French Revolution action from the little known War of the Pyrenees. Our Austrian Army is nicely taking shape, the infantry are complete & I am currently painting the Artillery. However we needed an opponent for our snazzy French Infantry. After some research, I came across the War of the Pyrenees. Though getting some hard facts on the war proved hard. Hardly a mention in any of my useful Napoleonic tomes on the book shelves, never mind any battlefield maps.
So playing a game using DBN, we settled for the Battle of Mas Deu 1793. The dastardly Spanish forces cross the border & attack a French force camped outside the Knights Templar Chateau. It turned out to be a one sided affair with a much bigger Spanish force routing the French.
We altered the forces involved to give the French a chance, adding some fortifications as well. It turned out to be a cracking game. For the battlefield, Google Maps gave a nice view of Mas Deu, the chateau & ruins are still visable. Spav took ze French & yours truly ze Spanish.
The useful links ==
War of the Pyrennes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Pyrenees
Battle of Mas Deu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mas_Deu
Nafziger useful OOB's (
good luck finding the one you want... )
http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/nafziger/index.asp
Spanish
1 x General, 1 x Muskets (Elite), 7 x Muskets, 1 x Light Infantry, 3 x Cavalry 2 x Artillery (one Militia class),
French
1 x General, 3 x Muskets, 4 x Muskets (Militia), 1 x Light Infantry, 2 x Cavalry, 1 x Artillery, 1 x Fortification.
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| The battlefield |
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| View from the French left |
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| The Chateau |
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| The French right |
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| Snazzy graphics, eat your heart out Osprey...lol |
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| The Spanish Cavalry swing around the French left flank |
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| Spanish troops cross the river |
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| French Light Infantry hold the rough to the right of shot |
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| View from the French fortifications |
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| French Cavalry are sent to the left flank |
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| The French Battery responds to the Spanish guns |
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| Slowly the Spanish mass for an attack |
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| Skirmishing begins |
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| Spanish Cavalry.... |
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| French Cavalry.... |
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| Too much punishment for the French Artillery & they are withdrawn. |
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| The French are edging this combat |
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| ....CHARGE!!!!! |
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| Lovely, Hussars scrapping away! |
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| Evens for the combat, both recoil |
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| First Blood to ze French! |
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| However the Spanish Infantry are ready to attack |
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| The Cavalry are back at it! |
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| NOOO!!! The French Cavalry get the upper hand. |
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| The French reserves are sent to the left flank |
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| The French Cavalry charge in, another Spanish loss!!! |
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.......and another!
OMG!!! It's turning out to be a Spanish bloodbath. |
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| Breakthrough. The French Cavalry attack again. |
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| It's good, but it just forces back the Spanish Infantry. |
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| Fall Back |
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| Wow. That was impressive, a possible French victory is on the cards. |
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| FORWARD! The Spanish left lurches forward. |
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| The French Light Infantry take the Spanish onslaught. |
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| The Spanish infantry unleash a volley. |
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| A strange decision, Spav retires the French Cavalry... |
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| On the other flank, the Spanish attack begins. |
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| The French left is reinforced, Spav readies his own attack. |
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| Screaming Spaniards Attack! |
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The French Line are forced back. The French Lights redeploy.
However it's PiPs that the French need elsewhere. |
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On the Spanish right, another attack takes shape.
The Fortifications are in my sights... |
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Attack Attack Attack.
Combat bonus for the Spanish column |
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| The other French units of the left are pinned |
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| The French PiP die rolls are poor, there's not enough points to move everyone. |
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| Overview |
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| The French are forced back off the hill. |
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The French Infantry take heavy losses.
An attack on the Chateau is next. |
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| The French artillery redeploys, but they are in poor shape. |
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| Spav retires another unit, not risking it's destruction. |
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| The attack on the fortification begins. |
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The attack on the Mas Deu Chateau goes in.
Led by the elite Spanish Grenadiers.... |
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| Ohhhh! Geat PiPs for the heroic Spanish. The Dragoons advance... |
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The Dice Gods shine down on the Spanish!!
The classic 6-1 combat result |
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| It's all one way!!! The French retreat from the fortifications. |
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| Another round & the French counter attack, but it is in vain. |
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| The French PiP rolls don't improve & the French left is going nowhere. |
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| The dandy & dashing Spanish Grenadiers advance!!! |
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| The French centre has collapsed |
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| One last try for the French to capture the fortifications |
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| The French Artillery opens up, but make no impression on the Grenadiers. |
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| At last, the French units start to go down |
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| Another Spanish column is formed |
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| The Spanish Infantry charge in |
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| CHHAARRGGEE!!! |
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| Not a great match up for the French! |
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| Another French loss. |
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| VICTORY!!!!!! |
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| The final battlefield |
I did an 'Austerlitz' on Spav,
hang your head in shame my son! A great game, it could of gone either way. Just goes to show, how critical the PiP rolls are. We'll have to play another French v Spanish Revolutionary game! Does anyone have any links to War of the Pyrenees battles?
