Modifying The Digital Battle of Vimeiro

This is the in-game Allied solo scenario starting placement.  Note French columns advancing on multiple axes towards Vimeiro.
I have mentioned before that the battle of Vimeiro in 1808 is my favorite battle of the Peninsular war. It is Wellington's first major set piece against the French, the opposing French commander Jean Andoche Junot was a favorite of Napoleon as one of his ADCs at Austerlitz, the Light division is present for the Brits (think Sharpe's Rifles), the brigade commanders on both sides would oppose each other for years on the Peninsula...and I could go on and on.  This battle sets the tone for the Peninsular war and propels Wellington to his momentous meeting with Napoleon at Waterloo six years later.

The John Tiller Software version of Vimeiro faithfully recreates the historical result.  Junot's separate columns converge on Vimeiro and Ventosa farm to the north and are defeated by Wellington's forces in succession.  What I've always wondered, is what would have happened if Junot was more deliberate and ordered his forces to converge on Vimeiro in a coordinated and aggressive fashion.

The screen above shows the in-game scenario deployment at the start.  The screen below, shows my layout of the scenario.

This is my modified setup.  I've consolidated the French column, deployed skirmishers, and changed the AI scripting.  The skirmisher screens will cover the advance of the Line and Grenadier regiments towards Vimeiro now.
I've also changed the AI scripting for the game (which I am ironing out).

The results have been most satisfying so far. See here:
This is what it looks like now that the French AI is attacking the same points on the map.

The French AI have been following the new scripting I've laid out and it has used it's cavalry quite well to smash into Acland's 8th brigade and effectively halve the brigade.  Acland's demise, has left Vimeiro very vulnerable to the advance of the French right wing.  This didn't happen in the real battle and has never happened before with the vanilla scripting+historical deployment included within the game.

I am really enjoying this new simulation of the battle and I will release my modified version for others to play. 

I'd also like to play this modified scenario head to head against Doug at Cry Havoc. He certainly would have done a better job with Junot's force than Junot and I know he will give me a hard time, even with the built-in advantages Wellington has in terms of initial placement, unit quality, etc.

 More to follow soon...


  

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