French
Briefing for General Dupont:
The Spanish countryside is in
revolt around you. Enemies are everywhere. Your corps of conscripts is
surrounded. Communications to Madrid have been cut for some time. Vedel
forced his way through to you from the east. A large Spanish army
formed south of the Guadalquivir River. Most of your force marched to
the west to oppose a crossing. Then the fiends crossed back to the east
and shattered Gobel’s division. Vedel was sent back with orders
to
clear your line of retreat. You haven’t heard from him in a
couple of
days and decide it’s time to head east. A large Spanish force has
crossed the river behind you and is dogging your steps. It’s hot
and
the march is long. You were a highly decorated division commander and a
hero in Germany, but independent command in this desolate, hostile
country is another thing altogether. As you march along, looking for
Vedel, you see the heights before the town of Bailen lined with
white-coated troops. They are squarely across your line of retreat.
Your large wagon train can only escape by the road that goes through
the town. That rabble on the hills must be driven off to clear your
route. Note: you may want to have one of your cavalry brigades operate
independently from the division. Decide this before you begin the game.
French army
Dupont cautious/poor
At Bailen: 13 battalions, 5
cavalry regiments, 4 batteries, 3 wagons – total 25
Foot
battery
6 X 12
lb
class B
Sappers
2 SK 2
1st
Division Barbou solid (5,754)
Foot battery
8 X 6
lb
class B
Brigade Chabert
4th Legion of
Reserve 3
btns
class D 14 SK 1
4th Swiss
Regiment
class C
12 SK 1
Brigade Pannetier
3rd Legion of
Reserve
2 btns
class D 16 SK 1
Garde de
Paris
class D 20 SK 1
3rd
Division Frere solid (2,413)
Foot battery
8 X 6
lb
class B
Brigade Schramm
Reding & Preux
Swiss Regiment 4 btns class C 10
SK 1
Marines of the
Guard
class A 8 SK 2
Converged reserve
grenadiers
class C 10 SK1
Cavalry
Division Frescia cautious/solid (2,284)
Horse battery
6 X 6
lb
class B
Brigade Prive
1st Provisional
Dragoons
class D 8 line
2nd Provisional
Dragoons
class D 8 line
Brigade Dupre
1st Provisional
Chasseurs a
Cheval
class D 10 light
2nd Provisional
Chasseurs a
Cheval
class D 8 light
Brigade Boussart
4th Provisional
Dragoons
class D 10 line
Wagon train containing
wounded, sick, supplies and loot – counts as three units –
use three wagon models.
Possible reinforcements
2nd
Division Vedel solid (5,265)
Foot battery
8 X 6
lb
class B
Brigade Poinsot
5th Legion of
Reserve
3 btns
class D 15 SK 1
3rd Swiss
Regiment
class C 16 SK 1
Brigade Cassagne
1st Legion of
Reserve
3 btns class D 15 SK 1
The game begins with Barbou,
Chabert, Dupont and the cavalry on the board.
Pannetier, the 12 lb guns and
the sappers are off the board on the road to the west, with Frere and
the wagon train behind. At the beginning of the first turn, roll a die.
If the result is 4, 5 or 6, Pannetier & crew will appear when the
1st division card is drawn. Otherwise the brigade will appear the next
turn. The turn after it appears, roll a die for Frere’s division,
with
1, 2 or 3 giving a one turn delay as above. The turn after that
appears, roll one die as above for the wagons. Frere’s divison
will
march onto the field when it appears. If no orders are given to it, it
will stay on the road in column. If attacked, it will deploy and defend
itself.
Your artillery is superior and
more numerous, as is your cavalry. Your infantry is mostly conscripts,
leavened with some Swiss mercenaries and a small detachment of the
Guard. And of course you have three French Generals of Division and
their staffs.