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Peninsular War Campaign - Turn 1 (August 1808)

This is the report of the first month of upheavals and the first decisive battle fought in the Peninsula. I'm using these rules:

  • Campaign Rules: Domino Theory Campaign from No End in Sight (Ivan Sorensen). This campaign motor was intended for the Cold War, but it works perfectly for any conflict that has a strong ideological component like the Napoleonic Wars. It works on the basis of two tables. Each turn there are two random rolls, one in the Spread of Ideology table and another in the Spread of Order table . To these rolls a third is added depending on the outcome of that month's main battle. A very clever system by a designer notorious for rules such as Five Parsecs From Home.
  • Tabletop rules: Simplicity in Practice by Neil Thomas (house rule: +2 for each melee factor, not +2 dice)

Situation at the onset

Simplified map of the Peninsula

The numbers in each region represent Alignment. Positive numbers stand for Susceptibility to revolutionary ideals and the negative ones for Resilience or conservative mood. At the onset, Catalonia and Andalucia are, a priori, more liberal and receptive to the changes brought on by the French Revolution. All other areas are conservative and royalist.

Random Events

  • Madrid: Gaining sympathy. The population is becoming sympathetic to revolutionary ideals and even some politicians are starting to show support. Alignment moves 1D10 towards susceptibility. New alignment: -1.
  • Portugal: Political realignment. Official policy has shifted against revolutionary ideals. Alignment moves 1D10 towards resilience. New alignment: -11
Section of a table in use

The Battle of Macedo (Portugal) - 21 August 1808

French order of battle:
  • 3 Line Infantry
  • 2 Artillery
  • 1 Cavalry
British order of battle:
  • 4 Line Infantry
  • 1 Spanish Guerilla
  • 1 Cavalry
The battlefield is in the environs of a church


Deployment

French infantry has approached the battlefield in column under the cover of a wood. This was a good stealthy move, but it can hinder their mobility in the first stages of the battle. They have deployed their artillery superiority at both flanks of the woods. On the right flank, protected by cavalry. The British deploy in crescent, with cavalry in reserve and the flanks secured by Portuguese and Scottish Units.

French infantry tries to get out of the wood
in some semblance of order

They use their artillery to good purpose


Guerrilleros get first to the belfry
and pronounce anathemas from there
'Death to the miscreants!'


Assaulting the church is risky business
French sappers smash the stained glass windows


The French are repelled by guerrillas
and rout back to the edge of the wood


The British assault the French right
They have neutralized the cavalry screen


A second assault is underway
'Try the apse windows!'

At last the imperial flag waves high above,
against all odds

The shift in momentum is almost palpable
The church commands the battlefield

The allies react swiftly
Simultaneous attacks on artillery on the left...

---and on the French right
Will they silence the guns?

On the right British cavalry is repelled
by deadly canister fire

On the left the Portuguese were more successful,
...but to no avail.
Fire from the belfry had too much bite
The two remaining allied units retreat

Effects of the battle
  • Portugal: Civil unrest. The population is restless and protests have erupted triggering confrontations with the authorities.
Situation at the beginning of September 1808



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