DBN 13. Battle of Bailen 1808 Part Two

The second part to our 'legendary' Bailen scrap.  It's very picture heavy, my apologies.  The battle tuned out to be a major grinder.

Barbou's Division assaults Bailen

The Paris Guard lead the way 

Fresia'a French Cavalry flank Bailen

De la Pena's Spanish pursuit column arrives, could they squeeze the French?

On the other table edge, Jones Division arrives...

The Spanish at Bailen chip away at the French flank.
The initial French Assault fizzles out, they withdraw.

Another French assault gathers strength 

The French cavalry ready to face the Spanish 

Two French Divisions now assault Bailen

Casualties mount on the Spanish right.
However time is bought for the Spanish infantry to arrive.

The Spanish Line Cavalry put up a good fight

However it's SLOOOWW going for the De la Pena Division, they don't hamper the French at all.

Madness Mayhem Carnage....

Movement is slow on the Spanish right as well. 

Firepower from the Paris Guard

French Dragoons fall to the Spanish

Another Spanish Line is made

At last Jones Infantry are ready to fight!

Some infantry are sent to hold the Bailen road.
Vedel's French Division is  en route, these troops would slow the arrival time.

dum de dum de dum.... The Spanish pursuit is sloooooooooooowwwww 

Meanwhile the Bailen fight is intense 

Again the Spanish cavalry put up a good fight.

The French infantry reach the town itself

It's a poor show for the Spanish defenders.

The Spanish infantry put up a good show on the road into Bailen.

French Heavy Cavalry join the fray!

Now the Spanish are up against it.

Time is ticking away, Spanish casualties begin to mount. Break points for some divisions are close....

The heroic Paris Guard are nearly done for.

It's a battle of attrition, who would break first?

Ah French Heavies....!

OOooh it's brutal combat, more units fall....

CAP's are in short supply, the Spanish Dragoons can only look on at the slow moving French Baggage....

The French are surrounding Bailen

The long road from Bailen, however De la Pena's pursuit is poor...

Jones Spanish infantry steadies the right flank.

That choke point was a major headache to the French advance

De la Pena's boys are now having a siesta.....

The French Cavalry Division is close to breaking....

Leg It Amigos!  The Spanish troops holding Bailen break!

While Jones Division forces back the French Cavalry....

OOOOOhhhhhhh......

Dufors Division manage a successful escape....

Forward! To freedom!!

Vedels Division arrives! The French have won the day....

Final positions, the French army flees through Bailen

A tough scrap, the French Army manages to escape.  Casualties were big for both sides.

Lessons learned.... we had to play this one over four sessions, getting 'back into' each game, was tough.  We'll have to improve gaming time.  If we play another big divisional game like this one, a better unit identification process is needed.  Probably more paperwork, just to keep track, on a couple of occasions we nearly forgot the break point levels for each Division.