Vitoria 1813

[StuccoFresco]

Hello again, this is the AAR of my take on the Vitoria 1813 scenario by Odenathus.

I'll play the English forces and their iberian allies, led by Arthur Wellesley, the Marquis of Wellington, against the Franco-Spanish forces of Giuseppe Bonaparte. My forces are divided in four corps, of which only one is present at the start of the scenario. The French have a central position around the city of Vitoria, and my starting forces are facing the bulk of them, positioned on top of a series of hills and anchored on several small towns and woods. The troops under Hill are already over the river, but will never be able to achieve a breakthrough alone.

My plan is nevertheless to push against the French and conquer the Montes de la Puebla, in the southern corner of the French lines. When the second corps will arrive along the Royal Road, I'll use it to attack frontally toward Arinez. This WILL NOT be my end goal: given what I see of the French positions, I will not be able to break through. I just want to make the French think I'll throw everything I have against that axis, so they won't reinforce their northern flank, where I would actually try to win the battle.

I'm betting everything on a rapid advance from the north and a quick crossing of the river at Villodas, Tres Puentes and Gamarra Mayor. If I'm fast and furious enough I'll be able to crush the northern flank of the French and force them to retreat to avoid an encirclement. If I manage to break through, the backfield of the strong French positions at Arinez will be open and I could at the very least capture their numerous guns.

[StuccoFresco]

After six turns, things are shaping up more or less as expected: the attack on Arinez and the Montes de la Puebla is ongoing, but French resistence is firm and losses are high. My troops are fighting valiantly and smashes the enemy's first line of defence, but the second line is much stronger and my troops aren't able to dent them. The French are amassing troops around Arinez and I fear a counterattack is brewing up. I managed to capture some hills in the southern corner, so at least there I don't risk being forced back soon.




In the north, things are going smoothly. The bridge at Villodas is undefended and the enemy troops in front of Tres Pontes refuse to close the crossings, leaving them open. My units are rushing forward to exploit the opportunity. The crossing at Gamarra Major, however, is guarded by two French regiments and a bitter fight ensues. The numerous enemy troops on the other side of the river, however, don't support the defenders, so I'm slowly enveloping them and forcing them to flee. Gamarra Minor is taken.

[StuccoFresco]

The battle is progressing more or less as expected: the southern front is not making progresses, the French are too strong there and Arinez is out of reach. Losses are mounting. I have however archieved a total breakthrough at St Margarita, hitting the exposed junction between the French northern and western flank and crushing it from two directions. Forces coming from Villodas and Tres Pontes have joined and are now attacking the flank of the French position around Arinez and at Lermanda. The Spanish Royal Guard is there along with their Line Brigade; let's see how eager they are to fight for a French king!






In the northeast I've taken Gamarra Major, but the French are resisting around Armaga. They have lots of troops hanging around doing nothing: if they were to commit them to the fight they could hold the river line much longer, but it seems they aren't going to do such a move, allowing me to deploy more and more troops on their side of the river...

[StuccoFresco]

At turn -9, the battle has been decided. While in the south my troops have been defeated thoroughly, with only artillery still kicking togather with a worn out infantry unit currently under attack, the whole northwestern flank of the French lines has collapsed. The Spanish Royal Guard has melted after routing a Portuguese infantry unit thanks to a well-placed rear charge by an English infantry brigade; the proud Guards' formation fragmented immediately after contact and then ran away rather ingloriously. Their demise disheartened nearby troops and quickened the collapse of the enemy lines, allowing my troops to advance East and South conquering the Alto of Arinez and surrounding the French garrison of Crispijana.

The Spanish Royal Light Guards hold a stream crossing more valiantly than their "heavier" colleagues, so for now I can't hit the rear of the French positions at Gobeo. Nevertheless, I'm victorious at Armaga too: Graham's corps have crossed the river in numbers, crushed the opposition thanks to the uncoordinated French defense, and is now advancing toward Gobeo, where the enemy is trying to form a coherent defensive line.

Spanish irregular cavalry has appeared southeast of Arinez and have obliterated a French artillery unit. Many of the enemy's guns have been charged and overran during the battle, even if that meant getting shot at close distance by French infantry units: I deemed their superiority in artillery too dangerous to let go unchallenged. Better to sacrifice an already battered light cavalry unit or a worn out light infantry to silence a battery than to have them fire at me for too long. On this note I've been very satisfied with my own guns: the heavy ones inflicted grievous losses at long distance, and the light guns have been instrumental at supporting my main assault along the St Margarita's axis.

[StuccoFresco]

The battle is officially over at Turn -8, with the French line reduced to a thin defensive position SE of Arinez, on the Montes de la Puebla, and some troops around Gobeo soon to be encircled. I decide to not accept their surrender and keep going just to take those damned hills in revenge of the losses I suffered in the first 10 turns trying to take them.

[StuccoFresco]

CONCLUSIONS

The scenario is really engaging: your forces are split up and you must apply pressure on all fronts to prevent the French reinforcing a single position and lock you on the wrong side of the river. As I said, I don't think it's possible to take Arinez with a frontal assault, but nevertheless you have to try and tie up as much French troops as possible. I found the St Margarita town to be the key of the victory: if you win there you can strike everywhere at your leisure, flanking the French strongpoints of Gobeo-Armaga and Arinez.

Against a competent player, it will be much more difficult: had the French guarded the bridges they could have stalled the Allies' advance indefinitely, or establish killzones for any unit that tried to cross the river. More troops could have been diverted to St Margarita, because the French can't block the Villodas crossing in time. Reinforcing the front in that point can frustrate the whole Allies battleplan and force them to try to actually win at Arinez.

[SnuggleBunnies]

As you say, playing the English is challenging in MP. In my last play through, my southern attack was repulsed, with my men who had crossed over counter attacked, routed, and dispersed against the river.

[StuccoFresco]

I think the southern flank is destined to lose: that's where the French are strongest. I guess their objective is to push and not let the French send reinforcements north, where the battle must be won, but a competent French player could stall the southern flank with less troops and reinforce the Santa Margarita town, which can be the key of the whole battle.