Mexican-American War: Palo Alto

[Redshank]

I finally completed* my Mexican-American War northern theatre project. Got the armies out last Friday for Palo Alto, using Fire and Fury.

The armies confront each other across the table



The Americans...



...and the Mexicans



Copying historical tactics, the Americans advanced their artillery to shell the Mexicans; but the Mexican artillery was much more effective than in the actual battle, partly down to the rules and partly the dice, and managed to damage and silence the American batteries.

The armies then advanced to contact. The Mexicans ruthlessly deployed their lowest-quality cavalry as cannonball sponges...



By the end of the battle, it was becoming clear the Mexicans were taking too many casualties and lacked the strength to break the veteran American infantry.



If there are no photos of the Mexican cavalry breaking through to raid the American baggage train, that is probably because I was one of the American players!

I originally based the units in 2 ranks thinking of adapting Live Free or Die before I'd tried F&F. Consequently the two-base-deep lines look a bit more like columns, which is a little unsatisfactory. However, after an early experiment with rebasing, I am pretty sure there is more chance of my getting a longer table.

* Well, not quite "finished"; the eagle-eyed may have noticed the Grenadier Guards of the Supreme Power standing in for the Sappers. That's because there weren't 15mm/18mm Zap figures available when I started this. There now are, so I will get round to painting them up.

[Redshank]

(Somehow got this in VSF rather than Big Battalions... grateful if a mod could move it.);

[commissarmoody]

Great looking figs, and battle. 

[Frostie]

Very nice looking game, I have often looked at this period.