The book contains quite a lot of useful information about units, rules and whatnot for the game as well as a brief rundown of the Peninsular campaign between the Anglo-Portuguese army and the French. Whilst the Peninsular campaign was not as major as the wars in the eastern parts of Europe, it is obviously dear to many British gamers, particularly the ones who wrote this book. The next book in the series focuses on Waterloo and the 100 days campaign and there is a third underway which is all about the other battles in this period featuring Russia, Austria and Prussia. Personally I think that should get at least two or three books to cover it, but we shall see. (Albion Triumphant was only supposed to be 1 book, but they decided to expand it up to two).
Anyway, on to the review.
The book looks at several major battles during the campaign in Portugal and Spain with maps and a description of the battles at Vimeiro, Talavera, Fuentes de Onoro and Salamanca. It also contains scenarios to refight a few battles later in the book including Rolica and Salamanca, which is scaled down to a level where you and a few friends could possibly hope to field enough minis. No real OrBats (order of battle) are included and the author suggests that you should research these yourself. Given that the British divisions were often shifted around and the French fielded at least three armies with different commanders during the campaign it would probably take up a massive amount of space to cover every list.
The book does contain detailed write ups and rules for British, French, Spanish and Portuguese armies along with info on some of the allied forces like Brunswickers, KGL and Italians. Overall, the British come out looking particularly fierce with special rules on quite a lot of units. (The 95th may as well have Sharpe in them if you ever field them as a full Battalion). The French are average with a good range of reliable cavalry options. The Portugese are British-lite and the Spanish are for players who think they win too much and want to change that. The book contains generic army lists (with variations for early, mid and late forces) with point values should you wish to play that way. A British Line Battalion is 39 Points, French are 38 whilst a Spanish unit is 20. The 95th clock in at 58 points for a Battalion. Strangely they include rules for Wellington, Picton, Junot, Massena and a couple of other famous officers but no points values. As Wellington's special rule seems designed for pick-up games (He can choose which side of the table to play on) it feels like an omission that you can't actually use him in pick-up games.
The unit write ups include descriptions of uniforms covering the basics for most unit types and common variations, but sadly they lack pictures of them. These can generally be found on the interwebs anyway, but it is a big difference between AT and say a 40K Codex. The writer also assumes that you are using the 20mm frontage 2x2 Victrix bases for most of your units. Not a major point, but it may nettle people who have gone for the 15mm 3x2 Perry style or something else.
The book offers more precise rules for the French Attack columns (rather than the "here is what we generally do..." approach of the main rulebook). The French get a rule called Pas de Charge which gives them the Reliable rule when in Attack Column. However, if you manage to multi-charge an enemy unit with infantry (i.e 2 columns vs. 1 line) only one unit can attack, the other works as a support unless it attacks from the flank/rear. If the French win, then both columns get to make follow up moves. If they draw then they lose the morale bonus for the columns and continue fighting, though the French player can switch to the undamaged unit for making attacks. The British get a new rule called Steady Line. When charged, a unit in line that isn't shaken or disordered may either shoot at the usual +1 for closing fire OR shoot as normal and then counter-charge gaining the bonus for charging. In game terms this means that if an undamaged French Column goes into an undamaged British Column, the British have a slight advantage. If the French first wear down the Brits with artillery and skirmishers then they have the advantage. This is a closer fit to how things usually went in the Peninsular and stops the 'gaming' of the Attack Column rule. So French players should pour cannon fire onto their opponents at range as Napoleon recommended whilst the British should keep their lines in cover until the opportune moment as Wellington preferred. Oh and Brits now have a rule that prevents them forming Attack Columns unless assaulting a building.
As I said above the French look quite average overall and I think this is because the book purely covers the forces that took part in the campaign. The cream of the French army was away fighting the Russians and Austrians for the most part, so the forces in Spain tended to be levee troops rather than veterans. There are rules for a couple of units of Young Guard in the book (not that they did anything except hunt down Spaniards during their tour in Spain). As a reference for refighting battles in the Peninsular under scenario conditions this book is great. For regular games at Joshin, it offers some nice ideas, but I would like to see some rules for the rest of the armies of that era before really going to town with the army lists. Hopefully the next book will give lists for Prussia, French Elites and some of the northern allies such as Holland and Belgium to help balance things out.
Right, I think that covers everything. I'm off to paint some more minis.
