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 Isabelinos

 

There was a lot more colour about in the Isabelino Army certainly when compared to the Carlists. That's before you got to the foreign troops.

Points to note.  I'm going to be using Field of Battle for my Carlist War games.  It, and any other general rule set will require some slight adjustments to achieve proper period flavour. In other words you should adjust your set to reflect the reality.  Expect a separate post on this.

Here is a rather fancy brigade.  It is also a rather formidable one, consisting of Guard units with supporting light infantry and artillery.

 

First, the Royal Guards here.  The fellows in grey are the Reina Gorbanedora light infantry armed with Baker rifles.  Figures from QRF.

Above, Provincial Grenadiers in their bearskins with a Mountain Gun battery.  Very handy in pretty much any situation.  All from Capitan.

Most Isabelinos were not quite up to that mark.  Many of them were nowhere near it.  A more typical formation might look like this one.  Light infantry out front. Let us be charitable and assume all the soldiers are trained rather than raw. They could be either. Figures from QRF.

In either case they preferred to rely on fire power rather than close steel. 

The Carlists, often short of ammo’ were the opposite.  They loved a charge, the earlier the better.  They could do it from skirmish order too.

These Isabelinos have a supporting battery too.  Front rank from Capitan, rear and cannon QRF.

 Above more Isabelinos from Capitan.

Isabelino cavalry was mostly good, some of it very good.  There were some poor units too.  Above, in green, a light cavalry unit.  Could be rated regular and on a good day maybe veteran.  In yellow, line cavalry, either trained or regular as suits the occasion.  Now, only the first rank carried lances, the second sabres.  I have some figures and will turn 1 unit of line lancers into 2.  Like so.

  

Figures from Capitan.

 

Above National Militia from QRF.  I have two such units and may aim for three.

That’s it for now.  I do have more and we will see them.  Next time we will take a look at the Isabelino foreign troops.