Conquest 2021 Friendly Game: Anglo-Portuguese 1809-11 vs 1814 Prussians

1809-11 Anglo-Portuguese vs 1814 Spring Prussian army 

In an alternative history, the FRENCH EMPEROR, NAPOLEON has decided NOT to attack RUSSIA, but instead send THE GRAND ARMEE to SPAIN, to end the threat from BRITAIN, and their alliance with the Kingdom of PORTUGAL.

 

 To assist his invasion, Napoleon has ordered the KINGDOM OF PRUSSIA to supply a full corps of their army. They have traveled the many miles to arrive to the north of Portugal. 

 

The DUKE OF WELLINGTON, knows that an enemy force is approaching from the north, but does not yet know their composition or size. He has sent a small, elite force of the ANGLO- PORTUGUESE army to probe the enemy force, and advise on the size of the threat bearing down on him....

Looking towards the attacking Prussians, down the main road to the north

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I had signed for a FOGN 500 point tournament at Conquest 2021, but everyone else had worse things to do than spend time playing with model solders. So I got a normal 800 game vs Djando the Organizer that he very nicely offered to give me a game instead. 

As I had expected to play a smaller game with a smaller army, I had not had time to finish basing everything, so I had to go for a very small army. The observant will note it's VERY small - an army value of  only 20. Djano was playing the largest possible conscript army possible.

Could an army of elite British Infantry be able to attack an army of lower elan and training when outnumbered 3:2 in Infantry, Calvary and Artillery?

A very small Corps

In this battle report, we will find out the answer....

 

The battle area, facing east. My army is advancing from the right (south)

We rolled for attack and defence, and I decided to commit to a PROBE mission. I had not had time to create proper redoubts, so did not have any in my army. The Prussian army decided to choose a FLEXIBLE DEFENSE. 

As the attacker, I immediately concluded I needed to keep the terrain clear and open*. I only choose  one town, and decided to try something different, and chose to get a LARGE town**.  I choose for one normal hill and one large open space. The open space ended up being near one of the steep hills on the western edge, and the other on the east. The gentle hill ended up in the Prussian army side and could be used for their defence, not mine. Another town was in my back right corner.

So my left flank was neatly completely open. and my right was constricted between two towns and a steep hill between them. The Prussians had a defence position on the hill, but I expected them to come to me.

I decided to have my Vanguard division advance to the LEFT of the town and lightly hold it. The enemy would see my right flank open and advance to take the down. My Light Division would then come up to the RIGHT of the town and hit them in surprise. My Cavalry would hold my left flank***.

I had not fought 1814 Prussians before and did not know what kind of army they would have, beyond it having a combined arms of each division. 

The building is from Gale Force 9, Flames of War.

Three(!) Prussian Infantry Divisions deploy.

The Prussian army deployed a large, mostly conscript, corps.

The left division had a brigade of heavy cavalry and 3 brigades of infantry (the rear one being conscript). A heavy AND medium artillery(!) brigade deployed to the right.

Two more very large conscript divisions deployed on the hill and a light cavalry brigade on my far right flank beyond the cobblestone road. There were no skirmish or artillery detachments.

One more division was in reserve, I assumed it to be cavalry and would arrive on the left of the Prussian line. I didn't expect it to be too large.

Looking north towards the Prussian lines.

Right ho then. We have found the enemy army, and they outnumber us 3-1. They appear to be Prussian in nature and we have nearly a full roster of their troop composition. 

Mission Accomplished, Great Success. Let us Declare Victory and Go Home. 

 

What do you mean...we must engage them?! We are outnumbered in Infantry and Artillery by 3-1 and our entire army is outnumbered 3-2! AND YOU WANT TO GO ON THE  ATTACK!?!!?!

As I lay my division down, it looked very small.

I had wanted to lure the enemy to the the right of the town, so I deployed to left. A large British Infantry unit to the left, a small Portuguese brigade, a 2nd large British Brigade, and a small Portuguese Conscript unit behind the town.

The two armies face off.

As they was on Flexible Defense, the Prussian army moved only a small amount.

The reserve Cavalry Division arrives.

As I was massively outnumbered, I brought on my cavalry as soon as I could, in the centre. The British Hussars to the left flank, the veteran  KGL to the right to try and slow down the enemy infantry, and the super heavy shock dragoons in the centre (as I wasn't sure yet where his cavalry would come from). 

I thought I could hit his centre with it's one division faster, so moved up my infantry. The Conscripts were to go into the town and hold it long enough for the light division to arrive****.

Still Outnumbered, but not as much.

The IMPETUOUS BRITISH HUSSARS look towards what looks like a much larger enemy cavalry corps...

That's....a lot of large horses.

The Prussian Cavalry division arrived..and it was bigger than I expected. Two heavy dragoons (one from the drilled infantry division), a heavy shock Curissar unit and a conscript brigade to provide rear support. 4 units to my 3, but 2 of them are much heavier than my lights.

