Continuing on with the Talavera 1809 Project, I'm happy to report 98% of the French are done. Flocked, and organized into their respective Corps for the battle! I broke out the Allies this afternoon, including my Spanish contingent, and based them. Almost all of the Allied troops are unflocked but I'm happy to report at least that they are all based!
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| Spanish Army on the left. British Army on the right. Cavalry, Lights, and Artillery in the rear-center. This is the combined, joint force under Wellesly and Cuesta. |
With my bathtubbed project, each Neil Thomas Battalion will serve duty as a full Brigade. I'm using the OOB from the Volley & Bayonet "Road to Glory" rulebook. One of the posts coming up, I'll highlight the various brigades and units. For this post, I'll highlight the commanders of the various units.
I find this really brings the battle to life on the table if I can associate the actual commanders with the miniature units on the table.
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| The Spanish contingent under Cuesta. Probably about half of the units I should have but it was a small purchase. I'm cannibalizing extra French in Bicornes, painting them white and adding another Spanish unit. |
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| Spanish Dragoons. |
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| The British force. 10 Brigades in all. |
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| Cavalry missing some units. It will have to do. |
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| Lights, Rifles, and the artillery. These represent light battalions or "detachments" utilized by the Army. They are next to the Portuguese troops |
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| The entire allied force. |
Just like during the real Peninsula War, each force has distinct advantages all its own. The French have a slightly bigger force with 18 infantry units total. The French have more artillery (6 batteries to the Allies' 5), and more cavalry (4 regiments to the Allies' 2). The British have 2 rank shooting, and in NT's rules hit on a 3+.
(This is deadly. I cannot stress enough that I have not once successfully brought home a charge against British infantry using NT's rules - but I have a plan!).Additionally, the Spanish deploy in hardened cover which will also give them a slight advantage. The French also have the reinforcing Madrid Garrison, consisting of the Royal Guard Grenadiers. I'm giving them almost an entire Division's worth of combat power including 2 infantry units, a heavy cavalry unit, and a battery of artillery, all of which are "elite."
And now, portraits of the commanders!
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| Sir Arthur Wellesly |
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| General Gregorio Garcia de la Cuesta |
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| General Payne, commanding the British cavalry division |
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| Spanish Cavalry Commander - the Duke of Albuquerque |
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| Marshall Jourdan - Army Commander |
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| Lieutenant General Victor - French I Corps D'Armee Commander |
Missing is Lieutenant General Sebastiani - the French IV Corps D'Armee Commander! Oops!
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| Desolles - Commander of the Madrid Garrison |
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| General Latour-Maubourg the Cavalry Commander |
All in all, 2 very capable and big forces (at least for my table and for a game of Neil Thomas' Napoleonics). I'm using NT's rules as they are the simplest and probably best possible choice for a quick afternoon's game and the ability to finish a battle. Some of you may scoff, but I've found that the NT rules combine the best mix of that "old school" feel along with the ability to move the game along quickly and come to grips.
Since the forces consist of roughly 2 NT sanctioned forces each, I'll split the table with each force covering a 3 x 3 area. The OOB will be next up, and hopefully followed by the deployment!
I have a heck of alot of flocking to do now!
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