Spanish and Portuguese Military History,
Wargaming, and other stuff
I’m keen on the Wars of South American Liberation aka Liberators at the moment and wondered what I’d have to do to use Hordes of the Things (HOTT)for the period. Hence “Liberators HOTT”.
Adam, Chris and I had a go at my Alternative Chacabuco Scenario for Liberators HOTT. The South American Wars of Liberation are becoming a bit of a theme in late 2021.
Summary: Good game. Infantry slog felt like an Napoleonic style infantry fight. Columns pushing through lines in a bloody and extended battle Cavalry fight was brutal and heroic, more Lord of the Rings than South America, and took too long.
I already have a Alternative Chacabuco Scenario for Liberators HOTT, based on the Alternative Chacabuco scenario from the Liberators Supplement by John Fletcher (Fletcher, 2006). But that is for a typically small HoTT game and today I wanted to play a big game of Liberators HOTT. A “Mass Battle” in HoTT terms. More elements. More figures. More players. More fun.
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.
I was talking to John Fletcher and he mentioned most people who play Liberators choose the 1817-18 campaign of the War in the South, like I did. So I’m determined to refight other battles, hopefully all of them eventually. But to start with here is a catalogue of the scenarios.
John Fletcher published a scenario for the Battle of Gavilan on the Liberators 1810-1830 Yahoo Discussion Forum (in the files section). This is my version for Liberators HOTT.
Chris Harrod and I played my Alternative Tucuman Scenario for Liberators HOTT. Chris played the attacking Royalists trying to reach Tucuman along the main road from the north. I had the Argentine Patriots. Another great little game with victory going to Chris.
This is a “What-if” Liberators HOTT scenario related to the Battle of Tucuman 24-25 September 1812; the deciding battle in the War of Argentine Independence.
Belgrano was expecting the Royalists to march directly on Tucuman so initially deployed where the road from the north entered the plain. As it happens Tristan chose to outflank Tucuman and approach from the south-west. What if Tristan had marched south down the direct road to Tucuman and straight into the Patriots waiting for him.
Chris Harrod and I played my Tucuman Scenario for Liberators HOTT. I was the attacking Royalists trying to reach Tucuman. Chris had the Argentine Patriots. Nice little game let down my a bit of incompetence on my part. Victory to the Patriots.
The game also saw the christening of my new wargaming table and my new 1815 Liberators armies.
This is a Liberators HOTT scenario for the Battle of Tucuman 24-25 September 1812; the deciding battle in the War of Argentine Independence.
Having written up the an account of the historical Battle of Tucuman (24-25 September 1812) it is time to consider how to recreate the battle. I’ve come up with three options: (1) historical (2) alternative and (3) grand tactical.
Different rule systems assume different ground scales. So I thought I’d show one scenario map, a Liberators scenario by John Fletcher for the Battle of Ica, at different ground scales. And suggest which Wargaming Rules suit each scale.
When I rebased my Argentine army I also transferred my Chilean army to Big Bases. This is the Chilean element of San Martin’s Army of the Andes from my 1817-18 Chilean Project.
I have rebased my Argentine Army of the South American Wars of Liberation on Big Bases. All infantry and cavalry on 80mm x 40mm bases. 12 figures per infantry base; two bases to a battalion. 6 figures per cavalry base/squadron. Guns stayed on 40mm x 40mm bases; one gun per base.
Back in December 2012 I played the Gavilan scenario for Liberators HOTT. I didn’t write up the battle because I was in the midst of converting this site to WordPress. But I recently rediscovered the photos and thought I’d share a few.
I’ve decided to go for big bases for the Peninsular War. Couple of reasons for this.