A Clash in Spain - Battle Report

Will came to visit over the weekend and we managed to play a couple of games.  the first, and the most enjoyable, was an encounter between a French force against an Anglo Spanish army.  The terrain was very simple, with the action being fought across a shallow valley with the armies poised on the higher ground on each side of the table.  A few small woods broke up the otherwise open battlefield:

Each army consisted of around 10 battalions, four gun batteries, two heavy and two light cavalry regiments.  On the Allied side all of the cavalry were Spanish:

I played the Anglo Spanish army and Will the French.  I decided that I was going to glue myself to the line of small hills and allow the French to come on, which they did with an advance on my left flank, with some light infantry, supported by cavalry taking the small wood.  I deployed my horse artillery forward to harass  the french light infantry, but they were soon chased off:

The French light in the wood would be a pain for the rest of the battle.  The French attack developed and soon a major engagement began on my left.  Whilst all this was going on Will pushed some more of his infantry into the central copse, supported by his horse artillery.  My infantry and artillery blunted this move:

To maintain momentum, Will pushed forward his heavy cavalry brigade to threaten my centre.

One of the French dragoon regiments charged up the hill to take one of my gun batteries, but were beaten off by heavy fire.

The close proximity of the French cavalry forced my infantry to form squares  but the allied cavalry counter attacked.  I lost a Spanish Cuirassier regiment and Will's troops were pushed back, losing his horse artillery in the process.                                                          

Over on my left, more French infantry infiltrated the woods and fired upon my exposed British battalions:

The slow attrition of the battalions on my left flank continued but despite the heavy casualties the British battalions clung on as Will brought his cavalry across to support that flank.

All the time the guns from both sides pecked away at any exposed troops.  The french attack in the centre melted away following a stout defence and some effective counter attacks by Spanish cavalry

Over on the left The British brigade had been reduced to just one effective battalion and so I moved a Spanish regiment across to bolster the position.

Although my left flank was very much reduced Will was weakened too, especially in the centre, where his attack had all but failed. Attention now shifted to my right flank, which up until now had seen no action, with the Spanish battalions largely untouched. Will threw his cavalry forward with three battalions, but my two artillery batteries and  Spanish infantry regiment Muerte blunted this move.

With the French centre now exposed Spanish dragoons thundered forward and swept away a French battery.  This led to the French reaching their exhaustion point and they began to withdraw from the field

This was 'a close run thing' for the allies, as someone else said.  The result was an Allied victory at 8 - 6.  All the figures used, apart from a couple of generals were by Warrior Miniatures.  The rules were our own adapted Command & Colors set.  It was a fun game that had us both engaged until the very end.