Peninsular Project part 4 The retreat from Teixeira

In part four I'm going to have a go at re fighting  generals Loison's retreat from Teixeira June 1808 this post is very picture heavy, sorry i have a new camera and i got a bit carried away.

battle sketch of Loison's retreat

A quick recap of the set up. As you can see by the sketch map, the French have to get from the village of Teixeira to the ford of the river Douro, via the village of Regua were their baggage train in under attack.

All along the the French line of retreat are possible ambush sites, were there may or may not be irregulars just waiting to attack the French as they withdraw to Regua. markers are placed in these possible sites, each time a French unit or single figure come to within 6 inches of one of the markers i will roll a D6. The simple table below gives the possibility's of what might be hiding in the shadows.

dice roll         result
1-2                nothing there just shadows
3-4                hand weapons armed group of partisans   5 single figures   there are 4 groups hiding
5-6                musket armed group of partisans  5 single figures    there is only 1 group hiding
Behind the withdrawing French on the second turn the two militia units will appear on the road leading to the ford. On turn three the Portuguese artillery will appear on the road behind the militia units. Also from turn three i will roll another D6, to see if the the Portuguese regular battalion will appears  if/when it do they will also appear on the road. again a simple table to see if the regulars appear.

TURN              DICE ROLL NEEDED
3                       6
4                       5,6
5                       4.5.6
6                       3,4,5,6
7                       they appear on the road
So this will be a tough retreat for the French if the dice are against them. Not only do they have to run the gauntlet from Teixeira to Regua, but once there they will have to fight to rescue there baggage train which has been attacked in the village this is were the French artillery is and the food and supplies they will need to make it back to the fortress of Almeida and safety. They must defeat the Portuguese partisans attacking the village before they can retreat over the ford. The French troops must move in the direction of the town of Regua they can not move in the direction of Teixeira, but can halt if they must.

So i don't have to fight two battles at the same time. In the village of Regua there are 5 single figures representing the baggage trains escorts, plus 4 artillery men trying to fight off the partisans. To keep thing simple I'm going to roll a D6 for the French and one for the Portuguese each turn. The French will receive a bonus of plus 1 on the D6 for being veterans. The French will start the game with 10 points of strength the Portuguese 6 points. The highest dice score wins that round of combat in the village, the losing side will lose one strength point. Once the Portuguese or the French have lost all their strength points they are defeated.
For each French large unit base that makes it to the village i will add 2 points to the French strength in the village, and 1 point per 3 single figures that reaches  the village. The Portuguese will get 1 point for a militia unit base that attacks the village, and 2 points if the regulars make it to the village, but no points for any single figures. If the French in Regua manage to defeat the partisans before the main French force arrives then they can deploy the artillery out side the town to help with the retreat.

So there you have the set up for the game, its time to see if general Loison can reach Regua, save the baggage and make it safely over the ford.

Turn 1 The French are on the move dragoons to the front next in line the 2nd light and the general, with the 4th light infantry covering the rear.  The first turn of fighting in the town results in a win for the French

A general view of the battle field before i place the figures, note the markers along the road

The French move onto the road

A close up of the fighting in Regua

Turn 2 The French are moving smartly down the road, as the militiamen move onto the table. The fighting in Regua continues with another win to the French

The militia move onto the battle field

The 4th light triad shots with the militia

The first marker turns out to be just shadows

As dose the second marker

Turn 3 The French are still moving towards Regua the militiamen are firing on the withdrawing French but do little damage, the 4th fire back and also do little damage. The Portuguese artillery appears on the road. The third marker turns out to be the musket armed irregulars and at this range even they cant miss, and they don't hitting both the 2nd light and the dragoons. The Portuguese regulars don't appear.   The fighting in Regua results in a Portuguese win.

Surprise (although i don't think that is what general Losion said) The musket armed irregulars appear behind a wall and fire on the French just yards away.

a general view of the battle at the end of turn 3, things are starting to look interesting with militiamen behind them and know musket armed irregulars on their flank Losion men grit their teeth. The Portuguese artillery is just out of shot (actually i forgot to put it on the table)

Turn 4  The fighting in Regua results in another Portuguese win. The Portuguese artillery fire a round shot at the 4th inflicting some damage. Still no sign of the Portuguese regulars.

