Here we go again

 Achieved so far this year:

Rebased all my Hundred Years War figures on 40mm square bases, they all just need a spray of varnish now.

Completed a 48 figure Catholic League Thirty Years War unit for Twilight of Divine Right. They are all Essex 15mm and I like the pose of the musketeers, but it was a real P.I.T.A to cut the muskets off the bases and glue them onto the shoulders. I won't be using that figure again.

For those annoyed by such things (you know who you are!!), I will get around to edging the flags, honest.

And  on the bench, the French 15th Dragoons for the 2nd Brigade of Boyer's division at Salamanca. These are the old Gladiator 15mm figures now sold by Fighting 15s

Current ongoing game is based on the action on the Coa ,1810 using Soldiers of Napoleon. I must admit, when you set the figures out on a scaled table, it really gives a sense of the skill and professionalism  Crauford's brigade and battalion commanders needed to get him out of the mess.

Here's the real thing. We were lucky enough to go on a guided tour with Colonel Nick Lipscome last September. I'll post more pics as appropriate.

Final position: Ross' guns on the crest of the hill and the entire hillside covered in very determined light infantry, cacadores and rifles.

Ney thought it worth his while to throw several attacks over this in the face of said infantry and Ross' battery. The latter succeeded in driving off an attempt by the French to place a battery on a slight hill at the opposite side of the bridge. They had no counter to the shrapnel.

From the allied side after retreating across the bridge. The French attempted to put a battery on the rise in front of the "rugby post thingy".

This is the actual track from the bridge to the final postion of Ross' battery.

Here's my rather two dimensional representation of the the whole action with Dave , as usual, being forced to control the forces of darkness.

Ross is struggling to get up the track to the ridge, while on the other side of the Coa, things are getting very uncomfortable for the Light Division. A battalion of the Rifles is isolated at the far side of the table, the 3rd Cacadores are now desperately trying to fend off two French Battalions in the centre, and one wing of the 52nd is almost surrounded.

 

From the French side. Ney has  a reserve of grenadiers at the rear, while a French Brigade of 4 battalions heads across the table to put more pressure on the allied right wing.

Ross continues to struggle  to get over the bridge and up to the firing position on the ridge. I don't think the French will to need to try and put a battery on the rise this time.

I think Dave's got this one now with French, but it's been a hell of a fight and a bit of an eye opener. We'll see what happens after the next session.