All figures provided by Matt.
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| From Talavera 2012 |
The French soon became staggered with the central columns trailing behind the Left and the right for no apparent reason. This lead to the French forces impacting the British at separate times.
Meanwhile in the valley a face-off was developing between the two opposing cavalry forces. The Polish Lancers decided to act as a screen for the advancing infantry and got shot to pieces by Allied artillery as a result. A charge by the opposing cavalry forced them to retire.
The Allied forces that the French sent against the Spanish, who were tasked with the defense of the town and its outskirts, failed spectacularly. And even after capturing a couple of positions these forces were repulsed by a surprise Spanish counter attack. Even the Spanish commander was surprised they comitted themselves to it.
The British in the upper central position now hid behind the hills playing peekaboo with the French massed on the other side. Given that the French had already been badly mauled en-route to this location the British could easily have routed them if they had just committed themselves.
With the French center now in retreat the Guards marched in line across the river, ignoring the Heavy cavalry re-grouping in front of them. Much to every-one's surprise, and Kieron, the Guards commander, in particular the French rallied and charged into the British. With the appearance of old snake eyes, the Scots Guards got wiped out to a man and left a large gaping hole in the centre.
The French in the valley to the north slowly came to realise that the Spanish cavalry was no match for cold steel and advanced their infantry against them. This was too late to affect the main battle, which was winding down with the French in retreat, but the British licking their wounds after a mauling in the center. The inhabitants and garrison probably wondered what all the noise was about.
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