The Battle of Sepúlveda, 28th November, 1808

Alan and I played a very different sort of game the other day, a scenario written by my friend Brian North based on the French assault on Sepulveda. In his march on Madrid after the Spanish defeat at Tudela Napoleon orders Savary's brigade of Guard Fusiliers, supported by Lasalle’s cavalry brigade, to secure his flank at Sepulveda while the main French force attempts to force the pass at Somosierra.

Misinformed as to the actual strength at Sepulveda, Savary finds himself facing 3500 infantry formed up and entrenched on the high ground adjacent to the town rather than the 1200 that are expected. Nevertheless the Fusiliers push forward, knowing that Lasalle’s cavalry will soon be arriving on the Spanish flank…

The scenario posed some interesting challenges. The meseta on which Sepulveda sits is almost entirely surrounded by deep, steep-sided gullies, with no obvious line of retreat for the Spanish (we decided the gully would serve as the board edge). Only a few avenues of attack are open to the French commander (Alan) and the town itself is surrounded by sturdy medieval walls. Brian utilized some rules I had developed for fighting in linked built up sectors and added a few of his own around knocking down gates by cannon and sapper - just for the sheer fun of it!

We played on a 6’ X 4.5’ board, using my 1/72 figures and the Over the Hills ruleset.

The scenario map. In our game the French all entered close to where the 1/2 Fusiliers enter, as their arrival area was optional. Lasalle's cavalry enters later at 1.

The Battlefield

Sepulveda lies at the bottom of the photo, bordered by cliffs to the east and north (bottom and right). The main Spanish line spans the meseta with the Spanish cavalry (other than a small contingent on their left flank- bottom) positioned on the right flank (top). The Rio Caslilla, a shallow stream, runs along the front of the meseta (left), with French access broken up by massive spurs of free standing rock bordering the stream. The Rio Duratón, which circles the rest of the high ground, is traversed by a road that mounts the meseta in a break in the cliffs upper right. It is by this road that Lasalle’s cavalry will arrive.

Sepulveda

The town is surrounded by sturdy medieval walls, and the land drops off steeply to the left and behind.

From the high ground south of Rio Caslilla

The Spanish lines as seen from the French side of the Caslilla, with the stream in the foreground.

Spanish left in front of Sepulveda

In front of Sepulveda, on the Spanish left is positioned a Walloon Guards battalion (3° Reales Guardias Valonas) and a small contingent of the Spanish line cavalry regiment, Montesa.

Spanish centre

The Spanish centre is held by Jaén/1 and 3, entrenched and with a mixed battery in front.

Spanish left

The two large Irlanda battalions, 1 and 3, also entrenched stretch across the ridge of the meseta with the Spanish cavalry (Alcantara, Carabineros Reales and the remainder of Montesa) on the Spanish right. To the rear (top right) is the militia unit, 1° Vols. de Sevilla.

French advance on Sepulveda

Savary’s own brigade, four battalions of Guard Fusiliers, enter the field in front of Sepulveda. Savary has decided to throw the full weight of his force in front of the town, hoping to quickly thrust his way through Jaen’s entrenched lines and cut the rest of the Spanish on the meseta from retreating to the town.

Montesa charges 2/Fusilier-Chasseurs

The Montesa cavalry charge past Savary’s left battalion who, in closed column, fire some sporadic fire into their flank as the Spanish strike the second battalion. This battalion fails to form square but still manages to drive off the Spanish horse in close combat! The Walloon battalion (off right) retreats to the safety of the town walls.

Friederichs arrives

Hard on Savary’s heels Friedrich’s two battalions, with a half battery of Guard artillery arrive on the field.

Spanish guns beat back the French advance

Withering fire from the Spanish guns drive back the encroaching French, holding them at bay.

Irlanda and 1ºVols. de Sevilla march to Sepulveda

Sarden, the Spanish commander, on seeing the French forces mass in front of Sepulveda, brings in his far right, Irlanda, along with the Sevilla militia, to bolster the town.

Walloons retreat to the town

Although failing to cause any real harm, the Spanish horse buy the Walloon Guards enough time to consolidate behind Sepulveda’s walls.

View of French attack from the high ground

Spanish guns continue to pound the French as Savary’s artillery arrive, upper right.

Irlanda and Sevilla occupy Sepulveda

Meanwhile, Spanish infantry flood into the town. 

