Friday, 22 March 2013

My Peninsular War Armies - Spanish Nationalist

One outstanding gap in my occasional series of Team Photos is the Spanish Nationalist army. This picture has been long-promised, but has never appeared in a decent form because I am always waiting to fill some conspicuous vacancy or other.

Well, here they are - circa 1811 or thereabouts, as of today. I am still short of a few generals, a little cavalry and (of course) a few limbers, but not far off at all now.



The structure is based on two infantry divisions, each consisting of two brigades of regulars plus one of volunteers and militia. The cavalry is short of a couple of units, which are likely to end up as some form of variegated hussars (though they will probably be nominally cazadores or mounted grenadiers). To the right of the rather informal collection of cavalry you see a couple of brigades of full irregulars (and fine chaps they are).

This, then, gentlemen, is my Spanish army, and I would certainly not recommend anyone to smirk at them too lightly...
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7 comments:

  1. Stryker22 March 2013 at 21:12

    Lovely - no smirking here just admiration...

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    1. MSFoy22 March 2013 at 22:52

      Thank you, Ian. When I first drew up my intended OOBs for the Peninsular War, fired by Jac Weller, Arthur Bryant, Michael Glover and the then-current availability of figures (and written, presumably, on a slate), I dismissed any idea of having a Spanish army, since - according to the strict teachings of Featherstone and Weller - who would want one anyway?

      I am still pretty much ashamed to remember this. I understand this is how us Brits learned our history, but really - I mean, whose bloody war was it anyway?

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  2. Conrad Kinch23 March 2013 at 00:57

    They look very well Foy. I'll fight Weller's corner though. He did more for my understanding of the period than almost anyone else.

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    1. MSFoy23 March 2013 at 11:17

      Thank you sir. You'll fight Weller's corner? Does he have one? Weller and people like Weller (though I am aware that he was an eccentric American, rather than simply an ignorant Brit) made a major contribution to keeping the popular view of our military history firmly in the 19th Century. I have his Waterloo and Peninsular Wellington fan-fic works, and have read them both on numerous occasions. They are mostly enthusiastic, I think. Entertaining, though.

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  3. James Fisher23 March 2013 at 01:35

    Good looking army and a nice mix of troop types. Are they due for an 'outing' soon?

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    1. MSFoy23 March 2013 at 11:20

      Morning James - yes, there are some hefty actions coming up in my Peninsular campaign - that's been dormant for some weeks, and I haven't done any gaming at all as a result of assorted Real Life issues, but it's coming.

      Just like Spring.

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  4. 'Lee.23 March 2013 at 11:51

    Very nice Sir, most impressive when laid out like that.

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