WO02 Crossing the Douro River (12 May 1809)

Details
Written by: Walter O'Hara
Category: Peninsular War (1808-1814)
Hits: 8569
Victory Results:
 0 %
Record a victory for BOTTOM ARMY  100 %
Total plays 1 - Last reported by Mark-McG on 2024-03-19 11:45:57

Crossing the Douro River - 12 May 1809

Historical Background
In the (Second) Battle of Oporto (or the Battle of the Douro) General Arthur Wellesley's British army took the city of Porto, defeating Marshal Nicolas Soult's French troops on May 12, 1809. After taking command of the British troops in Portugal on April 22, Wellesley (later named 1st Duke of Wellington) immediately advanced on Porto and made a surprise crossing of the Douro River. Soult retreated from the city after losing heavily.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Thank you to the author for sharing this scenario. HERE you can find the link to the original webpage.

 

Set-Up Order

Forest 11
Hill 6
HillEntrenchments 1
River 10
RiverBend 2
RiverBendBridge 1
RiverBridge 1
Town 5
TownWindmill 1

 

Battle Notes

British Army
Commander : Wellesley
6 Command Cards
5 Tactics Cards (Optional)

Line Infantry Guard Grenadier Infantry Light Cavalry Foot Artillery Leader   Line Infantry Leader
6 2 1 2 2   1 1

French Army
Commander : Soult
5 Command Cards
5 Tactics Cards (Optional)
Move First

Line Infantry Light Infantry Light Cavalry Foot Artillery Leader
4 3 2 2 3

 

Victory
5 Banners

Special Rules
The Raft Bridge on the right flank is worth a Victory Banner to the French if they can destroy it with Artillery Fire (3 hits as if Melee target on dice, use pennies as markers, then flip to a river tile). The Town of Oporto is worth two Victory Banners to the English. 1 LI and 1 LC start on the far side of the raft bridge.

Log in to comment

Posts in discussion: WO02 Crossing the Douro River (12 May 1809)
Mark-McG replied the topic:
#10920
1 month 3 weeks ago
Played this with these Special rules

Special Rules:
- The Raft Bridge on the British right flank (with explosive marker) is worth a Victory Banner to the French if they can destroy it with Artillery Fire;
3 x Sabers on dice, use pennies as markers, then flip to a river tile.
- The Town of Oporto is worth two Victory Banners to the British.
- The River is fordable

There is a significant anomoly here in that the Bishop’s Seminary on the North bank is absent, and this was a strongpoint for the British
www.britishbattles.com/peninsular-war/battle-of-the-douro/

In the event, the British lost 5-1, and it was the Grenadier Guard that did the killing. Otherwise it was just easy meat for the French to attack the British on the north (bottom) bank, and cross (via the captured barges the British controlled no less) to the town.
Bayernkini replied the topic:
#1036
11 years 2 months ago
Which is the town of Oporto, which is a VP?

I wished, scenario designer would name and mark all objective exact ;)
Or much better, use the vassal module, so you can do this all,
next fan extension is nearly ready,
so you find all for scenario designs:
- different colored Hex-borders, to show objective, labels - to show town names, explosive marker (to use it for this "destroying bride") and much more :)

See example below ;)

[IMG
alecrespi replied the topic:
#758
12 years 5 days ago

Bayernkini wrote: 2. How does the destroy of bridge exact work;
I can target it in range and melee combat? And which symbols hits the bridge?


Hi Michael,
don't know about the river (but I believe that keeping it unfordable would brake this scenario).

About bridge destruction you should find your answer in "Special Rules":

SPECIAL RULES wrote: ...destroy it with Artillery Fire (3 hits as if Melee target on dice, use pennies as markers, then flip to a river tile).

So I assume there is no melee combat for the bridge.

This is my point of view.
Alessandro
Bayernkini replied the topic:
#757
12 years 5 days ago
Some questions about the scenario:

1. I assume, the river is fordable ;)

2. How does the destroy of bridge exact work;
I can target it in range and melee combat? And which symbols hits the bridge?
alecrespi replied the topic:
#617
12 years 3 months ago
Thank you Hawkmoon Von Koln for you notice.
It has been definitely a typo.
:)
Hawkmoon replied the topic:
#612
12 years 3 months ago
The correct orthograh is "Douro" (Portuguese, English, French) or "Duero" in Spanish. (Maybe Duoro is Italian ;) )
Sorry for boring you.
Bayernkini replied the topic:
#611
12 years 3 months ago
Missing your vassal setups for the new fan senarios, please upload it to the download page and link it direkt from scenario site :)
(so i can use it also for next vassal updates)
Read More...

Maps with similar TAGs