The Portuguese artillery moves to a position so it can fire on the retreating French (i remembered to put it on the table)

From the wall the irregulars fire at the French causing more hits 

The 2nd start to deploy skirmishers to cover their flank

Another marker and more partisans this time hand weapon armed.

more firing and a dragoon is downed by the partisans

The French lights fight it out with the partisans at the wall kill two and wound two others for the loss of one of their own

The dragoons make short work of a unit of partisans

An over view of the battle field at the end of a very bloody turn 4

Turn 5  Another win for the French in Regua this only leaves the Portuguese with 3 strength points to the French 8 The Portuguese regulars appear on the field 

Portuguese regulars take to the field lead by general Da Silveira

Another group of partisans moves in on Regua 

Another marker is diced for and yet more irregulars appear making a run for the French skirmishers

The French press on with their advance another marker but nothing hiding in the tree line this time

Over view at the end of turn 5

Turn 6 Another win for the French in Regua The 2nd light skirmishers fight it out with yet another unit of partisans and push them back and finally braking them this was also enough for the musket armed partisans with most of them wounded they failed there morale and decided it was time to leave to. 

hard fighting between the 2nd light skirmishers and a group of partisans

The French continue their advance, desperate hand to hand fighting continuing on the flank 

After a hard fight the partisans are driven off and this was enough for the musket armed irregulars who also failed their morale and retreated

Turn 7 With yet another win for the French in Regua things were starting to look desperate for the partisans
The 4th were forced to take a morale test due to casualties from holding the main advance and they pass their morale test. The blue coated militia unit is forced to take a morale test luckly general Da Silveira is on hand and takes charge. Yet more partisans appear

General Da Silveira  rallies the wavering blue coated militia unit, with the general with them and regulars behind the militia rally.

 With the road to Regua almost clear the French pull their lines together and push on even a morale check on the battered 4th light doesn't stop them.

Another unit of partisans appear unfortunately for them right in front of the French dragoons

With dragoons bearing down on them the partisans panic and run

Turn 8  Another win for the French in Regua this leaves the partisans with just one strength point left surly they have lost. The French are almost there, but the Portuguese press on lead by their general.

having brushed aside another unit of partisans the dragoons move forwards at pace

Another marker but nothing there

The Portuguese regulars are moving forwards and open up on the wavering 4th light

The French skirmishers move to protect the 4th  

Main view of the table at the end of turn 8. with the French almost defeating the partisans in Reuga and their main force almost at the village it looks like a win for the French

Turn 9 The French have defeated the partisans in Regua and can know start to withdraw from the village 

and deploy their artillery. The Portuguese regulars move up to try to catch the French before they reach the village.

The dragoons are almost at the village and they reach the last marker and again nothing 

with the dragoons covering the retreat on one flank the 2nd light with their skirmishers allow the battered 4th light to withdraw first 

with the French slipping away general Da Silveira halts his men, all they can do for know is watch the French start their withdraw from the village of Regua

The French cannon opens up on the Portuguese  and the 2nd light covers the withdraw, finally the dragoons are the last to cross the ford.

The hills surrounding Regua are full of partisans, and the militiamen and regulars and marching towards the ford, they will not let the French just walk back to Almeida they will have to fight for every step of the way.

Well that's it for my re fight of the retreat from Teixeira it looks like another easy victory for the French, but far from it the 4th light we truly battered as they held the main advance of the Portuguese militia and regulars plus the took a few hits from the artillery during the day. The dragoons were a real winner for the French taking on two units of partisans and taking hits from the musket armed unit of partisans, they were the first  French troops to engage the enemy and the last to leave the battle covering the rest as they retreated across the ford.  The skirmishers also fought hard all of them that survived were wounded as were the dragoons. Again the training and iron will of the French won the day.  For their part the Portuguese fought well they were hindered by the fact that the militia and the regulars had to move and fire only once each turn, the militia can only fire once per turn anyway but the regulars were also forced to as well, has they had to keep up with the retreating French. Their artillery managed to get a few shots off before they had their line of fire obscured by the chasing militiamen. A real fun game with lots of surprises, hope you all enjoyed reading about it, as much i did playing it. The campaign continues in part 5 Till then my friends. 

Peninsular Project part 3 The campaign continues

In part three I'm going to have a look at the campaign from mid 1808.
Things had been quiet in Portugal since the French invasion, with near to 50'000 men occupying Portugal the French had a strangle hold on the country, an outrageous levy had been placed on the country which would destroy its economy and cripple the country.
This would appear to have been Portugal's fate, had it not been for the uprising in Spain which had a knock on effect in Portugal.

Historical background 

In the north Porto had been lost to the French, when the Spanish troops mutinied and joined the local partisans. General Junot knew he had to do something, and fast if he was to hold onto Portugal, he ordered general Loision to retake Porto and crush the rebellion in the north. To do this Loision took with him between 1'800 and 2'500 men depending on the source you read.

