The Mexican Adventure, Release the Butterfly

I have wanted to do the French intervention in Mexico for a number of years, the beautiful French figures and the bewildering array of Mexican, Austrian, Belgian and other forces make it really interesting and colourful. But I was never quite satisfied with the ranges of 28mm figures available. The Foundry Camerone range showed promise but only gives you Mexican and Foreign Legion foot. Gringo 40's are lovely but dont mix with other ranges and have too many gaps to go it alone, equally the early Foundry range is now quite small compared with more modern figures and uses the traditional (at the time) process of the same figure multiple times over for a unit, not really my thing.

However the recent release of the Perry Triple Alliance and Franco Prussian ranges has given me the confidence that many of the gaps, particularly for suitable cavalry, will be filled by those ranges in due course so I thought I might get some test figures.

It wont surprise you to know I got carried away a little, Only a little though....... honest!

OK so very brief history to set the scene, after a Liberal government came into power in Mexico a bloody civil war ensued, the Liberal government was sucessful but skint to suspended debt payments to European powers. These sent naval forces and captured Vera Cruz to try get their money back. Britian and Spain quickly realised it was a non starter leaving France alone, Napoleon III however decided that this was a great opportunity.

With the support of the defeated Conservative element he sent in the French army then invited the brother of the Austrian Emperor to be the Emperor of Mexico leading to a very bloody intervention with the French only leaving after pressure both at home and from the USA after the ending of their Civil War. Interesting.

My first port of call once I have decided on a project and the ranges of figures is Ebay and Colonel Bills for second hand figures.

I picked up these Zoaves and Mexicans from Ebay, not a great paint job and the basing on the mexicans was awful but essentially the price of an unpainted figure with the benfit that the plastics are already built and the metals already primed.

I also picked up a couple of sprues from ebay, these Zoaves to add to the above along with some generic ACW figures to paint as Liberals in Kepi.

These next are Front Rank Spanish Guerillas, I think they will mix nicely with the Mexican irregulars and the lancers will work really well.

Also on ebay I found this lot of Gringo 40's Contras, apart from the officers they fit reasonably well size wise and will be a separate skirmisher unit anyway. The mini mule train will be useful.

This British officer is from Colonel Bills he has a separate head so a pack of Kepis will sort this out.

These old Foundry Zoaves also from Colonel Bills will flesh out the plastics and give me two units, one of Zoaves and one of Turcos.

This other unit is from Ebay.

A bunch of Foundry Fillibusters from Ebay will give me pretty much enough for a unit of Foreign Legionaires. All from the Foundry Camerone range.

These flags for the Alamo will be great for the Republican forces.

I also picked up a magazine from ebay with an article on the intervention, the uniform guide will be really useful.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Eagle miniatures have some irregular Spanish lancers who will be great for Mexico too. Oddly the horse advertised to go with them is without a saddle and so are they but I reckon I have others I can press into service and this horse will work with the Front Rank riders.

I also picked up a couple of packs from the Perry Triple Alliance range. These guys in Kepi will be given a white uniform with blue kepi piped red for Republican foRces.

These Argentinians meanwhile are perfect for French and will probably be used for Chasseurs.

Lastly a few packs of Foundry Mexicans mainly in Sombrero to mix in. These will give a lot of character.

I took the opportunity to paint a couple up to share with you too. These two are Foundry Foreign Legion figures, I am not too keen on the chap with glasses, his face seems odd, the officer though I am really pleased with.

A mix of Mexicans to get us started all for the Republican side to start with.

I plan a whole unit in short Shako with blue jackets, need to do some more research to see if the pompoms were all red or different company colours like the French.

Simple uniforms and fairly quick to paint. Look well I think.

This chap may be mixed in with the others in Kepi or not, still undecided.

The Militia in Sombrero will firmly place the range in Mexico, I really like this off white colour.

So there you go, the Butterfly is in full flight with other stuff on the go as well. Out of control? Possibly.

More to follow, until then stay safe.