Battle of Sorauren - Move 12

Table at the start of move 12

On the left Sorauren is still firmly held by Wellington
In the centre Cole’s Ridge has fallen to the French
On the right the French are unable to catch the retreating Spanish

British Left

Hill holds Sorauren firmly
Skirmish fight continues, but both hold
British cavalry now formed behind Portuguese square

British Right

Morillo’s infantry retreat in square
Behind them the Spanish cavalry start to rally

French Left

Reille’s infantry secure the hill on the right
His cavalry, supported by the rest of the infantry, follow the Spanish retreat

French Right

Both sides suffer in the skirmish fight
One French brigade is shaken
One British brigade has routed
But the British continue to hold Sorauren

French Centre

French lancers charge the routed British infantry and gunners and wipe them out.

Cole’s Ridge is now firmly in French hands

British Centre

Cole has just one unbroken infantry brigade
They skirmish with the French on the ridge, but to no effect

Table at the end of Move 12

Summary

Cole was given a difficult task to hold the ridge for three moves, before allied reinforcements started to arrive. He managed to do so, despite his command being widely dispersed.

Hill managed to hold Sorauren right to the end of the battle. He managed to rally his battered cavalry, and they would be available to cover the retreat

Morillo halted his Spanish behind Cole’s British infantry on the hill. As soon as the British were broken he started to retreat his infantry in squares to hold off the enemy cavalry

Wellington lost more casualties than Davout, and the result was a clear French victory. But it was not an Allied rout

British casualties were 22 infantry, 5 cavalry and 8 gunners
French casualties were 8 infantry, 3 cavalry and no gunners

Battle of Sorauren - Move 11

Table at the start of move 11

Hill holds Sorauren on the left
Clausel is on Cole’s Ridge in the centre
Spanish infantry hold in square on the right

British Centre

French infantry have routed Portuguese on the left
British guard brigade have routed French infantry on the right
Cole is bringing up the highland brigade far left

French Right

Skirmish fight continues, with both sides losing casualties
The British garrison of Sorauren holds on, though now shaken
French gunners have returned to their guns.

British Right

Morillo’s infantry forced into square by the French hussars
The British brigade on the hill continues to exchange fire with the approaching French

French Left

Artillery fire on Spanish square but no casualties
The French infantry win the skirmish fight on the hill on the right
The nearby Spanish infantry pass their morale despite the British rout

French Centre

British guard brigade have routed one French infantry brigade, but are now charged by the French lancers. Already disordered, the British now break and run.

Lancers clear Cole’s Ridge

The French lancers charge the elite guard brigade on Cole’s Ridge.

The infantry are disorganized after their infantry melee, and are soon broken by the cavalry.

British Left

Both sides suffer casualties in the skirmish fight on the right
Portuguese infantry on the left form square
British cavalry rally behind the square


Game Notes
Wellington continues to hold, despite the loss of his cavalry and artillery
He has lost Cole’s Ridge in the centre, but holds grimly to both flanks
Just one more move and then nightfall

Battle of Sorauren - Move 10

Table at the start of move 10

The crisis of the battle has arrived
Davout is ready to press his attack

Wellington has lost most of his gunners to the safety of an infantry square

British Left

Hill orders his cavalry to charge the French gunners, who evade to a nearby square
He then moves to the right of Sorauren and orders two brigades to advance

French Left

Reille’s artillery fire but miss the Spanish cavalry
He sends his hussars forward to engage them

His infantry advance on the hill and skirmish with the British brigade

British Centre

British gunners fire canister on the approaching infantry, but miss
Cole orders his hussars to charge the French lancers.
Lancers counter charge, win melee and rout hussars

Cavalry melee

The hussars are rated as poor, but the French lancers have casualties
The lancers pass their morale to counter charge
Both sides are even in the melee, but the hussars roll two ones!
Hussars take one casualty and rout

British Right

Morillo orders his cavalry to charge the French hussars
The hussars win the melee and rout the Spanish cavalry
All of the Spanish infantry are in square.
The square on the right also contains the Spanish gunners

French Right

d’Erlon must drive off the British cavalry before he can continue his attack on Sorauren
His gunners have retreated to the nearby square
He orders his battered cavalry to charge the British dragoons
The French win the melee and rout the dragoons
The infantry to the left of the town skirmish, but without much effect

French Centre

Davout orders Clausel to attack the ridge
Three infantry brigades storm the ridge
Two brigades engage and rout the Portuguese brigade
The gunners retreat to the nearby square as the third brigade approaches
The square is a guard brigade, and they hold their own against the French column

Game Notes
The French have had considerable success during this move.
The allied cavalry are all in rout
The Spanish corps is pinned in square
French infantry are on Cole’s ridge
Wellington must survive two more moves until nightfall

Battle of Sorauren - Move 9

Table at the start of move 9

The battle is now joined along the whole front.
Wellington is holding his ground and is ready to go onto the offensive
Yellow markers indicate French brigades who are shaken

French Left

Reille has formed one brigade in square to protect his gunners.
The Spanish cavalry have charged, but were held by the French hussars
His infantry are now once more advancing

French Centre

Clausel is pleased that his two shaken brigades have rallied
The British hussars still pose a threat, causing his gunners to remain in the infantry square

French Right

d’Erlon is causing casualties in Sorauren with his artillery
His infantry are now within skirmish range of the town, but the British hold their own
British cavalry and infantry to the right of the town have advanced

British Left

Hill now has a garrison in Sorauren
On the left his Portuguese brigade moves forward supported by the heavy cavalry
Cole is marching his highland brigade off to the right

British Centre

Wellington has joined Cole as the French infantry nears the ridge
On the left the Portuguese and French exchange ineffective skirmish fire
British gunners are now manning the guns but are being threatened by French infantry

British Right

Morillo has withdrawn his shaken cavalry to the safety of his infantry squares.
Cole’s infantry on the hill must now meet the French columns on their own

Game Notes

The French have rallied their shaken brigades, and are now ready to continue their attack.

