Battle of the Nive - Move 12

Table at start of move 12

Left top – Alten is moving his division to take position below the woods

Left centre – Howard has been delayed again by the Poor Card

Right top – British have abandoned the hill, but French too weak to take advantage

Right bottom – Clinton is ready to attack, but still waiting for orders

British left

British cavalry and artillery advance to the left of Archanques

Alten is deploying his division between the town and the river

British right

Colville has replaced the garrison with his Portuguese brigade

Clinton is moving forward between the hill and the river

French right

Villate has taken the woods, but is too weak to advance further

Maransin is still attacking Archanques

Despite heavy casualties the British riflemen continue to hold the town

French left

Abbe continues to skirmish in Villafranque

Darricau has cleared the hill, but his division is falling apart and in rout

Game Notes

At the end of the game neither side had achieved a convincing victory.

The French had taken Arcanques woods, but not the town. On the opposite side of the river Villafranque was still in dispute, but the French had more reserves than the British.

The two forward British divisions had held disputed both Archanques and Villafranque against odds of two to one. The two reserve divisions were delayed, Clinton by the river and Howard by the Poor Commander card. But as night fell they were in position and ready to attack.

The French attack had failed to take the two towns, which was their objective. But they had inflicted heavy casualties on the divisions of Alten and Colville.

British casualties 17 infantry and 4 cavalry.

French casualties 12 infantry 7 cavalry

Result a draw

Battle of the Nive - Move 11

Table at start of move 11

Left top – Alten has orders to take up a new position to the right of Arcanques

Left centre – Howard has been delayed by both the French cavalry and the Poor Card

Right top – Highlanders hold the town, but infantry and gunners rout on hill

Right bottom – Clinton is waiting for new orders from Wellington

British left

Wellington has joined Howard to sort out the redeployment around Archanques

French right

Villate has taken the woods

Maransin is attacking Archanques

Despite heavy casualties the British riflemen continue to hold the town

French left

The French are taking heavy casualties

Two infantry brigades are in rout and a further three are shaken

Abbe continues to fight to take Villafranque

Darricau has taken too many casualties to advance any further

Game Notes

Both armies have taken heavy casualties, and have lost brigades due to poor morale

At this stage any loss of morale can have a dramatic effect

If one brigade routs, any supports within 4” must also test morale.

When most brigades have at least one casualty, this can lead to further routs

The rules used can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of the Nive - Move 10

Table at start of move 10

Left top – Wellington has ordered Alten to withdraw from the woods

Left centre – Poor card prevented Howard from moving his division

Right top – French are close to taking Villafranque and nearby hill

Right bottom – Clinton is moving his division forward again

British left

Riflemen hold Arcanques despite heavy casualties

Howard’s division fails to move due to the Poor Card

Arcanques Woods

The British have withdrawn from the woods due to heavy casualties

French infantry are entering the abandoned woods

British right

Clinton has changed his orders to Halt and is reforming his division

British infantry and gunners are routing from Villafranque hill.

Fighting in Villafranque

Colville still holds the village with his highlanders

He has lost the nearby hill and his first brigade is in rout

Only the Portuguese infantry and British hussars remain

French right

Abbe has taken the woods and his artillery is firing on Arcanques

Maransin is also firing on the town, and his infantry skirmishing with the garrison

French left

The French have taken a hammering, but at last taken the hill

Abbe is still fighting for Villafranque and gaining the upper hand

Darricau has cleared the hill, but is unable to advance any further due to casualties

Game Notes

Cards are drawn to determine which division moves next.

Amongst the cards is one Poor Card

When this is drawn the next Poor Commander must miss his turn

There are two Poor Commanders, one British and one French

Rule 3 covers Poor Commanders

The rules used can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of the Nive - Move 9

