Battle of San Marcial - Move 8

Table at start of move 8

French have taken the centre and right hand hills

British and Spanish still hold left hand hill and Irun

French left

4^th French division have taken the left hand hill

The whole 4^th Spanish division is in rout

French Centre

3^rd French division have taken San Marcial hill

Fleeing Spanish are disrupting British reserve

French Right

1^st French division (right) have broken Spanish outside Irun

2^nd French division (left) are attacking along the hill towards Irun

Allied Left

2^nd Spanish Division still hold Irun, but remainder of division is in rout

Allied Centre

3^rd Spanish division in full rout from San Marcial hill

1^st British division trying to hold despite the Spanish rout

Allied Right

4^th Spanish division in full rout

Table at end of Move 8

The French have gained all the hills, and pushed past Irun

1^st British division holding on and will cover the Spanish retreat

Summary

Wellington is holding the main position with three Spanish divisions, and he has one British division in reserve. In 1813 he held the line with the Spanish alone.

For this game we have increased the morale value of the Spanish, but left their firing and skirmish value at class C. One quarter of the French army is of a similar low quality.

This is one of the few battles fought by infantry and artillery, the ground was not suitable for cavalry.

The Spanish were deployed behind the crest, with only their artillery visible to the enemy. So their gunners came under counter battery fire from the start, and the French gunners proved very lucky with their dice throw.

The Spanish infantry were easily out skirmished, and once one brigade broke the remainder soon followed.

The British reserve division held the line at Irun, but the battle was lost in the centre on on the allied right.

In retrospect I would increase the Spanish skirmish capacity to help them hold their own, but that would not be very historically correct.

British casualties were 3 infantry and 1 gunner

Spanish casualties were 21 infantry and 7 gunners

French casualties were 8 infantry and no gunners

Battle of San Marcial - Move 7

Table at start of move 7

French have taken the centre and right hand hills

British and Spanish still hold left hand hill and Irun

French left

4^th French division have taken the left hand hill

The whole 4^th Spanish division is in rout

French Centre

3^rd French division have taken San Marcial hill

There are two Spanish infantry brigades attempting to stop the French

French Right

On the right 1^st French division have broken the Spanish to the right of Irun

The Spanish still hold the town of Irun

1^st British division have arrived on the hill beside Irun in support of the Spanish

British Reserve

1^st British division are in contact with the French on the left hand hill

Their artillery, in the valley to the right, have been shaken by French artillery fire

Game Notes

The Spanish are breaking all along the hill line

Irun is still held by the Spanish, and the British are in support

The battle is lost, but Wellington is still hanging on

Battle of San Marcial - Move 6

Table at start of move 6

French infantry skirmish on hills

Two our of four Spanish artillery are shaken (yellow markers)

French left

One French brigade has routed (red marker)

Remaining infantry are clearing the hill

Spanish infantry are either shaken or in rout

French Centre

Spanish infantry in rout on San Marcial hill

Reserve infantry move forward to counter attack

No target for French artillery as Spanish guns withdrawn from crest of hill

French Right

Two French brigades in skirmish with Spanish artillery and infantry

Remaining two brigades hold back because of Spanish on hill

2nd French division (left) have missed their turn once more due to Poor Card

British Reserve

1^st British division move on to hill and deploy either side to support Irun

Game Notes

The Spanish divisions are all shaken, and some brigades in rout

The French artillery are all screened by their own infantry

Corps commanders are using all of their command points to press home the French attack

The Poor Card has caused 2^nd French division to miss its turn again

Battle of San Marcial - Move 5

Table at start of move 5

Four French divisions skirmish with Spanish

The British reserve division moves to support Irun

French left

French artillery win counter battery fire

Spanish manhandle artillery back from edge of hill

French infantry lose skirmish and rout

French Centre

French win counter battery exchange

Spanish guns withdrawn shaken

French infantry charge hill and rout Spanish infantry

French Right

French infantry skirmish with artillery and infantry at Irun

French infantry receive artillery fire, but hold their position

British infantry arrive in support of Spanish on hill

British Reserve

1^st British division move to support Irun.

Game Notes

French artillery are winning the counter battery fire

Infantry on both sides skirmish, and both have their success and failure

British reserve arrive to support the Spanish at Irun.

The Poor Card is drawn too late to affect this move

Battle of San Marcial - Move 4

Table at start of move 4

Four French divisions take casualties from the Spanish artillery

The British reserve division has moved onto the near hill in the centre

French left

4^th French division take more casualties as they approach the hill

French artillery fire on Spanish guns, but they concentrate on the infantry

French Centre

Spanish artillery fire on French gunners, but miss

3^rd French division reach foot of San Marcial hill

1^st British division move to the right towards Irun

French Right

In the centre 2^nd French division miss their move due to the Poor Card

On the right 1^st French division march towards Irun

At the back the British reserve division is moving to support Irun

Game Notes

The French take casualties as they near the Spanish held hills

The Poor Card has prevented the Spanish centre firing on the approaching French

The British reserve division has been committed to support Irun

Battle of San Marcial - Move 3

Table at start of move 3

Four French divisions near the Spanish held hills

The British reserve division has moved onto the near hill in the centre

French left

4^th French division take casualties as they approach the hill

Only the Spanish artillery are in sight at the front of the hill

French Centre

3^rd Spanish division miss their turn again due to Poor Card

1^st British division are on the hill behind San Marcial

2^nd and 3^rd French divisions mass their artillery against San Marcial

French Right

1^st and 2^nd French divisions move on Irun

Spanish infantry on the hill have retreated closer to the town

Spanish reserve infantry are moving forward to support the artillery

Game Notes

Davout is moving two divisions towards Irun

Davout has also concentrated two of his guns to support the attack on San Marcial

3^rd Spanish division has missed their turn three times due to the Poor Card

Battle of San Marcial - Move 2

Table at start of move 2

Four French divisions advance towards hills

Three Spanish divisions deployed along the hills

One British division in reserve

French left

4^th French division move towards hill and deploy

4^th Spanish division artillery fire (7) on approaching infantry and miss

French Centre

3^rd Spanish division miss their turn due to Poor Card

1^st British division advance on to hill behind San Marcial

3^rd French division deploy artillery on right and infantry on left

French Right

2^nd Spanish division move infantry on hill back towards Irun

Manhandle guns forward and advance reserve infantry

2^nd French division deploy artillery on left and infantry on right

1^st French division advance towards Irun

Game Notes

Davout is moving two divisions towards Irun

Wellington has moved his reserve onto the hill behind San Marcial

3^rd Spanish division has missed their turn twice due to the Poor Card

We used our house rules to fight the game

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of San Marcial - Move 1

Table at start of move 1

Four French divisions advance towards hills

Three Spanish divisions deployed along the hills

One British division in reserve

French left

4^th French division move towards hill, they are still out of artillery range

French Centre

2^nd and 3^rd French divisions deploy advance, they are sill out of artillery range

Spanish brigade on right hand hill move back towards Irun

French Right

2^nd Spanish division move infantry on hill back towards Irun

2^nd French division advance towards valley between hills

1^st French division advance towards Irun

Game Notes

All four French divisions advance towards the Spanish position

The Spanish artillery is silent because the French are out of range

The Spanish brigade on the hill in front of Irun withdraw towards the town