Battle Of Sabugal - French Playthrough: Setup & Turn One

THE 18th scenario in Mike Lambo's Battles Of Napoleonic Europe is the Battle of Sabugal, with the human taking the French side.

The French start below the blue dashed line

In addition to Marshal André Masséna, I get five units of infantry and one each of cavalry and artillery.

The AI receives, in addition to Sir Arthur Wellesley, seven units of infantry, three of cavalry and one of artillery.

To win I must, at the end of turn 10, have more units anywhere on the map than the Anglo-Portuguese have below the red dashed line.

I have placed my artillery on high ground, and will draw up a plan according to the AI's dispositions

The Anglo-Portuguese setup is decided by dice throws.

The AI has generally gone for a sensible-looking formation, except for the awkward placing of the Allied artillery 

TURN ONE

My activation dice land 4, 3 and 1. I reroll the 1, but get another 4.

I advance all my infantry in area 3, move Marshal Masséna to the newly vacated high ground in area 3, and also move my cavalry into area 3.

The AI's activation dice land 6, 5, 3 and 2. The 6 is rerolled, becoming 1.

In area 1 the infantry roll 6, and so move straight down a hex.

In area 2 the cavalry roll 1, but that has no effect as there is no enemy within three hexes. The infantry roll 3, and advance straight down. Sir Arthur Wellesley also advances a hex, putting him next to four Allied units.

In area 3 the cavalry roll 5, and so advance two hexes. Both infantry units roll 4, advancing a hex.

In area 5 the cavalry roll 2, which has no effect (no enemy near enough). The forward infantry roll 4, advancing a hex. The other infantry roll 6, but cannot, as required, move straight down as the left-flank Allied cavalry are in the way. The artillery roll 6, advancing a hex.

The central Allied cavalry have rushed forward precipitately