Victory Results:
 33 %
Record a victory for BOTTOM ARMY  67 %
Total plays 6 - Last reported by Fencer on 2022-02-13 21:24:42

Battle of the Gebora - 19 February 1811

Historical Background
The Battle of the Gebora was a minor battle of the Peninsular War between Spanish and French armies.
It occurred on 19 February 1811, near Badajoz, Spain, where an outnumbered French force routed and nearly destroyed the Spanish Army of Extremadura.
In a bid to help extricate Marshal André Masséna's army from its position in Portugal—mired in front of Lisbon's defensive
Lines of Torres Vedras—Marshal Jean de Dieu Soult led part of the French Armée du Midi (Army of the South) from Andalusia
into the neighbouring Spanish region of Extremadura and laid siege to the important fortress town of Badajoz. Viscount Wellington
and the Spanish Captain-General Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana sent a large Spanish army to raise the siege.
La Romana, however, died before the army could depart, and command fell to General Gabriel de Mendizábal Iraeta. Supported
by a small force of Portuguese cavalry, the Spaniards reached the town and camped on the nearby heights of San Cristóbal in early February 1811.
When Mendizabal ignored Wellington's instructions and failed to entrench his army, Soult took advantage of the vulnerable
Spanish position and sent a small force to attack the Spaniards. On the morning of 19 February, French forces under Marshal Édouard Mortier quickly defeated the Spanish army, inflicting 1,000 casualties and taking 4,000 prisoners while losing only 400 men. The victory allowed Soult to concentrate on his assault of Badajoz, which fell to the French on 11 March and remained in French hands until the following year.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

 

Set-Up Order

Hill 16
River 4
RiverBend 4
RiverBendBridge 1
Town 2
1

 

Battle Notes

Spanish Army
• Commander: Gabriel Mendizábal / Marquis La Romana
• 5 Command Cards
• (Optional 3 Tactician Cards)

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

French Army
• Commander: Jean de Dieu Soult / Édouard Mortier
• 6 Command Cards
• (Optional 5 Tactician Cards)
• Move First

Line Infantry Light Infantry Light Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Foot Artillery Leader
6 3 3 3 3 3

 

Victory
7 Banners

Special Rules

• Marquis La Romana and Soult are "Leaders of Honor"

• The Spanish Guerrilla Action rule is in effect. The Spanish player doesn´t start with a Guerrilla Marker.

• The River Guadiana is impassable except on over the bridge.

• Afraid Spanish Cavalry: Each time, if a Spanish or Portuguese CAV wants to attack an enemy unit, roll 1 die for this CAV. If a flag is rolled, this unit flee immediately from battlefield. Such escaped Spanish/Portuguese CAV dont get the French player a victory point.

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Mark-McG replied the topic:
2 years 8 months ago
River count fixed, field work removed. There are just 16 hills on the map. Noting the comment about failure to entrench, the presence of a fieldwork seems illogical and against the historical record.
Fencer replied the topic:
2 years 8 months ago
Sorry, there are two more inaccuracies (or ambiguities). The explanatory note on the terrain indicates the Field Works on the hill. The map does not show where they are located. The straight section of the river is four on the map, three in the note. The bend of the river without a bridge is four on the map, five in the note.
Mark-McG replied the topic:
2 years 8 months ago
corrected the unit count
Fencer replied the topic:
2 years 8 months ago
Alas. There is an error in the explanatory note - the Spanish light cavalry is indicated. It's not on the map.
Mark-McG replied the topic:
6 years 8 months ago
Something I noticed reading the notes is that La Romana died prior to the battle, and the Commander was Gabriel de Mendizábal Iraeta
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_de_Mendiz%C3%A1bal_Iraeta
So La Romana can't be a leader of honour here.

Similarly, whilst Soult was the Army commander, it was Mortier who commanded the battlefield, whilst Soult and the main body continued the siege on Badajoz
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Gebora
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Siege_of_Badajoz_(1811)
Bayernkini replied the topic:
8 years 6 months ago
Small adjustment of scneario rules:
- Marquis La Romana and Soult are "Leaders of Honor"
- Afraid Spanish Cavalry; Allies Cavalry rolls only 1 die
Bayernkini replied the topic:
9 years 8 months ago
The attached Leaders general flee with the unit.
Mark-McG replied the topic:
9 years 8 months ago
Played this scenario today, and eked out a Spanish win (7-5) with the most exceptional performance of the Spanish cavalry I've ever seen. Only one LC fled, and that was after wreaking havoc on the French cavalry. Despite thinking that the cavalry were best used by attacking and have them flee offboard (for no banner loss), they fought like lions on horseback. Every single banner that Spanish took was taken by the Spanish/Portuguese cavalry, with a single assist from a combined arms artillery. They paid a price, 4 dead cavalry.

A question that I entertained by was never relevant.
What happens to a leader with a Spanish cavalry if it flees?
Bayernkini replied the topic:
10 years 6 months ago
Updated the Scenario and replaced the "San Cristobal Fort" tile with the
"Castle" tile and rules, which is available in meantime :)

Further Change: The Guerrilla rule is in effect. The spanish don´t start with a Guerrilla Marker.
Bayernkini replied the topic:
11 years 7 months ago

Question: When do the spanish CAV his "fear test", if the French Player wants to Play a First Strike card?


Answer: After the spanish Player announces his melee dice, the French Player decides, if he play FS. And at last, immediate before his attack rolls, the spanish Player do the fear test.