Here’s the first American unit for my Revolutionary War project. 

Aside from the Continental troops raised by and (theoretically, at least) paid by the Continental Congress, there were also various state regiments, raised and (theoretically, at least) paid by the various  state governments. Finally there local militias, what we might think of, probably inaccurately, as “minutemen”. 

Troops such as these were raised for short periods of service, from a day or two, up to perhaps 3 months.

Most probably wore civilian clothes, but you will perhaps indulge me if that’s a bit too much for me; my troops require a semblance of uniforms. So my Militia units will have an overall theme, here “brown coats with red facings”. The coats are of varying patterns and shades of brown, and there i little uniformity in the rest of the equipment. The flag is a “Son’s of Liberty” flag, 7 red and 6 white stripes for the 13 colonies, which was especially seen in the earlier days of the Revolution. 

These are Brigade Games figures from the “American Militia” sets, with the flag by Adolfo Ramos. 

British General (Sean Seibert) on the move on the Espinosa de Monteroi table

Parts of 2 French Divisions at San Sebastian

French Generals Villate (Rob Painter) and Leval (Bob Rossi) encounter British General Byng at Calahora. 

British General Cole (Kevin Roller), with his Division at Gomonal on the Burgos table. 

French General Boyer (Steven Currie) and his cavalry Division joins fellow generals Conroux and Lamatinier/D’Erlon on the Vittoria table. 

All quiet at Bayonne. 

French General Cassagne (Russ Lockwood) moving towards Tolosa.

British General Howard (Nathan Seibert) with his Division  at Santander. 

British General Picton (Peter Villani) arrives near Pancorbo, and sees the French General P. Soult (Karl Newbauer) Boyer’s cavalry moving off towards Vittoria. 

French General Daricau (James Sulzen) directs his scouting forces. 

General Leith moves through Nava, changing control from neutral to British. 

General Leval is moving along the Ebro River, whilst opposing General is making haste to try top cross same at Calahora.

General Cole awaits orders from Wellington near Burgos. 

Boyers cavalry advance swiftly towards Vittoria, but finds the road ahead clogged with cattle and wagons full of French booty!

General Cassagne moving through Tolosa. 

French Chevau-Leger Lanciers appear on the Santander table, and see General Ponsomby’s Division in firm possession of same. 

A large mass of British and Portuguese troops under Ponsomby hustles P. Soult’s cavalry off the Pancorbo table.

British General Packenham (Brian Carmody) arrives with his Division in force at Tudela, and prepares to cross to the opposite side of the Ebro river. 

French forces at San Sebastian have thinned out. 

General Leith writes to Wellington – Espinosa de Monteroi and Nava are under British control. 

Generals at the road and transit table area. 

General Picton is joined by General Dalhousie (Doug Ozelius) as they march through Pancorbo on their way towards Vittoria. 

General Daricau’s Division takes a selfie near Pamplona.

General Packenham deploys in a broad defensive position to prevent any French attempt to cross the Ebro, but makes no attempt to do so himself. Probably something about orders?

French (and German) numbers seem to have increased again at San Sebastian. 

General Leith, having secured the area for the British, has moved on from Espinosa de Monteroi -note the troops in the box!

All quiet at Aguilar de Campo, but the area is under British control. 

Collision at Calahora!

Part of General Von Alten’s (Alex Parrish) Light Division on the move along the Ebro at Longrono.

Wellington (Brandon Shaw) studies his map, and holds General Cole in Reserve near Burgos. 

French retain control of Bilboa (blue chips), although there are no garrisons to be seen. 

French maneuvers around Vittoria. 

King Joseph (James Carmody) processes the dispatches from his commanders and sends out new directives from well behind the lines at Bayonne. . 

French troops waiting at Tolosa.

Howard’s Division at Santander, being pestered by the lone French Lancer unit.. “Where’s the Royal Navy when you need it?”

General Daricau writes to King Joseph from his position at Pamlona, as he prepares to move out to…  ? 

Dalhousie and Picton advance down parallel roads at Pancorbo. 

Packenham’s strong defensive position at Tudela. “Ain’t no Froggies gonna cross the Ebro here, so siree!”

Battle is joined at Calahora between Leval and Byng!

Still quiet at Bilboa.

“Oh where, oh where does that little road go?”

General Alten, having taken control of table 12, departs. leaving garrisons at Longrono and La Guardia. 

General Daricau arrives at Tolosa and finds it occupied… by friendly French troops under Cassagne. 

