'Ol Fezziwig
Repressed Dissident
Situe:
It is 9 PM, July 15th, 1808. The Spanish General Castanos and the 3rd and 4th Divisions of his Army of Andalusia are encamped several kilometers west of Andujar, the town itself safely nestled behind the Rio Guadalquivir. To the southeast, south of the Guadalquivir in the town of Villanueva, rests his 2nd Division. Further yet to the east, the large 1st Division, under the aggressive General Reding, is also south of the Guadalquivir, encamped between the Mangibiar Ferry crossing and a tricky ford, nearly due south of the dusty crossroads town of Bailen, which lies at the gateway to La Carolina and Madrid to the north.
Other forces may also be at his disposal: smaller detachments of varying reliability roam amongst the mountainous flanks to harry the beleaguered French along their flanks, and possibly, rear.
Or, enraged guerrillas may also appear suddenly to extract revenge for French atrocities or simply slow them down along the perilous routes they must travel between the far-flung towns of Andalusia.
Opposing Castanos is the French General DuPont, fresh from his sacking of Cordoba. In Andujar, behind the safety of the Guadalquivir and its sole crossing for kilometers-a bridge anchored by a redoubt on its western end-he has the 1st division of his 2nd Corps of the Gironde, his corps artillery and cavalry division. Lined up on the main roads and alleys of Andujar is his waggon train with which he intends to transport his spoils from Cordoba to the north and east.
Nearly a day’s march away, to the east, protecting the southern approaches to Bailen at the Rentillas crossroads north of the Rio Guadiel, is the 2nd division of the COG, less one brigade which monitors the Guadalquivir crossings at Mangibiar and the ford to the south. In Bailen itself, the 2nd Corps of Observation, in reality a weak division, holds the vital town, though short a brigade which is attached to the 1st of the 2nd COG in Andujar. A heavy Cuirassier brigade rounds out the French force in Bailen.
Your task, as Castanos, is to drive the French out of Andujar, out of Bailen, out of Andalusia completely. Your force, while outnumbering the French also carries less experience into battle. Your positional advantages need to be quickly exploited to bring superior force on outlying dispersed French forces to make them fight-and lose-as smaller detachments rather than a unified whole. General Reding, befitting his aggressive nature, may expand his command to allow a more coordinated attack than would otherwise be possible so far from General Castanos’ guidance. You must also look to liberate the booty the French are insisting on carrying eastwards, further proof of their perfidious aims in Spain.
The French aims are simple: send their heavily loaded waggon train to La Carolina, hold Bailen and damage the Army of Andalusia enough to remove it as a threat for the foreseeable future. Your forces, while outnumbered, outclass the Spanish for the most part, have more-and more flexible-artillery, better cavalry and better defensive terrain available for defense when the Spanish choose to deploy for battle. Do not make the mistake of underestimating your foe, as they are quite able to give your force a bloody nose…or worse.
It is 9 PM, July 15th, 1808. The Spanish General Castanos and the 3rd and 4th Divisions of his Army of Andalusia are encamped several kilometers west of Andujar, the town itself safely nestled behind the Rio Guadalquivir. To the southeast, south of the Guadalquivir in the town of Villanueva, rests his 2nd Division. Further yet to the east, the large 1st Division, under the aggressive General Reding, is also south of the Guadalquivir, encamped between the Mangibiar Ferry crossing and a tricky ford, nearly due south of the dusty crossroads town of Bailen, which lies at the gateway to La Carolina and Madrid to the north.
Other forces may also be at his disposal: smaller detachments of varying reliability roam amongst the mountainous flanks to harry the beleaguered French along their flanks, and possibly, rear.
Or, enraged guerrillas may also appear suddenly to extract revenge for French atrocities or simply slow them down along the perilous routes they must travel between the far-flung towns of Andalusia.
Opposing Castanos is the French General DuPont, fresh from his sacking of Cordoba. In Andujar, behind the safety of the Guadalquivir and its sole crossing for kilometers-a bridge anchored by a redoubt on its western end-he has the 1st division of his 2nd Corps of the Gironde, his corps artillery and cavalry division. Lined up on the main roads and alleys of Andujar is his waggon train with which he intends to transport his spoils from Cordoba to the north and east.
Nearly a day’s march away, to the east, protecting the southern approaches to Bailen at the Rentillas crossroads north of the Rio Guadiel, is the 2nd division of the COG, less one brigade which monitors the Guadalquivir crossings at Mangibiar and the ford to the south. In Bailen itself, the 2nd Corps of Observation, in reality a weak division, holds the vital town, though short a brigade which is attached to the 1st of the 2nd COG in Andujar. A heavy Cuirassier brigade rounds out the French force in Bailen.
Your task, as Castanos, is to drive the French out of Andujar, out of Bailen, out of Andalusia completely. Your force, while outnumbering the French also carries less experience into battle. Your positional advantages need to be quickly exploited to bring superior force on outlying dispersed French forces to make them fight-and lose-as smaller detachments rather than a unified whole. General Reding, befitting his aggressive nature, may expand his command to allow a more coordinated attack than would otherwise be possible so far from General Castanos’ guidance. You must also look to liberate the booty the French are insisting on carrying eastwards, further proof of their perfidious aims in Spain.
The French aims are simple: send their heavily loaded waggon train to La Carolina, hold Bailen and damage the Army of Andalusia enough to remove it as a threat for the foreseeable future. Your forces, while outnumbered, outclass the Spanish for the most part, have more-and more flexible-artillery, better cavalry and better defensive terrain available for defense when the Spanish choose to deploy for battle. Do not make the mistake of underestimating your foe, as they are quite able to give your force a bloody nose…or worse.
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