Napoleonic Assault of Torrellana [WN120] . Move 1: British Cavalry on left swept aside French cavalry patrols and light infantry, moving towards the ford taking minor casualties from French Artillery and Infantry fire. French commander decided [Situation Card] to move his infantry across the ford and two guns were so deploycd, while the remaining three Bttns formed up ready to cross. British 1st and 2nd Divs moved into position for attack while concentrated artillery fire was directed against the West gate and adjoining houses. The gate-house was penetrated by four salvoes of 24pdr siege howitzers. [Dice throws of 6, 6, 5, and 4.] The garrison (1/2 bttn) was all killed and the building on fire. [Dice throw of 1.] The fire spread to adjoining house and the garrison [SW wind and Dice throw of 1,2 or 3.] fled, being shot down as they ran. The second house was hit by three salvoes from field artillery and garrison killed. [Dice throws 4,4,6.] Troops in the fourth house now had to be morale tested and in the event surrendered [Dice throw 2.] Meanwhile the Light Bde of 2nd Division deployed along the south bank of the Mina firing into the flank of the French defenders causing heavy casualties. The Advancing 3rd Division threw the French Cavalry patrols back across the Mina where they prevented their own Infantry from firing effectively. The French Howitzers in the town square directed fire onto the British columns and caused moderate casualties to the Infantry and knocking out a field Battery. [Dice throw of 5.] The Spanish Division with its cavalry on the right advanced towards the Mina. French commander having now sized up the situation decided to strike hard at the weak Spanish Division [Situation Card] and try to roll them buck. Orders to this effect sent by ADC. Light Cavalry of 19th Cavalry Division ordered to move over to the left of 18th Div. with a view to completing the rout of the Spaniards in due course. Orders also sent to 17th Div to prepare to strike south at the flank of the British 3rd Div. Move 2 British Cavalry on left in spite of orders made a 'runaway' charge against the French troops on the west [Incident Card] bank of the Maja. British Light infantry eliminated the crews of the two artillery batteries on the east bank but lost one bn from grape shot. Wellington on observing this incident (rather unchuracteristically) decided to exploit the temporary success with which it [Situation card.] appeared to be by sending his two regiments of reserve cavalry to join the attack. Soult sent two Cavalry regiments of 19th Cav Div to reinforce the reserve position of 15th Division at the hedge together with a battery of horse artillery. The remaining two cavalry regiments of the division with the other horse battery were sent to assist in the defence of the west bridge, now threatened by two brigades of 1st Div and one brigade of 2nd Div moving through the ruins of the West gate. The other two brigades of 2nd Div together with all the artillery of both Division has now moved forward to the line of the burnt-out houses ready to move into the loop 0 f the river when the main British attack has gone forward. French troops in Torrelano between the houses and the Mina have suffered very heavy casualties and two of the houses behind them have been set on fire [Dice throw of 4,6 plus dice throw of 1, 2 or 3] by the remaining British Artillery on the south bank. The French Sapeurs have entrenched the howitzer battery by the east gate and are moving towards the threatened west bridge with the intention of demolishing it. Unfortunately a spark in the powder causes an explosion [Incident card and dice throw 1, 2 or 3] in the entrenched battery before it can fire and all the gun crews are killed. The Spanish Division advances cautiously towards the Mina. [Casualties at end of move: French: 2 Cav Regts, 7 Inf Bttns, and 2 Arty Btys Allied: 7 Cav Regts, 4 inf Bttns, and 2 Arty Btys] Move 3 The British Cavalry action on the Left has thrown one French Cav Regt and two French Inf Bns into the river for the loss of 2 Cav Regts and 1 Bty Horse Arty. While the British regroup their 'blown' horses, the Light Infantry continue to fire with telling effect on the French Infantry on the far bank. [Weather now normal. Ground drying rapidly - all moves normal but rivers still swollen and Maja impassable except at ford.] The three Guards Bns of 1st Div now assault the West Bridge and although the leading Bn is wiped out by fire from houses and the French Horse Artillery the two remaining columns supported by the Highlanders and followed by the supporting Brigade of 2nd Div storm the bridge, hurling back the defenders and killing the garrison of two of the houses who have rashly sortied to join in the melee. The remaining Brigades of 2nd Div are now in the loop of the river firing into the flank of 15th Div's reserve position along the hedge. [Weather Card] Two Brigades of 3rd Division are now across the Mina, shooting down the unfortunate Sapeurs as they make for the bridge. The leading Light Infantry are into the town square and Soult hastily moves his to the North side of the old town wall leaving nearly half his escort of Chasseurs as casualties. It is essential now for Soult to strike at the Spanish Div and attempt to roll up the British flank and accordingly the 18th Div now attacks across the Mina while the Cavalry comes up on their left ready for the nursuit. Simultaneously the 8 columns of 17th Division incline to their left and move south to cross their rear. In