"6mm Spanish Guerrillas - who makes them?" Topic

I'm just starting into 6mm Napoleonic Wars gaming and I'm focusing on the Penninsular theatre. I'll eventually be including some Spanish irregulars for use in smaller engagements (ambushes on foraging parties, etc).

I'm committed to using Heroics and Ros figs where possible, but they don't do Spanish irregulars. Are there any 6mm manufacturers who do make irregulars?

If there are no actualy figure lines, I was thinking about using Spanish in attack and skirmish poses, painting them in non-uniform colours and basing them as 'blobs and mobs'. Are there any other figs that have head-gear that would be suitable as Spanish civilian hats, given the right paint?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Baccus have them foot and mounted.

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Thanks Dom, that's exactly what I was hoping existed!

I have Baccus ancients, which are a bit larger than my H&R ancients, but I think the Baccus guerrillas will be just fine next to my H&R regulars, as they'll be in their own units.

Pattus:

Good to see another H&R person here. I used Spanish & Portuguese infantry skirmishing plus MECW19 Peasants In Arms from the English Civil War Range to my Spanish guerrillas.

Dale

Hello Pattus Magnus!

I presently have the Baccus Spanish guerrillas right in front of me on my painting table and must say they really look great. I have both Baccus and H&R figures and although they are different in design I use them on the table regularly (on different bases) and think they look fine.

Best regards,

Glenn

Dale, that's a great suggestion to mix in some H&R ECW peasants. I wouldn't have thought to look in that range, but I expect the peasant clothing (rendered in 1:300) from the ECW isn't that different from what Spanish peasants wore 200 years ago.

Glenn, thank you for the info on the Baccus guerrillas and the feasibility of putting Baccus and H&R on the same table!

The only problem is that now I'm a bit spoilt for choice ;)

Thanks very much for the replies.

Hello Pattus Magnus!

Your welcome. Difficult choice when your spoilt. I didn't notice an option for H&R mounted guerrillas.

Best regards,

Glenn

Hi Glenn,

That's true about the challenge of doing mounted guerrillas with H&R figures. I think the main option would be to mix and match mounted figs from a number of different packs to obtain a varity of headgear and weapons, then do a 'paint conversion'.

It would certainly be simpler to go with Baccus!

I think mounted guerrillas are actually very important for playing out the sort of raiding action that was their main role. I'm no expert in the period, but I expect guerrillas on foot could spring ambushes slmost anywhere, but the only areas where they could evade on foot would be in highly broken terrain (mountains, large forests). Anywhere else they would need horses to have any chance of evading pursuit if foragers or supply columns were properly escorted.

My understanding is that the French employed a large number of Dragoon and light cavalry regiments in the Penninsula specifically because they were very effective at foraging, escorting convoys, and at hunting down small units!

Just a guess, but I would expect most guerrilla bands to operate more-or-less like dragoons themselves – dismount for the initial ambush attack, with the horses held nearby out of the line of sight and fire, then re-mount and ride off if resistance was fierce. Possibly followed up by a mounted counter-attack or secondary ambush against unwary mounted pursuers.

To me, modelling that sort of smaller action is an interesting supplement to playing out the larger scale battles – which I fully intend to do as well!

Best regards,

Pattus

Hello Pattus!

Like you I'm no expert in the tactics used by the guerrillas. So I'm looking forward to hearing about what choices you make and how your games play out.

I'm mainly into the large scale battles and am presently building a Baccus Spanish army for that purpose. I already have a complete collection of French and British. Sadly I will rarely see very few if any of my guerrillas on the table.

Best regards,

Glenn

That's alright – just put your guerillas on a shelf behind the French player, and give him a minus on his reinforcement rolls…. ;-)