Overview

In this overview, at the bottom left, French infantry and Spanish cavalry reach an impasse as the French close up their columns on this flank and keep Montesa pinned close to the town walls. The French here are, at the moment, being held at bay by the Spanish guns, supported by Jaen’s entrenched double line.

Sepulveda has been packed with Spanish troops, in expectation of a French assault on the town while upper right Mariano’s Spanish cavalry guard the road that accesses the rear of the meseta.

Guard artillery smash the front gate

On their first attempt the French guns shatter the town’s gates. 

Savary's ADC dashes past the Spanish lines...

Savary sends an ADC off to find Lasalle, who has still failed to arrive.

And meets Lasalle as he crosses the Duratón

The ADC meets Lasalle as he arrives at the Duratón and urges him to press forward in support of Savary’s attack. Brave Lasalle needs no encouragement and personally leads the charge of his Dragoons and Chasseurs against the Spanish horse.

French assault Spanish guns

Meanwhile, the French, buoyed by the shattering of the town gates, charge forward in skirmish formation to assault the Spanish guns that have been giving them such grief.

And overrun them!

They survive a blast of canister and a volley from Irlanda (who have been ordered out of Sepulveda to replace Jaen in the entrenchments) and destroy the guns!

Montesa kept at bay by French closed columns on French right

Deadly French musket fire keep the small Spanish cavalry contingent at bay and out of the fight.

3/Fusiliers-Chasseurs assault Spanish lines and are repulsed

The Spanish line holds solid as the first French assault in column is hurled back.

Cavalry clash at the rear of the meseta, Lasalle falls

The French cavalry charge up the steep hill and the 1/9th Dragoons clash with the Cabineiros Reales. Both sides take a thrashing, but the French horse prevail, routing the Spanish. Alas, Lasalle, leading from the front, is unhorsed and falls in the fray.

Alcántara break the first wave of 10th Chasseurs  

Alcántara fares better, hitting the 1/10th Chasseurs as they struggle up the steep slope, and soundly thrashing them.

Spanish fall back as French cavalry surge over the Duratón

However as more fresh French cavalry surge over the Duratón, the exhausted Spanish give way.

Meanwhile, back at Sepulveda...

A follow up blast of canister through the broken gate savages the Walloon defenders and sends them reeling back as a French column follows up, charging its way into the town. Both sides settle down to blasting away at each other with musket fire.

Friederichs' 1/Fusilier-Grenadiers also flounder on the Spanish line

A second Guard battalion is beaten back by stalwart 3/Irlanda!

French Guards routed!

And is also routed, passing through the 3/Fusiliers-Chasseurs and causing them to rout as well. Freiderich’s brigade, badly mauled, is teetering…

Savary's sappeurs try to hack down a second gate

Montesa, unable to move forward, retreats, galloping around the walls of Sepulveda towards the far side where the French are taking a beating. Savary sends a column against a second town gate, attempting to hack it down with axes.

Savary in command

Overview

In this overview you can see the French infantry has been beaten back on the upper side of the town and is struggling to break in at the lower edge. They have a toe hold in Sepulveda, but have yet to make headway. Lower right the Walloon Guards have been forced to retreat out of the town while just above them the small Montesa unit can be seen galloping towards the Spanish right in support of Irlanda, who, unknown to the enemy, have just been ordered into the attack by their confident general, hoping to sweep the French clear of Sepulveda’s walls before the enemy cavalry can arrive. Upper right the Spanish cavalry slowly gives ground while the French horse, missing Lasalle’s charismatic presence, just as slowly advance, content to let them give ground willingly.

3/Irlanda taking a toll

However beating off two Guard attacks has taken a toll on 3/Irlanda so Sarden elects to pull them out of the front line and lead the attack with the fresh 1/Irlanda.

Spanish cavalry falling back towards Sepulveda

Cabineiros Reales rally and are back in line.

3° Carabineros Reales crushed by 2/9th Dragoons

The French cavalry commander finally sends his lead unit into the attack. The elite Spanish unit is destroyed but the French, also taking a thrashing and elect not to follow up, content to continue to push the enemy cavalry brigade, broken now, as they continue to retreat towards Sepulveda. As it turns out, the French horse will not be needed…

3/Irlanda destroyed by enfilade fire

Disaster strikes the Spanish as they move to swap around Irlanda’s battalions in preparation for the attack. The French commander, suddenly spotting the Spanish maneuvering outside the town walls, orders his troops to the walls and delivers a shattering volley into their flank that breaks 3/Irlanda as they are retreating.

