Wargaming the War of the Pacific 1879 – 1884

[vtsaogames]

My two sources for this war were “The Ten Cents War” and “To The Last Cartridge”.

I’d appreciate any other suggestions.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Trebian]

Sater’s “Andean Tragedy” is worth it. Moller & Cerda’s “Uniforms of the Pacific Wars” is invaluable. Gerard de Lisle’s “Royal Navy and the Peruvian Chilean War” is an excellent period piece. Graham Evans’ “It’s Getting A Bit Chile” has been recommended by several people as an excellent guide for wargamers.

[Chris Pringle]

As it is 7 years since I did the reading to write the BBB scenario, time to read up again if I’m going to revise it properly.

Given what we all seem to have read about soft sand rendering artillery ineffective, I was surprised to read the Chilean artillery commander’s report, which claims his guns fired against the Allied positions ‘to magnificent effect’. I suppose it’s a case of ‘he would say that, wouldn’t he’.

Next stop: Bulnes’s Guerra del Pacifico.

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!

 

[vtsaogames]

The receiving party is a better judge of the effect of fire. At the end of the 1861 battle of Belmont, retreating Union forces boarded a riverboat and fired at their pursuers, who fired back. Both sides reported deadly execution among the foe and both reported taking no hits from enemy fire. Between clouds of smoke and frightened people laying down, perhaps it looked like serious results.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

vtsaogames wrote:

The receiving party is a better judge of the effect of fire. At the end of the 1861 battle of Belmont, retreating Union forces boarded a riverboat and fired at their pursuers, who fired back. Both sides reported deadly execution among the foe and both reported taking no hits from enemy fire. Between clouds of smoke and frightened people laying down, perhaps it looked like serious results.

What you said! Plus, even the highest ranking officers/general on the spot who later right accounts/memoirs of particular points of interest in a conflict cannot always be trusted. For example, Napoleons memoirs surrounding the 100 days campaign.

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Chris Pringle wrote:

As it is 7 years since I did the reading to write the BBB scenario, time to read up again if I’m going to revise it properly. Given what we all seem to have read about soft sand rendering artillery ineffective, I was surprised to read the Chilean artillery commander’s report, which claims his guns fired against the Allied positions ‘to magnificent effect’. I suppose it’s a case of ‘he would say that, wouldn’t he’. Next stop: Bulnes’s Guerra del Pacifico. Chris Bloody Big BATTLES!

Let us know what you find Chris. I can’t read Spanish so I’m intrigued 😊

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Speed painted these this afternoon. Just the command to finish. 10mm from Pendraken.

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Another 60 speed painted this evening – more Chileans. 10mm Pendraken – code SAP5.

[Chris Pringle]

Hola Rhys, Graham: OK, I’ve finished translating 20+ pages relating to Tacna from Bulnes’s history of the war. Muy interesante. Give me an email address if you’d like me to send it to you.

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!

BBBBlog

[Trebian]

Chris: I shall be interested to read that. Sater cites him as a source. My “work” email is wgfgup(at)gmail(dot)com. It is my regret that I don’t read Spanish, despite having armies from several periods of Spanish history (SCW is up next on my publication schedule). I’d go to classes to learn it, but I spent 7 years at secondary school learning French and I was barely literate in that by the end of it. i will have ot accept that languages aren’t my strong point.

Graham

 

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

rhysdothumphrey82atgmaildotcom
Thanks Chris that’s amazing and very kind – I can’t wait to read this.

[vtsaogames]

Chris, if you could, I’d like to see that too. I have finally gotten a current version of Word since I had to upgrade to Windows 10.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Some more 10mm Pendraken WotP. Code SAP6 painted as Chileans.

[Chris Pringle]

Love the paintwork, Rhys – and the examples you’ve done for the Pendraken website.

Translation duly sent. (I don’t claim to speak the language, but I studied enough Spanish at school to get by with the help of a dictionary.) Lots of lovely detail there for you. It was fun – like having some tapas for variety, a pleasant change from my usual diet of sauerkraut and goulash:

Napoleon’s 1796 Italian Campaign

Napoleon Absent, Coalition Ascendant: The 1799 Campaign in Italy and Switzerland, Volume 1

Hungary 1848: The Winter Campaign

 

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!

 

[Trebian]

I am in a similar position in respect of Latin. I did three years of it at secondary school. Alas the medieval practitioners sometimes seem to have had less than that.

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Chris Pringle wrote:

Love the paintwork, Rhys – and the examples you’ve done for the Pendraken website. Translation duly sent. (I don’t claim to speak the language, but I studied enough Spanish at school to get by with the help of a dictionary.) Lots of lovely detail there for you. It was fun – like having some tapas for variety, a pleasant change from my usual diet of sauerkraut and goulash: Napoleon’s 1796 Italian Campaign Napoleon Absent, Coalition Ascendant: The 1799 Campaign in Italy and Switzerland, Volume 1 Hungary 1848: The Winter Campaign Chris Bloody Big BATTLES!

Thank you for your kind words.

Also Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this and sharing it for free. Our wonderful little hobby would be a poorer place without you.
When the shows are back it would be good to meet up and buy you a bacon butty or whatever your preference maybe!?

[Trebian]

When the shows are back, you will often find me for midlands/north shows in the UK on the Society of Ancients / Northamptonshire Battlefields Society stand. Always good to meet up with people in the hobby who you’ve only met on line.

Trebian

 

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Trebian wrote:

When the shows are back, you will often find me for midlands/north shows in the UK on the Society of Ancients / Northamptonshire Battlefields Society stand. Always good to meet up with people in the hobby who you’ve only met on line. Trebian

Couldn’t agree more. I hope to see you both at the shows in the new year if everything has calmed down (fingers crossed).

[Chris Pringle]

Ah, wargames shows – remember them? The main one I go to (went to?) is Warfare in November. Yes, it would be great to meet up at a show over bacon butties!

[Trebian]

We don’t normally do Warfare, as it fell within the orbit of Society of Ancients south, and our contacts are midlands and north. We (Northamptonshire Battlefields Society) were keen to get a slot there, as our WotR/ECW areas of interest overlap with that region. My favourite for slightly different reasons is Campaign in Milton Keynes, as it is free to enter for the general public, so you get to talk to people who might not otherwise even think about wargaming.

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

I’m never gonna moan about a show again. Such a shame Vapnartak was cancelled! I completely understand why. Can’t wait for this virus to just do one. Hopefully the winter will help. Once they start again I’m going to as many shows as possible! Might try and run a small participation game – the invasion at Pisagua.

 

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Another 60 done.

[GunDogMiniaturePaintingService]

Chilean artillery crews done.

[Chris Pringle]

Keep up the good work, Rhys!

Back to Tacna: pleasantly surprised today to discover that my friend Prof Travlos has used the Tacna BBB scenario successfully for teaching students in his political science class!

Chris

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