State of Play: Commands & Colors: Napoleonics – Talavera (French attack on British) - 28 July 1809

 

 

After an enforced break of a month, T and I caught up on Tuesday for our (ir)regular Monday Game. Meeting at his place, T set up an old favourite (no doubt with images of Sharpe’s Eagle running through his head); the Talavera scenario from the Commands & Colors: Napoleonics (GMT Games, 2010) core set. He must have been feeling nostalgic, using the original blue-reverse card-deck that came with the core game.

Playing the Talavera scenario is like catching up with an old friend. Conservatively, I’d guess we’ve played it at least eight or nine times over the years, probably closer to fourteen or fifteen. For the first several years we would play each scenario twice, swapping sides the following week, and we must have played the core set through at least four or five times over the years, and in recent years it’s been a go-to game for a palette cleanser.

T set up the game, and mistakenly gave the British Rifle Light an extra block
(bringing their starting strength to four). This was corrected before the
first card play (but not before I’d taken some photos.

T – playing the French – opened with some chess movement, just getting some units off the back line. The French need to advance to engage. There’s no reward for the British to come down off the long range of high ground with its incumbent melee bonus in defence; better to let the French come into range. I adjusted units on my thin flanks to offer better firing options on my Right and to get the cavalry forward on the Left, to give it a few more options.

End of turn two: action without resolve.

Attack the French did, securing a Victory Banner in turn three and two more in the fourth turn. This along with some thinning of my infantry though accurate canon-fire; even at extended range, nearly every shot cost the British a block. With turn four, the French infantry began to reach the range of the British muskets. At the end of turn two I managed a to hit a couple of T’s infantry for a Line block and two Light infantry, but I wouldn’t seize my first French Banner until turn five. I was beginning to despair of my chances. T was due for a win, and C&C Napoleonics is in his wheelhouse.

As it turned out, T gained his full measure of success in those early rounds. Due to the initial set-up, the British are strongest in the Center (albeit with a solid anchor on their Right with a pummelling Light Regiment, and Rifle Light and Foot Artillery for extended range fire). Consecutive Assault Center orders in the fourth and fifth turns withered the first French press and earned me my first Victory Banner.

Scores even - around turn six.

T's dice luck was spent on securing his second and third banners, rolling enough hits to take out a full Line infantry unit and a Light Cavalry squadron in single rolls (this was the source of my despair. After this, his attacks were nibbling, taking blocks but never whole units. For my part, I had to make two or three attacks on every unit I eventually broke; the French fought valiantly, giving nearly as well as they received.

The final disposition of the forces. Remarkably, no Leaders were harmed in the making
of this battle (though not for want of trying).

In the end, the match ran to ten full turns, with the British securing their seventh and last Victory point in the final action of a hard-fought final round. T took the loss stoically, but it was plain to me and the attendant cats that he felt robbed after such a strong opening. I think outside influences that have interrupted out schedule lately are beginning to settle, so he’ll have another opportunity to hand me my hat next week, all things being equal.

British Orders over ten consecutive rounds. I hoped to show the French orders as well,
but T had already shuffled them back into the deck in disgust.