With only three turns left, we met to decide the final outcome of the Battle of Rolica on Tuesday night.  By 1620, Loisin seemed to be in a good position to roll up the entire British right flank.  But while he had plenty of cavalry to hand, the three infantry battalions that he had for the task were already much fatigued and depleted from their earlier battles.  The freshest battalion (the 3/58eme) attempted to catch yet another British battalion in square but was repulsed!?  In the background, Steve (in the background) finds it impossible to contain his emotion.

 On the other flank, Delaborde has almost destroyed the Portuguese but the British remain in control of the village, while Brennier remains rooted on the hill.

 For the next two turns, little changed as both exhausted armies attempted to solidify their lines.

By the end of the game, it was clear that the British would not be able to exit a formed unit off the southern end of the battlefield.  In this case, it would come down to casualties.  These broke down as follows:

The French

Delaborde's Division
-Thomieres Brigade - 780
-Brennier's Brigade - 360
-Artillery - 60 (all in the train company)
Total:  1440

Loisin's Division
-Solignac's Brigade - 1020
-Artillery - 60
Total:  1080

Reserve Cavalry
-Margaron's Brigade - 360
-Maransin's Brigade - 60
Total:  420

French Total:  2940

The British

-20th Light Dragoons - all 180 were wiped out
-Hill's Brigade - 1470 (the 1/5th Foot was wiped out)
-Ferguson's Brigade - 630
-Nightingall's Brigade - 660
-Bowes Brigade - 480
-Crauford's Brigade - 480
-Fane's Brigade - 480
-Portuguese - 1080
-Reserve Artillery - 30 (the crew of the single 9lb were wiped out)

British Total:  5490

Given that almost one-in-three of the Allies was lost in the battle, this version of Rolica represents a tactical victory for the French.  But with Junot still not in sight (apparently it was two for one at the mess the night before they left Lisbon...) and rumours abounding that the British were about to land troops at Vimiero in their rear, Delaborde got cold feet and gave the order to withdraw during the night.  Wellesley was thus able to link up with his two remaining brigades.  Meanwhile Junot, angered by Delaborde's unnecessary withdrawal from Rolica, would seek to strike back at the British quickly before the rest of Portugal rose up in revolt.