Latin American Wars
of Independence

Building Armies for the
Latin American Wars

by Rudy Scott Nelson



It is not hard to find castings that can be used for Creole forces. Most Napoleonic castings by any of several companies can be used. Also the FANTASSIN range for the Carlist Wars can be used. Spanish Colonial uniforms reflected the style worn by troops in Spain during the same era. Depending on that era, Royalist units can wear the basic stovepipe or French style shako. Many units on both sides wore the French forage cap with side flap as their main campaign headgear.. Among Cavalry troops, the French Dragoon style helmet was popular. British Legion troops used the stovepipe shako for the rifle units and the French or Prussian shako for the line units. Cavalry units can wear the busby or British Light Dragoon headgear.

Barely dressed models of South American Indians (such as Falcon UK's Tupi range) can be used for the Indian irregulars. They fought barely clothed and with traditional weapons.

Minifig offers 15mm Napoleonic castings that can be used. Some with unattached backpacks and some in forage caps from the FR REV range. The BattleHonors Spanish guerrillas and the Minifig Pirates can be used to represent ill-equipped local levies. The Falcon UK 1700s Spanish-Mexico Lancer and the FantassinSp lancers are good for1 Gaucho troops.

In regards to painting, I have included several pages of uniform fact sheets. These should not be taken as gospel as variations and frequent uniform changes did occur. Do not hesitate to paint your units Negro flesh especially those in New Granada serving with the Spanish. Dark tanned skin tones would be normal for the Caucasian troops.


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