Peninsular Campaign: Battle of Valencia

The French deploy onto the table. There are a few more units off on the right flank.

After 108 turns of our 120 turn Peninsular Campaign Nick and I finally got to the first (and only?) big battle.  He'd made a (slow) dash across the whole of the Peninsular to strike at my undefended eastern garrisons - Valencia and Barcelona. My field Army had been just north of Toledo when it heard the news, so it was able to turn about and head for Valencia. Only one of my two Corps had time to deploy, and they were facing a gun heavy, but otherwise weak, British Corps. The game was fought in 6mm, battalion scale, on 4cm hexes using our Steady Lads Steady rules.

The assault on Valencia. Gold tagged units are Old Guard.

Time being of the essence, and the lateness of the game in the campaign meaning that the forces were unlikely to be engaged again, meant that I could through the Imperial Guard straight into the assault. It was a pretty bloody battle, with lesser battalions sacrificing themselves against the British gun line to limit casualties to the Guard units. Valencia was defended by Foot Guards and Fusiliers, so it was a tough fight.

Valencia back in French hands!

I kept pressure up on the right flank too with the Guard Light Cavalry trying to get behind his lines, but a couple of RHA batteries caused them too much damage to be able to exploit their position.

The Guard forced their way into the first Valencia hex on turn 15, but it was on Turn 22 (the last move of the game as night fell) that they ejected the final British unit form the city and claimed the victory.

We had a lot of troops out, but the game cracked along and given that Nick had driven up from Surry that morning we didn't start til about 11am and were finished by 7pm in time to join the wives for dinner. Not bad.