The Battle of Barbastro, 2 June 1837, First Carlist War.

Saturday took us to sunny Spain in June 1837, with a game set during the First Carlist War 1833-1840. Conrad brought his considerable collection of 28mm figures to refight Barbastro. You may recall that he has recently had a wargamer’s guide on the war published by Helion. My review can be found through this link: https://www.carryingsonupthedale.com/2024/07/a-savage-and-romantic-war-first-carlist.html and one of the chapters in the book is the Barbastro scenario we were about to play.

There were just the four of us, Conrad and John playing the ‘liberal’ Christinos while Nick and I played the ultra conservative ultra  Catholic Carlists under the late king’s brother Don Carlos. Click on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Carlist_War for a summary of the war. 

The Carlists were on their famed Royal Expedition, and had to hold their position against the attacking  Christinos which, outnumbered in cavalry and with no artillery, was going to be an interesting exercise. The attackers’ cavalry and infantry was better quality, including a battalion of Royal Guard and the French Foreign Legion. The miniatures were mainly from the fabulously tempting Perry range, but other manufacturers featured as well (I think including Lancashire Games). Now, on to battle!

Vast hoards of Christina’s on the right surge towards the Carlists.

Six battalions of Conrad’s finest including the French Foreign Legion supported by cavalry and artillery face our right flank.

Facing that lot were a mere four battalions of Carlists.

The Christino centre under John

Our gallant CinC and his bodyguard.

The enemy flank starts moving. Well, the cavalry anyway  as the infantry failed to get moving.

At the end of Turn 1 not much was happening. 

The Carlist right, poised to take on the Isabellino assault.

We shifted most of our cavalry from the centre over to the right wing.

Once the enemy was in range we charged down the hill! Bugger all this shooting nonsense.

We hit the Spanish Royal Guard and actually broke them! Woopee!

Conrad’s cavalry come racing up the hill.

In the centre and our left the enemy were advancing slowly towards us.

The Isabellino centre trudging towards our centre held by Nick.

The enemy suffered some reverses and some units were pushed back due to musketry off the hill.

Our left wing.

Conrad’s brigade was on the verge of breaking……

Some furious bayonet and cavalry charges confused the issue even more than it was already. 

The Carlist left (on the right) still holding strong against the Isabellino attack.

Some of the Carlist battalions on our left.

The Isabellino centre

 Unruffled Carlists

Even less ruffled Carlists

The fight continued on our left. My infantry were almost broken, as indeed were Conrad’s, and my cavalry shattered.

A battalion of Carlists vainly try to hold up the Legion. They managed for a couple of turns but in the end they broke.

Even a last ditch attempt by the CinCs bodyguard failed to break the enemy square.

The centre

More of the centre…….

The Isabellino cavalry in the centre never got going. Not their fault as Nick kept shooting them.

The final melee on our right. Honours even but it was the end for this flank.

At least the enemy were stuck in square.

Run away!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable battle and I hope not  the last time we get to play a Carlist game here at the Burrow. Black Powder worked fine although we may need a few more period specific tweaks. 

Thanks to Conrad for the troops and John and Nick for playing. It was actually quite a relaxing day and we finished by mid afternoon.

Conrad is taking this game to Claymore next month so if you go, look out for it. 

A Savage and Romantic War - the First Carlist War book review

         As wargame guides go this is one of the best in the series by Helion. A subjective assessment yes, but ‘A Savage and Romantic War - A Wargamers’ Guide to the First Carlist War, Spain 1833–1840’ brings to life a brutal, confusing yet colourful war replete with some fascinating characters, a variety of foreign interventionist forces, the pitting of extremism versus ‘liberalism’, the brutality and horrors of a civil war, lots of eminently gameable battles and gorgeous uniforms.

The First Carlist War is a period that to me for a long time hovered on the edge of ‘mainstream’ wargaming, like many post-Napoleonic conflicts and before the widespread introduction of rifled muskets. The author has a lifelong interest in this bloody war, and Conrad Cairns’ previous book on the subject, published by the Perrys many years ago was a pretty groundbreaking venture, one that coincided with, or was the cause of, the excellent and extensive 28mm range of Perry miniatures for the period.

This new book is by no means a simple re-hash of the previous one. It is far more aimed at helping the reader better understand and wargame the conflict, with 13 new scenarios for the gamer to try out as well as a campaign based on the operations leading to the battle of Oriamundi. Of course, there are sections on the background to and course of the war, detailed chapters on the organisation and uniforms of the Isabellinos, Carlists and the British, French and Portuguese interventionist or auxiliary forces (although technically the former were raised by the British and employed by the Spanish crown rather than being part of the British regular establishment) and the aftermath once hostilities had ended.

Conrad has updated his original material where appropriate to provide what is to me essentially a new book with a new focus. The tactical maps that accompany each of the scenarios are excellent, as are the strategic ones. The orders of battle presented for each encounter and for wider operations are extensively researched and detailed, and without doubt are going to be pored over by wargamers alongside the catalogues of their miniature manufacturer(s) of choice. Numerous photographs of the superbly painted Perry Miniatures throughout the book certainly whet one’s appetite to explore this war as a new gaming project. Other photographs depict examples of surviving equipment and weapons, mostly I understand from the author’s own collection.

So, a beautifully presented and clearly written account of the war and how to wargame it from an author who’s enthusiasm for the conflict oozes through the very pages of the book. An excellent addition to the series.

ISBN 978-1-804514-55-9 A4 soft covers, 137 pages.

Gypseys

Down at the bottom of my drawer of doom I came across this little bunch of figures, a band of gypsies together with their caravan. I have checked and I think they are West Wind figures from their Vampire Wars range but from what I can see on their website the caravan is no longer available, which is a shame. Why did I buy them many years ago? What project was on my mind at the time? No idea. Anyway, these came as a pleasant diversion to painting and basing up yet more troops for my Crimean and 1866 projects, and  actually, I am already formulating an evil plan to weave the gypsies into one or more scenarios somehow. Hehehehehehehehe! Actually, they could feasibly be present during quite a few of the periods I have collections for as well as the two just mentioned, such as the Thirty Years War, First Carlist War and the SYW.

Not a funny hat in sight! 1st Carlist War units

 

 

Pictured here are the first of my 1st Carlist War units. Top to bottom they are a British Royal Marine battalion, the British Auxiliary Legion Rifle battalion, the Isabellino Royal Guard Grenadiers and a Royal Marine rocket battery.

I have plenty more units to do but plan to take my time getting them finished.