Talavera 1809 in Canberra

A scenario set up by SteveD for my visit to Canberra.
French: Jim.
Spanish: SteveD
British: Dale
Rules: Camp Cromwell M2M
Figures: 15mm

View after turn 1 from behind the Spanish on the allied right flank.
The Brits are on the left, the French on the far side.

The French have made a general advance all along the front to deploy & intiate a long range artil;ery duel to open the battle.  They are also moved 2 cavalry brigades from their central reserve to the their right flank.

On the near flank, the French have advanced in line to engage the Spanish.  On the far flank they have taken upa  defensive position on & behind a ridge. 
The Spanish are moving cavalry from their central reserve to the far flank to support Brits against the Frech cavalry.

The French are now attacking the Spanish.  Mostly with cannon fire & musket fire from lines of infnatry, but with infantry columns & cavalry at points of weakness. (One brigade of dragoons was held back in central reserve). On the far flank the Soanish cavalry eventually came up to suport the British cavalry who have now attacked the French cavalry. The British infantry seem reluctant to leave their good defensive position behind the creek line.

This pic is from behind the British flank.  The British cavalry are getting the better of the French on the end of the line, but otherwise both sides are happy to enagage on long range artillery on this flank.  On the far flank the French are attacking the whole Spanish front.  The Spanish aregrimly defending the town, vineyards & creek line.

In their attack on the Spanish the French front line lost a lot of casulties, but their second line has smashed thru the brittle Spanish troops.  More than half the Spanish units have been broken but only one French.
|On the far flank the British have beaten one Frencg cavalry brigade, but it's only effect to ensure that the Brits can retreat safely behind a superior cavary screen.
It was hard ask for the Spaniih to hold their line against a well organised French attack.
The British should have attacked to take the pressure off theie allies, but the French deployed just enough of their troops in a sound defensive position to discourage them from doing so.