NAPOLEONIC - 2nd Salamanca or The River Tormes 12 November 1812

[bill5549]

I was away this weekend at the Manor House hotel at Lundin Links  in Fife for a large scale 28mm Napoleonic game. It was played by 10 gamers from AB1 group, largely members of the SESWC,  over 2 days and was a hypothetical battle set during Wellington’s retreat from Burgos and Madrid in November 1812.   The rules used were Black Powder with the revised turn sequence. It was great fun with masses of troops.


View from North end of table with initial deployments.  Most French and 40% of allies still of table.

We fielded 132 infantry battalions, 36 cavalry regiments and 50 guns - an approximate total of 4,000 figures.  The table was 27ft long by 6ft wide.

My original idea was to refight Salamanca but as we had missed the 200th anniversary I came up with this hypothetical scenario set near Salamanca in November 1812.  It is a what might have been battle.  It assumes that the combined French armies facing Wellington army decided to adopt the aggressive plan of Marshal Jourdan rather than the  historic distant flanking movement of Marshal Soult which forced Wellington to retreat to Cuidad Rodrigo without accepting battle.

There is a report on my blog of how the game played at
http://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/


Veteran Poles prepare to attack on right flank

I have added a separate page to the blog with all the background, player briefings, OB, deployment limits and map of the table game.  

More photos and descriptions at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157631714986602/

The British had 12 brigades deployed on the table at the beginning of the game split equally across its 3 quarters.  They had a further 6 brigades in local reserve with a distant reserve of 2 more brigades under Wellington’s direct command.  

The French had 20 Brigades in their initial strike force with 6 on each flank and 4 in each of the centre commands.  Some of these brigades began on table and the others could be attempted to be ordered on one per turn per table quarter.  The French had a further 7 brigades in  a general reserve with 2 allocated behind each flank and 3 to the centre.

View at end day 1 play from French centre left - Clausel developing attack - Spanish will attack in the centre right on next day.

In the end I declared the game a draw on the day but the British considered that it was a winning draw on their side.  That might be the fairer result.  The main French attacks had been held and they had not taken any of their objectives.  The Allied counter-attack in the centre had stalled and the French still held a considerable numerical advantage especially on the flanks.

[Anderson Collection]

Great  looking set up and an impressive amount of figures on the table

[Paddy649]

Awesome!

[kenohhkc]

Revised turn sequence? Please inform.

[bill5549]

MODIFIED SEQUENCE OF PLAY

This comes from the WSS “& Blenheim” rule modifications by Ian Hopping available on the Yahoo BP Forum. We have used this revised turn sequence in numbers of AWI and Napoleonic games and it seems to work well.
It prevents the often complained issue of units making double or treble moves and firing at their enemy at short range when the enemy has not been able to fire. It also importantly gives unit’s a chance to exploit the effect of their shooting by charging units that may have become shaken or disordered.
This version is my extended text of the original.

Initiative Phase
Declare and undertake initiative movement – there is no change to the basic rules for this.
All moving units to be marked as having moved this turn. (They cannot move again in Command Phase).
Reactions - Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ at the end of the initiative. Units evading are moved at the end of the initiative moves. Counterchargers move to meet their chargers as usual.

Firing Phase
Moving player carries out firing as per the rules.
All firing units to be marked as having fired this turn (for modified Command Penalty).

Command Phase
Give orders and move as per the Command phase of the rules.
There is an additional command penalty:
“-1 if fired this turn”
Any units charged may deliver ‘Closing Fire’ if they have not fired before in this turn.

Melee Phase
Conduct Melees as per rules

[Engel]

Great looking game.

[ady2650]

looks ace

[Fugazi]

Wow, I love big games with so many figures on the table!
Good idea with the 2nd Salamanca scenario ... I think I have to steal your idea ... someday ... 

[bill5549]

Thanks for the positive comments.  Happy for anyone to use the scenario.  It was a very possible what if action.   

On the 24th of November we are refighting Lutzen 1813 - approx 100 btn, 30 regts and 40+ guns - as a big 1 day game.  Look out for my review of that action.