The Battles of Vilcapugio And Ayohuma

My previous posts covered a couple of victories for General Belgrano. The next two battles in this series were both defeats.

Vilcapugio (1st October 1813)

After the Patriot triumphs at Tucumán (1812) and Salta (1813), Belgrano advanced into Upper Peru (modern Bolivia) aiming to liberate the region from Spanish control. His Army of the North, about 3,500 strong, included veterans from previous battles, local militias, and reinforcements sent by the United Provinces.

The Royalists, now commanded by Pezuela, withdrew northward while gathering strength. Despite facing logistical challenges in the rugged Andean terrain, Belgrano hoped to unite with guerrilla forces under leaders like Vicente Camargo and Eustaquio Méndez to encircle the enemy. However, coordination problems, difficult mountain supply lines, and unreliable communications slowed the Patriot advance.

By late September, Belgrano took position near Vilcapugio, a plateau offering open ground for battle. He believed the Royalists were vulnerable and prepared to strike before they could receive further reinforcements. Pezuela, however, had regrouped and planned to attack first, aiming to break the Patriot army’s cohesion and morale.

Royalists: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery, 1 x unreliable Elite Disciplined Light Cavalry

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Elite Light Cavalry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists (Attackers)

Artillery (U), Column, Light Cavalry (UED)
Column	Column	Light Cavalry
Column	Column	Light Cavalry (E)
Column, Light Cavalry, Artillery (U)

Patriots (Defenders)

The battle began on the morning of 1 October. Belgrano opted for his usual cavalry attack on the flank, whilst his infantry contained the Royalist lines. Initially this worked, and another Patriot victory seemed likely. But at the moment of crisis the Patriot army lost momentum. This coincided with a unit of Royalist cavalry appearing in their right-rear.

Pezuela’s forces exploited the disarray, hitting the Patriot centre and left with coordinated infantry and cavalry charges. Patriot supply wagons were overrun, and ammunition shortages worsened the situation. Attempts to regroup failed as Royalist pressure mounted from multiple sides. By late afternoon, Belgrano ordered a retreat to avoid total destruction, leaving much of his artillery and baggage in enemy hands.

The defeat at Vilcapugio shattered the Patriots’ advance into Upper Peru and forced them to withdraw south to reorganise. Royalist morale soared, while Patriot forces suffered heavy losses in men and equipment. 

Design Notes

I have weakened the obligatory Patriot cavalry attack by not starting them in the reserve. But the Patriots can still win this one if the Royalist cavalry don't turn up.

Ayohuma (14th November 1813)

Following the defeat at Vilcapugio in October 1813, Belgrano retreated south to regroup his battered army. Morale was low, supplies were short, and many men were wounded or demoralised. Despite the setback, Belgrano decided to make another stand rather than withdraw completely from Upper Peru. He chose Ayohuma, near the town of Potosí, as his defensive position, hoping the open ground would allow for better manoeuvre.

The Royalists under Pezuela, buoyed by their recent victory, pursued aggressively with around 5,000 men, outnumbering Belgrano’s 3,000. They had better artillery, more cavalry, and the advantage of momentum. Pezuela sought to destroy the Patriot army completely before it could recover, while Belgrano aimed to hold his ground and protect the revolution’s foothold in the region.

In the days before the battle, Belgrano attempted to inspire his troops, appealing to their patriotism and promising reinforcements from local guerrillas. However, those reinforcements never arrived, leaving his force at a severe disadvantage.

Royalists: 1x elite Column Infantry (Flank Attack), 1 x fortified Line, 1 x Line, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x Artillery

Patriots: 4 x Column Infantry, 2 x Light Cavalry

Royalists (Attackers)

Light Cavalry, Artillery
Line	Line (D)	Column (E)
Light Cavalry	Column	Light Cavalry
Column, Column, Column

Patriots (Defenders)

On the morning of 14 November, Pezuela executed a flanking manoeuvre, approaching from higher ground to strike the Patriot right from an unexpected angle. It was suggested to Belgrano that he counter-attack this move, but he declined. Royalist artillery opened a devastating bombardment, softening up the Patriot lines.

