A return to the Po Campaign

It's been nearly 3 weeks since I last dealt with the rival dynasties fighting in northern Italy. That was partly down to an outbreak of "Real Life" - a family holiday, busy-ness at work and football watching. The football hasn't calmed down yet (another trip beckons this evening, this time to Cambridge). But plans are being made to re-start the campaign for the last month or two of the campaigning season. After that, I'll probably call a halt to it whilst I pursue other wargaming interests.

[Post Script: got back late having driven to Cambridge. Was catching up with 'content' when I got home and noticed on the head coach's interview that he is sponsored by Grimsby wargamer, Dave Tuck. https://gtfc.co.uk/firstteam/david-artell/ Cracking end to the game and a great atmosphere, packed in on a covered terrace. Proper old school.]

The holiday included a return to Dénia on the headland halfway between Valencia and Alicante, and another visit to the castle there (again at the suggestion of the Margravina). Then later a day trip to Valencia itself, when we were completely out of sync with local timings. A late arrival meant we lunched without thinking about siesta time, and missed the museum opening hours (8:00-14:00 and 18:00-20:00). Schoolboy error!

Looking south towards Mont Gó which broods over the town of Dénia

Estacio del Nord, the main station in Valencia city

As above but with the bullring to its left

Part of a display around the outside of Valencia CF's ground, Camp de Mestalla.

Nice touch!

The SW corner of the Mestalla. Walkable from the main station, so the eldest and I are planning a trip to catch a home game next season.

One of the closed museums.

Central post office

The city hall.

I love the attention given to design of even manhole covers!

Information board at Dénia castle including pics of guerittes.

Lope de Vega was one of those fighting poet-playwrights Spain seemed to produce in the late 16th century. He gets referenced a lot in the Captain Alatriste novels along with Cervantes and Francesco de Quevedo. I'm in danger of disappearing down a rabbit hole with this subject (I'm halfway through a book on Lepanto, the battle where Cervantes lost use of one hand). Vega was one of the chaps who tried to invade Olde England in 1588 but was seen off by a 'Protestant wind'.

Meanwhile back in the 18th century.

Right, back to the campaign. I screenshotted part of a map of the area around the city of Cuneo in northwest Italy. I'll use this as the scene for a rearguard scenario whereby the Gallispans have to get to the safety of Cuneo before they are overhauled by the combined armies of Piedmont and Austria. There's a couple of river crossings over a watercourse to the north and a couple by the city in the south.

Environs of Cuneo showing approximate locations of bridges over the Stura river in the 1740s, and the location of Madonna dell Olmo, scene of the real battle in 1744 and the action earlier in my campaign (1742). North is in the direction of the top right corner.

The map flipped round so it fits on an 8ft by 4ft board. North is now bottom right!

I probably won't get this battle done until the weekend, as I still need to work out the order of entry on the table and set the table up.