Napoleonic Spanish

[Greenjacket]

It being almost 200 years since the battle of Salamanca in 1812, we'll be doing a Peninsula battle this weekend. And a friend will be bringing a brigade of Spanish. So what should we rate them so they are suitably fragile but still playable?

[ady2650]

I dont think you can get away from the fact that the Spanish Infantry and Cavalry were shocking I would play about with their moral value and look at wavering or and unreliable. Their artillery crews were another thing however and would normally die to a man defending their pieces.

[Rod MacArthur]

Although if you were refighting Albuera then Zayas' Division (whose first brigade stopped a whole French Corps by themselves) ought to be rated quite highly. They did contain 2 battalions of Spanish Royal Guards and one Battalion of the Spanish Irlanda Regiment.

Rod

[Greenjacket]

Well, we played 'Salamanca' with a Spanish brigade allied with several British brigades. We played the Spanish as standard but apart from a single unit of Spanish grenadiers (resplendent in bearskins), the Spanish were all Morale Save 5+. It made them suitably brittle, but didn't make them totally useless. We didn't go for the Unreliable rule, as it often leaves troops out of the battle which can be a bit boring in a game. But the Spanish commander was so concerned not to risk his gorgeously painted brigade that he spent much of the battle carefully manoeuvring his men to avoid going near the French

[ady2650]

Although if you were refighting Albuera then Zayas' Division (whose first brigade stopped a whole French Corps by themselves) ought to be rated quite highly. They did contain 2 battalions of Spanish Royal Guards and one Battalion of the Spanish Irlanda Regiment.

Rod

Thats true but they were on top of a very steep hill

[Rod MacArthur]

Well I visited the Albuera battlefield about six weeks ago and stood where Zayas deployed his leading brigade. It was not that steep, a bit uphill and soft underfoot between the grape vines, although I am not sure if the vines were there in 1811. It was very hot the day we were there.

Rod