Using Big Base Liberators Figures of 1817-18 for 1815

A while ago I put together some thoughts on Using 15mm Liberators Figures of 1817-18 for 1815. That was for my old armies on bases 30mm wide. I’ve now gone for Big Bases so I thought I’d revisit what I need to do for the third campaign in Upper Peru (Jan-Nov 1815), featuring the Battle of Viluma / Sipe Sipe.

Patriot

The Patriot force in 1815 is a pure Argentine army so I can’t use any of my Chileans. But the Argentine figures of 1817-18 are a good basis for 1815, I just need more of them. Although previously I was thinking of having alternative command stands and recycling the units, now I’m just going to use the existing units with the wrong flags. Far more pragmatic.

1815 Unit Use 1817-18 Unit To buy/paint Comments
1st Infantry Regiment +1 battalion White
6th (Pardos & Morenos) Infantry Regiment 7th Black
7th Infantry Regiment +1 battalion No substitute as they:

  • were black
  • wore a unique red uniform
  • had a shako with colpack for fusiliers and cazadores. The grenadiers wore a bearskin.
9th Infantry Regiment +1 battalion White.
12th Infantry Regiment 11th White. Two battalions of this regiment were present (800 men in total); might ignore this and field on unit one table.
Cazadore Battalion Cazadores de los Andes The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough
Granaderos a Caballos Granaderos a Caballos
Peru Dragoons Granaderos a Caballos 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. Use Granaderos a Caballos. The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough.
4x4lbrs 4x4lbrs 8x4lbrs converts to four models
1x2lbr +1x2lbr 2x2lbrs converts to one model
Mortar I think I’ll ignore it.

Royalist

My 1817-18 Royalists are a good basis for the early army. However, the 1815 army is in the blue uniform not the white. However, depending on which source you use the 1815 army has lots of units with distinctive uniforms. And I can’t resist them.

1815 Unit Use 1817-18 Unit To buy/paint Comments
1st Infantry Regiment Chiloe Battalion Two battalions of this regiment were present (600 men in total). Might ignore this and field one unit on table.
2nd Infantry Regiment Conception Regiment Two battalions of this regiment were present (600 men in total). Might ignore this and field one unit on table.
3rd Infantry Regiment / Centre Battalion Los Angeles Regiment (Chillan Regiment) May not have been present; if not then the Generals Battalion was instead. And the General’s battalion look more interesting.
General’s Battalion – Grenadier Battalion +1 battalion Use 1817-18 Royalist Grenadiers and Officers. Distinctive uniform with green coats and trousers in either purple (men) or white (officers).
General’s Battalion – Fusilier Battalion +1 battalion Use 1817-18 Royalist Fusiliers and Officers. Distinctive uniform with green coats and trousers in either purple (men) or white (officers).
4th Infantry Regiment / Reserve Grenadier Infantry Battalion +1 battalion The 1818 Converged Grenadier Battalion has men from various units, with different facing colours, but at least they’ve got grenadier caps. Unfortunately, Pedrazzoli (2011) has this uniform in blue – both double breasted coat and trousers – with a grenadier mitre rather than shako, so the converged grenadiers are pragmatic but not a great fit. So I’m getting War Modelling Spanish Grenadier figures for both officers and men.
Cazadore Battalion +1 battalion I thought of using the Converged Cazadore Battalion of 1818 for this unit, however this isn’t a good fit as the Cazadore battalion of 1815 had a distinctive uniform – green with red facings and white braid on single breasted coatee. I’m going to use Chilean Fusiliers with Royalist officers for the figures.
Fernando VII Battalion +1 battalion Distinctive green single breasted jacket.
Partidario Infantry Battalion +1 battalion Pedrazzoli (2009) has these chaps in a shako with colpack, like the 1817-18 Argentine grenadiers. That would be very cool but Fletcher (2005) has them in the normal blue uniform. Pragmatism should rule and I should use one of my Peninsular Spanish battalions in blue. Of course I’m not very good at pragmatism when it comes to buying wargaming figures. So I’m getting a battalion with Argentine Grenadiers (which Colpack) as the men and Royalist Officers.
Voluntarios de Castro Battalion Peninsular Spanish Battalion Use one of my battalions in blue
Dismounted Cavalry ? ? Not sure who these guys were
Cazadores a Caballo Chilean Caballeria Cazadores de la Escolta Directorial 2 squadrons. Green jacket and trousers with shako. Which makes them close enough to the Chileans with a green jacket and blue trousers.
Cochabamba Dragoons ? ? I don’t know what they looked like.
Guardia del General Cavalry +1 Squadron Only 50 men but I’ll give them a unit. Assuming they are the “Escort Squadron” from Fletcher (2005) they wore a conventional blue uniform with red facings, but with a helmet.
San Carlos Dragoons Frontier Dragoons
18x4lbrs 8x4lbrs +10x4lbrs 36x4lbrs converts to 18 models. I’ve got 8. Perhaps I rope in some Patriot and Carlist War guns.
2x2lbrs +2x2lbrs 4x2lbrs converts to two models.

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.

Hooker, T. (1991). The Armies of Bolivar and San Martin [Men-at-Arms 232]. Osprey.

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 1814-15. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.

2 thoughts on “Using Big Base Liberators Figures of 1817-18 for 1815”

  1. el ejercito del norte estaba peor equipado y no tenia la instrucción del posterior ejercito de los andes. Aunque si no hay extremistas del detalle puedes utilizarlo y tratar de darle la victoria en ese dificil teatro de operaciones a los patriotas!
    suerte y espero ver pronto el combarte

    Reply
  2. Matias, yes, the Army of the Andes was better trained and equipped. None-the-less the uniforms were similar so they are a good basis for the earlier period. I’m quite looking forward to exploring the in Upper Peru. It was challenging for both sides, in different ways.

    Reply

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