Battle of Escabal,Spain 1810

Last night Paul,Brian and I had a rare Napoleonic game,that had a bit of a twist to it at the start,and an hilarious finish-great stuff!

The usual(boring?) photo's of the scenario and table before any movement-Paul was British and Brian was Soult-my role was to capture the village and threaten the British right flank.

This is the Spanish position,protecting the British right flank,and covering the bridge.Then this was handed to Paul on move number one......................

Paul muttered something under his breath, which I don't think was very complimentary!!
Most of the games I set up give both sides a "problem" to solve,and this was going to test Paul's mettle to the far end!!As I put the Spanish back in their box,Paul had to think fast.

My first Brigade has crossed the stream,supported by a regiment of Hussars,unopposed,and Paul is desperately trying to reform his battle plan,by sending his reserves to meet me-it all depends on Brian to keep the pressure up on the British,to stop them sending all of their troops to meet mine.

Paul has managed to get his reserves into a line,to protect his flank,whilst still maintaining a hold on the ridge-just out of shot to the right,my cavalry are threatening the ridge and my infantry are making good,if slow,progress towards their objective,but where is Brian?

Whilst my first brigade is being shot to bits,and my second brigade is forming into Attack Columns,Brian seems to be keeping his brigades well out of harms way-I need support!!!!

As I order my second brigade to advance up the ridge and "discomfort" the British,Brian decided to order one(yes just one!) of his regiments to advance,and blocks my forward movement!!!!-in the meantime I am being raked with cannister shot,and all the time Paul is reinforcing the flank-my lines look pretty though!

I don't know how I have managed to get two of the same photo onto the blog,but hey ho!!
This shows my first brigade under pressure from Paul's good infantry,and Brian has now begun his delayed attack to relieve the pressure on me-but will it prove to be too late??

Having moved his leading brigade faster than his flank brigade,Brian has caused an "ugly hole" in his line,which Paul was delighted to take advantage of,and sent his light dragoons swooping down and through the gap,destroying one of Brian's regiments-however he redeemed himself,and charged the light dragoons with his Hussars and won the ensuing melee-hurrah!!

The whole line is ablaze now-my attacking columns have taken out a gun battery,but are being assailed by British musketry,and are not doing terribly well!!-not much activity on Brian's side of the table!!

I had seen Paul move his Rifles last move-obviously trying to outflank me via the village,so I responded by sending what was left of my first brigade towards the village in an attempt to get there before Paul-in the foreground you can see one of my second brigade regiments "going back to Paris!!"

It was at this point in the game that Brian had a complete mathematical breakdown!! To decide firing we multiply the remaining points of a unit by an average dice score to decide the winner and loser.We declare the points and say what dice score has been achieved-Brian proudly announced that his points were 8 and that his dice score was 7!!!!!-on an average dice???-to hoots of laughter,Brian said he was not feeling well,and that we could both "go away"(or something like that!!!!)-great stuff,in fact legendary stuff!

Paul's rifles are in the act of "ejaculating" me from the village,so with my flank completely done for,and Brian's troops being shot to pieces,as he attempts to gain the ridge,Paul was declared the winner-but,as usual, there were really no losers of this game-well done lads great game,and good gaming(and that is what really matters!)
Roll on Sunday.