Nap Campaign: Battle of Loverna. 18th April 1808. Turns 1 - 5

 TURN 1

A dice was rolled to determine who had the initiative which was won by the French. They had the first turn which was not without problems. The 2nd Cavalry Corps, consisting entirely of dragoons, were ordered to deploy on the right flank anchored on the river. The 9th Cavalry Division in the lead received their orders which Burthe passed easily moving out to its designated position (top of photo). Vincent however, failed his command roll. Strolz intervened with a re-roll which resulted in a Command Blunder! Vincent's Brigade inexplicably retreated off the tabletop.

The single brigade of the 10th Cavalry Division (bottom right) moved sluggishly but at least it was in the right direction.

The march columns of infantry is Toussaint's Brigade of the 14th Division also move slowly towards the farm and their intended position. 

Allied movement was confined to their left flank with the Portuguese spreading out clear of the rocky terrain. Collins has a good command roll allowing his brigade a full 3 moves along the road crossing the bridge. His primary task is to secure the second crossing near the French lines in order to prevent any possible outflanking moves. He is to use his accompanying artillery battery along with musketry to harass the French flank. A secondary task should the opportunity present itself, is to cross the bridge if safe to do so and assault the French.

Continued -

The central and southern end of the battlefield remained static with both sides engaging in artillery barrages. 

TURN 2

Wellington orders a general advance and here the Spanish 3rd (nearest the camera) and 5th Divisions begin to move out.

The British make particularly good headway with Pack's Brigade launching charges at 2 batteries of artillery (right of photo).

The British right flank should have been covered by the Spanish Vanguard and 2nd Divisions but both remain static. Off camera to the left, Manglano's 4th Division suffered a command blunder and very nearly retreated off the table! Wellington despatched 2 x ADC's to bolster to Spanish command factors but were robustly declined by Malaespina. They will do fine by themselves thankyou very much!

On the allied left the Portuguese infantry begin moving out with Vandeleur's 4th Cavalry Brigade rapidly taking up position to counter the looming French Dragoon threat.

The French 2nd Cavalry Corps commences deployment on the far right of the French line. In the background a chastened Vincent successfully returns to the battlefield on the first attempt and hurries to join the rest of the Corps.

The first mellees of the game occur with the charge of Pack's Brigade. On the right the 3/1 Line charges the 12pdr battery of the 6th Corps reserve. A blast of canister causes heavy casualties and disorders the infantry. They succeed in destroying the battery but not before more casualties are suffered leaving the battalion shaken.

On the left the 42nd Black Watch Highlanders charge the Baden foot battery who prove even more effective with their canister fire both disordering and leaving the battalion shaken. The Highlanders successfully destroy the battery but the cost is high.

Both British battalions are in no shape to take advantage of their success and retire behind the 44th Line and 92nd Highlanders to recover.

TURN 3

A more successful turn for the Spanish who saw more movement for at least some of its forces. Here Bassecourt's 5th Division launches a charge at the perimeter of the Mansion House. A blast of canister shreds the morale of the 1st Murcia who immediately retreat disordered. The 2nd Murcia (middle right) succeeded making contact albeit disordered. The marines of the 1st Real Armada also charge home against the wall (middle bottom). 

The French defenders win the combat which sees the 2nd Murcia breaking from the field leaving the marines still in the fight but shaken.

Iglesias loses patience with the Vanguard and orders his 2nd Division forward. They are unable to advance far enough to make contact with the French but make excellent progress covering the flank of the British.

The bulk of the Spanish are still far to the rear although most did make some progress.

While Pack rallies the 42nd Highlanders, the smaller 92nd Highlanders and the 44th Line move to close range and engage with the tough 1/4th Polish Line in a firefight. Both sides emerge unscathed.

As Kemmis' Brigade advances (middle of photo), their flank is threatened by the Vistula Legion. The flanking battalion forms square stalling their advance. To their left the elite light troops of Adams' Brigade engages with the French infantry and artillery. With the help of an all-too-rare accurate rocket strike on one battery the French lose much of their artillery cover in this sector.

The French 2nd Cavalry Corps moves out into open ground conscious of the looming threat to their flank where Collins' Brigade continues to make good progress in their deployment. 

Vandeleur's Light Dragoons make ready to take on the French Dragoons.

TURN 4

I have been reporting from the Spanish wing through to the Portuguese in the north. But for reasons that will become apparent I am working in the opposite direction. Here the French dragoons lead by Burthe's Brigade seek to sweep away the British cavalry on this flank and launch a charge. Vandeleur's Light Dragoons counter-charge.

The photo shows the moment of impact. On the right the 16th Light Dragoons destroy the smaller dragoons regiment without loss and immediately conduct a sweeping charge into the supporting brigade of Bonnemains. British elation proves short-lived. The 16th Light Dragoons lose the combat and a very poor dice roll leads to a failed break test and they flee the field. 

