I had a bunch of left over Elite Miniatures figures and decided to make an ad-hoc battalion of Spanish infantry. This unit represents a battalion cobbled together from recruits, stragglers from beaten units and so forth. I added two standards – because I like flags. These were images of the internet, resized and duplicated horizontally to have a front and back.
I took part in a Black Powder mini-competition a month or so back at Call to Arms, the annual convention of the venerable Wellington Warlords club. We had five games over two days using a point system devised by a couple of the competition organisers. I decided to take a Spanish Army but had to settle for Spanish with a brigade of British supports because I did not have enough Spaniards painted. I didn’t get too badly whomped (2 losing draws, one winning draw, one hiding and one win).
What I decided though was that I needed more good Spanish infantry. So this last week I painted and based a battalion of Walloon Guards. These are my usual Elite Miniatures from Nathan at Elite Miniatures Australia. Getting these from Nathan is a no-brainer for me. He is a great guy to deal with and the AUD and NZD almost have parity.
I am pretty happy these guys turned out seeing as they are my second unit in three years. I mean, close up they are alright but they look cracker from Wargames Distance. I also painted most of these guys while away last week for work and when I am away I am now staying in my camper trailer. Internal lighting is OK as I have three 24v LED strip lights that provide good overall illumination but not great for fiddly work like miniature painting – but I am working on that. A 2400 lumen work lamp (solar or usb charged) is on it’s way so should not be a problem much longer.
The flags I just used images off the internet of Spanish flags and resized. After I did this I found an envelope of flags, including some I was sent many years ago by Lawrence from This Life in Lead blog. Among those were two Ramos fabric flags for the Walloon Guards. Oh well – that is life’s way of telling me to paint another battalion of Walloons. I am still missing finials and cords – will order some soon as I have about six battalions in need of them. I had heaps but ran out – well – about four years ago.
EDIT – I forgot to add that the standard bearers are Front Rank figures. I am pretty sure that Lawrence gave me them as well. Thanks Lawrence.
And yes, the chickens came up to see what I was doing and one tried to peck my miniatures. Vicious little bastards are chickens.
My first completed unit in nearly three years!
These are Elite Miniatures that I got earlier this year from Nathan at Elite Miniatures Australia.
Elite only make two poses for the Spanish light infantry in bicornes. A kneeling firing and a standing loading pose. So I added a regular Spanish officer and a couple of drummers (one of which is in a shako).
First post in a long time. First time painting miniatures in over two and a half years.
This is a unit of uniformed Spanish Militia. I am sort of building units in my Spanish for the Battle of Medina del Rio Seco. I say sort of because in reality I tend to paint what I feel like painting and fit them into some order of battle at a later stage. So saying that, this is a ‘generic’ Spanish militia battalion. it could be the Salamanca, Mondenendo or de Tuy militias. I have given them Spanish brown coats. Some members of the this battalion have not received full uniforms so have gone to battle in fatigue caps and jackets. Once again I have given them two flags because they look prettier with two flags.
Figures are all Elite Miniatures from Elite Miniatures Australia.
In my last order of Elite Miniatures from Elite Miniatures Australia I got two packs of “Skirmish Pack – loading and firing”. No picture on the website and I was not sure what the miniatures were but decided to get them anyway. Turned out to be two standing and two kneeling firing poses. I was wondering what to do with these and decided to paint them as Light Infantry. I also based them on 25mm rounds – had thoughts of using these for Sharpe Practice. In the pics below you will see I have also tried them out in some of my Zulu Wars sabot bases – and they don’t look too bad either. They can double up as a small unit of infantry for Black Powder games. To the eight figures I added a colonel and a couple of march attack fusiliers I had left over. That particular base can be used as a brigade commander or as part of a ‘unit” of light infantry depending on the game requirements.
When I was taking the pics I had some interested onlookers.
I thought I might get out what I have painted so far. I am quite pleased at how this army is coming together. Not so pleased with how long it is taking me. Mind you, I have done a British Peninsular army, some pirates, fantasy figures and Anglo-Zulu War armies in the middle of it so perhaps I shouldn’t be beating myself up too much.
The bulk of the figures are Elite Miniatures. I get mine from Nathan Vinson at Elite Miniatures Australia. Having a supplier so close and who is such a great guy to deal with is a god-send. I have been getting good use out of the standard Spanish March Attack figures – they are being used as line infantry, guard units and marine infantry. On the workbench at the moment is one being painted as brown coated militia.
The rest of the figures are Front Rank and some Perry. I have used Perry Carlist War figures for some of my Spanish Militia Battalions. Almost forgot – there is a single battalion of Brigade games Spanish Militia as well. Also a single Eureka figure and some East Ridign Miniatures Monks.
I really like the Spanish Army of the ‘early period’ up to about 1811. The myriad of uniforms and strange little units will keep me busy for some time to come I suspect.
If you counted the actual time I spent painting then this unit was knocked out relatively quickly. If you add procrastination time, about three months. These are Elite Miniatures Spanish 1808 infantry (from Elite Miniatures Australia). I have used them for just about all my Spanish Line Infantry and they will be also used for my Spanish ‘foreign’ regiments when I get around to doing them.
At least in the initial stages of the Peninsular War the marine infantry were one of the better formations in the Spanish army. For Black Powder I am going to rate them better than normal Spanish Line – by dropping the Wavering and Unreliable special rules.
