The tables:
Table 1 – Burgos
Table map for Burgos, Table 1 Only the black roads are major roads, the brown are minor roads.
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!