Belgrano ordered the advance of his infantry and cavalry toward the enemy right flank, but they could not overcome both the rugged terrain before Pezuela'stroops. To make matters worse, Belgrano' light guns were no match for the Royalist artillery. Belgrano was forced to retreat. The retreat quickly turned into a rout, with heavy losses in men, horses, and equipment.

Ayohuma was a crushing defeat, forcing Belgrano to retreat far south into present-day Argentina. The royalists regained control of Upper Peru, ending the patriots’ second campaign there. The loss damaged Belgrano’s military reputation, and command of the Army of the North would soon pass to José de San Martín, marking a shift in the revolution’s northern strategy.

Design Notes

Weighting this against the Patriots is quite hard. Putting their cavalry in the front-line and not giving them any artillery with which to support them helps. The Royalists front-line are mostly line to reflect them sitting in rough terrain receiving the Patriot assault. The Royalists have a full-strength artillery unit in order to reflect their total superiority. As an option try downgrading it to Unreliable, and adding Fortified to the left-flank Line. This will reduce the pre-battle bombardment effects, but make it harder for the Patriots to attack.

The Battles of Tucuman and Salta

Continuing my posts covering South American Wars of Liberation scenarios for 'Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte', here's the next two, featuring a couple of victories for General Manuel Belgrano.

Tucuman (September 23rd 1812)

In early 1812, the Patriot Army of the North was in poor condition after the disastrous defeat at Huaqui the previous year. Manuel Belgrano, newly appointed as commander, was ordered by the revolutionary government in Buenos Aires to retreat south to Córdoba and avoid battle. Meanwhile, Royalist forces under General Pío de Tristán advanced from Upper Peru with around 3,000 men, aiming to crush the revolution by capturing key cities in the northwest.

As Belgrano withdrew, he received strong encouragement from the people of Tucumán, who offered supplies, recruits, and local militia support if he made a stand. Belgrano defied his orders, choosing to defend Tucumán rather than retreat further. By mid-September, he had gathered roughly 1,800 soldiers, bolstered by hundreds of poorly armed local volunteers. The decision was risky - his army was outnumbered and less experience - but Belgrano believed holding Tucumán was vital for the revolution’s survival.

The fighting began on 24 September, when Tristán’s army approached the city. Belgrano deployed his troops across open fields north of Tucumán, using artillery and cavalry to disrupt the Royalist advance

Royalists: 5 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Elite Light Cavalry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists (Attackers)

Column, Column, Light Cavalry
Column	Column	Column
Column	Column	Column
Artillery (U), Light Cavalry (E), Light Cavalry

Patriots (Defenders)

The Patriot cavalry, led by Eustaquio Díaz Vélez, played a key role in attacking the Royalist left flank, but the Royalist infantry pressed forward and put the Patriot left under similar pressure.

A sudden windstorm filled the air with dust, creating confusion on both sides, with Begrano quitting the field at one point believing the battle to be lost. However Belgrano’s forces, seizing the moment, pressed their attack on the Royalist left and the Royalists retired.

The victory at Tucumán stopped the Royalist advance and revitalised the Patriot cause. Belgrano’s decision to stand and fight became legendary, boosting morale across the United Provinces. The Royalists fell back toward Upper Peru, setting the stage for further Patriot campaigns in the north.

Design Notes

The Royalist attackers are pretty conventional. I didn't give them artillery, and this makes their cavalry less effective than that of the Patriots. It also means that the Patriots can disrupt their advance without any comeback. The Patriot force is stacked in favour of a cavalry attack.

Salta (February 20th 1813)

Following the Battle of Tucumán in September 1812, Belgrano pursued the retreating Royalists north toward the city of Salta, a key stronghold in the region. The victory at Tucumán had boosted Patriot morale, swelling Belgrano’s ranks with new recruits and supplies from supportive local populations.

The Royalists, under Tristán, withdrew to Salta, fortifying their positions and awaiting reinforcements from Upper Peru. Tristán hoped the mountainous terrain and defensive works would help offset the recent defeat. His army numbered around 3,000 men, but morale was low, and desertions were a problem.

