Dont Mess With the Lancers of La Mancha !

Third game of my solo Peninsula Campaign. The retreating Allied army has been caught near to a Spanish town and has to turn and fight again.

A small Spanish brigade is present in and around the town - irregular lancers and light infantry and out on the left flank, a regiment of the Lancers of La Mancha.  British and Portuguese brigades are situated behind the town on the right as the French army comes into view.

On the French right, a brigade of Chasseurs a Cheval plus a strong brigade of Dragoons and a horse battery.

In the centre, a French infantry brigade advances towards the town accompanied by foot artillery

And out on their left flank, two more brigades of infantry

The Spanish have seen the enemy and the light infantry have deployed in front of the church as the Spanish commander readies his cavalry

The La Mancha Lancers are out on the Allied left flank - facing all those Chasseurs and Dragoons !

Portuguese and British infantry brigades advance in march column

The British focus is the town itself as the Portuguese brigades are either side.

British heavy dragoons and hussars are out on the right flank behind a hill

The French cavalry advance confidently - five regiments strong

The French centre infantry brigade has quickly rushed the town

and on their left, another brigade moves up in support

The furthest brigade obviously didn't receive their orders - they stand still (failed command roll).

Portuguese attack columns head for some high ground outside of town supported by the Spanish cavalry

The Spanish irregular cavalry have decided to head for safety - getting in the way of the advancing British !

The British try to take the nearest houses

Here's the situation right of the British position - hussars have advanced on the right

accompanied by the RHA.

All the Spanish have high tailed it from the town by now

French Chasseurs a Cheval charge supported by dragoons so the La Mancha Lancers counter charge.

French horse artillery have unlimbered and ready to fire

Portuguese brigade commander urges his troops on

  

 Rifles skirmish with their light infantry counter parts

 

French troops advance beside the church

A regiment in line supported by attack columns

At last, the left hand French brigade moves and enters the fields 

The Spanish La Mancha lancers have broken the first regiment of Chassuers

they flee the field

and they now do a sweeping advance against the French chasseurs in support 

they are broken likewise !

The dragoons look on in amazement !

The Spanish cavalry take the opportunity to retire and try and recover

Doubtless, the French dragoons will try and avenge their chasseurs

The French have occupied the houses their side of the town square 

Now the Portuguese charge the French infantry in line beside the town

as an Allied gun is hauled up to deploy on the hill

The British hussars begin to charge the French infantry in the fields, forcing them into square

unable to ride them down, the hussars retire behind the field wall as the RHA deploy to fire

The French dragoon commander brings up the rest of his force 

this threat forces the Portuguese infantry into square

French infantry have now swarmed into the town square and enter more houses

as light infantry use the church grounds 

breaking out of square, the French infantry on their left advance across the field

Spanish light infantry need to extricate themselves before the French grab them !

The British infantry exchange fire amongst the houses

and their superior rate of fire breaks the front regiment 

the Portuguese brigade on the left has advanced over their hill and reaches the field near to the French dragoons

who have charged the La Mancha Lancers who again counter charge

French troops now occupy the mayor's impressive house 

The Spanish lancers defeat the first French dragoons and retire again 

as the Portuguese infantry turn to face the enemy artillery and skirmishers

Three French infantry battalions have stormed the hill held by Portuguese artillery and skirmishers

the British hussars are still attempting to charge the rest of this French brigade in the field

Left of town, Portuguese infantry and skirmishers fire at the nearest French dragoons

as more troops mass to charge the enemy artillery

The British infantry brigade with artillery support fires at the nearest house which has now been occupied by the French infantry

Portuguese Cazadores have smashed through the French lines as their colleagues continue the fight by the Spanish camp

but the French have captured the hill, destroying the Portuguese artillery, although one battalion has had to form square having teen threatened by the British cavalry

Indeed, the British cavalry efforts have succeeded in splitting the French infantry brigade into two quite separate entities - one on the hill, the other trapped in the field.

Charge ! French dragoons have another crack at the La Mancha Lancers

Bad move - they are broken immediately ! The remaining dragoons can't quite believe it.

The Cazadores are beating the French besides the church

At last, the French infantry brigade commander i the field gets some semblance of order and shakes his remaining two battalions out into line - they have been encouraged by the sight of reinforcements on their left - a brigade of Horse Grenadiers with horse artillery.

One of the French battalions on the hill has been disordered by skirmish fire

a battalion has been withdrawn from the hill to support the ailing brigade on their right

This can't be happening - the Spanish La Mancha lancers have seen off another French unit ! They have succeeded in breaking two French brigades - five regiments of cavalry have fled before them !

All this lot are heading off into the sunset, thanks to the plucky Spanish cavalry.

With their foe broken, the Cazadores now turn on the spot into line and threaten the flank of the French artillery 

the British brigade have poured shot and shell at the enemy occupied houses - and another gun has been sent over to add some more hot lead

The Portuguese between the town and the hill have beaten back their foe. This leaves the forward elements of the other French brigade isolated up on the hill

The Portuguese infantry climb over the walls into the field

Grimly, the French hang on to the hill for now

as they do in the town too

Worried about the gap between them and the rest of their brigade, the French retreat off the hill

but there are Portuguese infantry everywhere it seems

French troops can be seen running from the field - that brigade has had it.

Things are looking pretty precarious now for the French commander

One lone French battalion is trapped on the hill in square constantly threatened by enemy cavalry

 with the Dragoons gone, there is nothing to stop the left flank Portuguese brigade coming around the flank and they hit the enemy artillery

Battery gone !

Not to be outdone, the Horse Grenadiers charge the RHA battery out on the British right flank

that is broken but the ensuing sweeping advance into the heavy dragoons fails

they withdraw with casualties 

Now the Portuguese are behind the town and thinking about linking up with their brethren 

and the Spanish cavalry follow them

The French retreat beyond the field walls except for one battalion painfully slowly retreating in square

The La Mancha are taking it easy - and who can blame them after their exploits

at last, the British infantry charge the house with sapper support

the already shaken French are driven out of the house in confusion

the French brigade commander behind the big field now swings his infantry around to face the new threat of Portuguese coming from his right

The Horse Grenadiers attempt a charge to stem this advance forcing one battalion into square

The mayor's house is now charged by more British infantry

and with the fall of this, the French in the town break.

The remaining forces beyond the town will have to fall back leaving the town and surroundings to the Allies.

This game has been going on all over the Easter Holiday, keeping me amused.

The stand out unit is definitely the Lancers of La Mancha - what a battle they had !!!