A Savage and Romantic War- A Wargamer’s Guide to the First Carlist War, Spain, 1833-1840-A Review

 

Conrad Cairns is well known to aficionados of gaming the First Carlist War.  His  previous book The First Carlist War 1833-1840: A Military History and Uniform Guide was very well received.  It has proved increasingly hard to find. For English speakers, alongside All Honour is Lost: Scenarios, Orders of Battle and Regulations for Wargames of the First Carlist War 1833-1840 by Nuno Pereira it constituted a unique resource.  This third book then, from Helion, is very much to be welcomed. 

It can be fairly said that just as Barry Hilton brought the League of Augsburg to the hobby Conrad Cairns has opened up the First Carlist War to us. I have illustrated this review with some of my Carlist War Collection. Big 15s from Capitan and QRF.

I had feared the current volume might be a re-branding or a re-hash of previous work.  Groundless as it turned out.  This is new stuff.  Excellent!  What do we get?

Chapters begin with an introduction on what sparked the author's interest. He went to San Sebastián. Donestia the locals call it. A lovely city on a bay and full of history. I have been there too.

The second part of the book sets out a history of events. This deals with the Carlist Army of the North, the Carlist Expeditions, The Carlist Army of the Centre and the War in Aragon, next comes the War in Catalonia and then The Reckoning. This is all well written and informative.

Then we get an in depth look at the the Government Forces and their Foreign Allies. This includes:

Line Infantry, Light Infantry, Provincial Regiments, Royal Guard Infantry, Marine Infantry, National Militia, Paramilitaries and Volunteers, Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers and Sappers, The British, The French and The Portugese. 

Comprehensive indeed. As you might expect with uniform details galore.

The Carlist forces are next.  Respectively, the Army of The North, Infantry of the Army of The North, cavalry of the Army of The North, Artillery and Engineers of the Army of The North, the Army of The Centre and finally other Carlist forces. Again with uniform details.

Then comes a section on the material of war. This looks at weapons and equipment, Government flags and Carlist flags. Just what you need to know. David at Not By Appointment has a few suitable flags in his Spanish Collection.

Next comes Battles for Wargamers. An ominous 13 in all. Replete with maps, forces deployment, and a precis of the action. All very well done.

The final chapter is a mini campaign. This is done to the same high standard that characterises this book.

We finish with a Glossary and Notes and an appendices on tactics. There is an index. All in all 137 pages and copiously illustrated with photos of toys and artwork by Marco Capparoni.

If you want a new period to game in '25 this book delivers everything you need for an informed start to Carlist Wargaming. It is first rate in every respect. I should add the First Carlist War has much to commend it to gamers. Your games will not be short of drama and excitement.

For the established Carlist War gamer there is still much of interest here.

If you would like to see my Carlist war Collection click the tags below.

First Carlist War in 15m – The Carlists

 

I should begin by saying these are big 15mm figures, more like 18mm really.  You need to be mindful of that should you chose to substitute figures from other ranges. Most of mine come from QRF.  The rest came from the Spanish company Capitan/ Warmodelling.  The two are compatible in my view.

We are about to see my entire First Carlist War collection in a series of posts. Today, we are going to look at the Carlists.

You may notice that my painting style evolves in the following pic’s. This is due to the glacially slow release of the QRF range.  That said the QRF range is happily now complete. 

The Carlists were very much of an up and at them attitude.  Partly because of disposition and also because they were often short of ammunition. Consequently they liked to charge sooner rather than later. 

The other thing to note is that Carlist infantry moved faster than their opponents.  They were also masters of difficult or broken ground. A Carlist Mountain Gun battery above.

Carlist brigades often deployed whole battalions in skirmish order backed by a reserve battalion in column. Unusually, Carlist skirmishers would charge home without forming into closer order.

Now, let us look at the cavalry. The first pic is of QRF Carlist cavalry.  If you can get past the identical horses QRF have the fullest range of First Carlist War cavalry anywhere.

I think the use of a single horse figure let down the QRF (one piece casting) cavalry.  A shame, because the riders are fine and the variety of units commendable. The normal solution is to substitute horses.  You cannot do that with one piece castings.  

 

I chose instead to mainly opt for the Capitan ones.

Carlist cavalry was often very effective.  Lancers were popular.  That said the Carlists never had anywhere near enough horseflesh to match the quantity available to their opponents. Above Merino's Lancers and the Ontoria Hussars.  Both crack troops.  Other Carlist lancers are perhaps best rated as regular.  Interestingly, Carlist cavalry did not perform outpost or scouting duties.  They were in short supply and reserved as battle cavalry.

 

While we are talking about QRF let me recommend their range of First Carlist War artillery pieces to you.  They really are very nice.

My latest Carlist unit here.  The Portuguese volunteers with their distinctive green boina.  Note the two Totentaz grenadiers.  The rest are QRF.   Totentaz have some lovely Carlist War figures.  Alas, the range is far from complete.

I seem to have enough figures for another two battalions and another squadron or two of lancers.  I'll also be adding some cavalry command bases that will enable the cavalry to go further.  I'll show them here along with the Carlist Generals when they are done.

Next the Cristinos aka Isabelinos.

A New Cristino Brigade for the 1st Carlist War

The latest Cristino Brigade of my First Carlist War Collection.  It has a mix of troops as was so often the case.  It also has a battery of supporting artillery that was not so common.

First, we have the Provincial Grenadiers in their bearskins.  They make for a striking unit and were very competent soldiers.  In Carlist War terms they can be considered veterans.

Next, we have a unit of Provincial Militia not to be confused with the National Militia.  This is the Madrid Battalion, not bad soldiers and they should be classed as regulars.

 

Now, we have a battalion of the National Militia.  They were fine defending cover but less reliable in open battle.  Sometimes referred to as the armed wing of Liberalism they had a bad reputation for atrocity.  The Carlists reciprocated and were known to kill the officers and sergeants of any National Militia formation captured. All of my National Militia Battalions will be rated as raw.

The artillery are regulars.

I hope to finish my French Foreign Legion next when QRF release their FFL gun crews.