Belgrano, with roughly the same number of troops, advanced cautiously, knowing that a second victory could break Spanish power in the north. He manoeuvred his army into position to encircle Salta, cutting off Royalist supply routes. By mid-February, Tristán’s forces were effectively trapped, forcing a confrontation.

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x Disciplined Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists: 2 x Column Infantry, 1 x unreliable Fortified Column Infantry (In Salta), 1 x fortified Light Infantry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Patriots (Attackers)

Column, Light Cavalry, Artillery (U)
Light Cavalry (D)	Column	Column
Light Cavalry	Column	Column
Artillery (U), Light Infantry (D), Column (DU)

Royalists (Defenders)

Begrano used the same plan he'd tried at Tucuman, attacking the Royalist left with his cavalry. The shattered left gave way disordering the Royalist infantry, which Belgrano then attacked frontally. The Royalist line collapsed. On the right a group of Royalist Skirmishers held firm on San Bernardino Hill, but were soon defeated, and Tristán was unable to rally his troops for a planned last stand in Salta itself.

By afternoon, surrounded and with casualties mounting, Tristán sought terms. Belgrano, displaying magnanimity, agreed to honourable surrender conditions, allowing Royalist officers to keep their personal arms and guaranteeing humane treatment for prisoners.

The victory at Salta secured north-west Argentina for the revolutionaries and pushed the front line deep into Upper Peru. Belgrano’s humane treatment of captured soldiers was widely praised, earning him respect even among some Royalists. Strategically, it opened the way for the next campaign into Upper Peru, although later defeats would undo some of these gains.

Design Notes

Not much to explain here. Once again I have weighted the Patriot cavalry to allow it to dominate their plan. The Royalist reserve has the Light Infantry on the hill, and the possible option of a last stand in the city of Salta as well. But that can't be relied on.

The Battle of Huaqui

I have been looking at using 'Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte' for fighting battles of the South American Wars of Liberation. I had to go up to Sydney for work yesterday, so I took the opportunity of a two-hour train trip each way to draw up some ideas (and even tested a couple of them on the way home using pencil and paper and a dice-rolling app on my phone).

My primary source are the scenarios in 'Liberators! - Napoleonic Wargaming in South America - Volume 1: The War In The South' by John Fletcher. This is chock-full of information not just on the battles but also on how the armies were structured and fought. 

By the end of the day I'd put together seven scenarios, and when I got home I gave them all at least one run-though and some of them a more thorough testing.

I'll post them over the next few days. In this post I'll concentrate on just one.

Huaqui (20th June 1811)

The Battle of Huaqui (also known as the Battle of Guaqui) took place on 20 June 1811 near the shores of Lake Titicaca, on the border between present-day Bolivia and Peru. It was a major engagement in the Argentine War of Independence, where the Spanish royalist army decisively defeated the patriot forces of the Primera Junta of Buenos Aires.

In 1810, following the May Revolution in Buenos Aires, the newly formed revolutionary government sought to spread its authority across the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. The region of Upper Peru (modern Bolivia), still loyal to the Spanish Crown, became a key target. A Patriot army under Juan José Castelli and Antonio González Balcarce was sent north to defeat royalist forces and rally local support.

Initially, the campaign showed promise. The Patriots had won earlier battles, including the Battle of Suipacha, and occupied parts of Upper Peru. They hoped to inspire a general uprising against Spanish rule. However, internal divisions, overconfidence, and harsh treatment of locals undermined their position. Meanwhile, the Spanish regrouped under General José Manuel de Goyeneche, who had the backing of the Viceroy of Peru and better access to supplies and reinforcements.

By mid-1811, the Patriot army had stalled near Lake Titicaca, and morale was slipping. Despite signs that the Royalists were preparing to attack, the Patriots remained static, underestimating the threat. On 20 June, Goyeneche launched a well-coordinated assault on the Patriot positions near the town of Huaqui. 

Both armies had their eastern flank on the shores of Lake Titicaca, whilst each army was split in two by a ridge running north-south through the battlefield. The Patriots were simply formed up in two groups on each side of the ridge. The Royalists deployed some troops on it. The Patriot army was some 5,000 strong, whilst that of the Royalists numbered around 6,000.

