This battle was fought in the studio on the new Mediterranean gaming board i am working on. Its only half finished at the moment and will be double this size with the additions of a Spanish style village and a Cathar style ruined castle upon a rocky outcrop as well as a vineyard and plenty of shrubbery. However for this game it was definatly better than playing on a boring old cafe table.
Having beaten General Cuts at Carbajo, Brigadier Dubreton was now spurring his force on towards the Portugese border. He had abandoned several of his artillery pieces, sending them back to the Garrisson at Alcantara, so as to travel faster towards where Wellington was waiting for him. He had also received reinforcements of Swiss and Bavarian infantry sent from Marshal Victor's main force to aid him in crossing the border.
Wellesley's personal strike force had been gathered in haste and had made its way with speed to defend the border. As such it was composed almost entirely of heavy dragoons and horse artillery. These had been joined by the remaining companies of norfolks and Coldstream guards that had been sent into Spain with General Cuts. Aiding (or hindering) him too were the Spanish Royal Guard Escort Cuirassiers who insisted on regaining their honour since the disaster at Carbajo by acting as Wellesley's personal bodyguard.
As the French and allied infantry arrayed themselves in their massed attack columns, in which to cover the large expanse of rocky ground double quick, they found themselves with the Scots Greys charging straight for them. Fortunatly for Dubreton the two artillery pieces he had dragged all the way from Alcantara found their mark in the midst of the charging horse and let loose with their round shot, smashing up the charging horsemen.
Wellesley called for a General advance with the Coldstreams and Spanish horse spearheading the way straight for the French centre. The dence column of redcoates guards stopped haulted at musket range from the French line and unleashed a small salvo of lead shot into the Old guard centre company.
The British Infantry had lead the charge followed close behind by the Cavalry under Wellesley's command. However the other two units of heavy dragoons under the command of a Brigadier from the KGV failed to match the pace of advance.
With the Royal Horse Artillery scattered across the craggy ground and unguarded, the Bavarian Dragoons shot round behind the Coldstreams heading straight for one of the lone artillery pieces. However despite being unguarded by a big Company of infantry the Royal artillery men did have a big 18pdr cannon at hand with which they let off a shot at the charging horse.
The French line of Massed attack columns began a swift and rapid advance on the British. The old guard and 54th line marched swifty forward before forming a long line, their guns and muskets within close range of both the coldstreams and the Dago horse.
However the Swiss and Landwehr on the flanks marched much quicker towards the Portugese border. Advancing round the flanks of the British centre.
The French artillery now began a bombardment of the Spaniard guard cavalry. The shots scattered horses and riders alike and caused severe casualties on the "toy soldiers". As the horse began to turn away and spurs touched flanks, the commander of the squadron started his rallying speach on
lost honour on the home soil and not giving the french more the 6ft of soil, or perhaps a bit more as so many of the old guard were so much taller than most men, but it was lost on the Royal guards, who's only past experience of artillery was of it hitting redcoated men and inevitably he too fled the field after his men.
The Old guard, but a sergeant's pike's length from the British guards, opened fire with shattering efficiency and leaving many a redcoat struggling for life on the dry Spanish earth.
The Casualties inflicted on the British line following the French advance were by no means small. The Scots Greys and Coldstream guards were much the worse for wear whilst the Spanish cavalry had again failed in gaining honour, or lasting on the field of battle for longer than it takes to load and fire a musket.
The Scots Greys now charged for the French artillery battery, passing through the lines of bluecoated infantry, and out behind the to engage the Artillery in combat. However they were not without their casualties, and as they approached the artillery men the linstock went down and several horses flew.
The Norfolks now retired to protect the nearest artillery piece and their general Wellesley. Once in position the horse artillery opened fire on the Old guard directly ahead of them and blasted away veterans and bearskins together.
As the Swiss redcoats advanced on the blue coated crew of the British gun, they suddenly found themselves enfiladed by a small band of Spanish Guerillas as they emerged from therocky slopes around the battlefield. Those Guerillas armed with firearms, slings and other missile weapons let rip on the flank of the swiss mercenaries and took several of them down with some well aimed shots.
The Coldstream guards, their column now deep within the ranks of the French army, fixed bayonets and charged into the line of the 54th flank company. However the 54th issued closing fire upon the chargers and took several redcoats down before closing in with their bayonets.
In the end the Coldstream stood and died to a man, with a couple of stragglers making it away and into some charity for war veterans back in london.
The Scots Greys, having broken through the French line and taken out an artillery piece, now found themselves faced with a French 12pdr cannonand with the old guard on their flank. Having been hit by an artillery barrage and then hearing the sound of British horse behind them, the old guard had fallen back and formed line so as to face the British cavalry and protect their own rear.
The Dragoons charged the bands of Scots Greys under the KGV, who were even now slowly trotting up to support their comrades as the battle raged across the field. Swords clashed and several Scots greys were hacked down by big Bavarians. However, despite their recent victories against the birdcatchers across spain, the dragoons seemed worn out and fled the field in disgrace.
The Guerillas, having inflicted serious damage upon the Swiss, now found themselves under fire from the French line fusiliers. The disorderly small band of dagos scampered for cover as the volley rang out and Spanish fell face forward in pools of their own blood.
Ignoring the Guerillas, the Swiss now advanced on the Royal artillery 18pdr and discharging a massed volley on the artillery piece, but only taking out a couple of crewmen. However this was enough and, abandoning their gun, the artillerymen quit the field.
The Battle was still anyone's game. The Guerillas were taking a battering and the Scots greys across the board were taking extremly heavy casualties that left the units pretty difficult to handle, also the Coldstream guards were gone as was one of the Artillery pieces. However the French line was pretty shaken up and the troops pushing from the british right could still do some damage.
The Scots greys charged in upon the swiss, firing off their carbines and pistols into the redcoated ranks of swiss who had quickly formed a square around their wounded men.
(This was an experiment for both of us as my opponent hadn't yet seen how his cavalry performed against squares and I had forgotten since my huge game in Deal.
The last British artillery piece opened fire on teh advancing 54th and got a dead on shot upon the company's command group, the Lieutenant was wounded and the banner fell into the hand of another fusilier.
The Norfolks formed a line infront of Wellington and his KGV staff officers, looking straight back into the faces of the opposing Germans, and sent a volley of shot crashing into the ranks of the Bavarian Landwehr. However the Bavrians took it toughly and yelled their war cry back at Wellesley and the Norfolks.
The Scots Greys inflicted a couple of Casualties upon the Swiss, but the infantry square easily fought off teh cavalry and sent them reeling back towards the Portugese border.
The Guerillas too suffered from the final round of combat as they were sent back into the hills by the bayonets of the 54th infantry.
The Field was clearly French. With but two cavalry units still active and the last infantry company and artillery piece making a fighting retreat in Defence of Wellington, the British were beaten back beyond the Portugese border and yet more glory was showered upon Brigadier Dubreton, his arm romanticly in a sling where it had been hit by a British sabre in Alcantara.
The fortress of Almeida was now all that Wellington had to stem the tide of Frenchmen, this would be his last stand that would save Portugal or send him on the road to Talavera.
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