General Howard plays steeplechase with the French Lancers in the hills around Santander. 

With General Picton’s Division having moved on towards Vittoria, General Dalhousie readies his own Division. 

Part of Daricau’s forces on the Pamplona table. 

Packenham contemplates he wisdom of another doughnut as his men hold their positions at Tudela.

General Darmagnac (Dick White) holds San Sebastian with his French and Rhine Confederation troops. 

Cole has finally departed from Burgos to… where? 

General Cassagne (Russ Lockwood) arrives on the Bilboa table. 

Gneral P. Soult arrives outside Vittoria with his Cavalry Division, as the French p[rpare for the anticipated attack by the British. 

King Joseph ay Bayonne writes furiously to his commanders. 

French comings and goings at Tolosa

“Let’s do the Time Warp again!:”

Daricau and Cassagne meet at Tolosa. Seems like there are plenty of French troops here!

Meanwhile, back at Pamplona…

Packenham has finally received new order to press across the Ebro, but as he does so,. the lead elements of Daricau’s Division arrive on the scene. 

The bulk of Darmagnac’s Division departs fron San Sebastian

The Battle of Calahora develops between Leval and Byng, with a little help foprm Villate

General Cole crosses the Ebro near Langrono, as Assistant GM Mark looks on. 

Wellington writing orders at Burgos, which retains a moderate garrison. Brandon also had to run Ponsomby’s Division. Running anything more than a small reserve is challenging for the Commander in Chief player, especially in the first part of the campaign when there is a lot of movement and reports. 

British Divisions (Dalhousie, Leith)  arrive at Vittoria, as the wagons and cattle finally rumble free of the city. 

King Joseph goes through another quill pen!

Alten and Picton arrive outside Vittoria as well; for the French, Conroux, Lamatiniere, Boyer, and P. Soult are present. Let’s Pahr-tee!

French foces at Tolosa. 

The French lancers continue to amuse General Howard and his Division. As Howard is expecting the arrival of the R.N. at Santander with some key heavy artillery, he can’t just ignore the annoyance!

General Packenham at Tudela; where’d that tricky Daricau go?  Packenham sends some of his men to try an apparent ford over the Ebro. 

San Sebastian down to minimal garrison troops!

General Villatte’s Division arrives, and threatens to maneuver around Byng’s position! Byng is seen leading an attack upon Leval’s troops in person!

Wellington and the garrison of Burgos. 

Cassagne’s troops take back control of Bilboa.

The developing big battle of Vittoria.

British arriving by 2 different roads. 

King Joseph rests at Bayonne, and hydrates to combat severe writer’s cramp!

Darmagnac’s Division takes over from Cassagne for control of Tolosa and environs. 

Howard is still trying to run down the French Lancers. Gamer’s note – this unit of all the ones in my Napoleonic collection, the 5e Chevau-Leger Lanciers, has consistently outperformed over the course of 40+ years!

Anglo-Portuguese at Pancorbo.

Daricau is back to singing “Going to Pamplona, going to the fair; to see the fair señoras, mantillas in their hair!”

The small crowd is at the Battle of Calahora. 

Howard has driven off but not eliminated the French Lancers at Santander, and decides it is time to get a move along to other places!

Pamplona or bust.. or is that busty señoras, msr. Daricau?

Packenham back on the near side of the Ebro at Tudela.

Stillnesss at San Sebastian.

Daricau back at the Transit tables

Byng tries to sacrifice a few units at Calahora to buy time to make his escape over the Ebro before Villatte’s men entrap his Division. 

British garrisons along the Ebro at Longrono.

Wellington and the garrison of Burgos.

Cassagne at Bilboa.

French wagon train of booty trying to escape the Vittoria table.

A mass of British cavalry and Artillery waiting to enter the Vittoria table near the village of Subijana de Alva. 

King Joseph writing more missives to his general from Bayonne. 

Darmagnac’s Division marching through Tolosa from the North.

Maybe the French Laners have finally been driven off the Santander table?

Cassagne splits his attention between the Vittoria and Bilboa. tables. 

Darmagnac splits his Division at Tolosa.

Howard sends dispatches to Wellington confirming uncontested control of the port of Santander. 

Just the French garrison left at Pamplona. 

Tudela is vacant now, although controlled by the British for supply purposes. 

Just small French garrisons left at San Sebastian now as well. Where did everybody go?

Empty real estate in British controlled Pancorbo, too. 

No troops at British controlled Agular de Campo, either!

