On Saturday 30th, I'll be hosting another get-together with those Perthshire Paladins, those Transpontine Terrors, Baron Stryker and Count Goya.
Our action on this occasion will be based on the "EPIC"-sized Commands & Colors scenario for Talavera de la Reina (1809). On my largest available table, this will be staged at about one-half scale, compared to the real battle. Given some more boards and a bigger hall, Talavera is one of the Peninsular War actions I'd like to try on a full, double-width C&CN - I believe we have enough soldiers. [I'd also like to stage a hefty version of Salamanca sometime, but we might have to recruit some more division commanders, and I have some figure painting to do.]
As things stand, Talavera at one-half scale will certainly do to be going on with. I'm very much aware that the worthy JJ recently did a fabulous 18mm version of Talavera - we won't be attempting to compete with the visual riches of that fine effort, but our game promises to be pretty good anyway.
It's a well known tradition, that all the battles of the British Army took place on a hillside, in the rain, at the junction of two maps. On the 30th we shall have another logistical impediment - this is to be one of a series of Saturdays when engineering work will cause the cancellation of all train services to stations in East Lothian, so my visiting generals will have to drive here. If you suspect this might give me a slight, unfair advantage, consider (if you will) how much it must have cost me to arrange this deal with the Scotrail management. My intelligence people have been surpassing themselves.
I'll publish some set-up pictures as we get towards the end of next week.
Tony, I look forward to your Talavera game. Our colleague, JJ, puts on a game worthy of museum display. Still, your game with clean lines and pleasing green, unadorned bases is no less a spectacle. I like your set up very much!
ReplyDeleteOld School (apart from the hexes, but think Morschauer), half scale Talavera - should be OK, you would think!
DeleteLooking forward to the report on this.
ReplyDeleteHi Graham - hope things good with you. I usually get to be the French, but I think I may be Cuesta this time (partly because there will not be a big rush of volunteers for the role!).
DeleteI shall watch developments with interest as I am in the process of building up my Peninsular armies and have Talavera in my sights. The big question is what to do with the Spanish. Do you follow history whereby they take little part in the action leading to a British vs French action, or do you allow the Spanish to stand and fight?
ReplyDeleteHi Bob - all games that i have anything to do with that have a historical precedent all follow the same theme - starting positions and maybe some objectives are related to original battle, and after that the players can do what they like! It is very hard to think beyond the original battle plan anyway!
DeleteFor this game, I am toying with the idea of putting limits on the collaboration between Allies and Spanish armies - maybe to the point that the Allied and Spanish commanders take separate turns - i.e. there are 3 turns in a cycle - French, Allied and Spanish. This may prove to be impracticable, but I'm working on it...!
Good answer - I shall watch with interest. I was thinking of something similar, but with some form of order non-compliance test and erratic morale to introduce an element of unpredictability. I haven't got the CCN Spanish add on, but I gather some of these issues are already factored in.
DeleteBob - I haven't got the CCN Spanish Expansion either - I wrote my own Spanish rules before it was published, and I've stuck with them - I have no use for the Guerrilla rule. If you are interested, email me at the address in my profile, and I'll send you some notes of the Spanish rules I use.
DeleteRegards - Tony
Something to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteThere is something to be said for overstuffed tables with wall to wall masses I'm sure but I rather prefer the look of games like yours to most that I see.