Battle of Azuel, May 1810.

Our Spanish campaign run by Barry has been going for a year now and seeing as though we have gone through several disasters and odd weather formations we are still keeping it going.After a somewhat delayed few months this game finally went ahead, this delay being due to my schedule, earthquakes and my families ability to be sick, teething etc whenever there is a game :).

NorthEast of Sevilla the Army of Andulucia had been skirting around the area trying to find the French Corps of Marshal Sebastiani and to see what would occur when they met. In the last move I advanced to a small village called Azuel and then stayed there for a week and it is there I met the French coming full steam down the road towards me. What transposed was the Battle of Azuel in May 1810 and this is a very biased report of it. The game was hosted by Colin at his wonderful table in Waikuku and it is always a good day out there. All I can say is bloody French Cavalry - there are simply millions of them :).

Given the rather brittle and limited value ot the Spanish Forces involved, I deployed them in a rather concentrated manner. The milita units were in the front line around the village and breastworks, while the better units deployed behind ready to fill holes in the line, stem the tide of those running and provide shouts of encouragement to everyone involved. I simply do love my Spanish Army, such a colourfull and varied lot, this force involved Spanish, Swiss and Neopolitan units and a large swag of conscripts.


As the French come into view the commanders prepare their men for the inevitable (aswell as using them as human shields - my Generals tend to die rather quickly)

The Vol stand to order and see, in the distance the French masses.


More pics of the pretty Spanish !



The Swiss stand to on the left flank in Battalion masse awaiting the French Dragoons (who then went right around the battlefield to the far side)


The battle began when a French Dragoon Brigade attempt to flank the village of Azuel, given that the flank wasn't prepared I sent the gallant Spanish Heavy Cavalry off to hold them up. They did defeat a French Dragoon Regiment and then I took the decision to carry on, which failed miserably.


The French used the western wood as an anchor to their attack, Legere passing through it while the main forces flowed around its Northern edge.


Hand of God near Azuel, such a wonderful piece of Norman Stonework in Southeran Spain. In that BUA (Built Up area) the Vol Molina stayed the entire game, shooting anything that came near (and they actually hit something :))



The French infantry, supported by Dragoons attack then furthermost point of the defences, the Vol Berlanga, a 12pdr Battery and Vol Merida stood their ground, shot a few volleys and then recieved several charges. They only took a few casualties but after that they promptly ran away forcing the units behind to take morale rolls. At this stage I rolled quite a large series on 1's that was a really really crappy number to roll. However they rallied soon after - the pic below shows the French advance around the left. In the far right hand corner on a hill stand the Dutch Guard brigade, who never moved for the entire battle.



The French infantry then fell back, I retook the bastions and then unfortunatelty had to go back to ChCh to pick up the kids and go watch some under 9s soccer. Colin carried on in my stead as the French Heavy Cav tried their luck on the eastern flank, and I dont know how they fared. Hopefully only a few more Spaniards fell but the French were repulsed ? or has something dire occured ?