 

Montesa ventures too close and is broken by French guns

At the same time, Montesa, arriving on Irlanda’s right flank in support, is spotted by the French guns. Straying too close and caught still in column, the guns shatter the small contingent of enemy horse, who rout.

1/Irlanda goes into the attack - and is broken!

But Sarden’s ill-advised order to attack has already been given. Jaen/3 marches out of Sepulveda in support as 1/Irlanda weathers a second volley in enfilade from the French inside the town. Battered, they survive another volley from the 1/Fusilier-Chasseurs, before a vicious close combat ensues. The French get the better of it and a second Irlanda battalion breaks in as many turns!

Spanish cavalry pushed back to the walls of Sepulveda

The battered Spanish cavalry fall back towards Sepulveda but with no line of retreat, they are doomed. Jaen/3 retreats towards the relative safety of the town walls, but the Spanish army is suddenly on the brink after the loss of Irlanda 1 and 3.

1/Jaén rout out of Sepulveda

A final push by the French inside Sepulveda is enough to break the Spanish army. 1/Jaen routs out the rear of Sepulveda and breaks up as they throw themselves down the steep ravines in their attempt to get away. The rest of the Spanish army follows suit, either surrendering or slipping away. In a matter of moments victory turns to defeat for the Spanish as Savary triumphantly seizes the town. 

Operation Fustian Primosole Bridge, July 14th, 1943

We were back to WWII again this month, moving on from our brief foray into North Africa to the long-awaited Sicilian invasion of July 1943. Three days after the launching of the invasion, the British 1st Parachute Division, in Operation Fustian, was dropped to seize Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River, in order to pave the way for the 8th Army advance. Friendly fire and a wide dispersal at the drop zone meant only a fraction of the brigade arrived to join in the fight. Unknowingly the paratroops had been dropped into an area held by the 1st Machinegun Battalion of the 1st Fallscirmjager Division, many being dropped south of the bridge and forced to engage with the dug in troops there. A small group of British managed to seize the bridge from the Italian defenders and by the following day 12 officers and 283 other ranks had gathered around the bridgehead as the Germans pulled together a hasty counterattack.

This battle was fought on a 6’ x 7.5’ board, using my 1/72 WWII toys and played with the Battlefront WWII ruleset. Alan took the Germans while I ran the British. The scenario is a replay of one that I wrote for this ruleset many years ago. It can be downloaded here: https://www.fireandfury.com/scenarios/primosole.pdf

The scenario map. Purple arrows sketch the German attack, red and blue markings identify the British positions (hidden). The British had the option of starting outside of the foxholes (which they did with the group in ambush upper left) but also retain dug fox holes to fall back to.

1. The Battlefield

The Simeto River snakes across the battlefield from upper left to lower right. A few streams that feed into it provide obstacles over relatively open ground on the bottom half of the board, but the main German attack, originating top right, crosses through an area dense with tall crops, vineyards and rough ground. This gives plenty of cover for the advance but also opportunities for ambush by the British. The British paras have set up a defensive perimeter around the bridgehead left centre, with a platoon-sized contingent well forward, hidden in the vineyards.

2.  The objective

The bridge, seized the day before from Italian defenders by British paras of the First Parachute Brigade, must be held by battle’s end. Two pillboxes defend the south bank, currently unmanned as any attack is expected from the north. A cluster of farm houses north of the river provide good cover for the dug-in defenders.

3. The German 105's

A battery of German 105’s is in support of the Fallschirmjager attack (typically off board, but I had the models!). But they rarely made an appearance as a result of successive failed calls for fire! Curse of the new model.

4. Fallschirmjager enter along sunken road

With frontline troops of the 1st Fallschirmjager Division engaged elsewhere the German command is forced to pull together a hasty Kampfgruppe from HQ troops. As a result the Kp. of 1st Fallshirmjager Nachrichten Battalion (the signals company) were pressed into the attack. Here they arrive via the sunken road along with towed 88’s and support guns. A platoon of the centre company also supports this flank.

