Talavera, 1809

This was another Command & Colours game.  It was a long time since we had last played CCN, so when, the previous week, we were casting around for something to do last Wednesday night, it was useful to know that a bare hour of sorting out toys and terrain would give me a ready to play game.

Talavera is the largest CCN game we have tackled so far, and the first to require more than a single box file of toys.  Indeed, it did put some pressure on my supplies of French line infantry - hence the unit of Westphalians stumbling around in the Spanish sunshine.  I had adequate stocks of Brits, but John brought his along and substituted some of his toys for mine and decided to command them.  Martin thus ended up in charge of the French, who not unusually, had to attack across a stream and up a hill.

As has been our experience of other CCN games, this one was pretty close.  After an initial cavalry fight on the French right, their main assault went in on the left & centre.  For a while it seemed as if the garlic munchers might prevail, but the Brits managed to pull together a spirited counterattack which nipped off their extremities (ooh, nasty!)

An overview of the initial setup - seen from behind the French lines.

The French left surges forward excitedly.  This an all further photos taken from my vantage point on the French left/British right.  All orientation will be from the French point of view.

A slightly fuzzy (maximum zoom) view of the cavalry scrap on the extreme right.  This swung back and forth but had no real effect on the outcome of the battle.

John's British Guards.  Apparently this was their first outing in 30 years!  Sadly they were soon forced by a sneaky card to withdraw to the baseline to stock up on ammo.

The French attack develops on the left.  The Guards can be seen centre left of this pic.

The French storm the centre.  Note the positions of the Brits towards the top of this frame and compare it with the next photo.

Ah - so that's why they came on in the same old way.  It works!

A desperate British counterattack goes in on the French light infantry.

Endgame.  The Guards (for it is they) have just eliminated a depleted French unit to clinch a British victory!