Royalists: 2 x Column Infantry, 1 x Fortified Column Infantry (On Ridge), 1 x Elite Column Infantry (Flank Attack), 1 x Light Cavalry

Patriots: 2 x Column Infantry, 1 x unreliable Fortified Column Infantry (On Ridge), 1 x unreliable Artillery, 1 x Disciplined Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Disciplined Column Infantry (Numerous Peasant Reserves)

Royalists (Attackers)

Column (E), Light Cavalry
Column	Column (D)	Column
Column	Column (DU)	Column
Artillery (U), Light Cavalry (D), Column (DU)

Patriots (Defenders)

The Patriots were poorly coordinated on each side of the ridge, whilst the Royalists attacked aggressively and exploited the ridge as well as a pass through it to move troops from one side of the field to the other. 

The Royalist advance was swift and overwhelming. Patriot attempts to hold the line collapsed, and the army was thrown into full retreat. In just a few hours, the revolutionary army suffered a devastating defeat, losing thousands of men, supplies, and nearly all territorial gains in Upper Peru.

The loss at Huaqui shattered the revolutionary campaign in the north. The Royalists quickly reoccupied Upper Peru, and the Patriot army retreated in disarray. The defeat exposed the weaknesses of the early revolutionary forces and delayed further attempts to liberate the region.

Design Notes

As the first scenario in a series some of these notes will apply to all of them, whilst others are just for this battle. Aside from a few units from Spain towards the end, most infantry was locally-raised and often poorly equipped militia. Actually so was most of the cavalry. Units could fight bravely or flee the moment things went wrong. To this end I've classed most infantry as Column Infantry, as when two units fight you get wild swings of fortune including mutual destruction. 

Patriot cavalry seems to have been better used than that of the Royalists, so you'll find that they enjoy an advantage in most scenarios. Winning battles with a sweeping cavalry attack was very much a Patriot thing, as was losing them when that didn't work. With one exception all cavalry is Light Cavalry. 

Artillery was mostly light guns scattered through the army, so in most scenarios it will be single unreliable units and often present in one army where they had an obvious superiority.

As for this particular battle, the Royalist foot with advantages represents their exploiting the ridge and pass to wrong-foot the Patriots. Historically the Patriots didn't really have a centre, as they deployed nothing on the ridge. The unit they have there at the start represents an attempt to counter the Royalists that may or may not work. The Patriot army seemed to have a large number of indigenous ally troops in reserve, which I have represented by the 'disciplined' cavalry and infantry. Ideally the cavalry should be unreliable, as on the day these reserves simply ran the moment things went wrong, but I couldn't work it into the points and the cavalry does at least offer the Patriots some chance. The reserve foot is numerous but flighty. Basically if the Patriots roll well for their unreliable troops then they should hold the Royalist attack, but otherwise they are going to follow history.

International Naval Wargames Day 2025

August 6th, is the birthday of Fred Jane, author of 'Janes Fighting Ships' and, of course, pioneering naval wargamer. The day is celebrated as International Naval Wargames Day, and I convinced Catherine to play 'Galleys & Galleons' as our weekly Wednesday evening game (even though it was her turn to choose).

To be honest the day had crept up on me, so I didn't really have any time to plan anything ambitious. And I wanted to keep the game simple anyway, as we'd be starting fairly late in the evening. I decided to run my Punto Malpelo scenario from last year. In this action, set off the coast of South America in 1828, two vessels from the navy of the nascent nation of Gran Colombia - Guayaquilena and the Pichincha - attempt to break a blockade of a key river-mouth by a larger vessel of the Peruvian navy, the Libertad. The stats for all of the ships are in the post linked to above.

Catherine took the Peruvian interloper, whilst I took the Gran Colombians. The action starts with only Libertad and Guayaquilena on the field of battle. The Pichincha was slow getting into the action. Libertad has 24 guns, whilst the schooner Guayaquilena has a mere 14. The schooner had the weather gauge however - I had the two ships start on opposite edges but randomised where they appear. The Gran Colombian vessel appeared upwind of the Peruvian.

