Napoleonic Spanish Campaign Army

[thistlebarrow]

I have always found the Spanish Army to be the most difficult command in a campaign.   Historically they were a weak army, and in most wargames are set up to lose by poor combat and morale gradings.

I started my fictional 1813 campaign in order to provide good wargames, and this is particularly difficult when the Spanish are involved. 

Over the years I have developed the campaign rules to give them, or rather the player commanding them, at least a chance of holding their own on the wargames table.

I hope that my experience might prove useful to anyone considering fighting a campaign in the Iberian Peninsula.

I have just started a series of blogs dealing with the campaign rules and order of battle which I have found allows me to command the Spanish Army without the frustration of endless defeats.

I would stress that this is a wargame campaign, not a historical one.

You will find the introduction to the series here
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[vtsaogames]

One of the biggest problems that the Spanish had was that at the inception, their government was captured by the French. Current practice aims at enemy command and control. The French took it out before a shot was fired. No other nation in the Napoleonic wars had to start from such an unenviable position. The resistance was province by province by ad-hoc committees that sprang up. Supply and administration was decentralized and chaotic. Regular infantry and trained militia were good enough on a unit by unit basis, artillery was well-served but poorly equipped with animal transport; the sort of thing that a central government pays for better than regional committees. Spanish cavalry was, as it had been for a while, lackluster. Throw in heavy losses from a series of heavy defeats in the early years and many units weren't much better than the enthusiastic but poorly trained volunteer regiments that made up a large part of the order of battle. The fact that they didn't quit after all those beatings is  astonishing.

[thistlebarrow]

This week I explain how to set up the basic campaign.

Using my current campaign, which is set in Southern Spain, I illustrate the initial deployment and both French and Spanish objectives.   I also explain Spanish militia and guerrilla bands.

You will find the blog here 
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[thistlebarrow]

The French are stronger, have better morale and combat ability than the Spanish. If they can force the Spanish to fight in the open they will probably win.   However they have a major problem with resupply.

This week I explain how my simple supply rules recreate the historical strategic problems which forced the French to disperse to live and concentrate to fight.   I also explain why they have to detach infantry brigades to form garrisons along their line of march.

You will find the blog here 
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[Yuber Okami]

One of the biggest problems that the Spanish had was that at the inception, their government was captured by the French. Current practice aims at enemy command and control. The French took it out before a shot was fired. No other nation in the Napoleonic wars had to start from such an unenviable position. The resistance was province by province by ad-hoc committees that sprang up. Supply and administration was decentralized and chaotic. Regular infantry and trained militia were good enough on a unit by unit basis, artillery was well-served but poorly equipped with animal transport; the sort of thing that a central government pays for better than regional committees. Spanish cavalry was, as it had been for a while, lackluster. Throw in heavy losses from a series of heavy defeats in the early years and many units weren't much better than the enthusiastic but poorly trained volunteer regiments that made up a large part of the order of battle. The fact that they didn't quit after all those beatings is  astonishing.

Well, in fact Napoleonic Spain is a lot more complex (and dramatic) than most people think.

- First of all the kings: Charles the Third hadn't been a bad ruler (he surrendered during the Seven Years War before seeing the country destroyed, then retook most of what was lost during the American Revolution). He had a very talented son... who died during childhood. His successor was Charles IV, someone his father once told "Hijo mio pero que tonto eres" (my son you're such a moron) in front of the entire court, a somewhat useless king, whose rule was challenged by no other than his heir the future Ferdinand VII, who is considered the worst king of Spain. The prince made a small coup d'etat in order to depose his father (who, by the way, abdicated in Ferdinand). Napoleon used the disturbance to call the royal family to a meeting in France, where he threatened to kill them unless they gave him the spanish throne, something they did without a second thought. When a Spanish noble informed Napoleon than the spaniards would only swear him as king if he renounced to the throne of France, he made his (unwilling) brother king, which was accepted as king by the assembled upper staments. It was the plain people who revolted against the french, which made that most military units didn't join the initial revolt, thus loosing lots of strategically important places.

- There had been a terrible plague in the southern half of Spain just prior to the invasion, with something like a 20-30% kill ratio.

- The Spanish army had been a very good army UNTIL prime minister Godoy (the true ruler of Charles IV's Spain) took control of it. It seems that funds were diverted and the promotion system became a lot more corrupt that it used to be.

- Even so, the Spanish army still managed to defeat the French army in various pitched battles (el Bruc, Bailen, Alcañiz) making them retreat... until Napoleon appeard with the Grand Armee and kicked Spanish's butts up to Cadiz.

- Why Spain didn't concede defeat? in my opinion, because they were too proud (we have an empire!) and idiotic. Spain had a steam-based industry (they used spies to take copies of the steam engine plans, just like prussinas did) prior to the war, but it was systematically destroyed by first the french, then the british "allies". The prussians conceded defeat and emerged from the Napoleonic Wars as a major industrial power.

