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| The Battle of Peyrestortes 1793 |
Wow! Our first game in months, I can't believe it's April already. A follow up to our War of the Pyrennes game,
Mas Deu 1793. The French forces in the area re-grouped & launched their own attack on a Spanish encampment at Peyrestortes. DBN rules again, with big base units, all troops are of regular quality unless stated. While the French had more forces, some would be of Militia quality. to reflect the surprise French attack, the bulk of the Spanish forces would deploy behind the lines.
Spanish Army
General Giron (0 CaPs)
8 x Muskets, 2 x Muskets (Elite) 2 x Artillery, 1 x Light Infantry, 3 x Light Cavalry.
1 x Sub-General De Courton (0 CaPs)
French Army
General D'Aoust (+1 CaPs)
3 x Muskets, 6 x Muskets (Militia), 3 x Light Infantry, 3 x Artillery, 1 x Heavy Cavalry, 3 x Light Cavalry.
1 x Sub-General Gouget (+1 CaPs)
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| The Battlefield |
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| The left flank, the attack of General D'Aoust. |
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| The centre |
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| The right flank, the attack of General Gouget. |
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| Gouget's troops race over the bridge from Rivialtes. |
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| The combined French guns rake the Spanish positions. |
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| FORWARD!!!!! General D'Aoust urges his men on. |
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| Splendid, the French troops advance. |
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| Spanish General De Courton looks on. |
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| General Giron readies his defence. |
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| Now, where would Spav send the Spanish troops? |
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| BOOM! The French guns concentrate on the Spanish guns. |
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| Another round, more damage. |
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| Good CaPs & the French cover the ground quickly... |
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| OOOoohhh, love the French Cavalry! |
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| The French Light Infantry find their range. |
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| Spav holds back the Spanish Cavalry. |
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| First Blood to ze French... |
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| The Spanish Light Infantry would hold their ground for a good deal of rounds. |
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| The French guns start clearing the hill, Spav would withdraw his troops behind the ridge. |
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| Those pesky guns..... |
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| The Spanish line begins to form. |
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| General D'Aoust leads his column!!! |
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| On the French left, the other Cavalry get ready. |
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| A four element French column ready to smash the Spanish... |
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| The Spanish Cavalry still don't move. |
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| View from behind the French left. |
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| Finally the Spanish Light infantry are eliminated, but they buy precious time. |
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| Hmmmm ... The French take losses. |
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| At last the Cavalry scrap on the French left.... |
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| Overview at this point. The Spanish troops race for the front line. |
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| Good CaPs, re-adjustment of the column & back at it.... |
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| However on the other flank, it's sloooow work. |
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| OOOpps, the Spanish guns have a nice target now. |
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| RRRRRAAAARRGGGHHHHH!!!! Vive la FRANCE!!! |
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| BOOM!!! Spav fist pumps the air... |
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| In your face!!! The French Hussars cut back the Spanish Dragoons. |
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| Breakthrough! CHAAARRGEE!! |
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| The Spanish Cavalry are destroyed, however the French Heavies are battered. |
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| It's a tough scrap, but the Spanish troops are holding on. |
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| View from behind the Spanish guns on the French left. |
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| It's going well for the French, however I gamble on this move... |
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| The French cavalry charge the Spanish Grenadiers, but it's not a flank attack. |
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| The weight of the French right column finally forces back the Spanish |
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OH NO!!! The rock hard Spanish Grenadiers force back the French Cavalry.
The French Heavies take another hit & are destroyed. |
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| Back on the left flank, both Generals lead their troops in this fight. |
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| Fall back! The Spanish troops fall back & re-form the line. |
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| The Spanish Hussars attack the French Dragoons... |
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OLE!!!! Those pesky Spanish Grenadiers unleash a volley & destroy the French Cavalry...
(6 to 1 on the combat dice never helps a situation....) |
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| CHHAARGGEE!! (again...) |
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| It's a mighty scrap... |
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| NOOO!! The Spanish are proving to be tough foes... |
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| It's not the overwhelming crushing attack I envisioned... |
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| However, I manage to win this firefight. |
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| At last the troops of General D'Aoust engage the Spanish. |
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'Yer joking aren't yer?'
The Spanish Hussars cut down ze French Dragoons. |
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| Keep those pesky Grenadiers away from the front line.... |
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The 'LORDS OF FATE' shine down! Finally the French destroy the Spanish line.
Victory to the French. |
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| Final positions, the Spanish are defeated but can withdraw in good order. |
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| The Heroic Spanish troops!! |
A good game, though I was disappointed the Spanish forces weren't crushed. Spav laments that he never placed the Grenadiers on the front line.
Weblinks on the Battle of Peyrestortes=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G36aMvIWZW0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peyrestortes
6 comments:
A very nicely fought encounter battle which would probably have been the norm rather than the exception during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.
The painting and basing of these "Revolutionary" troops is beautifully done.
All the best to you and general Spav.
Cheers Gregory
The French columns weren't as effective as normal In DBN pre 1805 columns get a lesser bonus & if you include Miltia class troops then the column starts with their combat factor (a +3 instead of the normal +4). also it's always worthwhile getting the odd Elite element involved. If Spav had put those Grenadiers in the front to begin with, then I think it would of been a Spanish Victory.
That's the end of the Spanish for now, it's the Austrians or the Brits next for ze French.
All the Best
MrF
MrF,
Yes,I noticed that the columns were not quite as effective in the "Revolutionary" mode and General Spav's very human desire to hold back his elites for a crisis-shades of Napoleon at Borodino!
But,I am very much enjoying your series of encounter battles and-speaking about the British-have you ever done a scenario on the battle of the River Coa?
The fine old Light Division-surprise and recovery.
Cheers Gregory,
Haven't thought about Coa. At first glance it's seems to over balanced Though looking at some web pages only 6000 French deployed against the 4000 Allies. I should be able to come up with a scenario.
All the best
MrF
Mr F,
I shall be returning to Sydney,Australia in June and,hopefully get back to military wargaming once again.
I have decided to use these rules using the big unit concept and will be hopefully taking out my early British Peninsular War army for a campaign or two.
I have always liked the cavalry with its short busbys,Tarleton helmets and Bicornes for the Heavies.
I know that you have been asked this question before but do you ever base your light infantry with three figures (skirmishers) but leave some of them in more formal array with 4 figures to a base as an alternative deployment?
Cheers,
Greg.
Hello Greg,
It's good to hear your plans for gaming. The best example for the two base Light Infantry are the French Young Guard. The larger 40mmx30mm for skirmish order & the 40mmx20mm for line order.
I can't emphasise how important Light Infantry troops are in a DBN game which has bad going terrain on the battlefield. I once saw a demonstration game of Waterloo using DBN. The initial attack of D'erlons Corps, trying to cross the 'bad going' sunken lane at the Anglo-British side of the table was a nightmare unless Light troops were placed in the front. The '-2' modifier for firing out of Bad Going for Muskets is a big penalty.
Good Luck
MrF
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