Photo by Jim Pitts
Jim Pitts' Isabellitos dragoons and infantry advance towards the town of Santa Stephano, trying to get there before the Carlists can.
Jackson Gamers' 25mm Test Game
The Carlist War
Struggle for San Stefano
The First Carlist war lasted from 1834 to 1839. During the reign of Isabella II of Spain, Don Carlos, son of Carlos IV, claimed the throne and gained the support of the Church and much of northern Spain.
Britain, France and Portugal supported Isabella. The English General George de Lacy Evans led a brigade against the guerilla forces of the pretender who called himself Carlos V.
The Carlists could make no headway and ended their struggle on Austust 31, 1839. Don Carlos took refuge abroad.
This game, using Mark Stevens' troops was played at Jay Stribling's home on April 30, 2009. This is in during the week, and the players were those who could get time off from work. Jim Pitts wrote the commentaries under the photos.
We had no formal victory conditions, although everyone assumed that posession of Santa Stephano was important.
Photo by Jim Pitts
One of Sean's two battalions of Carlists lines a roadside fence facing the advancing dragoons, while the second battalion maneuvers behind it to approach San Stefano.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Jim's dragoons use a small gap to charge into Sean's forces. In the ensuing gunfire, three dragoons are shot from their saddles.
Photo by Jim Pitts
And another three are prevented from joining the fray because of the confining gateway. In the right rear is Jay's Isabellitos 6-lbr gun providing fire support for the cavalry, while Phil's Carlist battalion crests a steep hill.
What figures are these?
Most of them are from the Perry Brothers' range of figures for the Carlist War. A few are Foundry conversions. All of them were superbly painted by Mark Stevens.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Sean's battalion successfully wheeled to take the dragoons under fire, knocking three more from their saddles. But the plucky dragoons took it all in stride as they pressed on in their charge. In the background are a battalion of British Royal Marines directly behind the gun and a battalion from the British Legion chasing a Carlist horse gun, which they would never catch.
Photo by Jim Pitts
What's this!?! The dragoons decided that discretion was the better part of valor and turned away from the stalwart bayonets of Sean's Carlists, riding away to better (they hoped) fight another time.
What Rules did you use for this game?
We used a variant of "To the Sound of the Guns" a Napoleonic rules set by Jay Stribling. Since the weapons and tactics of the period were quite Napoleonic, this seemed like a good fit. These rules are available from Sergeants Three on line.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Another view of the dragoons riding away from the steady Carlists infantry. After this, the Carlists took San Stefano and its Isabellito garrison under musket fire, forcing them to flee the town which the Carlists then occupied.
Photo by Jim Pitts
After ridding completely around Santo Stephano, the dragoons charged into the rear of the Carlists. But those plucky Basques passed their morale and formed square. The ensuing musket fire emptied another saddle. The brave dragoons charged on into the bayonets, sabering away at the infantry.
The Blue rings on the units' standards indicate a morale rating of above average.
Photo by Jim Pitts
But that was too much for the dragoons who lost another two men in the melee and couldn't crack the square. They didn't have the luck of the KGL dragoons at Garcia Hernandez, routing away from the cheering and jeering Carlists.
The red ring on the unit's standard means that because of casualties and the rout, the unit's morale has been reduced to "1" the lowest possible morale rating. The dragoons would later fail to rally and fled from the field.
Who were the players in this Game?
The Carlists were Sean Pitts and Phil Young. The Isabellitos were Jim Pitts and Jay Stribling. Mark Stevens was game-master and writer of the rules variant. Since this was a play-test of the rules we tried to play "free and easy" and there was a good bit of discussion and jotting down of notes for rules changes for future games by Mark.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Jay and Jim tried one final time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But the Royal Marines couldn't close on Santo Stephano, leaving the poor Isabellitos to go it alone. They put up a magnificent fight, going down to the last gasp with the advance guard commander slashing away at the few Carlists manning the town gate. But he couldn't hack through and the Isabellitos ran away, again.
So, Who won this First battle?
Since the Isabellitos retired upon their main body somewhere off-table to the rear, the Carlists were left in control of the battlefield. So - a Carlist victory!
\Go to another Carlist War battle - Historicon 2009
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