Having thoroughly enjoyed the last three (or more) campaigns Darren has run (and not only because I got to play but better still use a lot of my figures) I wanted to give Darren a chance to experience a campaign in a day. Having done the prep work back in June for the game then, we were ready to go, just the challenge of scheduling it in. We made it!
The forces, players and starting locations:
Coalition
British Army Wellesley - Russell (Lisbon)
Anglo-Portuguese Army Beresford - Simon (Lisbon)
Spanish Army Norte - Stephen (Leon)
Spanish Army Sur - Darren (Cadiz)
French
Army of Madrid - Lee (Madrid)
Army du Nord - Stefan (Unknown, but was Avila)
Army du Centre - John (Unknown, but was Caceres)
Army du Sud - Karl (Unknown, but was Jaen)
The three French armies starting at unknown locations was something I initiated assisted by some random dice rolls.
The Players' Map
This is all the information the players start with.
At each location there are one or more roads leading somewhere and an indication of north.
Six locations were represented by tables, although it was not always obvious what the name of the nearest town was. But you could ask and work it out eventually.
Not on the coast, but actually Cuidad Real,
roads look nice and quiet...
Avila, is there any movement?
Lisbon looking well defended...
Huelva looking very peaceful...
Bragancia looking abandoned and it stayed that way...
Madrid, would the Spanish be able to recapture it?
The non table top locations representing transit points.
One enhancement might be to include those locations that are tables in this system as well,
especially when no enemy forces are present.
The road network. Armies or scouts moved here, waited the allotted time and then moved to the location noted on the back of the road sheet. This was generally 5 or 10 minutes on a honour system. Compared to on table moving or when an actual battle started it was very quick.
There were a lot of roads and even mountain passes and a fleet to aid movement.
Start
First contact was scouts from the Army du Nord spotting the Spanish Norte entering Leon.
0940
The French Army du Nord lays in wait for their Spanish counter part.
The Spanish Norte came, saw and withdrew.
0950
The French Army of the Centre and the British army look set to have an encounter battle at Huelva.
0955
I am adding in times to help me arrange the images and also line up my notes.
The Spanish Sur army arrives at Madrid.
The French Army du Sud arrives at Huelva to join the Army of the Centre in its fight against the British.
Scouts from the French Army du Nord find the Spanish Sur at Madrid.
Intercepted message that kind of gives the flavour about what was happening and continued to happen.
This was guerilla activity at 1100
The French Army du Nord arrive behind the Spanish Sur army.
The Spanish Sur abandons their attack on Madrid
1114
Image supplied by Spanish Sur commander (and manipulated by me)
Shortly after the Spanish Norte is detected behind the French Army du Nord.
The Spanish Sur has a narrow escape
as the French Army du Nord enters the environs of Madrid.
1128
At 1130 guerilla activity is judged to delay the Spanish Norte. This was my call as they had perhaps been a bit too hot on the heels of the French Army du Nord. In addition we needed to make space for them on the Madrid table.
The Spanish Norte arrives at Madrid just as the Spanish Sur escapes.
They choose to retire (it was lunch time after all).
1224
The French Army of Madrid (right hand side of the above image) failed to intercept the Spanish Sur. The French commanders were unaware that the other two French armies had engaged the British and Portuguese armies at this point.
Back at Huelva the French Army du Centre and the Army du Sud
are now facing the British and Anglo Portuguese armies.
1224
Same battlefield and times as above but from a different perspective.
Image provided by Spanish Sur commander.
An image provided by the Spanish Sur commander depicting the main action of the whole campaign, the clash between the Anglo Portuguese army and the French Army du Centre.
1300 The chase is on with the Spanish using mountain paths to elude the French. There is a transit of the Cuida Real table (shown below in an image provided by the Spanish Sur commander) by both the French Army du Madrid and the Army of Madrid. Note: They are exiting on different roads.
1330 The Spanish Norte arrives at the northern edge of Huelva battle.
1400 The Spanish Sur arrives at the southern edge of the Huelva. The French Army du Nord, having taken the quicker route not involving traversing mountains, arrives at the eastern edge of the battlefield.
Almost all armies have converged on Huelva.
The Coalition are advised that enemy scouts have been seen on the road to Lisbon.
The Spanish say who cares and Beresford says he will deal with it shortly
having just whipped the French Army du Centre.
Plenty of time he says.
1429
The well marched Spanish Sur (image supplied by its commander)
1430 Spanish guerillas attempt to assassinate the French commander of the Army of Madrid. They damage his coat.
1500 The French Army du Centre breaks.
The French scouts turn out to be a full cavalry brigade.
But wait, there is one French army unaccounted for...
Yep, it's on the way to capture Lisbon.
Off table movement is much faster than on table when there are seven armies and players and discussions to consume time.
1532
The French Army of Madrid arrives at Lisbon.
These two images provided by the Spanish Sur commander.
Aftermath
The French Army du Nord helped the remnants of the French Army du Centre and Army du Sud to retreat back to Madrid. French losses had been heavy.
The French Army of Madrid occupied Lisbon (it had been left ungarrisoned).
This lead to the signing of the advantageous Convention of Sintra which allowed the British to avoid capture and take with them "the weapons and baggages" and the loot their army had managed to gather.
The Spanish celebrated their success at not losing and having in fact seen Madrid which is almost the same as capturing it, but not quiet.
The Portuguese however were furious. They had done all the fighting if not the marching. Worse their departure from the Huelva battlefield had been delayed by their erstwhile allies constant chattering, inane discussions and rules bickering (harsh I know, but there has to be blame laid somewhere).
Game Comment
Table time and transit time needs some kind of harmonisation. Or rather action on table needs to proceed at a faster pace.
Current set up has defined tables rather than setting up a table when a conflict occurs. At least tables should be represented as a transit point if there are not enemy forces present.
The tables at 6x4 seem to be much larger than what is required (possibly only a 3x4). This is important when infantry even in road column only move 12 inches. We allowed, but somewhat arbitrarily I fear, units to deploy from march column to column when entering or exiting the table.
Edge of the table problem occurred a few times. If smaller tables were used they could be placed in the middle of a bigger table if extra space was needed.
The Real Map
The actually army movements looked something like this:
