Howard’s job is done at Santander

French on the road Tolosa – elements of both Daricau and Cassagne, I believe. 

Leval, Villate, and Byng at Calahora

Vittoria off in the distance

Vittoria from the other end of the battlefield.

Packenham threatens to cross the Ebro at Tudela

A British foot regiment attacked from the front and flank, and a British battery charged at Calahora. 

Howard arrives on the scene at Blboa!

Darmagnac at Tolosa

British Light Dragoons accompanied by Wing Commander Lt General Graham on the Santander table.

Daricau rushes reserves to discourage a crossing of the Ebro by Packenham at Tudela.

Tudela

Things remain quite for the French garrisons at San Sebastian

The French baggage train and Cassagne’s Division preparing top depart from the far end of the Vittoria table. 

Pressure from the British mounts at Vittoria.

Cassagne encounters Howard at Bilboa, and is feeling stretched a bit thin!

General Cole arrives at Calahora with his Division.

General Byng at the Transit tables

Packenham and Daricau play cat and mouse at the crossings of the Ebro near Tudela.

Another view of the situation at Tudela

Bulls may safely rest at Pamplona, still. 

His Majesty’s Royal Navy arrives at Santander!

The RN has brought much needed reinforcements to Santander – a couple of heavy artillery batteries and two small Portuguese Divisions. Those pesky French Lancers pop in for a brief scouting visit, too; Doubtless why Graham remained behind at Santander. 

What wargamer doesn’t love more troops?!

Is that a Ford over the Ebro off to the side of the table? 

Leval tries to reorganize before Cole’s arrival can succor Byng’s rearguard. Vilatte looks on from cross a tributary of the Ebro. 

Howard and part of Cassagne’s Division face off near Bilboa. 

British and Portuguese advance down three different roads at Vittoria. 

Cole advances through Lerma towards the bridge over the Ebro, and Calahorra, whre the last of Byng’s rearguard faces destruction. 

British on the Transit table ? part of Byng’s command?

Packenham has pulled back across the Ebro. 

View from behind Leval’s men at Calahora. 

Cassagne’s forces are outnumbered and overmatched by Howard’s Division near Bilboa.

Continued development off the Battle of Vittoria. 

Daricau prepares to remove the bulk of his troops from the Tudela table, leaving behind enough forces to discourage Packenham from any river crossing attempts. 

Stillness at San Sebastian.

French control but no troops at Espinosa de Monteroi

British control but no troops at Aquilar de Campo.

Cole at Lerma, opposite Calahora. Vilatte is seen moving off to the Northeast, while the bulk of Leval’s troops look to be headed off to the Northwest.

Looks like a few stragglers from Byng’s command headed ff to the North as well. 

Wellington and the garrison of Burgos. 

Portuguese troops garrisoning Longorno

Howard splits his Division into 2 wings; one confronts part of Cassagne’s Division (guarding roads over the mountains that lead to the rear of the French positions at Vittoria). 

Wagon trains and some more troops from Cassagne’s Division preparing to leave from the Vittoria table.

Vittoria; Alten’s Light Division is advancing up the road towards the city. 

All quiet at Bayonne. 

LOTS of French troops on the main road at Tolosa!

Just the Fleet and some Portuguese garrison are left at Santander. 

British control but no troops at Pancorbo – in the background, General Vilatte’s Division is seen arriving outside Pamplona. 

Just after that, British troops appear on a different road to Pamplona.

Daricau’s Division keeps sending troops to and from Tudelo, trying to dazzle Packinham. 

They seek him here, they seek him there; those Limeys seek him everywhere!

British troops on several different transit tables. 

Darmagnac at Tolosa. 

Darmagnac moving off to the North along the main road from Burgos to Bayonne.

Cole at Lerma, Leval at Calahora, with Byng looking on. 

Near Bilboa, Howard sends one wing of his Division off to the West; reinforced by more of his own troops, Cassagne responds by threatening the remaining half at Bilbao. 

The head of the French booty train arrives on the Tolosa table, clogging the road in the process!  “Moooooo-ve out of our way!”

Ponsomby arrives, marching to Bilbao!

Remainder of the French train departing from the Vittoria table. 

French take up position to defend the city of Vittoria. 

Conroux’s Division is being very roughly handled by the advancing British, but he is buying a lot of time for the French!

Darmagnac’s Division returns to Bayonnne???!

Packenham is left unopposed at Tudelo, but suspects Daricau will return as soon as he tries to cross the Ebro. 

Byng’s Division is cautiously observing Vilatte, who disposes his troops to defend Pamplona. 

Byng withdraws and writes to Wellington for directives. 

British Light Dragoons riding through the countryside at Espinosa de Monteroi.

French markers on the Transit Tables

Leval faces off against Cole across the Ebro at Calahora; General Gazan appears at the head of a regiment of Dragoons, arriving from the Northeast.

With both Howard and Ponsomby now at Bilbao, General Cassagne backs off!

The British continue their attacks towards Vittoria.

Darmagnac raises a glass of Cognac to King Joesph, and departs Bayonne for… ?

French at Tolosa.

Conroux’s crumbling position before Vittoria.

Is Darmagnac coming back to Bayonne again?  He confers with GM Mike.  

That tricky Daricau is back at Tudelo again!

Cole and Leval at Calahora.

Cassagne appear to have evacuated the Bilbao table, as British troops attack the French garrison at Gdenes.

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.