General Loision's force:
1 battalion of the 2nd light
1 battalion of the 4th  light
50 troopers of the 5th dragoons
and 6 artillery guns and crew

A small force but all his men were veterans of many campaigns, and up till know the French had only faced local irregulars and militiamen who had ether run at the first sight of the French or had stood there ground only to be brushed aside when faced with a bayonet charge, Loision had every confidence in his ability in following his orders.
On the 17th  of June Loision left the fortress of Almeida and marched north west by the 19th he had reached the village of Lamego in the Douro valley, with only a few minor clashes with badly armed irregulars that had disappeared into the hill with the first shots from the French.
Here the French moved to the river Douro, crossing it on the 21st at the ford near the town of Regua, entering the town the same day.
At this point Loision could see the surrounding hills of the valley we full of patriots hundreds possibly thousands had joined General Fransisco de Silveira as he moved south wards to meet Loision's force coming to take Porto.
Undeterred Loision moved forward and reached the village of Teixeira where the valley stopped and the hills rose abruptly, Loision was faced with a climb up hills that, were full of partisans surrounding him on three sides. Silveira had chosen well, but Loision was still confident that he could carry the position and his men lead by the light infantry moved up the hills. As Loision had predicted the badly armed partisans ran as his veterans moved up the hill towards them, but the ground became very step, and the assault ground to a halt, as the French came under increasing pressure from the partisans many of whom were armed with muskets. Silveira had also brought two light guns with him and these may have been used at this point.  Loision was slightly wounded at this point and a number of his men were killed and wounded.

The French were forced to withdraw, and regroup at Teixeira. As more Portuguese's began to appear on the surrounding hills, Loision had to decide what to do next, should be press on against an ever growing force, or withdraw back over the river Douro. It was at this point Loision received two pieces of news the first was that his baggage train had just been ambushed at the village of Regua and worse still several regular infantry regiments had been formed in Porto, and the militia and Ordenanze were on there way possibly the very force that surrounded him in the hills. His mind was made up he would withdraw before he was cut off from Almeida.

Loision moved to Regua and then crossed the Douro on the 22nd harassed all the way by Silveira's men. He made it back to Almeida on the 1st of July losing 300 men killed or wounded plus 2 guns on the way.

 I'm going to try and recreate Loision's retreat from the village of Teixeira to the ford at Regua for my next battle.

The  French forces 

The French troops involved in this battle were all veterans. For the light infantry battalions I'm going to use one large base of 12 miniatures for each battalion and give the 2nd light infantry battalion 6 single miniatures for their skirmishers.  

some of my large bases 12 miniatures per base used as a company base in a small action battle or a centre or command base in a larger action.

 For this battle I'm going to need two battalions of French light infantry that's 24 miniatures plus another 6 single figures for the 2nds light battalions skirmishers. I have several line infantry units that i have been working on for a while, but no light infantry so its back to the painting table. For these I'm going you use Victrix miniatures. 

The 2nd light infantry and their skirmishers

The 4th light infantry 

For the artillery i used Perry's French line artillery set mounted on a large base
  

The command base Loision mounted on his trusty horse

For the dragoons I'm going to use Perry's plastic dragoons box set I'm going to mounted them as singles for this game. In a larger game they would be based on a large base with 5 miniatures and the single miniatures would be used like the small bases of infantry enabling me to change the dragoons formations, but for this game the 5 single bases will work.

The dragoons ready for action

The Portuguese forces 

General Francisco da Silveira commander of the Portuguese forces was a capable officer who new his commands weakness mainly made up of badly armed ordenanza he knew they would not stand up well against the French so he used the hills and difficult ground to his advantage some accounts state he had two light guns in his army as well as the possibility of militiamen, this dose sound about right as some of Loisions men, as well as Loision himself were wounded in the first assault on the hills around Teixeira. 

Together with the possibility of regulars marching on his position was enough to persuade Loision to retire from his position. 

I'm going to give the Portuguese the following:

General da Silveira

2 large base of militia each represents a small battalion 

1 large base of Portuguese regulars and 2 small bases (these will be diced for to see if they arrive in the battle)

20 single irregulars armed with hand weapons (divided into groups of 5)

6   single irregulars armed with muskets

1 artillery base

General Fransisco De Siliveira

Starting with the militia i have made one base of militia for the first game using a mix of plastic figure parts and painted them in white uniforms, for the other base i have found a reference to another uniform blue coat and tan trousers. I'm going to use some Victrix miniatures the new uniform will give the other militia base a unique look. Both militia units will not have any skirmishers. Militia units are not allowed to deploy skirmishers.

