"Mexican-American War: Best Battle for Wargaming?" Topic

Which battle from the Mexican-American War makes the best game on the miniature wargaming tabletop?

Palo Alto is my favorite.

Palo Alto definitely. When I embarked on my Mexican-American War project, I opted for Palo Alto. Its smallish, fairly even and the Mexicans provide lots of colorful cavalry. Its essentially the same armies for Resaca de la Palma and gives good cores for the other, bigger battles.

we enjoyed doing the Palo alto scenario especially painting the figures .full report here link

Another vote for Palo Alto

Palo Alto for the win. I recall the feature in that old Time-Life book. Too bad about Major Ringgold, and all of the fallen on both sides.

At the risk of sharing a hive mind, Palo Alto, pretty much has to be the best of the historical actions for all reasons cited, plus at least one not yet cited.

The Mexican Army of The North was spoiling for a fight, an opportunity to put the "bullying Yanquis" in their place. With all the profound failings of the Mexican armies in general acknowledged (even though that day theirs was effectively a 2:1 numerical edge), they still had the best single advantage any army can have--they believed they would win.

That they didn't might almost be attributed solely to the decision of General Arista to stand and make the enemy come to him. What he couldn't have anticipated was the astonishing revolution in field artillery tactics as developed by Ringgold, against which "standing firm" was actually suicidal.

Any set of rules which gives the Mexicans the initial moral advantage--fully equal to the Yanquis--from the beginning, and properly represents the actual means of Ringgold's artillery tactics, is going to give a tremendous battle and a chance for history to be changed.

TVAG