corps cavalry
4 corps on the right either side of the river
5 corps in the centre in front of Laguna
6 corps on the left in front of the hill

French army nearest camera
CinC centre right has taken command of 31 and 32 corps cavalry
31 corps on the right either side of the river
32 corps in the centre in front of the hill
33 corps on the left in front of woods

End of move 2

French advance towards town
CinC deploy cavalry reserve centre right
31 corps halt and unlimber out of artillery range
32 corps halt and unlimber our of artillery range
33 corps cavalry lose melee and rout with 10% casualties

British cavalry charge French cavalry on the left
CinC deploy cavalry within charge range of French cavalry
4 corps wait for French to advance
5 corps artillery advance and fire on woods, no casualties
6 corps dragoons charge and rout French lancers

End of move 4

French lose battle
CinC cavalry lose melee and both brigades rout
31 corps artillery hit infantry brigade who retreat
32 corps artillery rout infantry brigade
33 corps routed lancer brigade fail to pass morale test

British win battle
CinC win cavalry melee and both brigades rally
4 corps one infantry brigade retreat with 20% casualties
5 corps one infantry brigade rout
6 corps cavalry force gunners to abandon guns

Summary
Oudinot was ordered to attack, even though his army had more casualties than the British. To do so he had to inflict cavalry or artillery casualties on the enemy, so that his brittle infantry could advance. However by the end of move 4 he had lost two cavalry melee, and all three brigades were in rout. The Westphalian gunners were forced to abandon their guns and seek shelter in a nearby square. So serious were his casualties that Hill, who only had to hold the three objectives to win, ordered his army to advance and attack.

The French have lost 10 infantry and 7 cavalry casualties (4700 men)
The British have lost 9 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (3800 men)
The French have three brigades in rout, the British have one

The British hold all three objectives and win the battle

31 August 1813 – North Spain – Day 6

French attack Laguna
10 French army – regroup at Quintana
11 French army – attack Laguna
12 French army – retreat to Cuellar

British win battle of Laguna
1 British army – regroup at Palencia
2 British army – defend Laguna 3 British army – occupy Coca
3 British army – occupy Coca

30 August 1813 – Battle of Coca

Tactical map of battle area

Wellington’s invasion of Burgos District has suffered a major set back
He has lost three of the four battles fought so far
His army have been forced to abandon the invasion and retreat into Valladolid District

The French defeated Picton at the battle of Cuellar two days ago
They now attack him at Coca as he regroups and resupplies his army

12th French army is commanded by Marshal Marmont
3rd British army is commanded by General Picton

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

French start the battle with 8 infantry, 2 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3500 men)
British start the battle with 9 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (3900 men)

Table at start of battle

The game objective are the three centre squares
Hill on the left
Town in the centre
Hill on the right
The side who controls two of the three at the end of move 12 will be the winner

British army is deployed on the table at the start of the game
CinC centre left between town and hill on the left
7 corps on and around hill on the right
8 corps in and around town in the centre
9 corps on and around hill on the left

French army is off table at the bottom
They will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French advance towards the centre
CinC has taken command of 35 and 36 corps cavalry
34 corps advance towards hill on the right
35 corps advance towards town in the centre
36 corps advance towards hill on the left

British react to the arrival of the French army
CinC advance cavalry reserve centre left
7 corps wait to see what the French will do
8 corps wait to see what French will do
9 corps advance infantry brigade on the left of the hill

End of move 4

French unlimber artillery
CinC observe with cavalry reserve centre left
34 corps advance to attack between town and hill on the right
35 corps artillery unlimber within range of town
36 corps artillery open fire on hill on the left

British cavalry reserve advance
CinC advance cavalry reserve to engage French cavalry
7 corps move artillery to centre of hill
8 corps move artillery to engage any attack on right half of town
9 corps observe French advance

End of move 6

French attack hill on the right
CinC lose cavalry melee, both brigades rout
34 corps attack hill on the right
35 corps artillery hit garrison of right half of town
36 corps artillery fire on hill on the left, no casualties

British win cavalry melee
CinC win cavalry melee, one brigade in rout the other shaken
7 corps redeploy artillery to centre of hill
8 corps garrison of right half of town pass morale test with 20% casualties
9 corps observe French advance

End of move 8

French lose battle for hill on the right
CinC rallies one cavalry brigade
34 corps attack on hill fails, three brigades in rout
35 corps advance to attack town
36 corps advance to attack hill on the left

British hold all three objectives
CinC fails to rally reserve cavalry
7 corps win battle for hill on the right, two brigades in rout
8 corps lose right half of town, three brigades in rout
9 corps hold hill on the left, one brigade in rout

End of move 10

French capture hill on the left
CinC deploy cavalry to charge guns in the centre
34 corps abandon attack on hill on the right
35 corps enter right half of town
36 corps occupy hill on the left

British hold two of the three objectives
CinC fails to rally cavalry reserve
7 corps hold hill on the right, cavalry rally
8 corps highland brigade counter attack right half of town
9 corps abandon hill on the left and retreat