Wellington is firmly deployed and should be able to hold the ridge and town.

Battle of Sorauren - Move 8

Table at the start of move 8

Wellington is in Sorauren supervising the exchange of two brigades.The earlier garrison was supplied by Cole, and is being replaced by one of Hill’s brigades

French Left

Reille is dominating the area with his cavalry and artillery, whilst his infantry move up in support

French Centre

Clausel has two shaken brigades, one cavalry and one infantry. Having lost the cavalry melee he has had to withdraw his gunners to the safety of an infantry square. A lot will depend on whether his shaken brigades can make their morale next move

French Right

d’Erlon is pouring effective artillery fire into Sorauren
His infantry are moving forward in column of attack

British Left

Cole is claiming his brigade to support his ridge
Hill now provides the garrison of Sorauren

British Centre

Cole has taken advantage of the French disorder to move his gunners back to their guns.
He has also formed column of attack with his British brigade

British Right

Morillo has formed his infantry clear of the pass, but they are unable to advance to support the hill due to the French cavalry and artillery.


Game Notes

The French are not performing as well as expected. Their artillery is proving ineffective, and their cavalry have lost both melee they have engaged in. Two brigades are shaken, and if they lose their morale and rout it could well have a serious knock on effect.

Wellington has now sorted out his corps boundries and is ready to receive the French attack. If the French should rout, he is well placed to go onto the offensive.

Battle of Sorauren - Move 7

Table at the start of move 7

Davout has deployed his army into attack columns
Wellington’s whole army has now arrived and it taking position.

French Left

Reille has ordered his hussars to charge the Spanish artillery, forcing them to take shelter in the nearby infantry square.

French Centre

Clausel has ordered his lancers within charge range of the enemy gunners.
They fire and miss, then abandon their guns for the safety of an infantry square
French infantry approach Cole’s Ridge

French Right

d’Erlon’s artillery fire on the British cavalry and force them to retire
Davout orders d’Erlon to engage Sorauren
French cavalry have rallied, but still have heavy casaulties

British Left

Hill has deployed either side of SoraurenHe sends one of his infantry brigades into the village to relieve the highland brigade

British Centre

Cole has ordered his hussars forward to engage the enemy lancers
He has had to form square with his British brigade to protect his gunners from the lancers
Only his Portuguese brigade is still in line, to hold the ridge against the French attack

British Right

The Spanish gunners have also abandoned their guns and are sheltering in the square
Morillo is attempting to deploy his infantry behind the cavalry screen.

Game Notes

The French cavalry have risked casualties to threaten the enemy artillery, forcing them to abandon their guns. The infantry can now attack without having to risk canister fire as they approach the allied line.

Wellington has sent his cavalry forward to engage the French, but they in turn now risk enemy artillery fire as they approach.

Battle of Sorauren - Move 6

Table at the start of move 6

Davout deploys his army

Hill arrives on the left, Morillo on the right

French Left

Reille manhandles his artillery within range of the Spanish cavalry

His infantry have climbed the hill to the right of Pamplona road

French Centre

Clausel is taking a lot of casualties as he approaches Cole’s Ridge

The French artillery are unable to reply as there are no targets within range

French Right

d’Erlon’s artillery fire on the British cavalry but miss

His infantry are unable to advance whilst the cavalry can charge them in flank

Hill takes advantage to deploy his infantry either side of Sorauren.

Game Notes

Allied artillery, both British and Spanish, are proving very effective and have caused casualties each time they have fired.

French artillery less accurate, even though within canister range of Sorauren. They have failed to cause any casualties at all.

Battle of Sorauren - Move 5

Table at the start of move 5

Davout deploys his army

Hill arrives on the left, Morillo on the right

French Left

Reille must take the small hill, so that he can prevent the Spanish from advancing through the pass behind.

French Centre

The British artillery on Cole’s Ridge have caused casualties on the French cavalry

Davout has joined Clausel to direct the attack on the ridge

French Right

d’Erlon orders his cavalry to charge the limbered enemy artillery, who are all destroyed

His artillery have opened fire on Sorauren in preparation for the infantry attack

Allied Left

Hill’s infantry are taking position between Sorauren and Cole’s Ridge

His cavalry have counter charged the enemy cavalry and routed them

Allied Centre

Cole has concentrated his division around the ridge

His artillery are inflicting casualties on the enemy cavalry

Allied Right

Morillo’s orders have been changed to Engage, so that he can more aggressively deploy his column north of the pass

Game Notes

The French cavalry declared an Opportunity Charge on the limbered British artillery, who failed their morale to evade and were cut down. The nearby British cavalry then charged the disordered and stationary French cavalry and routed them.