The Spanish Game



For our first game of Black Powder I took a battle from Moore's retreat to Corunna in 1809. It was probably a typical rearguard action where the British set a defense along a ridgeline and fought to delay the French for a day so the rest of the army could escape.

For our game the French had eight Infantry Battalions and one Foot Artillery battery. We skipped the opening Cavalry moves as only two British cavalry squardons have been aquired so far. The British deployed nine battalions of foot and two foot batteries.

The British deployed far forward on the table, defending the small village on the right with one battalion of infantry and two companies of rifles. They placed artillery to support the left and right of the line. The second British Brigade was posissioned behind the ridgeline to the upper right.

The French deployed into two Brigades of four battalions each with the artillery in the center. Our plan? Advance and push the English out of the way, a plan Mr. Miller (the British player) called the sledgehammer approach.

The French left moving forward to make contact. The French right failed the first two command attempts and sat there. Dice plagued the French all day.

The British right, anchored on the far hill and supported by artillery on both flanks. We do have a few miniatures left to paint.

The French right finally gets into the game. We try storming the town...apparently a very difficult thing to do, as I spend the rest of the game trying to do it. Khan, the other British player, rolled very well and the one lone highland battalion stood fast even with seven casualties. They just wouldn't break.

On the French left we attacked up the hill, forcing the artillery to pull back. Unfortunately, that was the last good news the French had on that flank.

The Highland Brigade came flying over the ridgeline and smashed into the French line. Well...to be honest it did take a couple of turns. The French left starts to collapse. The French right is still fighting to gain a foothold in the village.Casualties are starting to mount.

Thre French left are in trouble and would be retiring in the next move. The right flank is being pushed back by the advancing Britsh lines. Did I mention my dice were ****ing me? Yeah. Really.

Pretty much the story all day. "Jean-Louis! Are you ok?"  "gurgle gurgle gurgle....Hhhhhhhhh..."

But we learned quiet a bit about the game mechanics and the next games will be better. AND,...in history the British may have defeated the first attack, but behind that lead division?

Yup. Another French Brigade.

Viva l' Napoleon!