Napoleonic & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Saturday 24 November 2012

Solo Campaign - Weeks 23 & 24


After something of an extended intermission, the Solo Campaign gets going again. No dramatic action, but the French are worried about having left Madrid pretty much exposed (and thus are proposing to leave Salamanca exposed as well), the wall-repairers at Ciudad Rodrigo have made very poor progress (which is worrying the commandant), and I’m a bit worried myself about the logistics of putting into operation a cunning plan to use a British fleet to convey part of the Spanish Army round the coast to the other side of Spain. So it’s all a bit worrying.

Anyway, here is the summary of Weeks 23 and 24, and it’s a comfort to have things moving again...


Seems like a nice boy? – Gen de Divn Claude-François
Ferey, shortly to arrive to take over the Division of the
unfortunate Maucune. A suitably prestigious Art
Miniaturen figure is being commissioned to play the
part of Ferey on the tabletop – watch this space

Week 23

Random Events and Strategic Notes
No progress has been made with the Central Junta’s request that Wellington be seconded to the Spanish service. A further request has been made, for the British Navy to transport España’s force from Vigo, round the coast through Gibraltar, to Tortosa, to join up with the rest of the Spanish 3rd Army to act against the French (and, potentially, their supply routes) in Aragon and Navarra. It is expected that General Giron would have a more active role with this enlarged field army.

It will take 2 weeks to assemble enough ships, and the actual passage is estimated at 2-3 weeks.

Outbreak of fever at Zaragoza badly affects French forces E & G (which are to combine). Estimated 1500 men in hospital, which is about 30% of French force present. Sickness not prevalent among civilian population.

Housekeeping
The 3D3 activation throws give the Allies 7 and the French 4. The Allies opt to move first.

Following losses sustained to staff at the Battle of Carpio de Azaba, the following changes to the French command are announced:
* General de Divn Claude-François Ferey, Baron de Rosengath, has been appointed to take over command of the 5th Divn of the Armée de Portugal (formerly Maucune’s). Ferey is currently on long-term recuperation leave in France (following wounds received at the Battle of Fuentes d’Onoro) and will not arrive to join his new command until mid July. In the interim, the division will be commanded by Gen de Bde Baron Lamartinière, Marmont’s Chief of Staff.
* While General Berlier is absent from duty, his brigade of Clauzel’s Divn will be commanded by Col de Conchy of 25e Léger

Moves

Allies (7 allowed)
1 – A (Aigburth, with the Allied 3rd, 7th and Light Divns, plus cavalry) rests at Ciudad Rodrigo, allowing recovery following the previous week’s battle.
2 – D (Framlingham, with the Allied siege train) marches from Abrantes to Almeida, being ordered to join up with Aigburth’s main army.
3 – Sp B (España) is ordered to march from Orense to Vigo, to prepare his army for embarkation. This is a difficult (brown) road, so a test is required:
2D3 = 5 +2 (España’s rating) -1 (brown road) = 6   - march is completed with no problems
4 – B (Graham, at Braga) to send scouting patrols into Orense
5 – A (Aigburth) to send scouting patrols into the area around Salamanca, to monitor the state and position of the French field armies.
6 – British ships at Gibraltar, Lisbon and Porto ordered to make ready and sail for Vigo within 1 week.
[Intelligence step -
  • no French forces detected in Orense – assume Marmont is still at Leon.
  • patrols from KGL and Brunswick Hussars report that Clauzel’s defeated force has stopped at Salamanca, and is not in good shape. Jourdan’s force also in this area, giving the French an estimated total of 25000 in this area [this is an over-estimate]]
French (4 allowed)
1 – I (Clauzel) rests at Salamanca.
2 – E (Rabbe’s bde of Abbé’s Division of the Armée du Nord) and G (Lacharrue’s bde of the same Divn) are to combine as E, under Abbé, at Zaragoza.
3 – K (Jourdan, at Salamanca) to send scouting patrols towards Ciudad Rodrigo.
4 – N (Marmont, at Leon), to send patrols into Zamora and Lugo.
[Intelligence step –
  • Troopers from Maupoint’s cavalry brigade (in force K) detect no general movement of Allied units from Ciudad Rodrigo – Allied scouts reported around Salamanca area – presence of 1st Hussars KGL confirms that Allied main army is still at Ciudad – no details known
  • Cavalry attached to Marmont, at Leon, have found no Allied movements around Lugo, and have little definite information – hostility of civilian population in this area makes scouting very difficult. One party of 30 troopers  from 22e Chasseurs disappeared without trace near Sarria, presumed captured.]
Supplies and Demoralisation
All units are in supply. French Force E at Zaragoza is Demoralized by serious outbreak of fever – this week’s losses to the hospital are:
4/28e Leg  -3 blocks; Chass des Montagnes, Gren Prov, 1/Dgns Prov, 4e Vistule & Tirailleur bn each -1 block = 1500 men in total.