5. German centre

In the German centre a smaller ad hoc company of headquarter troops prepare to assault down the paved road, supported by an assault gun platoon and a towed 50mm gun. On platoon each of this company have been sent to the far left and right of the battlefield, the former to move around to the rear of the position and the latter to bolster the main attack on the German right.

6. On the far left

On the far left a platoon of German paras prepares to cross the Simeto.

7. Mortar strike!

As the German artillery exit the sunken road to move across the ground on the right, a mortar strike knocks out one of the 88 transports. But the crew manage to bail out and salvage the gun.

8. British paras encountered along sunken road

Well forward from the bridge a large contingent of British paras ambush from the verges of the sunken road. The Fallschirmjagers take heavy casualties as they move in to engage.

9. German guns emplace

The two 88’s and 75mm recoiless gun emplace to lend fire support.

10. British paras fall back

But damage inflicted, the paras melt back through the cover towards their main line, disappearing into the vineyards.

11. Stug KO'd!

In the centre the Germans press forward either side of the main road. But small arms fire erupts from the fields around the bridgehead, exacting a heavy toll. The Stug is brought forward in support but as it exits the road it is knocked out in enfilade by a hidden 6 pdr. 

12. 105's answer

In one of the few successful German calls for fire the 105’s put down a concentration on the area where the anti tank fire originated…

13. Knocking out the 6 pdr.!

14. Another German halftrack destroyed

However the attackers’ grief mounts as the British mortar continues to lay down deadly and accurate fire. When the lead 88’s halftrack pulls back to try to bring the second gun further forward, it too is destroyed.

15. Fighting retreat

The Germans pursue the retreating British through the tall crops and vineyards in a running battle. 

16. Fallschirmjager press in on the bridgehead

The German paras press in both by field and the sunken road. The British are caught before they can make it back to their main defensive line around the bridgehead but still manage to get the better of almost all the close combats as German casualties approach the breaking point.

17. Overview

In this overview, at the bottom the German platoon circling behind along the river have almost reached the bend. Above this but below the paved road the attack up the centre has stalled. Heavy German casualties and the loss of the Stug have caused the survivors to go to ground around the right hand farmhouse where they exchange gun fire with the dug in defenders. Compounding their troubles, the 50mm antitank gun that was supposed to be in support has become seriously bogged down in a stream bed to the rear. Seeing the enemy circling behind Brigadier Lathbury pulls some of his troops on this flank back to protect the south end of the bridge.

North of the paved road the fallschirmjager try to break through the British perimeter.

18. Mortar strike on sunken road

The enemy is seen bunching up along the sunken road and take a devastating mortar strike. 

19. Paras from British right rush back to defend south end of bridge

British paras hurry back but have misjudged the approach of the enemy, as both race to seize the pillboxes on the south bank.

20. Fallschirmjager close in from south side of river

21. Goddammit, do I have to do everything myself??

Brigadier Lathbury himself, realizing that the enemy might arrive before his paras, abandons his command post to rush back with his HQ staff to man the bunker. The late arriving paras take up positions along the bridge in support.

22. German Pak38 KO'd

But all this is a side show to the main event. On the road the 50mm, finally arriving and unlimbering, is KO’d by the mortar before it can take a shot!

23. Main attack in retreat

And in the face of heavy casualties the main attack unravels. As they fall back disordered Captain Stagenberg calls off the assault.

24. A small bright spot for the Germans in a day of grief

In a very small victory, the paras push the enemy out of the south shore pillbox and seize it. But it is too little too late as no supporting attack is materializing on the north shore. Outnumbered and cut off, they surrender.

25. Game end

The game ends with a clear victory for the British. Casualties were very light compared to that inflicted on the attackers and the bridgehead is firmly in the hands of the 1st Parachute Brigade when lead elements of the 8th Army roll up from the coast.

So that is the narrative. The back story is that Alan, as the Germans, rolled as poorly as anyone I have ever seen in years of gaming!! On the other hand the dice seemed to love the British, with the mortar alone accounting for three KO’s - the two halftracks and the 50mm. The German 88’s were therefore forced to emplace at long range and did no damage, with only the 75mm getting in close - just as the entire attack broke off. And finally the Stug was KO’d on the first shot of the British 6 pdr., again before it had even spotted any of the enemy! So about as uneven a game as you can have.