Battle of Talavera - September 2006

In mid October 2006 we set up this table for the visit of Costa Blanca News, the English language weekly newspaper. They do an article each week about ex pats living in the area, and we asked them to feature us so that we could get some publicity and contact other wargamers in the area.

He seemed quite impressed and took a few photographs which appeared in the paper.

It seemed a shame not to record the table in photographs for our own records

Talavera battlefield

British foot artillery

British centre

British cavalry

Spanish army in Talavera

Spanish reserve at Talavera

Spanish cavalry passing through Talavera

French right flank

French Irish Legion

French foot artillery

French reserve cavalry

French reserve cavalry

French left flank

French left

French attack on Talavera

Battle of Landshut - September 2006

On 4 September 2006 we set up this one off wargame.

It was not a refight of an historical battle, but another in the series we fought to convert LFS rules to suit our armies.

The whole battlefield. Bavarians on the left are attacking. Austrians on the right defending

Austrian right. The church is held by a battalion of jagers, with a brigade of greandiers in reserve.

Austrian centre. One battalion holds the woods, with another on their right. The rest of the brigade are held in reserve behind the woods.

Austrian left. One battalion holds the village, another two either side plus a battery of artillery. The remainder of the brigade is in reserve. The battallion on the right has formed square because of the threat from enemy lancers.

Bavarian left. An elite infantry brigade approach the woods, with cavalry on their right.

Bavarian centre. The divisional commander has ordered Halt. The CinC has arrived to issue fresh orders. The infantry are in square because of the threat from enemy cavalry

Bavarian right. The main attack consists of a Bavarian brigade (right) and a Baden brigade (left). Cavalry protect their left, and the artillery are moving up in support

Battle of Linz - August 2006

On 3 August 2006 we set up this game to test play LFS rules. We started using these rules about one year before, and liked them a lot. We particularly like the orders system, which prevents reacting to what is happening at the other end of the table. We also like the "blind" movement at the start of the game which makes it difficult to know what you are up against.

However it is a game designed to use one corps per side, and this does not allow us to fight multi corps battles. Also it is designed for 12 figures infantry and 8 figure cavalry units. And it is best used to refight smaller historical battles, or parts of larger ones. So I do not have sufficient figures, or artillery, without mixing different nationalities.

So we are trying to adapt the rules to suit our collection of figures, as I have no intention of increasing the size of each army. Our armies are organised in infantry units of 8 and cavalry units of 4 figures. For this game we are trying out 6 figure infantry and 4 figure cavalry units.

This game is not based on any historical battle. We are currently using a campaign based on the Danube valley, loosely based on the 1809 campaign. This particular game is Austrians v Bavarians.

Austrian Left. An Austrian division is on Move orders, so they will have to advance towards the Bavarians. One infantry unit is in square because they are faced by enemy cavalry.

Austrian right. On the opposite side of Linz the Austrians are on Attack orders, and the Bavarians on Hold orders. So only the Austrians can make offensive movements. One Bavarian infantry unit has failed its morale and is in rout.

Bavarian right. The Bavarians are on Hold orders so they can not advance towards the Austrians. The CinC is with the divisional commander, so he can change those orders during his turn if he decides to do so.

Bavarian centre. The Bavarians are on Move orders, and are marching towards Linz. Their cavalry have lost a melee with the Austrian cavalry are are in rout into the woods. The Bavarian right is now in great danger from the enemy cavalry.

First Wargame in Spain - June 2006

By early may we had completed our wargames room and were playing our first game.

New Wargames Room - May 2006

We arrived in Spain in March 2006, and one of the first things we did was to sort out our wargames room. We had an extension included in the house build for our wargames room, to include enough space for a 6x6' table and sufficient shelves to hold all of the wargames figures and scenery.