Battle Of Sahagún - Allied Playthrough: Setup & Turn One

IF variety really is the spice of life, then the refights of Sahagún in Mike Lambo's Battles Of Napoleonic Europe should make for a tasty treat.

This 1808 battle was basically an all-cavalry affair fought in Spain during Sir John Moore's Corunna (Coruña) Campaign.

In the first scenario the human player takes on the persona of Lord Henry Paget, commanding three units of hussars and one of artillery.

The British start from behind the red dashed line

The French consist of a commander, Baron César Debelle, and four units of cavalry - a mix of dragoons and chasseurs.

Their starting points are decided by dice throws, so they could be spread out or they could be concentrated in one part of the battlefield.

I have opted for a setup that I hope will be useful wherever the French arrange themselves

To win I have to eliminate every French unit before the end of turn 10, which means the AI wins if it survives with just a single one-strength cavalry unit.

The AI has formed a strong centre with extended wings

TURN ONE

My activation dice land 3, 2 and 1. I reroll the 1 and get wildcard 6, which I turn into 4.

My artillery open proceedings by firing at the cavalry opposite them. The two dice are increased for being adjacent to Lord Paget, and I roll 5 and two 2s, reducing the French unit to two-strength.

The hussars in area 3 advance two hexes, as do the hussars in area 4, and the hussars in area 2 also, along with Paget.

A bold start in what is a battle with a peculiar feel to it

The AI's activation dice are 6, 5, 3 and 2, The 6 is rerolled, but becomes another 2.

General Debelle wants to move to a hex in which he is adjacent to more friendly units than currently is the case, but that is not possible, so he stands still.

The forward cavalry in area 3 roll 4, which means they advance straight down one hex. The other cavalry in area 3 roll 6, meaning they move nearer to the nearest friendly unit, with the commander have a tiebreak preference over other cavalry.

The cavalry in area 5 roll 4 and so they advance straight down one hex.

The French left-wing cavalry look very vulnerable