Can the Allied mix of Spanish, English, and Portugese defeat Soult's French force? Our Gourmet Wargaming Club fought with 6mm miniatures using a variant of The Eagle Fights miniatures rules (published by Pratzen Editions) called Close Ranks!. Enjoy the photos, below. Note the small scale of the figures, and prepare to be astounded by the painter's virtuosity. These are detailed figures! (6mm castings by Adler.)

The Game Master takes center stage as he explains the basic rules concepts.	A snapshot of the battle at the beginning, during the initial briefing. Note the Albuera River at the farthest corner of the table. The French are arrayed at right.	French cavalry make up the bulk of their left flank.	A French artillery battery advancing in column. The photograph does not do justice to the fine paint job, but you can see some of the detail on these 6mm miniatures.	Spanish infantry form the Allied front line.
British infantry move up to support the Spanish.	Necessary equipment for our war in miniature. Sunglasses are de rigueur.	Proving the adage that an army marches on its belly: preliminary snacks.	Spanish infantry on the Allied left flank.	A small contingent of French troops prepare to cross the Albuera River.
More British troops march to the front line.	French infantry move to the attack.	Dreaded lancers, the bane of Allied infantry.	The Allied flank is held by Spanish cavalry of dubious quality and morale.	British guns move up to bolster the right flank.
British infantry deploys from the road to the right of the line.	The battle in progress. Cotton marks the first cannon fire.	Cavalry clashes on the Allied right.	British horse guns bark their disapproval of French foreign policy.	French cavalry moves up to engage the Allied right flank.
Masses of French cavalry have swept their Spanish opposites from the field. A small number of enemy remain (bottom left).	The French center advances under cover of cannon fire.	A close-up of the French right flank.	A clash of French and British sabers!	Both sides drop back for a second round of fighting.
Artillery moves up to support the French left.	British infantry slide over to cover the hole in the Allied right flank.	A view from behind Allied lines. Note the drifting smoke caused by the cannon fire on both sides.	French infantry (left) attack with a skirmish line deployed in front.	French lancers charge guns to the flank of the Spanish.
After cutting down the gunner of the first pair of cannon, the lancers plow into the second line of guns. Note the special "out of cannister" markers (a capital C with a red line through it) and obscuring smoke. This doesn't bode well for the British gunners.	The photographer skipped right past the main course and went to document the dessert. This is, in a way, unfair to our generous hosts; but a man with a camera is easily distracted.	Surely this is Valhalla!	A quick shot of our kind hostess helping out with the distribution of the desserts. There were so many delectable items to choose from that considerable concentration and patience was required in the assembly process. The eating was over in a flash!	Back to the disaster on the Allied right flank: French lancers skewer the gun crews, then continue on into the infantry behind.
At this point the French infantry was fericiously engaging the Spanish front line.	Smoke and carnage mark the heaviest points of the fighting. Our day of battle is over, and we have learned much about the Close Ranks! rules.