End of move 12

French hold hill on the left
CinC loses battle for left half of town
34 corps cavalry charge and rout British hussars
35 corps lose battle for right half of town
36 corps secure hill on the left

British hold town and hill on the right
CinC fails to rally routed cavalry reserve
7 corps holds hill on the right
8 corps holds town in the centre
9 corps abandon hill on the left

Summary

The battle ends with a determined attack on the town led by Marshal Marmont
Three of the four French brigades are routed, and one of the two British brigades
At nightfall one shaken and one disordered British brigades hold the town
The British hold two of the three game objectives and win the battle

The French have lost 17 infantry 4 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (7300 men)
The British have lost 18 infantry and 7 cavalry casualties (7900 men)
There are 8 British and 6 French brigades in rout

30 August 1813 – North Spain – Day 5

French attack Coca
10 French army – occupy Quintana
11 French army – pursue British to Laguna
12 French army – attack Coca

British win battle of Coca
1 British army – rereat to Palencia
2 British army – retreat to Laguna
3 British army – defend Coca

29 August 1813 – Battle of Quintana

Tactical map of battle area

Their defeat at Picuerga has forced 1st British army to retreat to Quintana
10th French army follow up their victory, enter Valladolid district and attack them

10th French army is commanded by Marshal Soult
1st British army is commanded by Duke of Wellington

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

French have 6 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2500 casualties)
British have 4 infantry casualties (1600 casualties)

Table at start of battle

The game objective are the three centre squares

Hill on the left
Town in the centre
Woods on the right

The side who controls two of the three at the end of move 12 will be the winner

1st British army is deployed on the table at the start of the game
1 corps on the right in and around the woods
2 corps in the entre in and around the town of Quintana
3 corps on the left on the hill

10th French army is off table at the bottom
They will arrive on the table at the start of move 1


End of move 2

French arrive on table and advance towards the town
CinC is centre left, no troops under command
28 corps advance towards woods on the left
29 corps advance towards the town in the centre
30 corps advance towards hill on the left

British react to sighting French advance
CinC has taken command of half of 2 corps between town and woods
1 corps cavalry advance on the far right
2 corps wait to see French deployment
3 corps cavalry advance on far left

End of move 4

French advance
CinC move left to join 30 corps
28 corps artillery unlimber
29 corps artillery unlimber
30 corps artillery hit cavalry who rout

British first casualties
CinC wait for enemy to advance
1 corps cavalry withdraw out of artillery range
2 corps artillery advance and unlimber
3 corps cavalry rout with 10% casualties, then rally

End of move 6

French win cavalry melee and advance
CinC takes command of 30 corps infantry attack on hill
28 corps win cavalry melee
29 corps infantry attack town
30 corps infantry attack hill on the left

British react to losing cavalry melee
CinC cavalry routed when charging artillery
1 corps cavalry lose melee and rout
2 corps artillery redeploy to engage attack on town
3 corps cavalry rally and return on far left flank

End of move 8

French attack all three objectives
CinC rout enemy on hill, lose one brigade to right of hill
28 corps rout cavalry force artillery to retreat
29 corps rout cavalry and infantry to right of town
30 corps rout infantry on hill, lose melee to right of hill

British three brigades in rout, abandon hill on the left
CinC attempt to rally routed infantry and cavalry
1 corps withdraw cavalry and infantry from right of woods
2 corps retreat from area between woods and town
3 corps withdraw from hill on the left

End of move 10

French continue to attack the three objectives
CinC occupy right half of town
28 corps mass to attack woods on the right
29 corps move left to attack left half of town
30 corps occupy hill on the left

British continue to hold two objectives
CinC rally infantry and march to support 1 corps in woods
1 corps hold woods despite 10% casualties to artillery
2 corps hold left half of town, counter attack right half
3 corps counter attack hill on the left

End of move 12

French capture hill on the left and woods on the right and win the battle
CinC captures hill on the left
28 corps capture woods on the right
29 corps rout garrison of right half of town, but fail to take left half
30 corps support attack on the town

British hold town but lose woods and hiil
CinC supports 1 corps
1 corps lose battle for the woods on the right
2 corps lose melee in right half of town, but hold firm in left half
3 corps attempt to rally in front of woods on the left

Summary
The French control the hill on the left
They have captured half of town, but made no impression on the other half
They have secured the woods on the right
Being in control of two of the three game objectives they win the battle

The French have lost 14 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (5900 men)
The British have lost 21 infantry and 5 cavalry casualties (8900 men)

The French have 3 brigades in rout
The British have 8 brigades in rout

The French have won a convincing victory

29 August 1813 – North Spain – Day 4

French attack Quintana
10 French army – attack Quintana
11 French army – regroup and resupply at Burgos
12 French army – rally and regroup at Cuellar

British lose battle of Quintana
1 British army – defend Quintana
2 British army – regroup and resupply at Santa Maria
3 British army – retreat to Coca