Battle Of Fuentes De Oñoro - Allied Playthrough: Setup & Turn One

THE penultimate scenario in Mike Lambo's Battles Of Napoleonic Europe is refighting the 1811 Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro while commanding the Anglo-Portuguese.

The Allied army starts below the red dashed line

The human player takes on the persona of Viscount Wellington, and has four units of infantry and one each of cavalry and artillery.

To win, the villages of Fuentes de Oñoro and Poço Velho have to be in the possession oy Allied troops at the end of turn 10.

I have placed my army in the fewest areas possible in the hope of advancing quickly

My left wing looks a little weak, but its units should enjoy the advantage of attacking from high ground.

The AI has Marshal André Masséna, along with eight units of infantry, two of cavalry and one of artillery.

The siting of the French infantry is fixed, but the other units' placements are decided by dice throws

The AI has massed its cavalry near Fuentes de Oñoro.

As usual I will write up the battle as it proceeds.

TURN ONE

My activation dice land 5 and two 2s, none of which is of use to me, so I reroll them all, getting 6, 4 and 1. By turning wildcard 6 into 3, I am able to activate every unit.

It is a straightforward decision to advance my left wing, but the main body I advance obliquely right so as to get all troops off the same file as the French artillery. The only exception is the Allied artillery, which I leave where they are (no French unit is within range) rather than advancing the guns into the river.

The AI's activation dice are two 6s, 4 and 3. The 6s are rerolled, becoming 3 and 2, meaning all but the extreme right and left units of the French will be activated.

In area 2 the cavalry roll 5, which means they stand still as 5 and 6 only have an effect after turn five. The forward infantry roll 1, meaning they move towards Fuentes de Oñoro. The other infantry roll 4, but are unable to move straight down as their path is blocked by the cavalry.

In area 3 both infantry roll 3, advancing a hex. The artillery also roll 3, meaning they also advance a hex.

In area 4 the forward infantry roll 4, advancing a hex. The other infantry roll 5, meaning they want to move towards the nearest enemy, which is the Allied cavalry, and since they prefer vertical  moves, they also advance directly down a hex. Marshal Masséna advances obliquely right to support the French artillery and a unit of infantry.

Both armies are steadily advancing