War of the Triple Alliance/ Guerra do Paraguai.

[carlos marighela]

Thanks for the feedback chaps (and chapettes). I honestly think that this is a period that, given some quality miniatures, will spark quite a bit of interest. There is already an old 15mm range (Kriegspiel) and recently I saw someone has launched a range of 28mm Paraguayans. I'll admit the latter looked pretty bloody awful to me, but that;s a matter of taste.

It's true, it's another niche, within a niche, like many wargaming periods. That said, it's the golden age of esoteric. Who would have predicted a Carlist war range from two of the world's best sculptors? Who  would have predicted books, wargamers guides and figure ranges for the 19th C South American wars of liberation? On a personal level, I would have been very surprised if five years ago someone said, yes a range of Portuguese for a largely unknown/ forgotten set of  conflicts in Africa.

As it happens there is quite a bit of information out there in English already. To start with, there's the superbly researched Foundry book on the war by Terry Hooker. Line drawings of all the troop types with good descriptions for gamers. Orders of battle, a decent history of the war and accounts of the major battles, even useful information on the naval side to the war. The bibliography alone is worth the investment.

There is a rather good S&T boardgame on the war. It's one of those game inside a magazine affairs. That has a good summary of the war too.

There is at least one Yahoo group (SACAWars) in English that has a focus on the war. Some well read gents there and a good resource for gamers.

As for uniforms guides, well actually there's a lot out there already, free and online. In addition to the NYPL uniform plates there is also the complete text of  Gustavo Barroso' seminal work on the uniforms of the Brazilian army,   Uniformes do Exército Brasileiro made available by a Canadian university. Public domain too.

http://www.archive.org/details/uniformesdoexerc00rodruoft

Finally there is the rumour that Osprey may be planning a text. I suspect if that goes ahead it would light the necessary spark.

Anyway thanks for the help and this therad has already speked some interest in the project. I knew it wan't just me and my tendency to irritate my wife by disappearing to traipse through Brazilian and Argentine military museums. I'll be back in Brazil in a couple of months and I'm contemplating a side trip to Paraguay. If I get there I'll do my best to take some photos of any Chaco War stuff to keep Helen, Jim, and Hammers happy.

[Arlequín]

Good luck trying to make Hammers happy... 

Clearly there's some interest, so go for it. As you say, who would have thought 'Carlist Wars'? It is true to say that a good range of figures will spark some interest too.

 

[carlos marighela]

Good luck trying to make Hammers happy... 

 

I wonder if he would be interested in a Rolex from Ciuadad del Este? Swiss precision engineering (sort of) but at a fraction of the usual cost. Guaranteed to give the correct time at least twice daily. 

[Helen]

I received my Osprey Chaco War book yesterday and very keen to see someone start this unusual conflict, but for now Carlos, good luck with your adventure into the War of the Triple Alliance.

Happy holidays in Paraguay if you go.

Cheers,

Helen

[OSHIROmodels]

Quick question, were there any sieges etc in the conflict?

Better to ask here than a probable fruitless search on the 'net 

cheers

James

[carlos marighela]

Yes, several. The Paraguayans had extensive fortifications along their frontier and were adept at building defence works.  The most noted allied assault against Paraguyan field works was probably the Battle of Curupaiti, where they faced triple lines of earthworks, bolstered by inundations and extensive abatis works. The war also saw extensive use of naval bombardment. Think ACW with ironclads, monitors gun boats and whacking great guns but in a more colourful setting.

[OSHIROmodels]

Thanks for that 

Now I'm getting interested 

cheers

James

[Kingscarbine]

I remember five years ago no one was interested in gaming the Chaco War. Now that Osprey released a book about it many people are starting to get ideas. The same would happen if they published a WTA or a War of the Pacific book.

There are many Ibero-American conflicts that are very interesting to game with a small amount of figures. The problem is the language barrier and the availability of good sources in English but now you can find many old books about almost any war on Google Books and Internet Archive.

I have inside information that QRF is expanding the old FK15 WTA booklet/panflet and there are good intros to wargamers available like John Tuohy's "Wargaming the Paraguayan War – 1864-1870" (http://www.amazon.com/Wargaming-Paraguayan-War-John-Tuohy/dp/1453847839#_)

Some useful links to open your apettite:
http://fireandfury.com/rffsupport/rffwta.shtml
http://www.archive.org/details/lettersfrombattl00burt

[Hammers]

I remember five years ago no one was interested in gaming the Chaco War. Now that Osprey released a book about it many people are starting to get ideas. The same would happen if they published a WTA or a War of the Pacific book.

My interest in the Chaco dates back to an excellent article in War Monthly from the 80's. There is an great Mollo illustration of a barefooted Bolivian 'repete' with a Bergman submachine gun climbing up a look out post in a hollowed out jungle tree trunk. Packed with exoticism, that image, and it has followed me since. But enough about that. This thread is about the 19th century war in the region.

[Kingscarbine]

My interest in the Chaco dates back to an excellent article in War Illustrated from the 80's... But enough about that. This thread is about the 19th century war in the region.

First time I read about it  was in Miniature Wargames #13, before I had facial hair... Now, lets get back on track.

[carlos marighela]

Ok, now lets be fair my friend. Bolivianos cop a lot of blame for a lot of things in South America, their migrant workers are on the chief whipping boys in Argentina but you cannot blame them for facial hair! 

[traveller]

Carlos,

I would buy any miniatures that be of more general South American style, gauchos, peasants etc They could be very useful for a wider time period including the liberation from Spain. I look forward to hear more about your project 

[Kingscarbine]

Good luck trying to make Hammers happy... 

Clearly there's some interest, so go for it. As you say, who would have thought 'Carlist Wars'? It is true to say that a good range of figures will spark some interest too.

 

As a side note. The Uruguayan Colonel Léon de Palleja was a former Carlist officer that emigrated to Montevideo in 1840 and took part in the many civil wars of the period. He was killed in 1866 at Boquerón del Sauce. He had abundant facial air.
 

[carlos marighela]

Carlos,

I would buy any miniatures that be of more general South American style, gauchos, peasants etc They could be very useful for a wider time period including the liberation from Spain. I look forward to hear more about your project 

The Gaucho cavalry I have in mind would have application for quite a big chunck of time and space. The poncho covers much of the uniform so really it's just minor variations in headwear. You could use them from the wars of liberation through to the late 19thC.

[traveller]

The Gaucho cavalry I have in mind would have application for quite a big chunck of time and space. The poncho covers much of the uniform so really it's just minor variations in headwear. You could use them from the wars of liberation through to the late 19thC.

Sounds interesting!

Any thoughts on sculptor?