Well, the game is underway!
Above is a shot of the board without any troops on it. Two French divisions start in the top left corner, and one in the bottom left. The French started on the board, with the British and their allies only coming on in random rolls... and then, bang, within two turns the entire British army was on the board, spread evenly along the righthand side. Oh well!
Here is a shot of the French cavalry division under the command of Marshal Ney moving onto the board in the top left corner. They did get a little held up by some orchards and farms, but they got themselves sorted out eventually.
Also in the top left corner was a large infantry division under the command of Marshal Davout, which advanced in down the road and through the fields.
On the far side of the French line Napoleon himself led a smaller infantry division (including all of the French guard and most of the artillery onto the field. The artillery was not in an ideal position, and they quickly began to redeploy across the board.
Two thirds of the British army entered on the first turn! A mixed division of British infantry and cavalry and Spanish infantry commanded by General Martinez marched in at the center.
And in the near corner a division of infantry, including a Guards brigade, entered the field commanded by the Duke of Wellington.
Napoleon, faced with two entire British divisions, began to advance his men to the woods at their front.
Meanwhile Ney tried to manage his cavalry and get them onto the far left French flank.
Marshal Davout began to move his infantry division forward, but several commanders failed their orders rolls, and they halted their brigades to await clarification of their orders. Sacre bleu!
Here is a shot of the table after two or three turns... the French at the top left are desperately trying to get into position (and would LOVE to get some artillery on the hill in front of the Santos farm. Napoleon is moving his men into the woods at the foot of Del Sol hill, hoping he can get to the top of the hill and hold off what appears to be a huge number of enemies heading his way... he tries to get his artillery to the summit first!
Davout's infantry begin to sort out where they are supposed to move to.
Here is a shot showing the field a few turns later.
The Duke of Wellington decides that the Brunswickers will begin the attack, with his Guards close behind and a brigade of infantry under Colonel Harper moving through the woods to their flank.
The two Guards brigades in the woods deploy voltigeurs to keep the hilltop clear of British artillery and they begin to advance towards the organizing British.
Ignoring the preparations for an attack up Del Sol hill, General Martinez has his Spaniards occupy the farm, almost running right into a French battery that is trying to get across the river.
Meanwhile, on the far left flank of the French line, one of Ney's subordinates, Colonel Bosquet, failed a crucial orders roll, and promptly ordered his cavalry to advance. The British, seeing the French cavalry get a little far from their infantry support, quickly pounced, with supporting cavalry crossing the river to threaten their flank. In a flurry of horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE rolls, while few men fall from their saddles, almost every cavalry unit between the French and British forces fails their Steady! test and become Unsteady! This fight might not last long...
Cursing, Davout redirected a brigade of infantry under Colonel Nez, to the hilltop to secure it in case the French cavalry was crushed.
So! That is where we have left off!