The appearance of the 20-gun Pichincha is diced for. When I played this last year I simply required a 6 at the start of the Gran Colombian turn, and it quickly appeared. But it seems that really its captain wasn't ready to commit until it looked like they might stand a chance in the fight, so I changed it for this game. The Gran Colombians couldn't start rolling - needed a 6 - until the turn after the Guayaquilena has fired a broadside at long range or closer. If the Libertad was damaged then there was a +1 to the roll. So the Guayaquilena had to close and shoot in order to stand a chance of any assistance.

The two vessels passed on converging courses, with the Guayaquilena doing its best to stay out of effective range of the Peruvian ship's heavier guns. The Peruvians fired first, but scored no damage.

Guayaquilena inflicted a hit with its opening broadside.

A return hit from the Libertad.

The nimble Guayaquilena danced around the Peruvian, and got in a couple more hits, leaving it seriously damaged. But the wind shifted against the Gran Colombian vessel and it had to pull away for some time, allowing Libertad time to repair the worst of the damage. A good job too, as, scenting victory, the Pichincha was coming up fast.

Libertad turned up into the wind as the two Gran Colombians captains brought their vessels down on it.

A broadside at the Guayaquilena failed to inflict any significant damage.

Guayaquilena passed across the Libertad's stern, but also failed to score any significant damage.

But both Gran Colombian ships were firing rapidly now, and the Libertad was struggling. It lost a mast too.

Guayaquilena survived another potentially crippling broadside; the Peruvian shooting was either abysmal of very unlucky.

More broadsides ...

... and the Libertad struck.

This was a fairly easy win for the Gran Colombians, although the fact that every time Catherine lined up a good shot she either rolled badly or I rolled well in defence meant that the shots didn't translate to useful damage. The Peruvian ship has some decent firepower, especially at close range. I exploited  turning ability as much as I could, forcing the Peruvian ship to conform to my movements instead of it controlling the battle. The plodding Pichincha was an added bonus.

So that's another International Naval Wargames Day over. Next year it will coincide with our regular wargames club night, so I will have to make sure we put on something bigger.

The Battle of Junin

I threw together this silly scenario from the South American Wars of Liberation for 'Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte'.

Junin (6th August 1824)

By 1824, the independence movement in South America was nearing its climax. After years of fighting, Royalist forces still held much of the Peruvian highlands. Simón Bolívar, having secured victories in the north, now aimed to liberate Peru entirely. He gathered a mixed Patriot army - including troops from Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile - and marched into the central highlands to confront the royalist army under General José de Canterac.

Bolívar’s campaign was bold but risky. His army had to cross harsh, mountainous terrain and maintain morale and supply lines at high altitude. The Royalists, though suffering from desertion and logistical problems, still posed a serious threat. On 6 August, near Lake Junín, both armies spotted each other and prepared for a confrontation.

Interestingly, Bolívar was not present at the actual battle, having moved ahead with an advance guard. He left command to General José de La Mar and trusted his cavalry to hold the line if contact was made. The Patriot cavalry numbered around 1,000 and it faced 1,300 Royalist horse. What followed would be a purely cavalry engagement, fought at over 4,000 meters above sea level, with no infantry or artillery involved. 

Royalists: 6 x Light Cavalry

Patriots: 2 x unreliable Light Cavalry (Surprised), 2 x Light Cavalry, 2 x Elite Light Cavalry (Surprise Attacks)

Royalists (Attackers)

Light Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Light Cavalry
Light Cavalry	Light Cavalry	Light Cavalry
Light Cavalry (U)	Light Cavalry	Light Cavalry (U)
Light Cavalry, Light Cavalry (E), Light Cavalry (E)

Patriots (Defenders)

The battle began with a surprise Royalist cavalry charge, which initially routed the Patriot vanguard. Royalist horsemen pushed deep into the Patriot lines, seeming close to victory. However, the tide turned when a Patriot squadron under Lieutenant Colonel Isidoro Suárez, acting without orders, wheeled around and hit the Royalist cavalry from the rear.

