The Brewery at San Miguel

Today, Mike (British) and I (French) fought for possession of Señor Alberto Murrio's Brewery in Spain.

The famous San Miguel Brewery with its proud owner.

French forces approach (2 infantry brigades, a Lancer brigade with supporting artillery)

Infantry starting in march column

The British forces (a British infantry brigade, a Portuguese one, Light cavalry brigade and supporting artillery)

The British start in line

British commander wins the toss and pushes his cavalry brigade forward rapidly.

The French then get both infantry brigades forward with their artillery

In the background the Lancers make their way around the back of the Brewery

Right, open the bar Francisco !

The British cavalry roll a "Blunder" and are forced to move to their right instead of heading to confront the enemy Lancers.

Using the gap created, the Portuguese infantry march up the road

The Rifles have taken up a good firing position within a boundary wall

Here come the Lanciers de Berg

The foremost French infantry make a dash for the Brewery.

Reformed, the British Light Dragoons head off towards the enemy Lancers

The British have a rocket battery which is hitting the French infantry with unexpected accuracy !

British infantry have now advanced on the right of the walled enclosure

The French are in the Brewery and their flag flies above the building

The British Light Dragoons make an ill-fated charge against a French Horse Battery, becoming disordered and shaken with the result that they badly fail a Break Test and are routed from the field.

Portuguese infantry now assault the Brewery

The French Horse battery's celebrations are short lived as they receive a hail of fire from both artillery and infantry resulting in them also failing a Break Test - gone for good !

The French grimly defend the Brewery

Because of the threat from the Lanciers de Berg, Portuguese infantry form a protective square

The French have two field guns on the left flank pouring shot into the advancing Brunswick Hussars

Infantry clash in front of the Brewery - the Nassau Battalion receives a charge by the British

The French Lancers have charged around the back of the Portuguese infantry

and slam into the flank of first the Rocket Battery and then the Brunswick Horse Artillery - both are swept from the field

The Nassaeurs have also advanced forward after pushing back the British

The Portuguese have been thrown back from the Brewery

but a second charge sees the Brewery fall to the Portuguese !

Determined hand to hand combat continues in front of the white wall

The Brewery changes hands again as a fresh French unit storms the building and evicts the Portuguese.

But they are then attacked from two sides simultaneously

The infantry wear each other down

The Portuguese regain the Brewery !

as one of the units prepares to attack the Brewer's House which is still held by the French

The Portuguese flag is flying from the roof despite them taking heavy casualties

French artillery is wheeled round to fire at the Brewery with devastating effect. The Portuguese inside are destroyed so the building is now empty.

Massed battle ! Both sides have supports 

The French artillery now plays on the Rifles

Its a stalemate here - mainly because the French keep winning their Break Tests by a big margin.

But by now both sides have lost their cavalry and an infantry brigade and guns. The French still have the Brewer's House in their possession and more fresh infantry than the British who simply do not have any uncommitted manpower left to retake the Brewery.

Exhausted, the two sides have fought each other to a stand still.

A tough little Black Powder action.

The only winner was Señor Alberto Murrio who succeeded in dispensing much ale to both sides at exorbitant prices !