Military History | Liberators | Scenarios
Wargaming an Alternative Battle of Chacabuco on 13 Feb 1817

Setting: Chacabuco Farm, Chile; 13 Feb 1817

Posted 30 Nov 2011 at 11:01

Historical Situation

9 Jan 1817

San Martin's "Army of the Andes" left Mendoza for Andean passes and Chile (Fletcher, 2005; Marley, 1998). Small detachments of patriots crossed at six Andean passes to obscure where the main army was crossing. San Martin and the main force crossed on the Los Patos and Uspallata Passes and descended into the Putaendo Valley. They defeated unwary Royalist outposts at Salala, Copiapó and Vega del Campeo (Chile). Once over the mountains the patriot army reunited at San Felipe.

11 Feb 1817

The Royalists began to concentrate their forces at Santiago and sent Brigadier General Maroto to slow up San Martin's advance. On 11 Feb 1817 Maroto was taking up positions blocking the road through the hills just north of Chacabuco when the Patriot advance guard approached. 

12 Feb 1817: Battle of Chacabuco

San Martin defeated the royalists under Brigadier General Maroto near Chacabuco (Fletcher, 2005).

Mission

What-if, after crossing the Andes from Argentina, the patriot army advances more cautiously giving the royalists time to bring up reinforcements from Santiago. That is the essence on the The "Alternative Chacabuco" scenario. 

In reality, after crossing the Andes from Argentina, San Martin managed to engage and defeat a small royalist army defending the foot hills on 12 Feb 1817 before they could even be reinforced. The action took place just north of the Chacabuco farm.

The key aspects of the alternatives are that the battle:

  • Happens on 13 Feb 1817, the day after the real battle.
  • Is more evenly matched. The Royalists, supplemented by reinforcements from Santiago, have a comparable force to the Patriots 
  • Takes place further along the road into Chile in the surroundings of the Chacabuco farm, south of the real battlefield.

Scenarios, Games and Battle Reports

The original Alternative Chacabuco scenario is by John Fletcher and features in the supplement to the Liberators book (Fletcher, 2006). It assumes the Quick Play Rules (Liberators QPR) in the same book but can easily be transferred to other game systems. I can't reproduce the scenario here - you'll have to buy the book.

The two variants are for different rules sets:

The Lasalle Scenario is by Francisco. His assumptions are slightly different to John Fletcher's. I have massaged Francisco's content to fit my scenario format.

The Liberators QPR Scenario and the Liberators HOTT Scenario are my interpretation of John Fletcher's scenario for two rule systems. I've played both and have written up Liberators QPR Battle Report and a Liberators HOTT Battle Report.

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.

Marley, D. (1998). Wars of the Americas: a chronology of armed conflict in the New World, 1492-1997 [2nd ed.].