Talamanca 1714

Last week was the anniversary of the fall of Catalonia to the bourbons, and to remember all those fallen in defence of our liberties we replayed a battle from that period, the last victory of the Catalan army at Talamanca before the final defeat. 

A mix of catalan regulars and militia were deployed in the village of Talamanca waiting for the best chance to pounce on the besiegers of Barcelona

Being surprised and attacked by a bourbon column under the count of Montemar in the 13th of august

With both sides separated by a small stream it is the bourbons who take the initiative 

Crossing the river with their cavalry under heavy fire

The sometent milita forms in square as spanish regulars march to the front

In the center dragoons and catalan cuirassiers clashed in a match that would last most of the battle

While on the right the regulars dispersed the austriacist militias

The second sometent unit held their own against the bourbon cavalry however, falling back behind some regulars instead of routing

Time was running out and as night fell a last bourbon charge failed to rout the catalan riders

Ending the battle in a tie similar to the historical outcome but with far greater losses on the catalan side

Battle of Almansa

 

To round up the year we've played a game of the spanish succession war, in which the allies attack the bourbon forces of marshal Berwick in Murcia on the year 1707

The ball begins with the bourbon cannon, who open fire on the combined enemy army causing havoc

Confident on their numerical superiority, the francospanish advance forwards

The infantry keeping to the center while the cavalry takes care of both flanks

Keeping the enemy contained in the middle, Berwick reinforces his flanks hoping to envelop the allies 

In the left flank a cavalry melee starts, with the allied hussars charging french line cavalry

British and Waloon guards meanwhile have started to trade volleys, an exchange that goes badly for the spanish, who are also fired upon by a battery of guns loaded with grapeshot

Fortunately for the cause of Philip V, the burbon cavalry routs its opponents and starts to close the noose around the allies

A division of frenchmen has also started to turn the flank, firing on some portuguese

On the other side of the battlefield meanwhile the brits are being charged by cavalry, choosing unwisely to fire instead of forming square

Paying dearly for such mistake

With both flanks annihilated the allied player can do little but form a semicircle and fire in all directions

But bit by bit all his divisions are charged and defeated by the endless waves of whitecoats

Even the guns are lost, the poor crew being run down by enraged burbon riders

With only one unit left, lord Galway orders the retreat, giving up the kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia to the fury of the bourbon forces

Battle of Almansa 1707

 

After the successful rising of the crown of Aragon in 1705 the cause of Philip V in Spain has received a severe blow, but the bourbons have amassed a huge army and give battle to the allies when they invade Castilla la Mancha  in april 1707

The spanish and french regiments outnumber easily the foe, and marshal Berwick advances confidently 

The allies respond launching their cavalry forwards

Which is met by bourbon squadrons formed in line

Meanwhile the allied center fans out to form a gunline

After a first dragoon clash on the right the british riders move behind the bourbons

In the center things have escalated also, with a mass of spanish infantry charging the thin red line

Next to them an austrian division is charged by the french

In the forest of the extreme left an indecisive melee has started, these two units would keep pushing back and forth during the whole game with no one coming on top

Back at the allied center the french dragoons have been repulsed by musket volleys and cold steel

But their british comrades are overwhelmed by twice the number of spanish

Sadly in this combat the brilliant Berwick is killed while leading from the front

In the allied rear a dutch regiment is caught in line by cavalry and cut to pieces

Menaced by the enemy riders the austrians form square

In the bourbon lines the artillery has advanced too recklessly and is wiped out by canister fire

Paltry losses compared with the destruction visited on the allies, who lose two units in a single turn

The bourbons have conquered the center, but on the flanks things aren't so clear

With the british dragoons dodging the enemy cavalry

The bourbons form squares on their rear and charge the last imperial division

But are repelled and sabred by the british while fleeing

Alas the enemy numbers are too much for the germans and they are wiped out by the spanish 

The british keep with their glorious charge routing a unit of french dragoons

But in turn they are caught on the rear by their pursuers and also destroyed

And at last, in the final turn of the battle the allies fail their morale check and abandon the battlefield