Here are some suggestions for figures – both specialist figures and make-do jobs from Napoleonics ranges.
Specialist South American Figures
I’m only aware of one specialist range of 15mm wargaming figures for the South American Wars of Liberation: the figures from Grenadier Productions.
The Grenadier Productions packs were originally 8 infantry and 4 cavalry; they also had unit packs of 24 infantry or 12 cavalry. These are the packs listed as “Old Codes”. Now they have moved to packs of 12 infantry and 6 cavalry – the “New Codes” – without unit packs. I’ve retained the old codes to remind myself what I purchased in the past when rummaging through my boxes of unpainted lead.
| New Code | Old Code | Description | Use for (if not obvious) | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1-01 | PS-011 | Argentina Infantry (Fusilero/Cazadore) | Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 Fusilero/Cazadore |  |
| A1-02 | PS-012 | Argentina Infantry (Granadero) |
Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 Granadero; Some entire Argentine battalions in Upper Peru used this style “shako bag”; Some later war Royalist Grenadiers used the same style “shako bag” |
 |
| AI-03 | PS-013 | Argentina Infantry (Command) |  |
|
| – | PSU-004 | Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 UNIT PACK |  |
|
| AC-01 | PS002 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/saber) |
Granadero a Caballo; Venezuelan Light Cavalry; |
 |
| AC-02 | PS001 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/lance) |
Argentine Granadero a Caballo; Venezuelan Light Cavalry; Royalist Lanceros del Rey |
|
| AC-03 | PS003 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/command) |  |
|
| AC-04 | PS005 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (cap/saber) |
Argentine Granaderos a Caballo in Peru and Ecuador 1820-1824; |
|
| AC-05 | PS004 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (cap/lance) |
Granaderos a Caballo in service in Peru |
|
| AC-06 | PS006 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavarly (cap/command) | ||
| AC-07 | PS-016 | Gaucho Cavalry |
Gaucho cavalry from Jujuy, Tucuman, portions of Alto Peru, etc; |
|
| AC-08 | PS-017 | Gaucho Infernales Cavalry | Gaucho cavalry from the region of Salta | |
| – | PSU001 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo 1813-20 UNIT PACK(shako/saber) | ||
| – | PSU-001a | Argentina Granaderos a Caballo 1813-1815 UNIT PACK (shako/lance) | ||
| – | PSU002 | Argentina Granadero a Caballo 1820-24 UNIT PACK (cap/saber) | ||
| – | PSU-002a | Argentina Granadero a Caballo 1820-24 UNIT PACK (cap/lance) | ||
| AA-01 | PS-020 | Argentina Artillery Crew | ||
| AG-01 | PS-013 | Patriot General Belgrano | General Manuel Belgrano, Antonio Balcarce, Jose Rondeau, Rudecindo Alvarado or any poor or mid-tier Patriot general | |
| AG-02 | PS-018 | Patriot General Guemes | Martin Guemes, Juan Arenales, Ignacio Warnes, Manuel Padilla or any other Bolivian or Argentine caudillo of the period | |
| AG-03 | PS-015 | Patriot General San Martin | ||
|
CI-01
VI-01 |
PS-007 |
Chile Infantry (Fusileros) Venezuela/Gran Colombia Infantry (Fusileros) |
Two codes have same figures for Chile and Venezuela/Gran Colombia | 
|
| CI-02 | PS-009 | Chile Infantry (Cazadore) | 
|
|
|
CI-03
VI-03 |
PS-008 |
Chile Infantry (Granaderos) Venezuela/Gran Colombia Infantry (Granaderos) |
Two codes have same figures for Chile and Venezuela/Gran Colombia | 
|
| CI-04 | PS-010 | Chile Infantry (Command) | 
|
|
| – | PSU-003 | Chile Infantry 1817-1823 UNIT PACK | ||
