Nap Campaign: Ambush in Rock Valley

Three Swiss battalions have been making their way across France to join the French 6th Corps. They are destined to join Lafitte's brigade providing a much needed addition to the 2 French battalions.

They have crossed the border into Spain expecting no opposition having been lead to believe that much of the country had been subdued. As a result only a handful of scouts had been sent ahead of the main column.

The order of march consisted of 1/2nd Swiss, 2/2nd Swiss and 1/3rd Swiss. All are inexperienced 2nd Line troops and have no overall commander. The Colonel in command of the 1/2nd battalion, being the most senior, was ostensibly in command but with no plans in the event of any action, all 3 battalion commanders would be acting under their own initiative is such circumstances. They fully expected a stroll in the countryside before arrival at 6th Corps.

Continued -

Spanish Guerrillas had other ideas. 2 bands had deployed among woods, rocks and foliage in the path of the Swiss column. The band of Don Juan Sanchez (30 figures) lined one side of the road with the band of Francisco Espoz y Mina (36 figures) taking the opposite side.

The small number of Swiss scouts stumbled into the waiting Spaniards and were quickly despatched. The Swiss column was in blissful ignorance as they passed through a wooded and rocky area. Suddenly musket smoke erupted from the trees and rocks on either side of the road felling several of them.

Ahead of them a barricade was dragged across the road barring their line of advance.

All three Swiss battalion commanders were paralysed in confusion with the sudden onslaught as casualties mounted.

Although still failing to gain the initiative the Swiss did have the sense to deploy into line in order to return fire and reduce their casualty rate. The two rearmost battalions made a hash of their formation change and became unformed. Their ragged volleys inflicted few Spanish casualties.

The 2/2nd Swiss in the middle suffered particularly heavy casualties causing a loss of morale and they began to retreat.

Behind them the 1/3rd Swiss also began to fall back as their morale wavered.

Out in front only the 1/2nd Swiss held their nerve. The battalion commander finally got a grip of his unit and made the decision they would attempt to fight their way out by charging the barricade ahead.

Having returned to column formation the 1/2nd Swiss begin their charge. As the gap closes, musketry erupts from all around them downing many of their number. This proved all too much and they routed.

As they streamed back along the road there was no sign of the other 2 battalions. They had both failed to rally and had routed from the field. 

Ahead of them Spanish Guerrillas had blocked their escape route. In a blind panic the Swiss discareded their weapons and pleaded for mercy.

None was given as the Spanish emerged from their hidden positions to pile into the hapless Swiss. All were wiped out leaving a jubilant Spanish mob.

All in all the Swiss lost 36 figures, half their total, for the loss of only 3 Spanish. The surviving Swiss battalions fled back to France. 6th Corps were yet to hear of this humiliation and Lafitte would have to wait longer for his much needed addition.

Summary:

My original intention was to use one of the skirmish rulesets lining my book shelves but settled on my own version I have been working on which uses the General de Brigade engine. The primary changes were to the method of calculating shooting casualties and melee. Basically more detailed to make it more interesting for the small numbers involved.

The game was played on a 4' x 2' board (it could easily have been played on a 2' x 2' but I decided to include the approach of the Swiss). An overview at the start:

The terrain mat is by Tiny Wargames. This was actually the second outing for this mat, the first being an ACW game 'Battle of Winchester' which will be posted soon.

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