The following is an after action report of the Battle of Ocaña, played at TBS Comics in Fort Walton Beach, FL using the rules Commit the Garde! available on WargameVault.com. (Note: all photographs were taken from the Southeastern side of the battlefield.)
Scenario Background
Following moderate successes against the French in 1809, the various Spanish armies (Army of La Mancha under General Juan Carlos de Areizaga, the Army of Estremadura under the Duke of Albuquerque, the Army of Galicia under La Romana, and the Army of the Asturias under Ballastero) decided to march on Madrid from their various locations to effect its liberation. (The British commander, Arthur Wellesley, thought the plan too reckless and decided to withdraw his forces into Portugal.)
General de Areizaga rapidly approached from the south, stopping just 35 miles short of Madrid on November 9th to rest his army and allow the other armies to complete their approach marches. Resuming his advance on November 12th, Areizaga discovered French forces blocking his path. If he could occupy the French army south of Madrid the path would be clear for another army to liberate Madrid and trap the French interlopers.
Current Situation
Yesterday (November 18th) opposing cavalry clashed with the French besting the Spanish, driving them back to the town of Ocaña. Areizaga's army now stands to defend the town while the French under Marshal Soult are desperate to quickly disperse at least one Spanish army.
Objectives
The Spanish army wins if it survives the day intact. The French must break the morale of the Spanish force before the end of the battle. Twilight is at 1700 hours, nightfall at 1800 and the fighting will end at 1900. [In Commit the Garde! an army morale check is made at the beginning of each army's turn with a number of dice being rolled for each broken/destroyed brigade, each fallen general, and each key terrain hex lost (villages, hills, key road junctions, and in this scenario entrenchments). If the army rolls three "6s" their morale breaks.]
Deployment
The Spanish army deployed with its infantry brigades behind fieldworks along the gully (treated as a stream for rule purposes) just north of the town. Most of the cavalry from both armies was deployed in the open terrain to the west, and olive groves (light woods) dominated the area east of the town.
The Battle
The battle commenced at 0800 with the French cavalry quickly crossing the gully to prevent the Spanish cavalry from actively opposing their crossing.
Full report is available at: link
's motivation to paint Napoleonic ships returns!
