Introduction

Fought on the 21st June 1813, the battle of Vittoria took place between the opposing forces of General Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) and the retreating French forces of King Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jourdan, with the battle eventually leading to the collapse of Napoleonic rule in Spain. Historically, the battle is also famous for the plunder captured their: “the loot of a kingdom”. This looting led to Wellingtons’ famous scathing remark of his soldiers being “the scum of the earth”: he had wanted the money himself to pay for the campaign!

As for the game (which uses the Napoleonic 20 standard rules), it also includes rules for the looting of the baggage park: let’s see if order prevails or if, once again, the temptation wil prove to be too much …

Situation at start of game


Turn 1: June 21, Morning (Allied morale 7, French morale 7)

On the morning of June 21st, Wellington starts the battle by advancing his Light Company, Morilla’s corps and the Portuguese corps all north-east towards Hermandad. 3rd and Reserve cavalry corps both move towards Villoda while the 2nd corps crosses the Zadorra at the bridge between Olabarre and Puebla de Argoa. Further north, 3rd and 7th corps head south towards Mendoza.

Morilla’s corps are forced to attack, uphill, against the Army of the South’s 4th corps, with the attackers deciding to commit their reserves (-1 Allied morale). Despite this, they are still forced to rout 3 hexes (roll of 2, +1 for Spanish)(-1 Allied morale), and the 4th corps ‘holds ground’.

(random event = “Sacre Bleu!” French lose a morale point)
The French re-deploy their forces, forming a line that stretches all the way from near Puebla de Argoa north to the north west of Armez, and then north east towards the woods outside Vittoria itself. Meanwhile, the stranded 4th corps (army of Portugal) heads south towards Gamarra Mayo as the Army of the Centre 2nd corps heads towards Vittoria.

Situation at end of turn 1


Turn 2: June 21, Mid-day (Allied morale 5, French morale 6)

(random event = “We have them now!” May spend 1 morale point without paying the cost)
The Allies continue to close in on the French positions, with the majority of their corps moving up to engage the north-south French line as Wellingtons’ Left Column arrives along the road leading down from Durana.

7th corps attacks Army of South 3rd corps, forcing that unit to withdraw and ‘taking ground’. 3rd corps attacks Army of South’s 1st corps, also forcing that unit to withdraw back into Armez and also ‘taking ground’. The Allied Army of Portugal commits their reserves (-1 Allied morale) against Army of South 5/6 corps, with both sides remaining engaged. Finally, 4th corps and Reserve cavalry combine to attack Army of South 4th corps (and spend their free morale point to commit their reserves), who also commit their own reserves (-1 French morale), causing both attackers to withdraw.

(random event = “Shimmering heat and rising clouds of dust” No effect as not using Fog of War)
Once again, the French re-deploy their forces, with the Army of the South’s reserve cavalry moving southwards to aid the 3rd and 5/6 corps, the Army of Portugal 6th corps moving to the North of their cavalry corps, the Army of the Centre 1st corps moving north-west to the south of the bridge crossing the Zadorra near Estarrona; the Army of Portugal 4th corps moving north-east to the west of Ayorrabe; the Army of Centre 2 corps moving into Vittoria itself along the road leading from Armez and finally the KSG taking up position to the north of the wood just outside that location.

Army of the South 1st and 4th corps combine with Army of Portugal Cavalry to attack 3rd corps just outside Armez, who commit their reserves (-1 Allied morale) and manage to remain engaged. Army of South 5/6 corps attacks (and commits reserve against, for -1 French morale) Portuguese corps in Puebla de Argoa, forcing that corps to withdraw. Finally, Army of South 3rd corps attacks (and also commits reserves against for -1 French morale) 2 corps in the woods, but are forced to rout a single hex, with the 7th corps ‘taking ground’.

Situation at end of turn 2


Turn 3: June 21, Afternoon (Allied morale 3, French morale 3)

(random event = “According to plan”. Reshuffle cards)
The Allies continue to press their attack, with the 5th corps and Longa corps both moving to attack the French Army of Portugal 4th corps, as the 1st corps crosses the ford near Ayorrabe. To the west of Armez, 7th corps crosses at the ford near La Hermandad while the 3rd corps moves south and Reserve cavalry, Portuguese corps and Morilla’s corps all move north-east.

Army of Portugal cavalry corps disengages back into La Hermandad and Army of South Reserve cavalry corps counter-charges 4th corps, but are themselves forced to rout a single hex.

3rd and Longa corps combine to attack Army of Portugal 4th corps, forcing that unit to withdraw with the 3rd corps ‘taking ground’. (Allied) Portuguese corps attacks uphill (and commits reserves for -1 Allied morale) against Army of South 5/6 corps, forcing the defenders to withdraw south. This is a hazardous retreat, which they fail and so break instead (+1 Allied morale, -1 French morale). Portuguese corps ‘takes ground’. 7th corps attacks the (routed) Army of South 3rd corps but only results in an Exchange (+1Allied morale, -1 French morale then -1 Allied morale, +1 French morale). 3rd corps attacks Army of South 1st corps in Armez, forcing them to withdraw and ‘taking ground’. 7th corps attacks Army of Portugal 6th corps, with both sides remaining engaged. Finally, 3rd corps and Reserve cavalry combine to attack uphill against the (now surrounded) Army of South 4th corps, who commit their reserves (-1 French morale) and force both attackers to rout: 3rd corps 2 hexes; Reserve cavalry 5 (-1 Allied morale) which includes a hazardous retreat across a bridge, which they then fail (+1 French morale).

