Following the First Battle of Segovia on 19 April, Kellerman's III Corps felt itself in no position to pursue the battered army of Castanos as it retreated to Guadarrama.  The Spanish frantically received replacements and hurried small numbers of fresh troops up from the capital but gained courage in the lack of pursuit. Also though, Wellington made contact with Castanos and together, the two generals planned an offensive campaign against what they though was a single near-crippled French corps at Segovia. The plan was to hit Segovia with some 80,000 coalition troops and brush Kellerman aside and then drive on across the Douro River at Pradena, and from there outflank and break the French line of communication at Burgos.

What the allied commanders did not know though was that Napoleon was plotting his own renewed offensive. His plan was to march I Corps to Segovia where it would join up with III Corps and then, with II Corps holding the line at Valladolid while it recovered, the Armee de Pyrenees would launch a direct attack on Madrid. It would turn out that both armies would receive their marching orders on the same day but that fortune had the Spanish arriving first at Segovia and so fate decided that the battle would be fought there that day.

Even then, it was Castanos that urged for a swift allied attack and Wellington's forces were not entirely positioned to best advantage. He would start the Second Battle of Segovia with less than half of his troops (and none of his cavalry) on the battlefield on the morning of the 24th. The remainder was still marching from Avila. Castanos too was awaiting reinforcements but this was a case of road congestion as he tried to push his troops through the mountain passes and into the river valley beyond. Napoleon had, at the last, called up Davout and his II Corps from Valladolid but they would not be able to complete the march in time. Guerrilla actions around Valladolid would hinder their timely departure.

The French would deploy their two Corps wide across the battlefield. Kellerman 's III Corps covered three miles of frontage along the Ciguinela stream from San Cristobal and even across the Tejadilla. Marmont's I Corps is massed to face the British forces. Napoleon's orders are to encourage the Spanish to attack and hold with Kellerman while Marmont deals with the British. Marmont is on strict orders to not attack any strongly held British positions.

The British and Spanish positions are a direct result of their arrival from two different directions. Their plan, upon seeing the French deployments, is for the British to hold until their reinforcements arrive and then launch a strong attack, in conjunction with the Spanish, against the hinge point of the French line. The Spanish were to attack wide on the right to try to open up the road to Pradena and also stretch Kellerman wider than his limited command abilities could master.

Immediately upon seeing the Spanish deployment, Kellerman commences to shift his weight toward the right. He seems to expect the main Spanish attack to come on the west bank of the Tejadilla. This encourages Castanos to hurry his attack and to make it more to his right.

Initially, only a single Spanish division was ordered to cross the Tejadilla but the massing of Kellerman brought the Spanish left to a halt in the center. They would hold there under steady French artillery fire for several hours until the British attack forces came up. In the upper left corner, the first British reinforcements have begun to arrive in the form of Cotton's cavalry division.

An hour later and more Spanish have begun to switch banks of the stream, unmolested by the defensive Kellerman.

For the time being, there is only a single French infantry division deployed against the mass of the army of Spain. Spanish infantry begins to mass against Segovia and engage it in heated firefights.

Spanish reinforcements arrive from Madrid and Guadarrama.

British reinforcements have also arrived in the form of Picton and Hill from Avila. The British artillery had started to lose the duel on the left with their French counterparts and so had been pulled back behind the crest line. This allows Marmont's artillery to turn their fire against Picton's columns. Hamilton's Corps holds on the left of the stream while the independent divisions move to start the attack. Since Cotton's cavalry was a part of Hamilton's corps, it would later be unable to effectively shift to support the attack.

The firefight continues against Segovia while the first attacks across the Ciguinela get good successes. The French appear surprised at the ferocity of the Spanish that they have such disdain for.

An entire Spanish division gains a foothold across the stream. Castanos orders the Tremp Borderers to strengthen his center and join in the combat.

Sometime around 1400 hours, Picton's columns get their attacks underway. They would be harassed by French Hussars that would limit their effectiveness. The massed French artillery would cause them terrible casualties. Here, on Castanos' extreme left, Spanish divisions are flung forward to tie up French fire and try to screen the British columns.

The first Spanish division that had gained the far bank of the Ciguinela stream are entirely routed by French cavalry. The Spanish horse cannot get across the stream to effectively support their infantry. Still, there is another Spanish division ready to make the crossing. They will prepare the way with heavy musketry against the Chasseurs a Cheval.

1500 hrs: From the far left to the right, British and Spanish brigades are attacking.

Hamilton's attack stalls in the face of French fire. The cavalry of both armies is paralyzed by the parity and array of artillery. It is a terrible place to be an infantryman.

After more than three hours, Spanish troops finally are able to organize a three pronged assault against Segovia that clears it of French defenders. They are also once again across the Ciguinela. Kellerman's Corps is falling back and having trouble rallying troops to continue the battle.

1700 hrs. Victory on the right seems assured for Castanos but his army is becoming exhausted. Still, he presses on and brings mass fire and bayonets against every French brigade that is to their front.

1700 hrs in the center. Hill's columns continue to press forward despite their casualties but somehow Kellerman's infantry and artillery continue to fire their heated guns.

1730 hours and dusk brings the fighting to a close. The remnants of Hamilton hold their positions on the far left. Marmont has hurt them and remained strong. It was a case of steady, well supported French lines throwing back British columns with the deadliness of their firepower. Picton and Hill, though battered, have secured the crossroads.

On the Spanish right, Castanos has opened the road to Pradena and taken Segovia. Though he had briefly cut the road to Cuella, his advanced forces are driven back by a final charge by the French Chasseurs a cheval. The cost to Castanos though is massive and such Spanish youth has been slain this day that they might never be replaced.

As the armies move apart to collapse exhausted onto the scrublands, Wellington and Castanos confer. They determine that, though they surely could not stand another day of battle if the French are reinforced, they could get perhaps two more British divisions force marched from Salamanca and, importantly, more artillery. Castanos, though the spine of his army is near to shattered, dares to stand with the British.

When the word comes in the night that Napoleon has retreated his army to Cuella, the old general falls to his knees and offers a prayer of thanks.

The game is 16 turns in length. The French get 6 re-rolls and each Allied commander gets 3 rerolls. Neither side has the initiative.

Terrain notes: Streams all count as rough terrain for fording. Artillery can only cross the streams at bridges. Segovia is +1. San Cristobal is +2.