Sagunto (Attack on French left) - 25 October 1811
Historical Background
In his attempt to relieve the besieged forces in Sagunto, Blake attacked the French on both flanks. He made his left flank very strong and the French were greatly outnumbered. However, this attack quickly turned into a fiasco. After only just over 10 minutes of fighting the Spanish had lost 2,000 prisoners and 400 dead and wounded.
However, the Spanish right performed much better. On the extreme right Zayas’s division advanced along the coast, and became involved in a fierce fight with Habert’s division. Further inland, part of Lardizabal’s division took up a strong position on a hill at the western edge of the coastal plain. Suchet realized that this position was the key to the battlefield, and ordered Harispe to retake the hill. This attack succeeded, but Lardizabal’s men took up a new position at the base of the hill. Suchet ordered Harispe to attack down the hill, and a fierce fight soon developed.
The Spaniards attempted to break this deadlock with a cavalry attack. On this occasion the Spanish cavalry performed well. Harispe’s line was close to breaking, when Suchet ordered his cuirassiers into the fight. This fresh force swept away the Spanish cavalry, which was now badly disordered after its initial successes.
The retreat of the Spanish cavalry exposed Lardizabal’s flanks. Suchet attacked with Saint Paul’s Italians which hit Lardizabal’s right flank and forced his division to retreat. This left Zayas’s division as the only intact part of the Spanish army, and Blake was now forced to order it to retreat. The Spanish lost 1,000 killed and wounded during the battle itself, and 4,641 prisoners during the rout that followed. Suchet lost almost 1,000 casualties. Sagunto surrendered the next day, the garrison having watched the defeat of the relief army from the walls of the citadel.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?
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Set-Up Order
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Battle Notes
Spanish Army
Commander: Blake
5 Command Cards
3 Tactics Cards (Optional)
Move First
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| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
French Army
Commander: Suchet
6 Command Cards
5 Tactics Cards (Optional)
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| 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Victory
5 Banners
Special Rules
Note: 1 unit of Line Infantry on the French left flank is at half strength (i.e. 2 blocks). This unit may not rally above its original strength.
Spanish Foot Artillery units fire using the Horse Artillery Table. This reflects the lighter weight of the guns at this battle.
The Spanish right was covered by a squadron of gunboats which advanced in parallel with Zayas. Any French unit 1 to 3 hexes inland from the eastern edge of the board, subject to line of sight of the firing unit, is subject to attack from the equivalent of 3 blocks of foot artillery. The gunboats are considered ordered whenever a French unit is within range on the Spanish player’s turn.. The 3 gunboats may bombard singly or in combination. They may not engage in combined attacks with land units. Gunboats may not be targeted by the French.
The Gunboats use the following fire table:
| Gunboats | Range in hexes (inland) | |||
| Number of Blocks | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 3, 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Number of battle dice |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
The Spanish Guerilla Action rule is in effect. The Spanish start with one counter.
The Picador and Espartal Ravines are fordable.
The Canal (all hexes east of the Picador Bridge, is not fordable
