Vimeiro Refight 28mm

Making the most of the holiday break to get some games in, with a refight of Michael Hopper's Vimeiro scenario yesterday vs my friend Matt's British.

Our collections are not Peninsula specific, but like many Napoleonic gamers we are using our later British and French collections for some Peninsula action, with Matt adding some Portugese units, and another buddy Paul currently painting up Spanish for these.

In addition to the report below, I've done a brief video overview here on You Tube for those who like that format:

Vimeiro Battle Report

Here's the initial deployments below, on a 12x6 foot table, with Vimeiro top left, and Ventosa over on the right. These are the two objectives in the scenario, and in addition you get victory points for breaking enemy brigades (over half Brigade units broken in 321 Fast Play rules we were using). The terrain includes representations of the essential features from the map for game purposes, ie. the ridgeline, difficult ground, streams, towns, roads etc.

Historically the French attacked and were defeated piecemeal. First on the left towards Vimeiro, and then on the right towards Ventosa, and finally a flanking attack arrived too late after the British had defeated the first two attacks and were able to reinforce their flank against it! So my plan is to not do that!

Instead, I leave a single Brigade and a Chasseur regiment to refuse the flank at Vimeiro, and force the British to defend it, while I switch my attack towards the centre and right.

The plan is to occupy all the forces in centre of the British line, and stop them using the road to reinforce their flank, while I snatch the more vulnerable Ventosa, and hopefully cause more damage than the British can manage in the overall scrum. The British still have interior lines behind the road and ridge to move reinforcements across, though this will not be as fast as using the road.

Two light infantry battalions in skirmish order initiate the combat but end up taking quite heavy casualties from the British skirmishers and other units, and so they fall back to regroup. Combined Grenadier units move to engage the British centre.

French Dragoons also make an attack on the British line in the centre but fall back in disorder, as the British form a square and repel them with fire.

The French flanking attack arrives on the right, and massed French attack columns surround Ventosa. The British hurriedly move to hold this position.

In the centre my Combined Grenadier units (using some Marine Infantry from 1813 for these in this game), engage in a musketry dual vs the British line here.

The garrison in Ventosa is overwhelmed in an attack from two sides and the French occupy it.

Spurred on by success, the French attack columns charge two more British units, breaking a small British attack column, but losing and breaking themselves trying to charge a British line.

On the right flank the British Light Dragoons led by their General charge the larger French Dragoon unit!

In rules used, British cavalry get a slight bonus in combat to represent their reckless courage, but must also charge on out of control if they win. An attached general also gives a slight bonus at risk to himself.  The odds are still in favour of the French Dragoons, but the thanks to the British Cavalry rule the British prevail here, not only beating the French but break them! (Historically the British Light Dragoons were defeated by the French Dragoons and their General was killed, though over on the left flank after chasing some French Infantry.)

The British cavalry then try their luck against a French attack column, which fails to form square, but repels them anyway.

The centre and right turns into a musketry dual along the line.

On the left, noting the British have moved reinforcements away from Vimeiro, I decide to launch my Brigade here towards it, supported by Chasseurs. Not unexpectedly they are repelled.

On the right the British Highlanders (71st historically), charge a shaken French line and rout it.

And in the centre most of my units are on the verge of breaking and so are falling back, though the British Battalions on the hill have also taken signficant fire.

End of the game, and it ends up being a slight technical win to the French as they hold Ventosa and have broken one small British Brigade (of two units!), while the British have not broken any French Brigades. Total losses are two large French infantry units, and one large Dragoon unit, vs two large British infantry units and two small British infantry units. The French combined Grenadiers are shaken and on verge of breaking and the French centre and left is falling back with a stalemate on the right, so from that point of view the result feels more like a draw at best.

Conclusion

This scenario by Michael Hopper seems to be a nice attempt at balance with the victory conditions as presented. I think all other wargaming battle reports I've read of this battle have ended in pretty decisive British victories, except one where a desparate last turn assault on Vimeiro got lucky. This pattern of results seems certain to occur if you follow the French piecemeal attacks of the actual battle, and perhaps also if you have a victory condition for the French where you must take Vimeiro itself.

Once again I highly recommend these Peninsula scenario books by Michael. This game is from the first Peninsula book Perfidious Albion, and there is a second one called The Rise of Albion. 

Contact Michael Hopper directly and find what the shipping and exact charges are for your country if you want copies of them: log1cal.mh@gmail.com