Table at start of move 9

Left top – Riflemen retreat from edge of woods due to heavy casualties

Left centre – French cavalry have forced 2^nd division to halt and form square

Right top – French close in on Villafranque hill

Right bottom – French dragoons rout from British squares

British left

Riflemen are starting to withdraw from the woods due to heavy casualties

Howard’s division push on towards the woods

British artillery redeploy to cover left flank

British right

Clinton forms column of attack and is ready to advance

British dragoons are shaken having received artillery casualties

Villafranque hill and village are about to be over run by the French

Fighting in Villafranque

1^st British brigade have routed due to heavy casualties

The highland brigade which replaced them have also taken casualties

Artillery are being withdrawn on the nearby hill

French right

As the riflemen retire from the woods, French infantry advance again

Maransin continues his advance towards Arcanques

Arcanques Woods

The riflemen are withdrawing from the woods due to heavy casualties

A line brigade is moving into the woods to replace them

Three French brigades are about to attack the woods

French left

The French cavalry have taken heavy casualties and fall back in disorder

French infantry from both divisions attack the hill

On the right Darricau is outflanking the hill and advancing towards the bridge

Game Notes

The British reinforcements on both sides of the river have been delayed by the French cavalry success. The cavalry are now a spent force, but they have gained precious time for their infantry and artillery to over run the British forward positions are Arcanques and Villafranque.

The forward British divisions have orders to Hold, and must counter attack if they are driven back. Wellington must now order both divisions to withdraw slightly to allow time for the reinforcements to arrive. If he can achieve this without too many casualties he may yet win the day.

Rule 4 explains the limitations of the difference types of corps orders

The rules used can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of the Nive - Move 8

Table at start of move 8

Left top – Riflemen holding their own in the woods, but have received heavy casualties

Left centre – French cavalry have forced 2^nd division to halt and form square

Right top – British artillery has started to withdraw from Villafranque hill

Right bottom – French dragoons pursuit have caused Clinton to halt and form square

British left

Riflemen are starting to withdraw from the woods due to heavy casualties

Half of Howards division is in square, the remainder push on towards the woods

French dragoons have retreated out of artillery range

British right

British hussars have rallied behind the squares of Clinton’s division

British squares have routed the French dragoons

Garrision replaced in Villafranque by a fresh highland brigade

Fighting in Villafranque

1^st British brigade have suffered heavy casualties

They have been replaced by the highland brigade

Artillery are being withdrawn on the nearby hill

French right

Villate has given up his attempt to take the woods and changed his orders to Halt

Maransin has withdrawn his dragoons, but continues his advance towards Arcanques

Arcanques woods

With heavy casualties the riflemen withdraw from the edge the woods

The second British brigade in support of the riflemen have also withdrawn

With heavy casualties of his own, Abbe has changed his orders from Attack to Halt

French left

The French advance has forced the British artillery to withdraw from the hill

Abbe continues to fight for Villafranqe and the hill

On the right Darricau is outflanking the hill and advancing towards the bridge

Game Notes

British reinforcements on both sides of the river have been forced to halt and form square, by the failure of their cavalry to hold the enemy horsemen.

The French dragoons on the Villafranque side of the river have pursued the defeated hussars too far, and find themselves surrounded by British squares. They receive heavy casualties and return to their own line in rout

On the far side of the river the French cavalry have been more controlled, rally rather than pursue the defeated enemy cavalry, and return to their own lines in good order.

Both Clinton and Howard have been forced to halt their divisions and form square because of the French cavalry, and in doing so have delayed their arrival at Villafranque and Arcanques.

The rules used can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of the Nive - Move 7

Table at start of move 7

Left top – British reinforce skirmish fighting for the woods

Left centre – 2 division move towards woods

Right top – British still hold Villafranque hill

Right bottom – Clinton is approaching hill protected by artillery and infantry square

British left

British dragoons lose melee and withdraw shaken

Howard has deployed his division to counter enemy cavalry

British riflemen still hold Arcanque town and woods

British right

British hussars rout from cavalry melee, French dragoons pursue

Howard deploys his division in square until the enemy cavalry withdraw

French right

Villate is still unable to take the woods

Despite this Maransin continues his advance towards Arcanques

Arcanques woods

Despite heavy casualties the riflemen continue to hold the woods

A second British brigade has arrived to support the riflemen

Three French brigades have been driven back

French left

The French are swamping Villafranque

The garrison has withdrawn to the centre of the town

Darricau is pushing forward between the hill and the river

The artillery on the hill are also withdrawn

Villafranque

The garrison have taken heavy casualties and withdrawn shaken

The French follow up and cause more casualties, but the British make morale again

On the left a second brigade has been sent to replace the shaken garrison

Game Notes

French cavalry have won against the British time and again

The French are B class, and the British C class.

In addition the dice have gone in favour of the French

The French are now on Attack orders, which are more decisive than Engage

Rule 14 covers cavalry combat

The rules used can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/