- Worst of it all: when the war ended, with a ravaged country in dire need of reconstruction, the (again crowned) king Ferdinand overthrow the constitution (sparkling more than half a century of civil wars) and then expelled out of the country any "afrancesados" (people who were fond of french culture, which at the time was probably the highest in the world): the result: 40.000 engineers, scientists, teachers and other people of high culture expelled from the country when they were mostly needed. You can still see the results nowadays.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

- Why Spain didn't concede defeat? in my opinion, because they were too proud (we have an empire!) and idiotic. Spain had a steam-based industry (they used spies to take copies of the steam engine plans, just like prussinas did) prior to the war, but it was systematically destroyed by first the french, then the british "allies". The prussians conceded defeat and emerged from the Napoleonic Wars as a major industrial power.

Most probably, it was because there were too many conflict of interests between the different factions that formed the Patriotic authorities to agree in any kind of surrender terms. That and fear to the reaction of the population. Don't forget that in June 1808, when the uprising actually spread through all Spain, those individuals that were considered excesively pro-French or simply Godoyists (Godoy' simpathizers) were lynched by the mob, as happened to the Capitán General of Andalucía, Solano, murdered by the mob in 1808.

[janner]

Good point Antonio.

I would only add that the División del Norte enjoyed a solid reputation until overwhelmed at Espinosa de los Monteros.

[vtsaogames]

Jose Zayas' division put in a performance at Albuera that was critical for the Allied victory - and is often overlooked. His division also covered the retreat of the Spanish army from Saguntum.

Thanks for the posts, you guys. I find this thread highly enlightening.

[huevans]

The difference might be that Napoleon only wished to exact land and $$$ from Austria and Prussia and make them subservient.

With Spain, he placed his brother on the throne and wished to make it virtually a part of France.

[thistlebarrow]

In our campaign each Spanish corps is weaker than a French corps.  The brigades have lower morale and inferior musket and skirmish ability.   In addition they can carry less supplies, and therefore cannot move as far or fast as the French.   So far they sound much like your normal Spanish wargame army.

However they do have a reserve or irregular army.   The militia and guerrilla bands do not come under the command of the Spanish CinC, but he can take advantage of them to strengthen his position.

You will find the blog here
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[huevans]

In our campaign each Spanish corps is weaker than a French corps.  The brigades have lower morale and inferior musket and skirmish ability.   In addition they can carry less supplies, and therefore cannot move as far or fast as the French.   So far they sound much like your normal Spanish wargame army.

However they do have a reserve or irregular army.   The militia and guerrilla bands do not come under the command of the Spanish CinC, but he can take advantage of them to strengthen his position.

You will find the blog here
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

I am wondering if it would be more interesting - and just as accurate - to give them equal musketry to the French; no ability to skirmish; no ability to change formation, once placed on the battlefield; bad C&C; but morale can vary massively from over the top brave to cowardly, depending on dice roll.

This reflects the fact that they are rookies. They can be very enthusiastic if their commander has just given them a rousing speech, or downhearted almost to panic at the first 2 or 3 artillery casualties.

Technically, they're awful. Commands are not passed promptly. They are not trained to maneuver and have no idea what skirmishing even is. But they can stand in a line, load and fire a musket. And fight like devils from time to time - sometimes when you least expect it!

[thistlebarrow]

Hi huevans.  Thanks for your comments.

Getting the balance right on the wargames table between poor quality Spanish troops and slightly better quality French troops is very difficult.   In our rules there are three grades for firing and skirmish.   A class is plus 1, B class is par and C class is minus 1.   Casualties are determined by rolling 1D6, with plus or minus 1 depending on class.   When skirmishing a brigade requires 5 or 6 to hit.   So casualties are difficult to achieve.  When there are casualties the brigade has to test morale.

Resulting morale throws are also decided on the roll of 1D6, with the same modifiers for class.   A total of 3.4,5 or 6  will pass test.  2 is shaken and 1 or less rout.   A routed brigade will cause any other brigade within 4” to also test morale.

With two poor quality brigades in combat (for example Spanish v Italian) it will be very difficult for either side to cause casualties to the other.  But when they do the result can be dramatic.  It is not unusual for two or three brigades to rout when one fails their morale.

With these type of rules giving that slight advantage to a French army is quite difficult.   Any dramatic change of the modifiers can have far reaching and unexpected results.

[thistlebarrow]

This week I deal with militia and guerrilla formations.

Used correctly these poor quality troops can make the difference between victory and defeat for the Spanish regular army.

This week I explain how they can be used and illustrate the deployment of both regular and irregular Spanish troops on day nine of the current campaign.

You will find the blog here
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[thistlebarrow]

When the French advance they have to establish supply depots to receive supplies.    To do so they have to detach a full strength infantry brigade to provide the garrison.   

Each Spanish held town has a militia garrison of a local infantry brigade.   When taken by the French they move to the nearest village and become a guerrilla band.

The main role of these guerrilla bands is to attack isolated French garrisons and supply convoys.

This week I explain how this works
http://napoleonicwargaming.blogspot.com/

[baxterj]

In my reading of the peninsular, one thing that seems to have consistently occurred was that the Spanish cavalry were just dire and were chased off by the French on every occasion. This left the Spanish foot and guns isolated, and it leaves a commander with little tactical options.