Packenham, Howard, and Daricau at the Road and Transit table. 

The bulk of Byng’s Division seems to be marching their way out of trouble at cvalahora. 

British garrisons watch the Ebro at Longrono still. 

All is calm at Burgos as Wellington enjoys some fine Port. 

Cassagne and the French retain control of Bilboa.

French leadership confers outside Vittoria.

French try to establish their defensive lines in front of Vittoria. 

British Generals Dalhousie, Alten, and Picton prepare to begin their advance on Vittoria!

Over a year ago, I decided that I needed more bridges, chiefly for our multi-table Snappy Nappy games. I set about designing a template to mass produce some

I used artist’s matt board for the sides, and foam board for the supports.

The were then assembled with glue…

and straight pins. 

The raw product.

top view

view of the underside. 

I then sprayed them all a tan color. 

I got a bunch of thin, inexpensive craft sticks (coffee stirrers) ordered online. 

I then applied “wood” to the bridges, mostly using the coffee stirrer but also some other wood products, so that not all were exactly the same. 

Sharp eyes might note that there are 8 bridges in the rough but only 8 above; I misplaced one and of course found it again as soon as I finished the project. I will try to make that one into a stone bridge. 

The bridges were then painted a variety of shades of brown, 

and then got a heavy black wash. 

Finally, they dry brushed with a neutral light grey. 

Table 2 – Pancorbo; note the green post-it note on the wall to make it easier for the players and GM’s to find the tables, which are scattered in random locations and with random North-South orientations. 

Table 3 – Aguilar de Campo

Table 4 – Santander

Table 5 – Espinosa de Monteroi

Table 6 – Vittoria – a double table. GM Mike correctly anticipated a major battle was likely here, hence the special design, aided by some temporary carpentry by Engineer sons Sean and Nathan.  

Table 7 – Calahora

Table 8 – Bilboa

Table 9 – San Sebastian

Table 10 – Tolosa

Table 11 – Tudela

Table 12 – Longrono

Table 13 – Pamplona – Bulls included!

Table 14 – Bayonne (in France, NOT New Jersey!)

Road Grid and transit tables

Overview of the Miniatures Room at The Portal with all the tables set up from one end…

and the other. Note the coffee on the open table – Doughnuts, and later, Pizza, to follow courtesy of the organizing team. “An army marches on its stomach”, after all!

Assistant GM Mark (Naval uniform) and GM Mike (Chasseur colonel); I’m afraid my attire was much more mundane – gonna have to keep up with the crew!  🙂

James presents the annual Snappy Nappy rules review. 

Overview of the room… after the doughnut delivery!

French General Daricau at Pamplona

French Cavalry Division under P. Soult at Pancorbo

British General Howard arriving at Aguilar de Campo

French Cavalry Division of General Boyer (Steven Currie) at Tolosa

Darmagnac’s  Reserve Division arriving at Bayonne from metropolitan France. 

Leval’s French Division near Tudela

Earl of Dalhousie and Picton at British HQ in Burgos

General Cassgne’s French Division at San Sebastian

Close up!

General Daricau at Pamplona.

General P. Soult’s French Light Cavalry Division 

Close up of Darmagnac arriving at Bayonne

Reille and company at Vittoria; the road is clogged by the immense French Baggage train, and cannot be used. 

Mass of British at Burgos.

British General Howard arriving on the road to Aguilar de Campo

French General Leval arriving on the road to Tudela

French have garrisoned Mondragon and are moving through Tolosa. The blue chips show French control, red Anglo-Portuguese control, and green chips are uncontrolled. Moving through a location is sufficient to gain control (important for tracing supply routes). Additionally, the French had to station garrisons in every settlement along the main road from Bayonne to Vittoria (such sites are denoted by the French flags) or suffer problems from Spanish partisans disrupting their line of communication. 

French General General Cassagne (Snappy Nappy rules author Russ Lockwood) discusses something esoteric with General Byng near San Sebastian, because no British troops are present there. Wait, wasn’t it Admiral Byng who was shot “to encourage the others”, as Voltaire put in in Candide?

British Generals Howard and Leith (Sean and Nathan Seibert) confer near Aguilar de Campo

Wellington (Brandon Shaw) consults his over sized map at his HQ in Burgos; Bandon is also playing Ponsomby, and is conferring with General the Earl of Dalhousie (Doug Ozelius, red shirt) and General Picton (Peter Villani, gray shirt).

