The Last Sunday Game at Barrys for 2023 - Pseudo Battle of Corunna

 Today, a glorious warm sunny Auckland summers Sunday, we spent 6 hours inside, pushing toy soldiers around a rather large table! Mark designed the scenario and used the geographical location as an excuse to get his recently built Italerei Southern European church model into action.

Here are the scenario notes as provided to us ahead of time by the ever well-organised Mark:

BACKGROUND - BRITISH

In the winter of 1808-09 the British army is in retreat across northern Spain. You have been doggedly pursued by the French. A series of sharp rearguard actions that, combined with the harsh winter conditions, has been hard on your troops. On 12 January you arrived at the port of Corunna on the northern coast of Spain from where the Royal Navy will evacuate you, but the transport ships have not arrived. 

The French were slow to arrive, but on the morning of the 14th it is clear that they are present in force. Late that same day the first of the transports have arrived and the loading of transport, much of the artillery and some cavalry occurred that night, but much more time will be required for the whole army. You will need to stand and fight and must develop a battle plan that enables you to hold a position until nightfall on the 15th (that is 3:30 PM on game day), when evacuation will begin. A stout defence, and probably a defence in depth will be a necessity.

Note: This is not a refight of the Battle of Corunna. While the order of battle is similar and the strategic situation is historical, the tactical situation and the terrain do not match the historical battle. 

Deployment

You are outnumbered both in infantry and cavalry and the Spanish force is not available to you without a negative cost. You can deploy at any point north of the centre line including inside the monastery grounds (with a maximum of two battalions therein), but short of Portargo. you may deploy on the reverse slope of the long ridge (the crest will run down the centre of the ridge). Troops behind terrain do not have to be deployed until the enemy has deployed. You can hold as many units off table as you wish (the Spanish must be off table until you call them), but you must mark all off-table units on the map where you wish them to come on.

To call up off table troops in their marked position will require a die roll of 3+ first attempt, but automatically on the second attempt. If you wish to bring them on in a different location to that marked, a 5+ is required first attempt, a 3+ second attempt and they will arrive automatically on the third attempt.

Rules for the use of crests and the reverse slope will apply.

Victory Conditions:

Minimising losses and controlling the roads to your rear is your objective. You cannot gain a victory here, but you can come out of it with honour. You lose honour point as follows:

-15 points If 18 or more British units are disrupted, shaken or destroyed at the end of the game or

-10 points If 12-17 British units are disrupted, shaken or destroyed at the end of the game or

-5 points If up to 11 British units are disrupted, shaken or destroyed at the end of the game.

-10 points If you call on the Spanish force.

-10 points If more good order enemy units than good order allied units are between the two roads and north of the monastery at the end of the game.

Results:

-30 points or less Total disaster. Only a few thousand troops have been evacuated and all supplies are lost. The Government has fallen, senior officers have been relieved of their commands. markets have crashed and negotiations with France have commenced.

-20 to -29 points Serious defeat: As much as half of the army and all supplies has been lost. Questions have been asked in Parliament and senior officers have been relieved of their commands. 

-10 to -19 points Tactical Defeat: While a portion of the army and most of the supplies has been lost, Horseguards is painting a rosy picture of victory through a successful evacuation, although the Prime Minister’s Office is not convinced, and the press is calling for heads.

Any other result An Honourable Outcome: The army has been successfully evacuated with a 

small loss of supplies. The press and the opposition are calling for an inquiry, but they are drowned out by the Admiralty crowing about how it was they who saved the day by evacuating the troops.

Allied Order of Battle

British

Cavalry Division

Brigade - 3 regiments of hussars

Brigade - 2 regiments of light dragoons

Infantry Division

Brigade - 2 battalions of guards

Brigade - 1 highland and 2 line battalions

Brigade - 3 line battalions

Infantry Division

Brigade - 3 line battalions

Brigade - 4 line battalions

Brigade - 3 line battalions

Infantry Division

Brigade - 2 line battalions and one rifle battalion

Brigade - 2 line battalions

Artillery - Two Small batteries

Spanish Allies

Infantry Division

Brigade - 6 small line battalions

Brigade - 5 small line battalions

Cavalry Brigade - 2 small dragoon regiments

Artillery - 1 standard battery

Key Rules to Remember - three new (in italic) and others that are often forgotten.

• Bunching - Infantry and cavalry lines bunch front to rear, columns bunch all around. Bunched 

units are ruled disordered.

• Firing:

• Support - firing units add additional dice for each supporting unit up to two units and supporting 

units do not have to fire at the nearest target.

• Columns firing - halve the number of firing dice (rounded down)

• Dense targets - normal score to hit, 5+ to save

• Cover - other than in substantial buildings only counts for musketry

• Shooting through gaps - measure centre of firer to centre of target and use the special device to 

check the gap

• Combat:

• Defenders must test for defensive fire if facing a charge

• Charging units must test to charge home if they take any unsaved hits from closing fire

• Support - only units in physical contact can claim support.

• Rallying

• Cavalry rally after a charge - can rally forward or rally back (one non-standard move to the rear). Are automatically rallied at the commencement of the next player turn.