Caught off guard and exhausted by the altitude and long pursuit the Royalists collapsed in confusion. The Patriot cavalry regrouped and counterattacked, driving the Spanish horsemen from the field. The entire engagement lasted less than an hour. Not a shot was fired.

Though not a massive battle, Junín was a vital morale boost. It crippled Royalist cavalry strength and paved the way for the decisive Battle of Ayacucho four months later.

(I gave this a quick run through and it was as wild and silly as you might expect)

Punta Malpelo

This action, fought on 31st August 1828, was part of a brief war between the new nations of Peru and Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia was an amalgamated state comprised of modern Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela; it didn't last, but was the closest the world got to Simon Bolivar's vision of a united Spanish America. The war was fought over border disputes between Peru and that part of Gran Colombia that is now neighbouring Ecuador. It's worth noting that these disputes weren't resolved until the early years of this century; they lasted nearly 200 years and saw at least two more small wars being fought (one in the middle of World War II).

Anyway early in the war a Peruvian corvette, the Libertad, was sent to blockade the mouth of the strategically important Guayaquil River close to the border of the two counties. Two Colombian ships, the Guayaquilena and the Pichincha attempted to dislodge the blockader.

I tried a brief refight of this action last night using Galleys & Galleons and some of my Napoleonic vessels. It  was adapted from a scenario in GMT Games' 'Beneath The Southern Cross'. The east edge of the board was land. The Peruvian corvette arrived at a random point along the southern edge and the Guayaquilena at a random point along the north. The wind was from the north-west, giving the Colombians the weather gage. In the actual action the Pichincha showed reluctance to close with the enemy, so it doesn't appear initially. At the end of each Colombian turn roll a D6, and the Pichincha appears on a 6. Add one to the roll if the Libertad has taken any damage - the Pichincha is more inclined to share in the glory of the fight if their side is already winning.

Stats were as follows:

Libertad (24) - Q3 C3 - Square Rig, Carronades

Guayaquilena (14) - Q2 C2 - Lateen Rig, Yare

Pichincha (20) - Q4 C3 - Square Rig

(The scenario lists Pichincha as a 20-gun corvette in the notes but a 12-gun ship on the counter. I treated it as the former. I gave the Libertad the carronades trait to reflect it being heavier than either of the opposing vessels. The Guayaquilena is listed as a schooner so I gave it a lateen rig, and made it more manueverable than the Libertad to make things interesting, since it would be fighting alone for some of the action.)

Here's the Libertad. It sailed at top speed to take on the Guayaquilena.

The Guayaquilena hung back, hoping the Pichincha would turn up to assist. If I ran this again I would limit when you start rolling for the Pichincha to appear to after the action shows some sign of starting; maybe until the Guayaquilena and Libertad are within a certain distance of each other. This would force the Guayaquilena to show some aggression.

The opposing ships approach.

The Guayaquilena fired a wild long-range broadside, hoping to inflict damage and inspire the Pichincha to turn up.

The Libertad responded by crossing the Guayaquilena's bow. It didn't get a rake (despite appearances) but rolled well enough to smash the Colombian schooner and damage its tiller.

At that point the Pichincha turned up, but at some distance from the main action.

It sailed as fast as it could to the aid of the Guyaquilena. However the schooner, unable to turn, had run aboard the larger Libertad. Its captain organised a ferocious boarding attempt that saw damage inflicted on both sides, but the Libertad soon forced the Colombian vessel to strike.

Libertad disenagaged and turned to take on the Pichincha. But the Pichincha had the advantage of the wind and had Libertad trapped against the shore.

With poor activation rolls the two ships sailed alongside each other at medium range, firing the occasional ragged broadside.

A error in steering saw Libertad move even closer inshore, risking the shallows.

At that point both ships reached the edge of the table. Since it was late in the evening and I had things to do, I called a halt to the action there and declared it a draw. Libertad was in trouble against the land, but would almost certainly sort things out, but I decided that Pichincha wasn't enthusiastic enough to push things and would return to the aid of Guyaquilena. 