They wore the same basic infantry uniform except in blue with red turnback, cuffs and collars. Technically the red plumes shouldn’t be there. Likewise this battalion is carrying two colours, when they should probably only have one. But you all know how much I adhere to a strict historical interpretation when it comes to my miniature armies. I have completely run out of finials for the flagpoles and I keep forgetting to order any whenever I do an order from overseas. One day I will get a stock in and finish the half dozen battalions I have that lack them – in the meantime they will serve without finials.
Next unit is an early war militia battalion in a mix of brown coats and stable jackets.
The Marines will see action in a game this weekend.
The highly distinctive Catalonian Light Infantry Regiment is a must have for a Spanish Army of 1805-1808 in my opinion. I had seen these Front Rank figures in the Front Rank online store and also a few painted examples on various blogs and quite liked them for the most part. I thought the loading pose and the kneeling poses were the best of the infantry and the two officer choices are fabulous. Not so keen on the advancing figure – he just looks out of proportion to my eye and just a bit too ‘old school minifig-ish’ if you know what I mean.
As far as other manufacturers of 28mm figures goes I think my only other choice was the old Connoisseur range. However, when I made the order for these figures I had no idea what the Connoisseur Miniatures two figure choices looked like (after I ordered from Front Rank I saw these at Carlo’s With Pyjamas Through a Whiff of Grapeshot blog) – and I kind of wish I had gone with these as they would have fit better with my Elite Miniatures Spanish.
I went with just sixteen figures across six bases so in Black Powder Terms I guess this is a Small Unit. I actually really enjoyed painting these figures. All that lace daunted me at first but as it turned out it was not too bad an experience. Now I am looking for some Spanish volunteer unit that I can use the same figures for except paint in a red or yellow coat. Hey – it is Spain – I am sure there is something to fit that bill in the Spanish muster somewhere and if there isn’t I can always make something up.
In a world wide exclusive I was really excited to get my hands on the new Perry Spanish Cuirassier set.
Nah – not really – these are a box of Perry French plastic cuirassiers that I have painted as Spanish Cuirassiers. I painted them all in the ‘captured’ uniform. If this unit represents the entire regiment then most would have probably been in shakos and simple red British supplied tunics (a bit of guess work here). The flag is one I found on the internet and resized. I did these away from home and my normal painting environment.
From http://tocdesomatent.blogspot.com/
ENGLISH TEXTThe regiment was formed in Catalonia were it fought between 1810 and 1814.
The regiment was divided in several detachments due to the lack of cavalry in Catalonia. It took part in a lot of minor actions including two raids in French territory.1810
May: The 24th the regiment is raised in Reus from the regiment of Húsares de Granada: 1 regiment with 2 squadrons. 360 men and 140 horses. Coronel: Juan Malats. The uniforms were supplied by the british and the equipment captured to the 3rd Provisional Cuirassiers at the battle of Mollet.
July: Absorbs the detachment of Cazadores de Olivenza which was in Catalonia. Now the regiment has 15 officers, 385 troopers and 355 horses in two squadrons. Coronel Juan Malats, Lieutenant Coronel (?) Casasola, Mayor Juan Jaldón.
September/October: A detachment of 60 men in General O’Donnell army fought in different actions near Barcelona: Molí del Besós (18/09) were it takes 68 soldiers and 10 cuirassiers as prisoners and at Creu Coberta (24/10) were it takes 57 more prisoners. However in a fight with the Italian Dragon Napoleon regiment one of its companies (about 30men) is completely destroyed.
The rest of the regiment operated in the zone between Tasrragona and Benicarló.
1811
January: The regiment is reorganized at Valls: 2 squadrons, 254 men, 195 horses. It fights the French 24th of Dragoons at Plà de Sta. Maria.
April-June: The regiment is divided between Tarragona (Div. Campoverde) where it takes part in the defense of the city and Empordà (Div. Volante) fighting at Figueres and Olot.
May: escapes from Tarragona.
October: 1st raid in French territory (Div. Eroles). Actions at Montluis (24/10) and Marens (29/10) 50 troopers involved.
November: Combats at Vallès: San Celoni (03/11), La Garriga (05/11), Granollers and Hostalric (07/11)
1812
January: MOMENT OF DISGRACE. Battle of Altafulla (24/01), French division of Maurice-Mathieu tries to relief the city of Tarragona (now under siege by the Spanish). The two armies clash in Ferran on the banks of Gayà River. The regiment (about 200 men) is charged by the 29th Chasseurs a Cheval. Many troopers are killed (only 40 left) and Lieutenant Coronel taken prisoner.
February: 2nd raid in French territory. Actions of Tarascon, Cabannes, Foix and MontLuis.
May: MOMENT OF GLORY. Molins de Rey bridge. The regiment charges taking 200 prisoners to the enemy. Only 1 dead and 5 wounded. Mayor Juan Gonzalez Anleo.
August: Battle of Molins de Rei captures 400 prisoners. Coronel Luis Decreft.
1813
February: The regiment is in Vic. 140 men and 151 horses.
May: Bisbal del Penedès (17/05). 1 dead, 1 wounded and 2 horses killed.
July: Battle of Torregrossa (27/07): Coronel Juan Gonzalez Anleo leads three charges against the enemy squares. 10 dead and 26 wounded.
December: Siege of Lleida.”
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