Sgt_Rock
Member
I have been hearing the moans and groans for years about the lack of a Peninsular War title. Frankly while I understand the popularity of the Peninsular War due to the influence of British writers, I fail to see the significance of the war of itself on the Napoleonic scene other than the tremendous manpower drain that it caused on the French army and in particular not that of the battles but of the Spanish population's efforts to defeat the invader.
Wellington and his toadies usually ascribe little to the Spanish other than their ability to go against his wishes. While the battles were significant, Spain was more of a guerrilla campaign. France lost FAR more men to the actions of the Spanish than the British.
As in the significance given to Waterloo over that of the Battle of Paris, Talavera garners more interest than Grossbeeren, Salamanca more than Dresden and Vittoria over Leipzig. Go figure. None of the Iberian battles had the significance of Arcis-sur-Aube or the Katzbach! Wellington marching over the Pyrenees was grand but had he remained in Spain, Napoleon was still doomed.
Has it harmed the hobby that this title has not come out? Well lets put it this way - the British historians have influenced much of what the hobby expects in our titles - Waterloo first, Austerlitz or the 1812 Russian campaign after that. 1813 hardly ever gets mentioned. But bring up Wellington and you get Talavera and so on.
And so the gamers have come to expect that. There are fewer books out on Leipzig than Vittoria. Fewer by far on Dresden than Talavera! Go figure. Those were major battles in comparison to those of the Spanish peninsula.
The only thing I can figure why the Peninsular War is of such interest is that either club members want more British actions to fight in (because they are in the British army) OR the mass of historical literature has made those battles more numerous in print than the others of the European battles.
Because folks - Wellington always beat the French. The battle were stupid as far as command goes. Only at a few of them were the French even remotely near the capability of a Lannes, Napoleon or Davout. Napoleon placed commanders in Spain that were doomed to fail. Wellington with his knack for being at the right place to give important instructions prior to a French assault. That kind of thing.
So for me there isn't much interest in the Peninsular other than to refight those battles where Spain fought France. Those are more of interest to me because of their obscurity.
FYI - having picked up one of the nicely bound/bookcase atlas on the Spanish war I really enjoyed finding out more about the Spanish-French battles.
I now regard the Campaign 1814 game as my most important contribution to the hobby. While Leipzig may be my magnus opus, by far 1814 is the jewel of my work. Not only was there LESS to go on but the campaign was of such importance. Without the drive of a Blucher to beat Napoleon the Allies would have sat on their heels and waited for Spring ...
The battles are obscure to many - a casual reading of Petre's work by most is all the campaign may get. New works are coming out by the likes of Leggiere and hopefully Nafziger's work will get released by Emperor's Press someday before I die.
But put British in it ... and man, the publishers seem to jump at the opportunity to release it.
Yes, I will grant it that a Peninsular title will probably out sell 1814 ... but all I can say is that I would not trade places with the designer of that game. 1814 was a real gem to add to our titles. I was glad to also have been able to give you guys the Russo-Swedish War. While not a huge influence on the European history it was good to learn more about the war and the Swedish army in particular of which my ancestors surely fought in. (one of my relatives had just gotten to the US when he was drafted and sent back to Europe to fight in the trenches of World War 1 - Sweden being neutral when it comes to war you can imagine his shock to find out that he would become embroiled in a conflict that our native country would stay out of ...)
Wellington and his toadies usually ascribe little to the Spanish other than their ability to go against his wishes. While the battles were significant, Spain was more of a guerrilla campaign. France lost FAR more men to the actions of the Spanish than the British.
As in the significance given to Waterloo over that of the Battle of Paris, Talavera garners more interest than Grossbeeren, Salamanca more than Dresden and Vittoria over Leipzig. Go figure. None of the Iberian battles had the significance of Arcis-sur-Aube or the Katzbach! Wellington marching over the Pyrenees was grand but had he remained in Spain, Napoleon was still doomed.
Has it harmed the hobby that this title has not come out? Well lets put it this way - the British historians have influenced much of what the hobby expects in our titles - Waterloo first, Austerlitz or the 1812 Russian campaign after that. 1813 hardly ever gets mentioned. But bring up Wellington and you get Talavera and so on.
And so the gamers have come to expect that. There are fewer books out on Leipzig than Vittoria. Fewer by far on Dresden than Talavera! Go figure. Those were major battles in comparison to those of the Spanish peninsula.
The only thing I can figure why the Peninsular War is of such interest is that either club members want more British actions to fight in (because they are in the British army) OR the mass of historical literature has made those battles more numerous in print than the others of the European battles.
Because folks - Wellington always beat the French. The battle were stupid as far as command goes. Only at a few of them were the French even remotely near the capability of a Lannes, Napoleon or Davout. Napoleon placed commanders in Spain that were doomed to fail. Wellington with his knack for being at the right place to give important instructions prior to a French assault. That kind of thing.
So for me there isn't much interest in the Peninsular other than to refight those battles where Spain fought France. Those are more of interest to me because of their obscurity.
FYI - having picked up one of the nicely bound/bookcase atlas on the Spanish war I really enjoyed finding out more about the Spanish-French battles.
I now regard the Campaign 1814 game as my most important contribution to the hobby. While Leipzig may be my magnus opus, by far 1814 is the jewel of my work. Not only was there LESS to go on but the campaign was of such importance. Without the drive of a Blucher to beat Napoleon the Allies would have sat on their heels and waited for Spring ...
The battles are obscure to many - a casual reading of Petre's work by most is all the campaign may get. New works are coming out by the likes of Leggiere and hopefully Nafziger's work will get released by Emperor's Press someday before I die.
But put British in it ... and man, the publishers seem to jump at the opportunity to release it.
Yes, I will grant it that a Peninsular title will probably out sell 1814 ... but all I can say is that I would not trade places with the designer of that game. 1814 was a real gem to add to our titles. I was glad to also have been able to give you guys the Russo-Swedish War. While not a huge influence on the European history it was good to learn more about the war and the Swedish army in particular of which my ancestors surely fought in. (one of my relatives had just gotten to the US when he was drafted and sent back to Europe to fight in the trenches of World War 1 - Sweden being neutral when it comes to war you can imagine his shock to find out that he would become embroiled in a conflict that our native country would stay out of ...)
