103 Gamonal (10 November 1808)

Just tested this scenario several times, only with small changes
and i still don´t see any chance, to rebalance it for spanish.

Such scenarios i would not play voluntary, and if, only on the good side (if my opponent want to play it).

So what is my experience with all these extrem unbalanced scenarios.
Me and a lot of friends/other players simple refuse it to play.

So what is to do? Keep on creating such historical "correct" scnenario setups,
and accept, that much/most players don´t like it,
or create more balanced scenarios, which are played....

I would vote for 2nd option.

Final i got an idea, to make this scenario more interested and give the spanish a little chance to win.
Those who didn´t like the original setup, should try it out




1.) I removed a French HC and LC (from the red doted hexes), without this reduction of the French left flank, the spanish have never a chance.
With this removal, the French have still an advantage on their left flank (because of the weak 3 block spanish CAV)

2.) I added a withdraw Victory Banner rule for the spanish Player.

After 3 destroyed spanish Cavalry units, ordered Spanish units may move off the Spanish edge of the battlefield.
The Spanish player will gain one Victory Banner for each additional ordered Spanish unit that moves off the Spanish edge of the battlefield.
Spanish Leaders that are ordered and are moved off the Spanish edge of the battlefield will not count as a Victory Banner for the Spanish player,
but their exit may prevent the French player from gaining banners for their elimination if they remain on the battlefield.

This forces the French to destroy the underrated spanish CAV not to early, withouth a preparation of a final combined attack with his other forces.

This rule give the spanish on the other side the time, try to kill also 1-2 French unts before they loose their CAV and together with the Escape VP rule, they have a small victory chance too.

After 3 [strike]destroyed[/strike] Spanish Cavalry units are destroyed, ordered Spanish units may move off the Spanish edge of the battlefield.
The Spanish player will gain one Victory Banner for each additional ordered Spanish unit that moves off the Spanish edge of the battlefield.

This will incline me to early and aggressive use of the Cavalry to try and take a few banners, and invoke the withdraw condition early.

The Rout That Wasn't

In Charles Oman's, "Peninsular War Vol I", he describes this action as, "The Rout of Gamonal". And that's exactly what I expected after looking at the scenario details, reading the thread on the forum, and such. Of course, with two relative novices getting together anything can happen, but I still expected a 2-6 defeat as the Spanish ... at best.

First off, the cavalry on the Spanish left looks in a hopeless position. In hindsight, I should have had them disappear across the Pico and hide behind that line, thus denying the French heavies the chance of breakthrough. But after that, what to do? I also hoped to get one or two more guerilla counters through playing scout cards and then try and generate a triple whammy against the French and at least score two or three banners by catching him off guard. I never even saw a scout card in the game, except a late one played by my French adversary.

Early on, I failed to extricate my right flank LC's, he played a cavalry charge, and I hesitated to counter with the guerilla token. I'm sure "Bayernkini" who was observing was perplexed at all this. Fortunately, although his HC had five dice again my LC, he rolled nothing - no kills, no flags! - and I lived to fight another day. Immediately, I attacked him, whilst moving my HC unit across to that flank as well. My LC survived MY attacks, and I then played the guerilla counter and went at him again. After a minor "Ahem" moment when Bayernkini reminded us of the French die roll against the guerrilla action, which failed , we attacked again, killing a couple of his units and snagging two banners. Of course, in the turns immediately afterwards my French opponent took his revenge, but to come out of that cavalry exchange at two banners apiece was like a mini victory.
After that, whilst the French began to slowly move his cavalry across from that flank, and move his HA up, I had to take things into my own hands before the inevitable slaughter could happen. Having two bayonet charge cards in my hand, I endeavoured to play them one turn after the other and assault his centre before he was prepared. More lucky dice (three artillery symbols from three dice) killed his centre artillery, and we also managed to knock out a LT and LN. At that point the Spanish were 5-4 to the good, the French had two 1-block infantry units streaming to the rear, and one knockout attack was all that was needed.
But back came the French. Quality and weight of numbers in the centre finally told..... plus the fact that at a crucial time I forgot to play a first strike card which might have saved the day (now that is a newbie error!) His HC had my Grenadiers pinned in square whilst his infantry attacked the other supporting units. When the Grenadiers finally succumbed after several rounds of defence in square formation, my French opponent walked away with a 6-5 victory.
Far from the rout at Gamonal, Soult was red-faced after this encounter with Belvedere. But a win's a win. We will turn things round and replay the scenario next week. I'm sure both of us will play it much better, but we both agreed we enjoyed the experience despite our tactical mistakes.

French victory 6/5. French cavalry disbanded Spanish cav once they managed to cross the stream. Spanish artillery scored hit after hit on French lines. After the initial effort French relaxed waiting for better cards to smash the Spanish line. The delay allowed the Spanish player to get some guerrilla markers. The brave Spanish commander attacked the french wings leading the match to a tiebreak. At the end French Cavalry turned out decisive running Spanish troops into squares that were decimated by French infantry.

A fascinating game! The Spanish began by acquiring 3 Guerrilla chits allowing Belveder to gain the initiative and attack the French center. Risky? In the extreme.... Soult managed a 6-5 win, at the end screening an immobile artillery unit with light infantry to avoid losing his 6th banner.

6/1 and 6/3 for the french side. Very hard to play the spanish side...

This is a terribly unbalanced scenario, as was the battle itself. The guerilla rule is a kindness towards the Spanish, because there is no indication of guerillas being formed at this stage of the war, and with Napoleon's invasion force moving into Spain in strength,what could guerillas do?

About the only balance here is to play the scenario twice, once each way and use the combined banner score. The scenario doesn't take long to play,so easy to play twice.

Sure, it had taken us an hour an a half (including the setting) to play it.

6-2 to the French. The first Spanish card play was a scout, increasing the guerrilla supply to two. The first was used to counter a French bombard, which following a sabre die roll went ahead anyway, resulting in two Spanish units going up in smoke. A Spanish assault on the left was met with a bayonet charge which was blunted with the second guerrilla token, this time successfully. Both sides lost two units in the subsequent Spanish attack. Having now drawn out both guerrilla tokens, the French launched a long-planned cavalry charge on the opposite flank, driving all the Spanish cavalry from the field for victory.