Contacts
None, apart from scouts.

Engineering at Ciudad Rodrigo
Each battalion present with the garrison rolls 1D6 each week, giving 4D6 – every 6 rolled adds 1 to the Fortress Value, which is currently 4 – aiming to be repaired to a full value of 6.  This week, the dice come up 5 3 3 1, so no progress with the Fortress Value, which remains at 4.



HMS Inconsolable, 74 guns, Captain James Thornycroft,
which will be the command ship for the little fleet
transporting España’s troops from Vigo to Tortosa

Week 24

Random Events and Strategic Notes
Outbreak of fever at Zaragoza seems to have been related to troops being supplied with drinking water obtained from the River Ebro. No new cases reported this week.

Concerned about the safety of Madrid, King Joseph has ordered Jourdan to return there with his force, leaving Marmont and Clauzel with responsibility for Leon and Castille.

Housekeeping
The 3D3 activation throws give the Allies 4 and the French 5. The French opt to move first.

Moves

French (5 allowed)
1 – E (Abbé’s Division of the Armée du Nord) rest at Zaragoza, to recover from fever outbreak.
2 – K (Jourdan) to march from Salamanca to Avila, en route to Madrid.
3 – N (Marmont) to march from Leon to Zamora, to communicate with Clauzel.
4 – I (Clauzel) to scout from Salamanca towards Ciudad Rodrigo.
5 – N (Marmont) to scout from Zamora towards Orense.
[Intelligence step –
  • No new information – the French are unaware that España has marched to Vigo]
Allies (4 allowed)
1 – British flotilla at Vigo take on supplies, and embark Spanish troops...
2 – Sp B (España) embark themselves and their equipment at the port of Vigo.
3 – D (Framlingham, with the Allied siege train) marches from Almeida to Ciudad Rodrigo.
4 – B (Graham, at Braga) to send scouting patrols into Orense
[Intelligence step -
  • no significant French forces detected in Orense, though some contact with unidentified French cavalry in this area.]
Supplies and Demoralisation
All units are in supply. French Force E at Zaragoza is no longer Demoralized by fever, since it has been contained.

Contacts
None, apart from scouts.

Engineering at Ciudad Rodrigo
Each battalion present with the garrison rolls 1D6 each week, giving 4D6 – every 6 rolled adds 1 to the Fortress Value, which is currently 4 – aiming to be repaired to a full value of 6.  This week, the dice come up 5 4 3 2, so no progress with the Fortress Value, which remains at 4. Col D’Orsay, temporary commandant at Ciudad Rodrigo, is said to be very disappointed by lack of progress, since the withdrawal of Jourdan’s troops to Madrid leaves him exposed to attack.





2 comments:

  1. I am a (generally) mute fan of your campaign!
    Thanks for sharing
    Regards
    Rafa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rafa - the campaign takes quite a lot of thought, so it has been impacted by the dreaded Real Life of late! I hope to keep it moving along now.

      Joseph's withdrawal of Jourdan's force is probably dumb, but a random event came up saying "Worries about guerrillas - More troops to Madrid" for the French, and I must obey!

      Your map is still serving me well - thanks again.

      Delete