Iberian Contingent

Ever since reading C.S Forester's Death to the French, the Peninsular Campaign has been my primary interest for the Napoleonic period. After completing the Prussian contingent, my thoughts turned to what to do next, as a quieter time with work has given me a bit more time to paint. The contingent approach seems to offer the satisfaction of completing something, in reasonable manageable chunks, - so long as I leave the British and French out of it for the moment - so I fixed on the Iberians, the Portuguese and Spanish allied force.

I had already completed around 30 Spanish Guerillas (mainly David Clayton castings) and 12 line infantry (original castings), together with a marching Portuguese officer painted as Spanish. I had some further David Clayton castings (a more recent acquisition) and still have unpainted three original figures, including two further muleteers. I also had two painted muleteers and two mule teams. The set up is completed by a mounted colonel, a field marshal, lieutenant general and brigadier from the old Rose Wellington figure, of which I have around 30. This seems to be an appropriate command element for fourty or so line and and thirty or so guerillas! I am currently hopeful of secuting a further 12 Spanish Line (David Clayton) and 18 Der Kriegspieler Spanish Light infantry, which would give me a brigade of three weak battalions. Cavalry and artillery cover will need to be provided by the British.

On the Portuguese front I had the Der Kriegspieler battallion already posted here (whichhad packs added to give them a different look. I was surprised to see I had based these in sixes, rather than threes as is my normal practice for British and allies - I will probably rebase this battalion. I also had acquired two further battalions from Tony, which he had replaced with other figures. These had been painted in a Plaka blue in the 70s, and as this did not match my existing battalion and I had some additional figures to add and paint, I hdecided to repaint the blue on these figures. This has now been completed. I only have 6 original Cacadores (I am currently hoping to acquire some Der Kriegspielers which would complete a battalion) - also have some S Range figures in barretina which will be posted shortly on the Lone S Ranger. So at the moment I have a brigade of three line battalions and a scattering of cacadores; eventually I hope to have a brigade of two line and one cacadores, representing Collins' Portuguese Brigade in the 7th Division, and a reserve independent line battalion. The Portugues contingent is completed by an ox cart.