Further thoughts on the Battle of Talavera

I think the French lost because of several reasons. The terrain was terrible for them being a big one.

However, they didn't try to attack in column OR outflank the British line OR use their much better cavalry. Their divisions were all bunched up and allowed routing units to run through and over the top of reserve units.

If I was re-doing it, I'd put a long single corps vs both the Spanish AND Portuguese and send a division around the flank of the British, and commit ALL the heavy cavalry to doing it.

Our army worked pretty well, with the British and Spanish fighting two separate battles with my units in the middle keeping them together. I don't think the 3 French commanders worked as well, I never did figure out who was working with who.

I suspect the reason the French Heavy Dragoons did not commit to save the left wing, was just the presence of my Light Dragoons on the hill. If they'd moved around the flank it might have allowed me cavalry to charge his line. Or they were acting as a reserve, but not committed in time.

AND DON'T ATTACK THE VISCOUNT WELLINGTON WHEN HE'S ON TOP OF A HILL AND ON GOOD GROUND. THAT PLAN NEVER WORKS.