So a fun little action which I'll try again sometime making use of the tweaks I think it needs. Historically Pichincha took no significant part in the action, whilst Libertad and Guayaquiena caused serious damage to each other. The Gran Colombians withdrew, however, leaving the Peruvians with their first naval victory.

International Naval Wargames Day 2024

Today, August 6th, is the birthday of Fred Jane, author of 'Janes Fighting Ships' and, of course, pioneering naval wargamer. The day is celebrated as International Naval Wargames Day, and I took some time this evening to play a couple of games in his honour.

I had planned a fair-sized Galleys & Galleons scenario, but I've been struck down by a lurgy these past couple of days, so had to scale things back. In the end I chose to refight a couple of single-ship actions I'd done last year since I had all the ship stats to hand and the models were already labelled and ready to go.

The first was an 1820 action between an Argentinian privateer, the Santa Rita and a small Portuguese warship, the Maria Teresa. The details are HERE.

This is a night action, and the Argentinian ship starts anchored and unalerted. The Maria Teresa has a chance to sneak in and get the jump on its opponent; before the larger ship gets to fight back. Unfortunately because of the wind the Maria Teresa had to take a slow, long way around the anchored Santa Rita in order to avoid being spotted too early.

The wind changed a lot, making the approach very difficult indeed.

Eventually the Maria Teresa was within striking range of its opponent, although the Argentinians were beginning to suspect that something was up.

A first broadside woke them up, and scored some light damage.

The Santa Rita turned at anchor and replied with its own broadside, scoring a serious hit back.

However confusion on board saw it swing back the other way, exposing its stern to a rake from the Maria Teresa. It escaped without much in the way of serious damage, however.

Because of the wind the Maria Teresa was in difficulties with regard to closing the range on the Santa Rita, and since it was already badly damaged couldn't afford to take many more close-range broadsides. The Portuguese ship turned away in order to see to some repairs.

The crew of the Santa Rita raised anchor and began to turn their ship into action.

Slowly the courses of the two ships converged. The Santa Rita fired a broadside that damaged the rigging of the Maria Teresa.

In return the Maria Teresa damaged the Santa Rita's rudder.

The two ships were now on parallel courses at close range.

But the Santa Rita's damaged steering saw it run aboard the Maria Teresa. The two ships grappled.

There was a swift boarding action which saw the smaller Portuguese ship strike; a victory for the Argentinian privateer, Santa Rita.

For the second game I went back in time a couple of years to 1818 and reran an action between the Chilean vessel Lautaro and the Spanish frigate Esmeralda. This was an attempt by the Chileans to raise the blockade of the port of Valdivia. You can read about the setup from when I played it before HERE.

Here's the early stages of the action. In the distance you can see the Esmerelda on the left and the Lautaro on the right. In the foreground is the small Spanish brig Pezuela.

Lautaro had closed with the Esmerelda immediately, looking to subdue it before the Pezuela could come up in support. It got in an initial rake, although the fire was less effective than hoped for.

The Spanish ship turned across the bows of the Lautaro and delivered a crippling rake in return. Lautaro was in serious trouble already.

The two ships adopted parallel courses. Lautaro managed to stave off disaster with some emergency repairs, before settling into an ineffective broadside duel with the Esmeralda.

Ineffective, that is, until Lautaro managed a well-aimed broadside that crippled Esmerelda. At this point Pezuela came in and fired an ineffective long-range broadside before sailing off to take no further part in the action.

Both ships were now in a bad way, and it was Lautaro that gave up first, striking to the Spanish frigate.

Lautaro was unlucky to get a strike on the All At Sea table. In fact in both scenarios I ignored the first All At Sea strike for each vessel; I find too many single ship actions end this way, and thought it kept things a little more interesting. It's OK for larger actions (and indeed, makes them rather fun), but when there's never going to be a closer friendly vessel it does seem a little sudden, and harsh. In the case of the second scenario Lautaro had already had one strike result; this was her second.

I retained the reload rules for these games (I didn't use them in the original refights), and didn't think that the games suffered for having them.

Anyway, it was good to get some ships out on International Naval Wargames Day.