• Rallying from a 4+ status: 

• Units must be joined by a general

• Place a rally marker beside the unit

• If the unit is inactive or not fired on AND scores a rally result on its next activation will be ruled rallied to a 3 status

As the defending British, we could not win - but that's never worried the British army - we still had an excellent opportunity to give Johnny Foreigner a bloody nose! We decided to accept the -10 points and have the Spanish on from move one - commanded by Chris, they would hold our right flank - the positions adopted are as below. 

The British cavalry was all under Nicks command but held off table as a nice little surprise for the garlic munchers!

Now apparently. I took 66 pictures, so perhaps they won't all have a description attached - hold onto your shakos, here we go!

LOTS of French cavalry on their left wing!

Massed battalions of French infantry in the left centre

The French right flank - a lot more infantry although many are "small" units.

Initial set up - French on the left, and with most of the British force still concealed.

The Brits (under Paul and Nick) move forwards to oppose Barry and Rick.

Ricks Division advances.

RA deployed - we only had two small batteries, plus a Spanish one - I had no guns at all on my flank!

Above and below - some of Nick's force - all from my collection - Old Glory in front and Front Rank behind them above and two OG below. (they mostly have FR command though)

Above and below - my division of three brigades - 4 up front just below the crest, then two more lines in support - defence in depth, just as Mark had suggested!

The French cavalry division moves forwards.

In the centre, Barrys infantry division plods towards the monastery.... 

... SURPRISE! It's Mr. Sharpe and his boys!

The junction between Barry and Ricks commands - Ricks troops are in the BUA.

John's force was lagging behind, their advance slowed by fields and walled enclosures.

The Spanish infantry appear on the high ground in front of the large French cavalry division.

Paul's division occupies defensive positions adjacent to the Spaniards on their right.

Two of my first line units (Perry Plastics from Marks collection) move forward onto the crest to get in a shot at John's advancing columns.

Rick has a bit of traffic congestion as Nick moves forward to "get in his face!"

Barrys division makes an impressive site as it moves up towards the monastery.

The first (of many) cavalry charges against the Spanish infantry, who have sensibly formed square!

2 dice to 6 for the attacking cavalry, needing a 5 or 6 to hit - and this was Chris's roll - one French cavalry regiment is blow from the field!

The action hots up on the French right wing too, as John's men get into firing range and my Brits drop back down behind the cover of the crest again!

Ricks command confronts Nick.

Whilst Barry, supported by Rick, attempts to take the monastery by storm....

And to the right, the rest of Barrys division tangles with Paul.

The French cavalry keep on keeping on.

The junction of Chris and Paul's commands

The cavalry division is very impressive, but so is the solid line of interlocking Spanish squares!

SURPRISE! number two...... Our cavalry, under Nick, held off table till around turn 4 or 5, suddenly appears on John's flank and nearly catches his limbered artillery, which had to beat a hasty retreat (they deployed to the rear of Johns line but never fired a shot in the entire game - cavalry, job done!)

The developing attack on my first line of infantry.

The riflemen continue to hold their own against the attacking Frogs.

As does the other unit occupying the position (we were only allowed a maximum of two units within the walls)

A panoramic view of the divisional commanders post luncheon!

"The cavalry comes on in the same old way.......!"

And the Spanish squares hold them again.

A strong French assault on the monastery and Paul's division in the centre.

On my wing, the three lines are still holding John at bay - just!

And Paul is doing the same to Barry's division.

As are the Spaniards on our right wing.

In the centre, the French battalions keep smashing themselves against the walls of the monastery.

And Rick's division attempts to overwhelm Nicks dogged defence.

"Steady boys, here they come!"

Two of four of the first line battalions break under the relentless French pressure (unfortunately, we forgot the Brits should have had an extra melee dice per battalion, it might have seen all four hold their ground - oh well, next time, I will make sure I remember that!)

The French cavalry has certainly been thinned out by the Spanish infantry!

Barry's attack is being contained effectively by Paul.

And Rick is not having any luck pushing forwards against Nick - things are looking pretty good for the Kings forces!

On my wing, the first line has been driven back to the supporting second line.

But the position is still strong, with only two battalions broken and driven from the field.

This was about the high point of John's attack.

From here on in, his assaults were roughly handled by my stout-hearted lads, and driven back with loss, all along the line!

Nick, too, was fighting Rick to a standstill.

The two units of British light cavalry stopped John being able to take advantage of superior numbers to turn my left flank!

You can see how the superior numbers of French infantry commanded by John had forced me to give ground, but the all-important roads to Corunna are still safely held by our defence in depth.

And in the centre, the monastery is still in British hands - Huzzah!

To the left of that position, Barry's command is in a bit of a mess too.

Not so many French cavalry on the right wing now......

And the Spaniards are actually advancing and pushing into Barry's flank!

And - "Time, gentlemen, please!" - the British have successfully held the position and (I think) achieved the "Tactical Defeat" result ie the second best we could possibly manage! Apparently, this was very similar to what actually happened, with the French throwing themselves at the British, the cavalry being very badly mauled, and the infantry failing to break through, thus allowing the British to withdraw in relatively good order, although, as most will know, they lost their very able commander, Sir John Moore, who was killed in the action.

A great game to finish off the "big games" for 2023 - we may still get one in at Julian's before 31 Dec, or I might manage a solo or two in the next couple of weeks, we will see how things work out. Thanks for persevering will all the images and I hope you found the AAR entertaining and informative!