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 Argentine861 7th Fusilier.jpg (38341 bytes)
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”
Argentine865 7th Grenadier.jpg (36657 bytes)
AI-03 PS-013 Argentina Infantry (Command)   Argentine859 7th Command.jpg (44428 bytes)
PSU-004 Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 UNIT PACK Argentine886 7th Battalion.jpg (205647 bytes)
AC-01 PS002 Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/saber) Granadero a Caballo;
Venezuelan Light Cavalry;
Argentine871 Granaderos Trooper1.jpg (42666 bytes)
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)   Argentine875 Granaderos Command.jpg (46662 bytes)
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
Abascal Carabineers
MC-04 PRNS-007 Cavalry (Hussar Dolman Command) As MC-03 Abascal Carabineers
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
Frontier Dragoons
MC-06 PRNS-005 Cavalry (Coat Command) As MC-05 Frontier Dragoons
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)
Conception Regiment
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.  

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