Details: Written by: GMT Games; Category: Peninsular War (1808-1814); Published: 19 January 2012; Last Updated: 01 June 2021; Hits: 14292

Victory Results:

48 %

52 %

Total plays 110 - Last reported by wirbi on 2024-11-21 07:33:34

Espinosa de los Monteros - 10/11 November 1808

Historical Background
After the escape from Zornoza, Blake’s army was still in trouble. Marshal Victor was pressing forward through the mountains and in position to cut off one of Blake’s divisions under the command of Pedro Caro, Conde de San Romana, but Blake halted his retreat and turned to join Romana at Espinosa. The 23,000 Spaniards occupied a strong position. Romana’s division, composed entirely of regular Spanish regiments, held the Spanish right flank. After defeating the Prussians in 1806, Napoleon demanded and received this division to garrison the Baltic coast area. Upon learning of Napoleon’s invasion of Spain, the entire division boarded Royal Navy ships and returned to Spain to fight. On the first day of battle, they repulsed General Villatte’s advance division of Victor’s corps. When Victor arrived later in the day with the rest of his corps, he launched a second attack on Romana’s division, but once again the French were driven back with heavy losses on both sides, including Romana himself, killed leading his troops.
Victor was no Napoleon, but he realized the day’s attacks had forced Blake to weaken his center and left to shore up Romana’s weakened division on the right. The following day Victor ordered Lapisse’s division to attack on the Spanish left at Las Peñucas ridge. It was a fortunate decision. General Acevedo’s division held this ground, but most of his troops were newly raised, inexperienced and untrained. After a short struggle, the Spanish left flank broke and fled. With Lapisse in firm control of the heights above Espinosa, Victor ordered a general advance and the Spanish army collapsed. After the battle over 8,000 Spaniards drifted away to return home rather than reform with Blake’s shattered army at Reinosa.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Set-Up Order

	11
	11
	7
	2
	1
	4

Battle Notes

Spanish Army
• Commander: Blake
• 5 Command Cards
• Optional 3 Tactician Cards


6	2	2	3	2	2	3

French Army
• Commander: Victor
• 5 Command Cards
• Optional 3 Tactician Cards
• Move First


10	2	2	2	1	3

Victory
7 Banners

Special Rules
• Spanish Guerrilla Action Rule is in effect. The Spanish player starts with one Guerrilla counter.

• The River Trueba is impassable.

• The Shallow Stream is fordable.

Posts in discussion: 104 Espinosa de los Monteros (10-11 November 1808)

miketodd replied the topic:

#10412

1 year 2 weeks ago

Awesome one, with rolling battles across the flanks. Spanish (played by J) were up 5-3 early and nearly took it. French won it on a do-or-die cavalry charge, 7-6.

Riclev replied the topic:

#9454

1 year 5 months ago

Played this three times recently. As the French player, I attacked the militia on the Spanish left, routing it off the map. This was followed by an attack on the Spanish right (dictated by the cards) which routed several units into the River Trueba for a 7-4 win.

Not quite sure how it happened, but the return game saw a rapid 7-1 Spanish win. A French assault towards the river saw it beaten back and the militia held its own on the left. In my experience of this and C&C Tricorne, most players hold militia units back to protect them, but if properly supported, they can be very effective.

So we played again, my opponent confident he could do better. He did, but still lost 7-3! Once again, a French assault on the Spanish right in front of the river was beaten back with heavy loss. The French cavalry came forward and destroyed a line unit in square, but when subsequently attacked, the militia held it own without forming square, and the coup de grace came with two Spanish cavalry charges eliminating both French light cavalry units.

Much has been written about the guerrilla rule. In each of the above games, the Spanish drew an extra token, for a total of two. Did they swing the games? Probably not. In both games as the Spanish, I used the guerrillas to stop a French attack dead in its tracks. As the French, I drew the guerrilla tokens out by making threatening moves with weaker cards, allowing me subsequently to play stronger cards (bayonet charge and rally) without fear of their being annulled. People get exercised about this being ahistorical in that guerrillas were rarely present on a a battlefield, but hey, it's a play-balance mechanism so who cares!

Richards replied the topic:

#7856

2 years 5 months ago

Turns 1 – 9: Spanish forces successfully beat back a French attack in the center but lose ground on their left and right flanks. Both sides spend numerous turns building up critical mass to throw against the other with the Spaniards being surprisingly aggressive. Spanish lead in the early turns, five to two.

Turn 10: General Ruffin has his voltigeurs on the far right open a devastating fire against the Spanish line. At the same moment, General Eugène-Casimir Villatte’s line troops charge into the woods against General Pedro Caro y Sureda, Marquis of La Romana’s Spanish light troops. Both Spanish regiments are reduced by around 50%. Meanwhile, in the center, General Pierre Belon Lapisse advances against General Joaquín Blake y Joyes’ line and causes a Spanish collapse. Blake is forced to flee to his Grenadier regiment. French Leadership was well played this turn. But the Spaniards are still ahead five to three.

Turn 11: The French continue to press the attack. The Spanish right flank crumbles and General Romana barely escapes to the high ground in front of the Trucha River. But in the center, General Blake encourages his Grenadiers forward and they route Lapisse’s forces. The Spanish hold the center, for the moment, and are very close to snatching victory. They lead six to five.

Turn 12: The French proceed with La Grande Manoeuvre and move up artillery and line troops west of the shallow stream along their right flank. General Acevedo recognizes the scheme and redeploys his infantry eastwards behind the ridgeline. Both sides favor defensive positioning this turn and the next.

Turn 14: Generals Ruffin and Villatte see the exposed Spanish right flank manned by Romana’s weakened light troops. With extraordinary Leadership, the French commanders concentrate fire on the high ground defended by the Spanish. The merciless volleys are accurate, the Spanish light regiment is destroyed and the brave General Romana is killed while ordering his men. With Romana’s death, the Spanish right flank is turned and the French win a close one seven to six after fourteen turns.

Mark-McG replied the topic:

#7232

3 years 6 months ago

hoping that fixes two birds with one paste

Fencer replied the topic:

#7231

3 years 6 months ago

There is an error on the top of the map. It says "1809", but it should be "1808"

LARS replied the topic:

#6903

3 years 11 months ago

uffin conducted a masterful attack on the Spanish right. Blake was carried from the field seriously wounded and his counterattack was annihilated by a rapid redeployment of guns and light cavalry. French win 7-2.

Mark-McG replied the topic:

#6809

4 years 1 week ago

map is missing a unit, French LN in centre

104 Espinosa de los Monteros (10-11 November 1808)

Espinosa de los Monteros - 10/11 November 1808

Set-Up Order

Battle Notes

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