| CA-01 | PS-021 | Chile Artillery Crew | ||
| CG-01 | PS-014 | Patriot General O’Higgins | ||
| VI-02 | – | Venezuela/Gran Colombia Infantry (Cazadores) | ||
| VI-04 | – | Venezuela/Gran Colombia Infantry (Command) |
Venezuela/Gran Colombia Regular Infantry; Llanero/Peasant Infantry |
|
| LI-01 | – | Llanero/Peasant Infantry | ||
| LI-02 | – | Llanero//Peasant Infantry Command | ||
| LC-01 | – | Llanero Cavalry | ||
| RG-01 | RS-004 | Royalist General Canterac | Brigadier General Jose Canterac, Jose Ordoñez, Geronimo Valdez, or any “lead from the front” Royalist general | |
| RG-02 | RS-006 | Royalist General Osorio | Brigadier General Mariano Osorio, Domingo Pio Tristan, Rafael Maroto or any poor quality Royalist general | 
|
| RG-03 | RS-005 | Royalist General Pezuela | Brigadier General Joaquin de la Pezuela, Manuel Goyeneche or any “old school” Royalist general | |
| RI-01 | RNS-001 | Royalist Infantry (Fusileros) | Royalist Infantry 1817-24 | |
| RI-02 | RNS-002 | Royalist Infantry (Elites) | Royalist Infantry 1817-24 | |
| RI-03 | RNS-003 | Royalist Infantry (Command) | Royalist Infantry 1817-24 | |
| – | RNSU-001 | Royalist Infantry 1818-24 UNIT PACK | ||
| RC-01 | RNS-007 | Royalist Dragoons w/ helmet troopers |
Royalist dragoons from Peru 1820 onwards; “Dragones de Tinta” (Tinta Dragoons) A few other early war Royalist cavalry squadrons; |
|
| RC-02 | RNS-008 | Royalist Dragoons w/ helmet command | As RC-01 | |
| – | RNSU-002 | Royalist Dragoons w/ helmet UNIT PACK | ||
| RA-01 | RNS-009 | Royalist Artillery Crew | Royalist Artillery 1813-26 | |
| MC-01 | PRNS-008 | Cavalry (Jacket) |
Any unit in short jacket without tails; Dragoons; Cazadores a Caballo |
|
| MC-02 | PRNS-009 | Cavalry (Jacket Command) | As MC-01 | |
| – | PRNSU-003 | Cavalry in Jacket UNIT PACK | ||
| MC-03 | PRNS-006 | Cavalry (Hussar Dolman) |
Any unit in Braided Jacket; Dragoons; Hussars; Cazadores a Caballo; Escorts |
|
| MC-04 | PRNS-007 | Cavalry (Hussar Dolman Command) | As MC-03 | 
|
| – | PRNSU-002 | Cavalry in Braided Jacket UNIT PACK | ||
| MC-05 | PRNS-004 | Cavalry (Coat) |
Any cavalry unit that wore coats with tails, usually Dragoons; Cazadores a Caballo; Escorts; Possibly Royalist Granaderos de la Guardia |
|
| MC-06 | PRNS-005 | Cavalry (Coat Command) | As MC-05 | 
|
| – | PRNSU-001 | Cavalry in Short Coat UNIT PACK | ||
| MC-07 | PRS-002 | Militia Cavalry (Top hat; Saber) |
Early war Royalists; Argentine militia cavalry throughout the period Dragones de San Carlos; the Regimiento de Blandengues |
|
| MC-08 | PRS-001 | Militia Cavalry (Top hat; Lance) |
Early war Royalists; Argentine militia cavalry throughout the period; Regimiento de Dragones de Milicia Patriotica de Salta; Gauchos de Linea de Salta |
|
| MC-09 | PRS-003 | Militia Cavalry (Top hat; Command) | As MC-07 and MC-08 | |
| BI-01 | – | British/Irish Infantry (Privates) | ||
| BI-02 | – | British/Irish Infantry (Command) | ||
| PRNS-010 | 6lbr (5.5″) Howitzer (2 guns) | |||
| PRNS-011 | 4lbr Field Gun (Short Barrel) (2 guns) | |||
| PRNS-012 | 4lbr Field Gun (Long Barrel) (2 guns) | |||
| PRNS-013 | 8lbr Field Gun (2 guns) | |||
| PRNS-014 | 2lbr Mountain Gun (2 guns) | |||
There are rumours of the the following packs:
- Indians for the Cuzco uprising of 1814
Using Napoleonic Figures in South America
Until the advent of the specialist range of 15mm figures from Grenadier Productions most gamers used standard Napoleonic figures with a South American paint job. Here are few guidelines based on Balkan Military History: South America and discussions on Liberators 1810-1830 Yahoo Discussion Forum.
John Fletcher said, for example “I built many of my Chilean troops by using 1815 Dutch-Belgian infantry. They are by no means a perfect match but the single breasted short jackets and French style shakos was good enough for me at the time. ”
There are a wide selection of Napoleonic era 15mm figures available, including Fantassin, Battle Honours, AB, Essex and Old Glory 15s. The specialist Grenadier Productions are designed to be compatible with Fantassin, hence by implication are compatible with Battle Honours and AB.
| Origin | Unit | Date | Figure Suggestions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentine | Generals | 1817-18 |
Mounted officers with a fore-and-aft bicorn Old Glory15s the British Generals pack |
|
| Argentine | Artillery | 1817-18 |
Spanish Artillery with Shako or AB Miniatures AB-S23 Dutch/Belgium artillery crew pack; the guns are |
|
| Argentine | Line Infantry Regiment | 1817-18 | Dutch/Belgium Chasseurs | |
| Argentine | Cazadores de los Andes (Cazadore Infantry Regiment #1) | 1817-18 | British rifles with Light Infantry Command so you don’t get the officer’s pelisse but do get the standard bearer. I used:
That said, the historical unit used muskets not rifles. John Fletcher used Two Dragons Productions figures as they have their sabres attached like bayonets, giving the overall appearance of muskets. |
|
| Argentine | Cazadores a Caballo de la Escolta del General | 1817-18 | Balkan Military History: South America used French Chasseurs a Cheval, which is appropriate for the Elite company but not for the majority. Looks impressive though. Terry Haney suggested AB Figures Jena Prussian Hussars in shako (JP233) make an excellent substitute for Royalist cavalry and Patriot Cazadore a Caballo, No pelisse, and tall, straight shako. Just need to trim off their pigtail. | |
| Argentine | Granaderos a Caballo | 1817-18 | Dutch light dragoons | |
| Origin | Unit | Date | Figure Suggestions | |
| Chilean | Artillery | 1817-18 | Dutch/Belgium artillery crew pack; the guns are single trail British, so aren’t suitable for Liberators. | |
| Chilean | 2nd Militia Cavalry Regiment of Santiago | 1817-18 | ||
| Chilean | Caballeria Cazadores de la Escolta Directorial | 1817-18 | ||
| Chilean | Line Infantry Battalion | 1817-18 | Isabelino infantry from the Fantassin Carlist range or 1815 Dutch-Belgian infantry Prussians with Shako (e.g. Essex) |
|
| Chilean | Coquimbo Cazadore Battalion | 1817-18 | ||
| Chilean | Engineers | 1817-18 | Foot officers with a fore-and-aft bicorn | |
| Origin | Unit | Date | Figure Suggestions | |
| Peruvian | Infantry (2nd and 4th battalions) | 1823 | Grenadier Productions Chilean Infantry 1817-1823 | |
| Peruvian | Peruvian Legion | 1823 | AB Miniatures AB-S32 for the fusileros, S04-S06 for the granaderos and Grenadier Productions PS-010 for the command (you’ll have to add a lapel to the officer in your painting). | |
| Peruvian | Cazadores | 1823 | Grenadier Productions Chilean Cazadores 1817-1823 | |
| Peruvian | Hussar | 1823 | Grenadier Productions Granaderos a Caballo (shako); file off the shoulder boards, add jacket lace in painting. | |
| Peruvian | Artillery | 1823 | Grenadier Productions *soon* to be released Argentina artillery | |
| Origin | Unit | Date | Figure Suggestions | |
| Royalist | Infantry |
For the period up to 1817 use… Fantassin EN-17 Spanish Infantry with French Style Shako Fantassin EN-22 Spanish Command Bicorne Fantassin EN-22a Spanish Infantry Command (shako) |
|
|
| Royalist | Cavalry | Terry Haney suggested AB Figures Jena Prussian Hussars (JP233) in shako make an excellent substitute for Royalist cavalry and Patriot Cazadore a Caballo, No pelisse, and tall, straight shako. Just need to trim off their pigtail. | ||
| Royalist | Cazadores Cavalry | 1823 | Grenadier Productions Granaderos a Caballo (shako); file off the shoulder boards | |
| Royalist | Cavalry with Helmet | 1823 | ||
| Royalist | Artillery |
Spanish Artillery with Shako or AB Miniatures AB-S23; AB Spanish Artillery with Bicorne for 1810-12; French Artillery |
||
| Origin | Unit | Date | Figure Suggestions | |
| Various | Gauchos | 1817-18 | Spanish Garrochistas. Fantassin do some in 15mm. | |
| All | Guns | The Spanish adopted the Gribeauval system in 1792 but in the Americas some Valliere’s probably stayed in service (see above). John Fletcher uses Fantassin French 4lbrs (rather chunky) and 8lbrs for the majority of his guns. |