(random event = “Jourdan’s indecision”. All movement reduced by 1, and may not enter EZOCs)
With their movement options now severely limited, only those belonging to the Army of the Centre are really in a position to be able to (or want to) move: the 2nd corps along the road leading to Ayorrabe, KSG to the south west of Gamarra Mayo and the 1st corps to the north of La Hermandad.

Army of Portugal 4th corps attacks British 5th corps, routing 2 hexes. The first of these is a hazardous retreat across a ford, which the make safely. 5th corps ‘takes ground’. Army of Portugal 6th corps attacks 7th corps and remain engaged against the same. Army of South 1st corps commit their reserves (-1 French morale) against 3rd corps in Armez, who also commit their reserves (-1 Allied morale). The attackers are forced to withdraw. Finally, Army of South 4th corps attacks Portuguese corps, and remain engaged against the same.

Situation at end of turn 3


Turn 4: June 21, Dusk (Allied morale 1, French morale 1)

(random event = “Intelligence gathering”. No effect as not using Fog of War)
4th corps and Light Division both converge on the beleaguered Army of South 4th corps as Morilla’s corps moves into the woods to the south east of Puebla de Argoa, and as the 5th corps crosses the ford near Gamarra Mayo with the 1st corps moving south along the road through Ayorrabe and Longa’s corps also moving south.

3rd, 4th, Light Division and Portuguese corps all combine to attack Army of South 4th corps outside Armez, breaking that unit (+1 Allied morale, -1 French morale) and ending the game!

Situation at end of game


Final thoughts

Despite a hard-fought game, Marshal Jourdan once again lost the battle of Vittoria and King Joseph Bonaparte once again lost his loot! Although the game includes rules for looting of the baggage park, in this replay no unit had cause to: the French never routed through either of those two hexes while the Anglo-Allied forces never made it quite that far before the French army broke. At one stage, the routing of both the Allied Reserve cavalry and 3rd corps made it look like this game was going to result in a French victory; a victory, however, that was lost by Jourdan’s indecision and his inability to make the most of the opportunity offered! Somehow, I don’t think the Emperor is going to be too pleased with either his brother or with Marshal Jourdan …

Wow, that was a short game! Typically the match lasts much longer.

We found that the baggage camp only comes into play about a third of the time (which we felt was appropriate as, historically, the British didn't actually overrun it until after they'd already routed the French army). However, when it does it figures prominently in the "story" of the game.

Incidentally, the units in this game (and our other Peninsular battle, Bussaco) are divisions, not corps.

D'Oh! I'll have to remember that for future games.

I think the fact that this replay was so short was mainly due to the fact that both sides came out of the gates all guns blazing (pun intended) and kept committing their reserves to the west of Armez: the Anglo-Allied in a bid to capture their objective hex and the French in theirs to stop this happening, rather than to fight a rear-guard action.

Yeah, the fight around Armez is similar to what occurs in/around Schevardino in the Borodino battle: it's not really intended to be the center of the action, but it can easily develop into that if players choose to act (ahistorically) aggressive in that instance. It's one of those interesting "might have been" things that players who have more experience with that particular battle won't let themselves get pulled into.

We tended to find that Vittoria, at least from the French perspective, often played more favorably as a sort of delaying action than a head-to-head battle. There's a lot of depth to the main (western) front, which allows the French to often trade that space for time so they can concentrate on crushing the relatively weak Anglo-Allied northern group (which is really the principle threat to the baggage camp -- I think we only saw their main group reach the baggage camp in one or two games during playtesting).

David


Thanks for the great AAR on the game.

I was surprised no French advancing over the river to take the fight to the Allies up north but instead retreated to their side of the river to defend. I find I can delay or mess the Allies up really good by advancing 2-3 units over the river up north to help out the lone defender. At least it delay's the attack on the Baggage Camp.

We did have one test game(maybe two) where the French advanced past Armez to the west and pounce on the Allies and win the game that first day. somtimes that proves itself a good option.

The game does have it's wild side at times. French falling aprt that first day like historically and then in the next game end up lasting the full battle and winning.

Glad you enjoy the game

Kim Meints

The initial French plan (before it fell apart!) was to form that 'V' shaped line showing at the end of turn 1, and then slowly retreat back to enclose the Baggage camp which is why that lone French unit up north was falling back rather than taking the fight to the Allies. I thought forcing the Allies to attack uphill around Armez would also help out the French cause.

Who was it that said "no plan ever survives contact with the enemy": this was definitely a case in point!