Talavera - Getting ready for the main event

 I had the pleasure of organizing my armies for our big Talavera game this weekend (the third of five scenarios built around the battle, this one the dawn attack on the day of). I had almost all of my British and French toy soldiers out of the cupboard for this one and took the opportunity to snap a few photos of them prior to the game.

Many but not all of the units are the actual regiments present on that day but all are based on battalions that fought in the Peninsular War over this time period. As always, many thanks to Jonathon Jones, his excellent blog (JJ's Wargames) and the scenario book O'er the Hills that he wrote for the Peninsular wars, which has been my inspiration for all of this work.

Perrin's 1st Corps

1st Division. 1st Corps (Ruffin)

2nd Division, 1st Corps (Lapisse)

1st Corps Light Cavalry Brigade (Beaumont)
Two units of Hussars (2me) and the 5me Chasseurs a Cheval

3rd Dragoon Division (Latour-Maubourg)

Grand Battery
Five batteries here and two more horse batteries with the cavalry. In celebration of having a grand battery I trotted out the beautiful Zvezda limber with its six horse team.

French field hospital
I recently painted up a Strelets French doctor, patient and aide. I figured we could use the wounded markers as a filed hospital. I would like to add a French hospital wagon to my collection some day.

Perrin's command
A flurry of activity, surrounded by ADC's and even with a couple of liveried servants serving him his breakfast (it was a dawn attack, after all, and a man has to eat!)

British army
Way less imposing than the French with maybe two thirds the number.

1st Division (Sherbrooke) 3rd and 4th Brigades
These should all be KGL, but I only have one KGL battalion painted - hence the Guards.

2nd Division (Hill) 1st and 2nd Brigades

2nd Brigade (Donkin, 3rd Division)

British artillery
A bit light compared to the French, who have almost five times as many guns.

British Cavalry Division (1st Heavy Brigade, 1st Light Brigade)
I'm not likely to see this much British horse, certainly not heavies, on a Spanish battlefield again! Still, the French have more...

A sneak preview of the game, with the table set up. All of the French Dragoons are off photo to the right and half the British horse to the left.