Amid the whirlwind of appointments and home projects, I continue to diligently and with some passion move forward with the terrain for those projects close to my heart. My current focus falls back to the tumultuous times of the Peninsular War, a period marked by the fierce clashes between the French and Spanish, with the British occasionally stepping in to tip the scales. Notably, it was the Spanish forces that first shattered the aura of invincibility surrounding the French army, achieving a monumental victory in 1809. This remarkable feat by the Spanish challenges the conventional narrative that painted them as largely ineffectual in combat, best suited for defensive postures and hoping for the mercy of a non-attack by the French. Au contraire, indeed! However, this is a subject I'll delve into more deeply in a future post.
My current labor of love involves recreating the landscape for the Battle of Bailen, which raged from July 16 to 22, 1809. And just to sprinkle in a bit of intriguing trivia, did you know the average temperature in that region of Spain in July soars to about 97 degrees Fahrenheit? Moreover, during that season, Bailen and its environs are hardly touched by rain, suggesting that the conditions during the historic battle were arid, dusty, and scorching, especially by the early afternoon. The likely high humidity would have only intensified the harshness of the environment.
The terrain around Bailen is characterized by its hilly and rugged nature. In bringing this historical battlefield to life, I'm making large hills that will dominate much of the table. According to historical accounts, a river flowed nearby, adding a strategic element to the landscape. I'm meticulously shaping the terrain so that the hills feature gentle slopes, ensuring that the unit stands remain in place, rather than succumbing to the pull of gravity.
Thus, this is the status of my latest endeavors—a blend of historical fidelity and creative labor as I reconstruct the stage upon which the Battle of Bailen unfolds.