Paraguay: 1st Infantry

 

This is the very first unit I painted back in 2013 (and originally featured here).  I've added a few more figures and I think a new blog post is in order given that this unit kicked off what became a rather slow-burning project until the Perry Miniatures range came out in 2020.  The figures are from Nuno Pereira's King'scarbine Miniatures, and sculpted by Steve May.  These figures are currently out of production, but may return to the market at some stage.  Nuno's on Facebook and will no doubt say when the figures become available again.

I like these figures.  They are a bit slimmer than the Perry figures but are perfectly compatible.  I probably wouldn't mix the two ranges in the same unit, but they look absolutely fine together on the tabletop.  The poses are different - these are perhaps more proper "marching" rather than the more fluid "advancing".  The Paraguayan Army of course had numbered battalion of infantry, although from what I can tell there were no units distinctions - they all wore the same clothes.  I've numbered my units consecutively, but with no attempt to replicate the units in real life.  This "1st infantry battalion" is a unit of 20 figures, which does chime with the strength of 760 men that Hooker gives for unit in 1865-66.      

The flag is hand painted because back in 2013 no one made the Paraguayan flag in 25mm (nowadays the excellent Flags of War have a full range for the War of the Triple Alliance).  The obverse side has the the national coat of arms of Paraguay (a yellow star surrounded by a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY), all within two concentric circles, while the reverse has a yellow lion below a red Phrygian cap and the words Paz y Justicia ("Peace and Justice").  It was a bit of a pain to paint, I recall.  Something my family acquired during Lockdown is a cat, Millie.  I made the mistake of leaving this unit out on the kitchen table after taking the December photos, and when I was putting it away I noticed that our little kitten had been nibbling the corner of the flag.  I was mortified at first, but then I thought that it adds a bit of battle damage; so never mind. 

A chewed flag

The culprit

These look quite chewable as well

This is the first of 3 Paraguayan units using the Kingscarbine figures.  They are all in the same pose as only 3 packs of infantry were released (as well as 2 very good Brazilian officers; I've painted them and intend to create some sort of command vignette).  These were painted before the Osprey MAA and Winged Hussar books came out, and before the Perries released all their stuff.  So I made up bits of the uniforms as I went along - hence brown and buff "civilian" trousers, which in reality should have been just white/off-white.  

The buildings are from Tablescape's Mediterranean range; the mat is Tiny Wargames' "coastal"; the cat was £300 from a family in Chelmsford (much cheaper than a puppy). 

20 figures.  Painted November 2013.