Sharp Practice: The Battle of García Hernández

Background

The Battle of García Hernández took place on 23^rd July, 1812 the day after the victory of Wellington at Salamanca.

The defeated French army left the battlefield covered by General Maximillien Foy’s 1^st Infantry Division, a fresh French force as it did not have an active role in the main battle. Foy`s forces comprised two brigades with two regiments each and artillery.

Foy’s also got a light cavalry force reinforcement commanded b y General Jean-Baptiste Curto, with 2 squadrons of the 3^rd Regiment d´Hussards, two squadrons of the 26^th Regiment de Chasseurs and one squadron the 28^th Regiment de Chasseurs.

According to French sources (but not mentioned in the British reports) the cavalry rearguard also comprised elements of the Division de Dragons commanded by General Pierre Boyér, in charge of protecting the artillery train retreating ahead in the north.

In the British side, Wellesley took personal command of pursuers, forming a group with the 1^st Infantry Division, the Light Division, the light cavalry brigade of General Anson and the heavy cavalry brigade of General Von Bock (1^st and 2^nd  KGL Dragoons Regiments), the latter being part of the reserve division the previous day.

At dawn of July 23^rd, both Anson and Von Bock initiated the persecution.

Victory conditions

French must take 3 infantry groups in good order by its friendly tactical edge (east side of the table) through point "S". British must prevent the French achieving the victory conditions or else force surrendering by Force Moral attrition.

Deployment

the battle is played ina standard 6' x 4' table

This game does not use deployment points. The deployment areas are marked in the mapbelow

French: deploy before the game starts. Infantry on the road within 12” east of the bridge crossing the Gamo stream. Cavalry anywhere within 18” east of the same bridge and 

British: Light Cavalry deploys before the game starts west of the Gamo stream bridge at least at 12” distance. 

Heavy cavalry deploys on their activation card, entering the table through point “A” of the map and moving at canter speed.

Special rules

• Infantry Squares: move a maximum of 1d6 per activation in any direction.
• Gamo stream: it is fordable but act as heavy going for both infantry and cavalry. The Bridge over the Ganmo is located at 30" from the east table edge.
• Level 2 hills are impassable terrain to all troops.
• No reinforcements are used

Order of Battle

British

4^th Heavy Cavalry Brigade (KGL), Brigadier  Georg Von Bock
1^st and 2^nd Dragoons Regiment KGL

1 x Leader Status III                          9 p
2 x  Leader Status II                         12 p
4 x KGL Dragoons Groups                28 p

2^nd Light Cavalry Brigade, Brigadier George Anson
11th and 16^th Light Dragoons

1 x Leader Status I                               6 p
1 x Grup British Light Dragoons            6 p

Total British Army: 61 points

French

1^st Infantry DivisionGgeneral. Maximilien Foy
2^nd  Brigade, 6^th  Light and 76^th line

French Regulars to 1812 Force                  54 points

2^nd Light Cavalry Brigade, General Jean-Baptiste Curto

3^rd  Hussars and 26^th Chasseurs

1 x Leader Status II                                     3 p
1 x Hussars Group                                      6 p

Total French Army:  63 points

Map