Steven’s 1815 Argentine Army on Big Bases

I thought I’d show off my 1815 Argentines. I my thoughts on Using Big Base Liberators Figures of 1817-18 for 1815 I highlighted a few gaps that I needed to fill before I could refight Sipe Sipe. I could use some figures from my 1817-18 Argentineans but I had to get a few more.

If you are interested in the other side, I’ve already posted on my 1815 Royalists.


Infantry

I got three extra Argentine infantry regiments for 1815: 1st, 7th and 9th. I recycled existing units for the 6th, 12th and Cazadore battalions from my 1817-18 Argentineans.

7th Infantry Regiment

The 7th Infantry Regiment is the stand out unit in the army, both visually and in terms of combat effectiveness. I already have a different black 7th Infantry Regiment (a different unit that fought in the 1817-18 Chilean Campaign) and I debated with myself whether I could justify getting another. But there is really no substitute as they:

  • Were black
  • Wore a unique red uniform
  • Fusiliers and Cazadores had a shako with colpack like the grenadiers in other units
  • Grenadiers wore a bearskin.

Now that is cool so I got an extra battalion to represent this unit. The figures are Grenadier Production 1817-18 Argentines – grenadiers and command figures. The Grenadiers are War Modelling Spanish Grenadiers.

1815-42 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Line
1815-42 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Line
1815-41 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Back
1815-41 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Back
1815-40 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Column
1815-40 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Column
1815-41 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Back
1815-41 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Back

Notice the Grenadiers, with Bearskins, to the right of the command figures.

1815-43 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Command
1815-43 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Command
1815-44 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment - Command Back
1815-44 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment – Command Back

1st Infantry Regiment

I got an extra battalion for this unit. A standard Argentine battalion with white troops and their normal blue uniform.

1815-39 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment - Line
1815-39 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment – Line
1815-38 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment - Back
1815-38 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment – Back
1815-37 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment - Column
1815-37 Argentine 1st Infantry Regiment – Column

9th Infantry Regiment

Another conventional white Argentine infantry unit that I got an extra battalion for.

1815-47 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment - Line
1815-47 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment – Line
1815-45 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment - Column
1815-45 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment – Column
1815-46 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment - Back
1815-46 Argentine 9th Infantry Regiment – Back

6th (Pardos & Morenos) Infantry Regiment

The 6th (Pardos & Morenos) Infantry Regiment comprised freed blacks. Visually they looked like my existing 7th Infantry Regiment from the 1817-18 Chilean Campaign, with the exception of the number on the flag, so I just recycled the existing unit.

1817-74 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment
1817-74 Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment
standing in for the 6th (Pardos & Morenos) Infantry Regiment of 1815

12th Infantry Regiment

The 12th Infantry Regiment is the third white Argentine unit in the army. I am using the 11th from the 1817-18 Chilean Campaign as a stand in. Again only the flag is different.

Two battalions of this regiment were present (800 men in total). I’m am ignoring this for the game and will field only unit one table.

1817-76 Argentine 11th Infantry Regiment
1817-76 Argentine 11th Infantry Regiment
standing in for the 12th Infantry Regiment of 1815

Cazadore Battalion

I’m using the Cazadores de los Andes from the 1817-18 Chilean Campaign. The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough.

1817-73 Argentine Cazadores de los Andes
1817-73 Argentine Cazadores de los Andes
stand in as the Cazadore Battalion of 1815

Cavalry

The Argentineans only had a couple of units of cavalry at Sipe Sipe.

Granaderos a Caballos

Granaderos a Caballos – the same guys that were in the 1817-18 Argentinean army.

1817-64 Argentine Granaderos a Caballo
1817-64 Argentine Granaderos a Caballo

Peru Dragoons

Fletcher (2005) has the Peru Dragoons in the Orbat but the painting guide mentions the Peru Line Cavalry; I assume they are the same chaps. I’m using Argentine Granaderos a Caballos. The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough.

1817-65 Argentine Granaderos a Caballo
1817-65 Argentine Granaderos a Caballo
standing in for Peru Dragoons of 1815

Artillery

I need 4x4lbrs and 1x2lbr model. I have ignored the Mortar that, historically, the Argentines fielded.

I already had the 4 pounders.

1817-79 Argentine Artillery 4lb
1817-79 Argentine Artillery 4lb

But I need a 2 pounder.

1815-35 Argentine 2 lb Gun
1815-35 Argentine 2 lb Gun
1815-36 Argentine 2 lb Gun
1815-36 Argentine 2 lb Gun

General

General Belgrano commanded the Argentine army. He is also famous for inventing the Argentine flag – he chose it as his battle flag to distinguish his army from that of the Spanish. Previously both sides had used Spanish flags.

1815-33 General Belgrano
1815-33 General Belgrano
1815-34 General Belgrano - Back
1815-34 General Belgrano – Back

Acknowledgements

Martin Boulter from Silurian Wargames Limited painted the extra Argentines for 1815. He uses a style that is similar to the Black Undercoat Method of painting but uses more shades. I based them using Sand, Flat Earth paint, and Dry Brushing on Big Bases.

Most figures are the 15mm range from Grenadier Productions.

I made the flags.

Uniform guides were the books by John Fletcher of Grenadier Productions (Fletcher, 2005, 2006) in particular the illustrations by Prof. Julio Luqui Lagleyze and Cesar Puliafito that appear in Fletcher (2005, p. 28 – 36) and the various books by Pedrazzoli (2009, 2010, 2011).

References

Fletcher, J. (2005). Liberators! Volume 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.

Fletcher, J. (2006). Liberators! Supplement 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.

Liberators 1810-1830 Yahoo Discussion Forum

Luqui Lagleyze, J. M., and Manzano Lahoz, A. (1998). «Los Realistas» (1810-1826): Virreinatos del Perú y del Rio de la Plata, y Capitanía General de Chile [Hombres en Uniforme No 5]. Quiron Ediciones. [Spanish]

Pedrazzoli, F. D. (2009). Viluma 1815: The revolution beheaded. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.

Pedrazzoli, F. D. (2010). Uniforms of the Northern Army: Infantry – Upper Peru 1814-15. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.

Pedrazzoli, F. D. (2011). Pezuela’s Army Uniforms: Infantry – Upper Peru 1813-15. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.

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