Disaster follows. The other unit engaged is the 11th Light Dragoons who mirror that of the 16th, losing both the combat and the break test. The final demise of Vandeleur's Brigade was a third bad dice roll by the supporting 12th Light Dragoons who departed the field along with Vandeleur and the attendant ADC.

3 unbelievably bad break test dice rolls in succession have left the allied left flank in a dangerous situation, now devoid of cavalry support.

Urgent action was called for and both 6th and 7th Cavalry Brigades were ordered to reposition to counter the dragoons. In a complete change of fortune, the command dice rolls for both brigades were extremely successful giving them 3 moves each.

1st up was Arentschild with the large unit of the 3rd KGL Hussars. Sweeping into the gap left by the Light Dragoons they were able to reach Burthe's 13th Dragoons who, in their shaken state, were unable to counter-charge. The KGL charge proved devastating leading to the complete loss of the French dragoons for no losses on themselves. Burthe's Brigade now ceased to exist and unlike their British compatriots, the KGL were not compelled to conduct a sweeping charge which would have left them isolated. They therefore stood their ground allowing the 6th Cavalry Brigade of Vivian to close on them. 

Here you see Vivian's Hussars closing on the KGL. Not quite close enough but the best they could do with their 3 moves.

Collins has enjoyed remarkably good command dice rolls and now joined by an ADC makes his task even easier. His Portuguese brigade has taken up position to envilade the French cavalry and already are making their mark. They wiped out a French horse artillery battery, shaken another and inflicting heavy casualties on a dragoon regiment causing that also to become shaken.

The situation from the French perspective at the conclusion of the dramatic cavalry combats.

On the right Pack launches his charge at the Polish defenders. The small units of the 44th Line and 92nd Highlanders make contact with the large Polish unit. The Polish are the best of the French infantry and tough to beat. So it proved here with the British losing the combat. This caused the 44th Line to break from the field with the Highlanders retreating.

On the left, the Spanish column of the 1st Cazadores de Antequera Light battalion charged the 2/4th Polish infantry. The Polish had no difficulty throwing back the Spanish in disorder.

An overview of the French left flank following the 2 infantry combats.

The Spanish marines fail to make any further progress against the mansion defenders and the heavy casualties sustained by them lead to a collapse in morale and they broke from the field. This caused the 5th Division to break and they will now retreat.

The 3 remaining battalions of the 5th Division are in the foreground and about to depart.

TURN 5

The French see an opportunity with the rapid breakdown of the Spanish advance. Now could be the time to turn up the heat on the Spanish exposing the flank of the Anglo/Portuguese. The 6th Corps is ordered to go on the offensive. The 21st Division and the 20th Division holding the mansion begin to move out although poor command rolls limits their advance.

An overview looking out from the Spanish position towards the centre.

The 22nd Division had more success and in particular their supporting cavalry. The 2 large Polish battalions formed attack columns and charged the Mallorca Line battalion on the left and the British 3/1st Line on the right. The Spanish battalion is destroyed outright. The 3/1st Line is narrowly defeated and retreats in disorder.

The most dramatic event is the charge of the 1st Lancers of Colbert's Brigade. It initially charges the 95th Rifles who successfully form square. Diverting the charge from the square they head for a column of Spanish troops who fail to reform. Struck by the lancers they are quickly destroyed.  

The Lancers continue with a column of the Cordoba Line being the next target. On this occasion the Spanish successfully form square but are disordered in doing so. The lancers charge home and initially the Spanish hold firm despite being defeated. In the 2nd round of melee they are not so lucky and are decimated.

3 battalions of the Spanish 2nd Division are destroyed this turn resulting in the entire division breaking and will now retreat from the field.

The aftermath of the melees with Spanish battalions hurriedly forming squares. On the left of the photo, Picton's Division manoeuvres to counter the French advance. The 42nd Highlanders enfilade the 2nd Lancers inflicting numerous casualties. Suddenly the lancers appear exposed!

A battalion of the KGL has poured fire into the flank of the 11th Chasseurs causing them to break and thus eliminating the threat to the flank of the British 2nd Division.

Kemmis' Brigade advances to engage the French of Rome's Brigade who suffers from British musketry.

Portuguese and British battalions continue to engage the French in the centre with neither side gaining the upper hand.

On the British left, Arentschild sees an opportunity too good to miss. With the French withdrawing due to increasing incoming fire from the Portuguese infantry lining the river banks, two French dragoon regiments were left a little exposed.

He leads the 3rd KGL Hussars in a charge on the French 4th Dragoons. He is quickly supported by Vivians Cavalry Brigade following a highly successful command roll. The ensuing melee is very one sided seeing the destruction of the French dragoons.

The KGL Hussars conduct a sweeping charge on the last of the dragoons. This time it was not so easy with the 17th Dragoons fighting hard. Both sides suffered heavy casualties leaving both shaken and the combat a draw. Each cavalry regiment withdrew to recover.

The aftermath of the cavalry engagement and the allied left now stabilised. The demise of Vandeleur's Brigade has been avenged.