I decided I needed all my cavalry on the my left, and hope my super heavy shock dragoons with their attached Royal Horse Artillery and office leading them, would be enough...

The Conscript Divisions advance

On my right flank, the two Prussian Conscript divisions advanced down the hill. I had nothing in front of them...

I HAD spent two ADC's to get my Light Division on the table. The original idea had been to lure the enemy conscript units to attack the large town, and when they were then deployed around it, hit them in the flank.

The two divisions coming down the side AND a brigade a cavalry with them stopped that.  

What my plan SHOULD have been is to deploy BOTH infantry divisions to the right of the town, and the capillary behind it. AND wait till they got closer before bringing in my reserves and reinforcements by 1-2 turns. His cavalry would have then been forced to come around the long way, and be slowed down by engaging one of my light cavalry units in sacrifice while I try and win the skirmish infantry battle.

The Prussian Corps advances forward.

I needed to move over the KGL from the the right to the left, otherwise it was 4 cavalry brigades to two. 

What I should have done is not advance so far forward, and maybe get my infantry to fight the enemy heavy dragoons. But with TWO artillery brigades there I couldn't form square either. My only hope was to get the cavalry in position to charge first and pray I rolled high.

The Light Division arrives.

My initial plan was to hold this unit off board, but I brought them in too early. I brought them forward to try and slow down the two conscript divisions coming down my right flank.

I should have moved them left as fast as I could and get them facing the enemy cavalry.

The KGL move west.

I moved the KGL Hussar's left and tried to get my infantry in position to attack his centre. I had 1 division vs 1 of his, but he had two artillery brigades. I thought the only way to win was commit all in to a cavalry fight 4-3. I had 1 heavier unit vs 3 of his...

The lines are formed.

The Prussian infantry advance, and their guns deploy.

The Prussian Cavalry Division prepares to attack.

My Cavalry Division is formed up, while the Light Division tries to move to the centre.

If I could win or draw the cavalry fight, I might be able to get a unit in the town and force him to assault, it, and then throw him out with my elite 95th Rifles.

The Prussian Cavalry advance but just stop short.

By complete accident, I had placed my cavalry JUST far enough to be out of charge range. My infantry didn't take any damage from the artillery at long range but I needed to get them closer to fight. I had to advance my cavalry to keep the infantry in position to attack his centre.

 

What I COULD have done is put the left brigade into square and shot at his cavalry. Probably wouldn't have worked with heavy artillery in position to shoot me to pieces, but I needed to get any advantage I could get in the cavalry battle.

The Prussian left wing closes in on my right.

I was daring his infantry to move into the town, but he was staying out. So much for that idea.

CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was it. I needed to roll high with my heavy shock, and needed REALLY good rolls with the light cavalry. With heavy horses and rear support, I was going in at low odds no matter what.

Well that didn't work out.

The end result was inevitable. Both light units were broken, and the shock heavy Dragoon Guards disordered. One of his units was wavering and one disrupted. The infantry brigade was broken by the site of the routing KGL.

RETREAT! ALL IS LOST! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

All the Cavalry broke and routed, along with the infantry. 

Along with the Cavalry, the western infantry brigade broke, and the conscript unit in support was disordered. My entire left flank was gone.

 

Conclusions:

My plan was dumb and I feel dumb for doing it. I should have deployed the maximum amount of terrain to force the enemies greater numbers to a narrower frontage. 

AND THEN I should have stayed on the defence, to be able to use the redoubt.

AND THEN I should have deployed between the two towns.

AND THEN I should have held off deploying the reinforcement infantry division in the centre and used them to hold off the enemy cavalry in square- their artillery and good training would have held off Heavy Cavalry.   

AND THEN I should have stayed back and forced his cavalry to advance and choose between my cavalry OR my Light Division. I could then use both to fight off his heavy cavalry and make his infantry forced to come the long way around the town.

Questions that I need answered:

1. How to fight an enemy army with more and heavier cavalry.
   

Prussian Army List

The Prussian General later commented:

Django

It's always interesting to see what your opponent's thinking was, it's always somewhat different to one's own! You might want to go back and correct a few errors though, my artillery was with the centre infantry division, my cav had two units of shock, both of which became disordered in the combat with the dragoon wavering, and my name isn't spelled that way... or that other way.

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* As will be seen, this was a major mistake.

** Another poor decision in this case. Choosing a large town would help to keep the board full of terrain, but I didn't have enough terrain to not be forced to use it. It would be a better choice if I get more terrain, so I don't need to rely on using it as much as I did this in this battle. 

*** A plan I then did not follow. I need to write these idiotic plans down so I can at least follow them through!

**** - I should have stayed back and held BEHIND the town, at least until I knew where his cavalry was coming.