The first militia base

The second militia base

For the regular Portuguese i have used Warlord games Portuguese line box set I'm going to paint the unit up as the 12th line regiment. For this game im going to use a full battalion for the 12th line. This is 1 large base of 12 miniatures and two small bases of 6 miniatures this allows me to change the formation of the battalion from column to line, a full battalion could also deploy skirmisher of between 5 or 6 miniatures depending on if it is a line or light battalion. For this game the Portuguese line will not have skirmishers. The pre: reform regiments wore a dark blue jacket with white trousers in the summer and blue for winter. the shako worn in this period was the Barretina style rather like the later shako worn by the British at Waterloo. By 1810 the new stovepipe shako was issued to all Portuguese line but it took time to replace the old shako. 

The 12th Portuguese line

The irregulars both musket and pike armed and ever thing in between

I used Front Rank Portuguese artillery men and a British Victrix gun for the Portuguese artillery.

The artillery ready for action

Game 2 the retreat from Teixeira

For the game the French under Loision must withdraw from Teixeira first to the village of Regua to rescue their baggage train which is under attack from partisans and then withdraw over the ford near the village, once over the ford, the French have completed their withdraw and survived. The Portuguese for their part must do as much damage to the French force as possible or even destroy the French. 

Set up

The militia plus the artillery start the game around Teixeira once the French have vacated it. The unit of regulars will be diced for from turn 2 to see if they appear, if they do they will also appear near Teixeira. The irregulars will be positioned along the route that the French must travel to reach the village of Regua to rescue there baggage train. I'm going to place markers along the route were i think best and i will dice once a French unit or figure comes within 6" of one of these markers to see if there are any actual irregulars there, and dice to see if they are the musket armed group or the hand weapons groups. The French for their part must move in the direction of the ford or hold position, they can not move towards Teixeira. This should make for an interesting gauntlet run for the French not knowing what is around the next corner, and having to look over their shoulders for the regulars that may or may not appear from the hills behind them.
  

Battle sketch of the area the French can be seen withdrawing from Teixeira  

well that's it for part three in part four I'll post the full battle report and the next part of the campaign 

till next time. 

A small corner of Portugal terrain building for my Peninsular project

I thought I would put together a building progress report of my Peninsular projects terrain.  Having started my new project for 2016 i found that starting on a new scale "for Napoleonic's " I not only had to build the units of combatants, but i also had no terrain for the Peninsular so it was a real start from scratch project for me.
I didn't want to over do the terrain as i have very little storage space at the moment, so i would build what i needed for the scenario. In the first battle of the project. Combat in the hills. I used the old school  system of  books covered in a grey cloth, with the narrow tracks defined by small stones and sand, this worked, well if a bit messy.

The narrow tracks and hills in game 1

The open area of the battle field for game 1 I made from scratch, using polystyrene sheets glued to cardboard for strength with a central road and walls plus two roads branching off like a cross roads. The idea is this can be used in future battles in the project.

A quick guide to the building system i used for the terrain

stage 1 work out were you want your roads use PVA glue and course sand when dry paint your dark tone base colour over the roads

stage 2 paint the rest of the board and the roads, dry brush the roads in the medium tone base colour when dry use PVA glue and fine sand to cover the areas you have just painted, but not the roads.

stage 3 use your light colour base tone and highlight exposed areas and roads

stage 4 use course sand and apply in patches were you want, and use larger sand/grit  to add to areas to give a bit of interest, and there you have it nice and simple but effective. you can add trees or crops, wild grass to the board or attach your trees and grasses to separate bases so you can arrange them as you please.

next up a ford this will feature in the second battle most of the board was constructed the same way as the first broad the ford itself i made as follows.

stage 1 draw the ford and cut it out

stage 2 paint the ford with your medium tone base colour

fill the fords area with PVA but not to deep also put some PVA on the river banks use grit and large stones to form the rivers edges and the base of the ford. Apply green and blue paint to the river in streaks using the tip of a brush mix the paint with the PVA and leave to dry this will take about 3 to 4 days.

paint all the rivers banks and the exposed stones in the ford your medium base tone colour and highlight these areas with your light tone colour

a closer look at the ford

some Portuguese skirmishers dipping their toes as they cross the ford.

Next up some walls 

for these i use Styrofoam this comes in may size sheets and colours really useful stuff for making wall building light weight and strong.

a length of wall and the tools i use

stage 1 lightly draw out your walls i use a permanent marker pen

stage 2 roughly cut out your wall

stage 3 draw around the stones of your wall both sides so they are more defined

stage 4 cut out the top of the wall to give the wall a more realistic look

the finished look

stage 5 painting dark tone colour first then dry brush medium colour base tone  then highlight with your light tone again nice and easy but effective.  

well that's it for now its back to the painting table for me i have a few more units to paint up for the next battle of my Peninsular project and a couple of buildings to. 

till next time