view of their higher morale and superior musketry the prospect for the French is good but both in the exchange of fire and in the melee they do surprisingly badly. [A throw of two sixes for the Spaniards.] The Spanish do not suffer sufficient casualties (40%) to make them retreat automatically and the French recoil across the river throwing the formations of 17th Division into confusion. There is one stand still move while cursing staff officers disentangle the troops. Spanish moral soars at this unexpected success, [orale Factor increased from 3 to 4.] but they do not follow up their victory by crossing the Mina particularly as the French cavalry is now forming up on the left of the shattered 18th Div. Move 4 On the left the British Light Infantry and the Cavalry force the ford with the loss of 2 Cav Regts and one Bttn of Infantry. The French are completely defeated in the melee but the British are unable to advance as they have outrun their supplies and must wait two moves. [Incident Card.] British Infantry and Artillery in the loop of the river have now made the hedge position of the remnants of 15th Div untenable. The melee on the east side of the bridge results in the defeat of two French Infantry Bttns and two Cav Regts. The British losses have been heavy too but they have with the assistance of the Engineers breached and assaulted some of the houses. British 3rd Div have pushed into the square but fire from the French in the Town Hall and the Cathedral have caused them heavy casualties. The Howitzer Bty in the Square has been put out of action. The infantry and artillery of the Spanish Div continue to pour fire into the struggling French troops of 18th Div and one Bn of Hessians breaks [Incident Card] and runs. [Casualties: French: 4 Cav Rgts, 15 Inf Bns, and 5 Arty Btys Allied: 4 Cav Rgts, 10 Inf Bns, and 3 Arty Btys] The French losses now total 40% and they must stand still for two moves (although able to fire) while Soult decides with the aid of the Situation Card whether to continue the fight or cut his losses. Moves 5 and 6 As British troops push through the town threatening the rear of the French, 15th Division is forced to retreat northwards. Soult decides to pull out the relatively [Situation Card] untouched 17th Div rather than throw them into the town where they must eventually be trapped. Remnants of 18th Div withdraw their flank covered by the Cavalry. This is providential for the Spaniards whose casualties of nearly 50%. bring them near to retreat. [Dice throw 3] They do not follow up the retreating French. The remaining garrisons in the Town fall and the Cathedral surrenders. [Dice throw 2, 2.] Move 7 The British are now close to 40%, casualties and are too widely dispersed to launch a concentrated attack on the retreting French 17th Div which withdraws in good order followed by the Cavalry and a few Bns of Infantry. SUMMARY The beauty of the solo wargame is that it focuses ones attentions on all ones mistakes. As Soult I had failed in my initial dispositions in that 17th Division should have been kept in the town and not left on the left flank without adequate room to manoeuvre. The Cavalry should have been allocated to the two flanks and not held centrally. Too much reliance was placed on the West gate position which was in fact soon reduced by artillery fire (admittedly very lucky!) On the British side the use of the unsupported Spanish Division on the vulnerable Right flank was an unjustified risk and could have been disastrous. For the rest the result was governed by the imponderable element of luck. The Incident Cards referred to are all of a set-back nature but do not as a rule affect more than a single unit. Nevertheless the loss of the Howitzer Battery in move 2 had a decisive effect. Had it remained entrenched firing into the British troops crossing the Mina it could well have shattered the 3rd Div attack. The Situation Cards need a word of explanation. A number of basic military situations for Attacking Troops and Defending Troops are tabulated and against each situation is listed two or more reasonable options. jhen a decision has to be made the appropriate card is referred to and a dice thrown for the choice of option. Examples are appended below. Situation Card: Attacking hat was intended as a diversionary attack meets with unexpected success. (a) Shift the whole emphasis of your attack to this point. (b) Give the movement limited support in order to maintain pressure. (c) Maintain your original plan and do not press the advantage further. The dice decided Wellington to exercise option (b) on his left flank in move 2. Situation Card: Defending The enemy's main attack is being made at one point while a purely diversionary attack is made elsewhere. a. Move all your reserves to the enemy's weak point and counter-attack. b. Ignore the diversion and reinforce your defences against the enemy's main attack. c. Make no re-dispositions but appear to fall back before the diversionary attack in order to draw the enemy into an overstretched position. The dice decided Soult to exercise option a. Incidentally in order to prevent myself doing too much weighing of the pros and cons I limited myself to six minutes (with an audible timer) for each Commander-in-Chief, for each move which with well over 2,000 figures to shift left little time for careful cognitation. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 121 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1972 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com