Help! Need Spanish Marines for the Spanish Succession.

[Matakakea]

I have been roaming the various manufacturers websites trying to find figures for Spanish marines and something suitable for Spanish Naval officers of the Spanish Succession period (aka the Marbourian Wars). Amazingly there seem to very few actual Spanish figures available on the sites I have been to so far, and my mind is now blank on other company names to try. Any suggestions gratefully received 

[Aaron]

I believe you can use regular Spanish infantry figures for marines. I have been trying to locate Napoleonic naval officers with no luck, I suspect you are probably in the same boat. Perhaps some infantry officers may work with minor modifications.

FYI, I was kindly directed to this site by some helpful Spaniards on another forum:

http://www.alabarda.net/uniformes/esp/arm/s18/s18.htm

[joroas]

[quoteI have been trying to locate Napoleonic naval officers with no luck][/quote]

Redoubt do some sitting in a boat, alongside sailors and marines, but no standing officers, how strange.  So, you can refight Sharpe, but not Hornblower!

[warrenpeace]

Use regular Spanish infantry.  For the period immediately after 1700 you have three main options in 28mm:

1. Use Old Glory figures from the Marlburian line with the ribbons on the right shoulder and a belly box for cartridges.  I forget the exact packs of Marlburian figures that have this.  There is a standing version and one advancing in a sort of attack pose.  Both would be fine poses for marines. There is an Old Glory grenadier with the Spanish style grenadier hat in the advancing attack pose, but it lacks the belly box and right shoulder ribbon.  That's not too big a deal, as the arms cover where the belly box should be and the grenadiers probably discarded the shoulder ribbons earlier than the line infantry (had to deal with lit match cord for lighting grenades, and ribbon in the way).  Or you could just paint on the shoulder ribbons.  I might try looking up the specific packs for you later if I have the time.  The Old Glory figures with ribbon on both shoulders is suitable for Spanish Guard, but not for regular infantry or marines, unless you file off the left shoulder ribbons.

2. Use Imperialist Enterprises Spanish infantry and Grenadiers.  This is a company that doesn't have a web presence.  The figures are smaller, true 25mm, with almost no necks, and have a single pose, standing at ready with the bayonet pointing out slightly above level.  These are very accurate, however, and there are appropriate officer, ensign, and drummer figures to go with them.  They are not as animated or varied as the Old Glory figures, so probably would be of less interest to pirate wargamers who are looking for more of a mass skirmish game rather than to build regiments.  If you really have any interest in these, then I can try to dig up the address in Indiana, USA, so that you could write to the owner, Robert Haggerty.

3.  Just use any other Marlburian figure that you like that has the French style belly box and paint on the right shoulder ribbons.  I recommend using a blackline technique to make the color of the ribbons come out.  The ribbons were usually in the cuff color.

For the period after the WSS, use any Marlburian figures, as the Spanish dropped the shoulder ribbon by the end of that war.  Not sure when the Spanish started using gaiters, but their marines might have had them after 1720.  Belly boxes, introduced early in the WSS as the Spanish copied the French, would be most likely, though I think the Spanish eventually stopped using those too.

For the period before the WSS, say 1680 to 1700 or even a little later, use Dixon "Grand Alliance" or Foundry "Early Marlburian" figures and just paint on the right shoulder ribbon.  Belly boxes and tricorn hats were not yet in use.  Mix in a few figures with matchlocks and "twelve apostles" and some plug bayonets, as Spain was hitting a low point in wealth and ability to equip forces during those years.

Up to about 1707 there were three regiments of Spanish marines: Armada viejo (blue coats with red cuffs and red stockings), Armada (yellow coats with blue cuffs and blue stockings), and Armada nuevo (light grey to white coats with red cuffs and red stockings).  After 1707 it gets more confusing as regiments changed names and uniform colors in response to a wave of French influence.  I'm not sure what happened to the colors of the Armada regiments after this date.  Philip V changed the bulk of his infantry to bleached white coats with various colored cuffs, using the white to distinquish his troops from those of France, which were still in various shades of grey unbleached wool. Some of the new world garrisons wore blue coats with red cuffs, at least until their uniforms wore out, so this color scheme could double as garrison troops or Armada viejo.

Warren

[Matakakea]

Thank you all for the replies. I think I now have all the information I need to buy some figures, and to get straight in to the painting as well
My next decision is which uniform to use, although the yellow and blue is already staring to grow on me, I could really go to town on the officers with that scheme....

[warrenpeace]

You also need a flag for your Spanish Marines.  I have no references for the actual company colors for any of the Armada regiments, but in 1706 this flag was adopted as the colonel's color for Spanish regiments:

http://www.banderasmilitares.com/detalle_bandera.php?id=43

Before 1706 the colonel's color was simpler:

http://www.banderasmilitares.com/detalle_bandera.php?id=78

Warren

[janner]

Sorry for the dragging up an old thread, but there is also now Ebor's Spanish range. Not sure if they are suitable for marines though?

http://www.eborminiatures.com/products-page/wss-spanish-foot-2/

[Matakakea]

Hmm... I might have to buy a few of those. I've just realised I really should have some garisson troops to throw in for island based scenarios 

[Elbows]

While the infantry box is a little soft...have you considered the line from Wargames Factory?

Combining the infantry with the artillery set would give you plenty of options.  The infantry box ships with 4-5 different heads, etc.  Combine the WSS cavalry for even more options.  The infantry are most just marching, but if you combined the cavalry/artillery/infantry you should have zero problem building some suitable models.  Each box is only $16 or so online.

[janner]

Just don't get why people would waste their time on such awful figures. Sure they're cheap, but not compared to better quality plastic ranges and then there's all the time and effort that goes into getting them onto the table. Yuck 

[Conquistador]

Just don't get why people would waste their time on such awful figures. Sure they're cheap, but not compared to better quality plastic ranges and then there's all the time and effort that goes into getting them onto the table. Yuck 

And these other plastic Spanish Marines are found where?   

Gracias,

Glenn

[Calimero]

^^

No one mention Front Rank yet?

http://www.frontrank.com/13_lev2_Late_17th_Century.asp

http://www.frontrank.com/3_5_lev3_Spanish_Succession.asp

[janner]

And these other plastic Spanish Marines are found where?   

Gracias,

Glenn

 

Point taken. That said, I remember an old article in MW about making figures from plastic hair rollers. I reckon they would challenge WF

 

[Elbows]

Hmm, I guess I'd have to disagree.  While WF stuff varies immensely between kits, the Cavalry and Cannons set from WSS are two of the better ones.  I find the infantry rather boring - mostly one piece sculpts marching...

I see a lot of smack-talk about WF, and I rarely understand why (horrible past business endeavors notwithstanding).

I've had a bunch of their kits.  I've been very disappointed with perhaps 3-4 boxes.  Other than that, they do just lovely for getting products on the table. 

[janner]

I'd never heard of the phrase 'smack-talk' before. Must be getting old 

On checking t'internet is seemed to imply an insult made in the heat of the moment or with a threatening aspect. I'm not sure how that relates to criticism of a range of plastic toys based on aesthetic taste...