Portuguese & Spanish forces for early wars in Africa

Well my Portuguese Colonial force is now complete. It was sparked off by an article in ‘Lone Warrior’ 221, by George Arnold, who was re-visiting and re-organising a solo campaign game (to generate battles) in the El Cid period of Spanish history. And I thought it would be interesting to create a simple DBA campaign of the Portuguese ‘buccaneers’ of the late 15th century (and possibly early 16th) who terrorised (in Viking style) coastal Africa and the Indian Ocean (and in process, by chance, discovered Brazil).

But first I needed a DBA Portuguase colonial ‘army’, so I turned to unfinished (unused) late medieval and renaissance figures (from my lead mountain) and found a mix of suitable 25mm and 28mm figures to give me 12 elements (bases) of 3 figures each, half swordsmen (shield and buckler style) and half crossbowmen. Of course megalomania (lead style) took over and (with help of new purchases) it soon became a BIG DBA army of 24 bases of swordsmen and 12 of crossbowmen, then 12 bases of arquebusiers to replace (or reinforce) the crossbowmen. Next a few DBR style skirmisher bases were added from left over figures! Then the bug having bitten me I bought and converted (well only the hair styles) 24 swordsmen and 12 arquebusiers to make Swahili allies or possibly Gold Coast allies. (I have not yet found any references to Portuguese training them to fight in Portguese style nor to any ‘slave’ soldiers being trained by the Portuguese, but that’s a different story.)

So I have arrayed my Portuguese for battle, sorry photo shoot, 4 ranks deep, 36 figures (or 12 bases) wide, with a few lurkers on the flanks in skirmish style; the ‘African’ allies are painted but bases still drying so they will have to wait for another photo shoot. At one figure = one real person this would probably be a fairly accurate mock up of their big landing parties that caused havoc all the way to India!! I recall only one invasion army being gathered to teach the ‘Moors’ of East Africa and India a lesson, and from memory, I think there were twelve ships, their crews and 1200 soldiers in all; a BIG army for Portuguese colonial adventures of this time (bar the failed conquest of Morocco).

The flags or banners are courtesy of Freezywater Flags (now only trading through the Lance & Longbow Society, which I joined recently). Their journal, the ‘Hobilar’ has three excellent articles on the medieval Portuguese in Iberia (and the same plus other banners) in issue 32, all by Richard Sisson, but I am sad to say I cannot name the artist who created the beautiful banners). I have resized them to fit different banner-men in my array. Except for the ill fated Moroccan expedition, I don’t think the Portuguese king ever lead a force abroad. So my use of these flags is not historical albeit the flags are historically accurate, I believe.

At this time I understand that few Portuguese retinues had uniforms, and that the colonial forces were often a mix of adventure (and fortune) seeking nobles, with some professional sailors from a number of countries, and often ‘ruffians’ for crew (in the manner of Wellesley describing his soldiers in the Peninsular campaign) all probably dressed individually in civilian style. I relied on Ian Heath and George Gush for inspiration with regard to possible colours and styles of dress for my Portuguese, (as ever in my own bright style of paint job).

For the (not yet photographed) African allies, I added exaggerated Shona hairstyles, (because I couldn’t manipulate the milliput as finely as the Shona could tie their hair) as shown in John Laband’s ