15mm Wargaming Figures for the South American Wars of Liberation

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; Caballeria de la Patria Regiment (1810-11); Dragones Ligeros de la Patria/Ligeros del Peru Regiment (1811); Dragones de la Patria Regiment; Dragones de Plaza (1815); Husares de Tucuman Regiment (1816)
AC-05	PS004	Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (cap/lance)	Granaderos a Caballo in service in Peru 1820; Any Argentine cavalry unit with lances
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; Guerrilla or irregular units in Bolivia, Argentina or Uruguay
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 single trail British, so aren’t suitable for Liberators.
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: Fantassin UN-31 British Rifles Marching Fantassin UN-30 Command Light Infantrymen 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.