The Triple Alliance-The Great Paraguayan War

 

I am waiting for the old FK Paraguayans from the Little Corporal webstore. Time to crack on with the opposing Triple Alliance. I aim for a Brigade for each of the Allies. 

This is possible because, unlike the Paraguayans, the Argentines, Brazilians  and Uruguayans are all easily substituted. More or less anyhow. Broadly ACW troops will do the trick.

Easy enough you might think. It isn't, whatever I used had to size match the anticipated QRF Paraguayans. Luckily I was able to buy 7 Battalions worth of second hand unpainted QRF ACW. A load of spares too. More Brazilians below waiting for their flag.

Also, Warrior Miniatures has re entered the lists and I have ordered  3 Battalions worth and some artillery from them. There's a bit of a wait for them due to lots of orders arriving at once.

My final purchase was from Lancashire Games ACW from their Archive. These are very pleasing and we see them on this page.

A Uruguayan Battalion above and top from Lancashire.

Brazilian Cacadores or, if you like, National Volunteers. QRF ACW to a man save the two Peter Pig "shot" fellows.

Brazilian Line Cavalry from Lancashire Games.

The Zuavos da Bahia here.  The Zuavos were Free Men of Colour making a point of doing military service. 

That's a version with precedents. Including in the American Confederacy where Free Men of Colour offered to raise a battalion. It was declined for ideological reasons. The Confederates felt it would undermine the Slave System. The Brazilians had no such reservations. Former slaves filled the ranks. 

Oft in past times slaves have been freed to join the Army. To face the fighting by owners who needed to provide a substitute. That has precedents too. I'm not sure which version best fits the Zuavos.

I have seen illustrations of the Zuavos with light blue cuffs bordered yellow, green cuffs ditto, and only the yellow border. I went with green. The Brazilians liked green, they still do. Sad to say the Zuavos da Bahia only comprised one battalion nor did the formation last long. Lancashire Games supplied the figures.

Brazilian infantry Battalions might be majority Black. The cavalry and artillery were almost always White. I will try and reflect this with my Brazilians. 

As you see I have avoided the obvious Brazilian joke beloved of Gamers. I nearly succumbed but held out. Another close shave. 

Today's final offering. These may actually be Paraguayans in full uniform. I simply don't know. They look sort of right.

There we go. A second departure from this year's script. That will teach me. These days I rarely read novels. There are 3 dealing with the Great Paraguayan War. I might try one.

Little Corporal have made the FK Great Paraguayan War figures available along with the Maximillian Range. I'm delighted of course. A hefty (triple figures) order has been placed. We will have a look at what I get in due course.