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Liberators: Wargaming Figures 

Specialist South American Figures 

I'm only aware of one specialist range of wargaming figures for the South American Wars of Liberation: the 15mm figures from Grenadier Productions.   

Code Description 

PS001

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/lance)

PS002

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/saber)  

Argentine871 Granaderos Trooper1.jpg (42666 bytes)

PS003

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (shako/command)

Argentine875 Granaderos Command.jpg (46662 bytes)

PS004

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (cap/lance)

PS005

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavalry (cap/saber)

PS006

Argentina Granadero a Caballo Cavarly (cap/command)

PS-007

Chile Infantry 1817-1823 Fusilero

PS-008

Chile Infantry 1817-23 Granadero

PS-009

Chile Infantry 1817-23 Cazadore

PS-010

Chile Infantry 1817-23 Command

PS-011

Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 Fusilero/Cazadore  

Argentine861 7th Fusilier.jpg (38341 bytes)

PS-012

Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 Granadero  

Argentine865 7th Grenadier.jpg (36657 bytes)

PS-013

Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 Command  

Argentine859 7th Command.jpg (44428 bytes)

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)

PSU-003

Chile Infantry 1817-1823 UNIT PACK

PSU-004

Argentina Infantry 1813-1823 UNIT PACK  

Argentine886 7th Battalion.jpg (205647 bytes)

RNS-001

Royalist Infantry 1818-24 Fusilero

RNS-002

Royalist Infantry 1818-24 Elite Companies

RNS-003

Royalist Infantry 1818-24 Command

RNSU-001

Royalist Infantry 1818-24 UNIT PACK

There are rumours of the the following packs: 

  • Generals. 
    • Patriots: San Martin, Belgrano and O'Higgins (plus ADCs).  
    • Royalists: Pezuela, Osorio and Canterac (plus ADCs). 
  • Generic cavalry, for use for both sides, wearing the short campaign jackets (similar to those
    on the Royalist infantry).  Three variations: 
    • Dragoons/cazadores with saber
    • Lanceros/dragoons with lance 
    • Hussars/cazadores with saber.
  • Royalist dragoons in helmets.
  • Artillery 
    • Crews 
    • 2lbr and 4lbr mountain guns. 
    • Less likely are 8lbrs.   
  • Generic militia cavalry with top hats with both lances and sabers. 
  • Gauchos 
  • The Infernales (gauchos from the Salta region who wore the distinctive red uniforms seen in Osprey's MAA 232 "The Armies of Bolivar and San Martin"). 
  • Indians (both for gauchos and 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   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 Grenadier Productions *soon* to be released 
Royalist Artillery   Spanish Artillery with Shako or AB Miniatures AB-S23

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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