Battle of Vitoria - Move 6

Table at the start of move 6

Morillo has completed his deployment facing the Puebla Heights

d’Erlon is now under orders to engage the Spanish.

His artillery are deployed on the ridge and his infantry moving towards Morillo

Picton’s infantry have climbed Arinez hill, but his cavalry are now out of command range and within range of the guns on Puebla Heights

Alten’s infantry are about to climb the west slope of the hill in support of Picton

Gazan has withdrawn his shaken gunners behind his infantry, who are now formed in column of attack to meet Picton’s infantry

Graham has taken up position just east of the river facing Gamara

Reille’s reinforcements are starting to arrive at Gamara.

Morillo has managed to form his infantry in a line facing Puebla Heights

D’Erlon orders his artillery to fire on the British cavalry, who are protecting the Spanish left flank. Both batteries fire, both miss.

Wellington takes command on the British cavalry and orders them to retreat out of artillery range of the Puebla Heights. In doing so, be moves them into range of the battery in Areniz village. They fire on the cavalry, inflicting casualties and causing them to become Shaken.

Behind them Picton’s infantry have charged the French infantry on the hill, forcing them to rout.

Gazan’s entire command on Arinez hill are now in rout, but he still holds Arinez village.

Alten’s light infantry climb Arinez hill from the west and open fire on the broken French infantry. The whole rout, taking the shaken gunners with them. The gunners behind the hill in Arinez have also been shaken by the rout.

Gazan has lost Arinez hill, and the village is in danger of being overrun.

Graham has deployed his infantry to face Gamara, and now awaits his fate

Reille extends his position at Gamara, and deploys his second battery to cover his left flank facing Areniz hill.

All of the French infantry and gunners on Arinez hill are broken and in rout.

In the village the second battery are also shaken, due to the rout

Gazan will have a short respite as Picton and Alten must disengage their infantry before they can continue the advance.

Game Notes

When a brigade loses its morale and routs, any supporting brigade (within 8”) must also test their morale. This only applies in the first round of rout, in subsequent rounds the rout avoids friendly troops, and they ignore it.

Most at risk are supporting troops behind a routed unit. When a brigade fails its morale and routs, it moves 6” directly away from the cause of the rout. If this move takes it into supports directly behind, they are disordered and find it difficult to make their morale. In these circumstances it is not unusual for one rout to have a “knock on” effect.