Nap Campaign: Map Moves 31st March - 1st April 1808

With the campaign moving into a new month it is time to calculate the number of newly raised reinforcements for each army.

Each square on the map is allocated a value. This is based on what is contained within that square. e.g. a rural square with no inhabitants will have a minimum value recognising a purely agricultural contribution, whereas a heavily populated town with industrial units will have the opposite. A capital will contain a bonus so it is important that countries maintain possession of that.

Captured territory will deny that country of its Value Units (VU's) with the victor gaining 25% of those lost. 

At the start of play on the 1st of the month, calculations are made for each country who then spend their VU's on reinforcements replacing losses in existing units. All those relevant units are identified at this stage (much to the pleasure of their commanders!) and the number of new recruits allotted. 

All regular recruits are classed as 2nd Line. i.e. trained but inexperienced. Recruits to militia units are conscripts. Needless to say, 2nd Line troops are more expensive than conscripts. Artillery crews and cavalry also attract a premium. Too many new recruits joining a unit could downgrade its quality. e.g. a veteran battalion that receives 50% or more recruits are reduced to 'line' status.

When that has all been calculated it is time to determine when those recruits arrive at their respective units. To keep this simple, I roll one D6 for each force. A force being all those units represented by one counter on the map. Each pip on the dice represents one day after the 1st day of the month. So a '3' will mean they arrive on the 4th of the month.  

When they arrive they are simply added to the rosters. I appreciate that it would seem a little odd that all recruits from whichever nation all arrive within the first week of each month but to make it completely realistic would be a logistical nightmare.

To give some idea of the numbers involved, on this occasion the French, with by far the largest number of VU's at 735, are able to purchase around 300 replacements. They have lost far more (1,200 to be precise)! So this is not a game changer but allows some units to avoid extinction. The Prussians are down to 268 VU's purchasing a little over 100 figures having lost 2,210.

Turning now to the map moves for these 2 days -

Continued -

Overview at end of 31st March

Overview end 1st April

Zooming in now to each sector:

NORTH EAST

31st March - The Prussians have fallen back on their main military base of Grazzbenn (the square occupied by green 3). Napoleon (blue 1) is facing something of a dilemma. Although inflicting a heavy defeat on the Prussians at their capital of Grissburg it was not the knockout blow he had hoped for. With scouts reporting a large Prussian force approaching from the west he was in danger of being surrounded. Withdrawal though was unthinkable. Flushed with success and having little doubt his brave troops would once again rout the Prussians, it was time to take the bull by the horns.

1st April - The Prussians manoeuvred onto high ground with Grazzbenn at its centre. Ziethen with most of 1st Corps (green 5) forces marches towards the main Prussian position. Napoleon wastes no time and orders the attack and thus sets the scene for the Battle of Grazzbenn.

NORTH WEST

31st March - Marshall Grouchy continues to pursue the retreating allies as they fall back towards the British. Further south, Best and his Hanoverian Brigade (yellow 4) with the Brunswick 1st Brigade (black 1) make their way towards the allied forces to the north. D'Erlon (blue 6) now marches his Battle of Tourane victors towards Grouchy.

1st April - General Hill (red 3) has selected land between 2 impenetrable swamps to make a stand. It is now a race against time with British troops moving towards the front as soon as they have disembarked (red N6). It will be at least another day before all are ashore but Maitland's Brigade of Guards (red 9) should make a welcome addition in time before the inevitable clash. 

SOUTH WEST

31st March - Marshall Soult (blue 5) receives disturbing intelligence of a rapid build up of Spanish forces to the north (grey 2). A Spanish division (grey 3) has moved dangerously close threatening his rear. Although not overly concerned he dispatches Lobau with 1 infantry and 1 cavalry division (blue 2) to dissuade them moving any closer. He is only to engage them if attacked.

Soult continues to move south with his main force intending to drive the British into the sea and capture Portugal in its entirety.

1st April - Soult continues to move south and engages Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese force in what will be the 2nd Battle of Youngsport. As in the north west this will be a race against time for the British. A significant fleet has arrived (red N11) with substantial British reinforcements. They have begun disembarking but will take several days for that to complete. In the meantime, as in the north, units are to march to Wellington's position as soon as they are ashore.

Morillo (grey 1) finally sees sense and accepts that he will need British help to recover Spain. He therefore moves into Portugal with the aim of joining Wellington. Alas it may be too late to join the existing battle.

Soult has yet to realise it but Wellington has a surprise in store!

I will need to do a stock take to establish if I have enough Prussians for their battle but strongly suspect I will need to paint more. If that is the case then this battle may be delayed until a little later in the year.

Youngsport is ready to go and I hope to have that on the table soon. Terrain will be a recreation of the first battle (AAR on the blog) with the only difference being where I have improved various pieces such as the trees.