French at Vittoria – General Conroux (left, Chris Burr) confers with future Marshal Reille (Mark Mclaughlin, right, who is also playing GD Lamatiniere). Mark is a prolific game designer and author, perhaps best known for Avalon Hill’s War and Peace, which has seen a 6th and 6th edition recently, as well as an electronic version). GM Mike looks on. 

King Joseph Bonaparte (James Carmody, checked shirt) confers with General Drouet, Compte D’Erlon (Dick White, also playing GD Darmagnac). Both sides have wing commanders; their figure can rally troops and effect the initiative rolls, but they generally have no real troops under their direct command. 

The French Cavalry Division of GD Boyer (Steve Currie) at Tolosa.

Cavalry Division of GD P. Soult (Karl Newbauer) deployed all around Pancorbo; his troopers are asserting control over the settlements. 

French GD Daricau (James Sulzen) maneuvering around Pamplona – watch out for those bulls, James!

Mark and Chris ham it up a bit at Vittoria; they will soon have company of the British sort! 

Darmagnac’s Division, freshly arrived from Paris, and including a bunch of Rhine Conferation troops from Nassau, Baden, and Frankfurt, marches through Bayonne on its way to the front! King Joseph struggles to keep up with his correspondence in the dynamic early phase of the Campaign. 

Boyer studying the maps and road network. 

French Cavalry under P. Soult are joined by Anglo-Allied troops under Picton outside Pancorbo!

French GD Daricau at Pamplona sends out scouts, and waits for the situation to clarify somewhat. 

That’s a lotta Frenchies – Leval’s Division on the march through Longorno.

French Division Cassagne awaiting events (or orders?) at San Sebastian. 

Howard’s Division (including the Coldstream Guards) entering the table at Agular de Campo.

A mass of British still at Burgos, including General Alten’s Light Division, awaiting developments and scouting reports. . 

The British decide to move out from Burgos – General Alten himself (Alex Parrish) is seen. The first 2 turns of these campaigns are played synchronously, but thereafter each table has its own sequence. 

French awaiting some playmates at Vittoria. 

King Joseph writing orders at Bayonne. 

Boyer’s French Cavalry Division remains at Tolosa

Lots of coming and going at the Transit tables, including French General Daricau and British General Packenham.

An engagement commences at Pancorbo between French Cavalry under P. Soult and British forces under Picton. 

All quiet at Pamplona. 

Leval’s French Division maneuvering through Tudela.

Cassagne maneuvering near San Sebastian

British Generals Leith and Howard marching through Aguilar de Campo. 

Leval’s Divison has marched across the Tdela table and is headed Southwest.

Still quiet at Pamplona. 

Soult pulls his cavalry back, being faced by ever increasing Anglo-Portuguiese troops at Pancorbo. 

French alarums and excursions at Tolosa

King Joseph says “au revoir” to Darmagnac’s Division, departing from Bayonne for points West. 

Haze partially obscures the arrival of the first British troops at Vittoria. 

Wellington and Dalhousie confer outside Burgos, with input from GM Mark. 

British General Hill (Mitch Abrams) outside Calahora. 

British troops departing Aguilar de Campo

French General Cassagne prepares tp move out from San Sebastian, leaving behind the critical garrisons, as some French Dragoons arrive from the East. 

Cows (? Bulls) may safely graze at Pamplona. 

British General Howard sends a cavalry force top seize Santander. This is important for as potential debarkation point for reinforcements being escorted by His Britannic Majesty’s Navy. 

Cat and Mouse at Pancorbo. 

STILL quiet at Pamplona. 

Cassagne is departing San Sebastian as Darmagnac arrives by way of Bayonne. 

Byng outside Calahora.

Dalhousie departs from Burgos.

British off in the distance as seen from behind Vittoria. 

The bulk of Darmagnac’s infantry prepares to depart from Bayonne. 

Light French forces at Tolosa.

A long train of cattle and the booty from the French plunder of Spain begins its long journey from Vittoria towards Bayonne and France. 

British General Cole (Kevin Roller) at Burgos.

Soon only a small garrison and King Joseph will remain at Bayonne!

French General Boyer’s Cavalry Division is joined by French infantry at Tolosa. 

British General Howard has secured the port of Santander. 

French Cavalry general P. Soult writes to King Joseph, informing him of the overwhelming odds he is facing at Pancorbo. 

General Daricau waits outside Pamplona, as his scouts return with their reports. 

British General Packenham (Brian Carmody) arrives on the road to Tudela!