02. Action on the Adajo - After Action Reports

Replay File Here

Unfortunately my internet connection glitched about 30 minutes into the game and I dropped. I had a very minor command on the French side so it didn't matter but from what I had seen already and from what I heard later this was a very bloody little fight. It was a limited action with the French trying to wrest control of an important ridge from the Spanish defenders of Valladolid, a location that would enable them to place their artillery on top and dominate the low ground south of the city and around the river crossing that they must next assault. I used only partial OOBs from both sides forces.

The French took quite a lot of casualties from Spanish musketry, the Spanish being placed on high ground behind fences and walls and the French infantry seemed to lack a certain elan, preferring to enter unfavourable firefights in lines rather than go in with the bayonet. The Spanish did benefit from having quite a good brigade involved in this battle, one that enjoyed a higher level of competence, on average, than those at Atalayuclas. Though the French infantry here was better as well.

The Spanish cavalry seemed to have an excellent day from what I saw from my distant position by the French guns down in the valley, with several squadrons charging into French lines and riding them down, causing a lot of casualties. The 2nd Sqn Dragons de la Reina captured the colour of the 4th Btn, 8th Ligne and about 5 other French battalions were routed.

Eventually numbers told however and the two big French brigades pushed the single smaller Spanish brigade off the ridge. The French cavalry assisted but didn't appear to shine as much as the (desperate?) Spanish horsemen.

The Spanish got all their guns away again. Two in a row on that statistic.

Casualty returns have still to be reworked by the return of wounded and stragglers but the raw figures are 1,900 French killed, wounded and missing and 1,000 Spanish. A 2 to 1 loss ratio attacking uphill against defenders in cover is not that bad a showing at all, looking at it in that light.

A minor French victory is awarded and they importantly hold the ground fought over so should recover more wounded and stragglers.

Thanks again Martin for an excellent game and for all your hard work running this Campaign.

I will submit my AAR later in the week.

Its a shame I forgot to run FRAPS for this one. It was a very interesting battle and could have gone either way.

Cheers to all

Mike

The Replay is very interesting. Towards the end the French were pushing forwards on their right and the Spanish on that side (the cavalry and guns) had completely retreated, leaving the infantry on the other end of the hill. Had the French been able to push for the bridge at that point I think I could have ruled that the entire Spanish infantry brigade would be captured. As it was the retreating Spanish infantry ran down to the impassable river, hit it and went along to the bridge, which they escaped over. A couple of fresh French cavalry squadrons at that point could have spelled disaster for the defenders.

I frapsed my game but I crashed out at about 20 minutes and all of that was viewed from the valley so it doesn't show much except quite a lot of Spanish cavalry running amok and several French battalions running away!

Digby wrote:I frapsed my game but I crashed out at about 20 minutes and all of that was viewed from the valley so it doesn't show much except quite a lot of Spanish cavalry running amok and several French battalions running away!

Now that's my kind of movie.  

Mr. Digby wrote:The Replay is very interesting. Towards the end the French were pushing forwards on their right and the Spanish on that side (the cavalry and guns) had completely retreated, leaving the infantry on the other end of the hill. Had the French been able to push for the bridge at that point I think I could have ruled that the entire Spanish infantry brigade would be captured. As it was the retreating Spanish infantry ran down to the impassable river, hit it and went along to the bridge, which they escaped over. A couple of fresh French cavalry squadrons at that point could have spelled disaster for the defenders.

Excellent game Diggers.  I think the scenario was well crafted.  And congrats to the Spanish who punched above their weight.  Especially Justin, whose cavalry came within an inch of causing the French to call off the whole attack.

As French cavalry commander I played a more cautious game.  Probably too cautious.  But there were reasons for this, which I’ll cover over in the French section, as they bear on the campaign.  Apologies to our Spanish chums for this unusual reticence on my part  .

Martin (J)

Martin wrote:Apologies to our Spanish chums for this unusual reticence on my part

Very unsporting of you. We Spanish keep nothing from you. Nothing at all.  

Uncle Billy wrote:Very unsporting of you.  We Spanish keep nothing from you.  Nothing at all.  

Let's see..........your loyalty, your money, your supplies, your wine, your women.  Need I go on?

Your most humble & obedient servant

Murat

Martin wrote:I think the scenario was well crafted.

I don't know about that, I was assuming an easy French walk-over and a glorious but futile Spanish defence. I think it just shows how a crazed cavalry commander can dominate a battle if he really puts whats left of his mind to it.

A full-blown retreat back almost to their start line half way through, by half the French infantry was also a probable contribution to the outcome. I love how HITS games makes these funky unpredictable things happen.

Murat wrote:

your loyalty, your money, your supplies, your wine, your women. Need I go on?

A vile slur, sir. I'll have those ostrich feathers next time we meet.

Uncle Billy wrote:Murat wrote:

your loyalty, your money, your supplies, your wine, your women.  Need I go on?

A vile slur, sir.  I'll have those ostrich feathers next time we meet.

I will not take that from a man who secretes seafood paella in his breeches!

Name your second, sir!

What I saw of the action which wasn't much except lots of distant views of Spanish cavalry routing French battalions everywhere!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrLLWVam7Xk&

Thanks for sharing Martin. It gives a nice impression of the French assault uphill.
In the replay it didn't even look THAT embarrassing when my French regiments were overrun by Spanish cavalry  

It was lucky that my connection dropped before the embarassing miscommunication by the French command and the withdrawal of half their infantry, so I won't mention that. Oops.

It was amazing that the French pulled a fairly convincing win out of that given the mess they got into by the half time whistle. A little more aggression on the right at the end and they'd have bagged the whole Spanish infantry brigade as prisoners.

Digby wrote:A little more aggression on the right at the end and they'd have bagged the whole Spanish infantry brigade as prisoners.

Hallucinations of a garlic soaked brain. Our rope-a-dope strategy was working beautifully. We had nearly lured the snail eaters onto the ground selected for our counterattack. But they lost their nerve and refused to hike their skirts and proceed any farther.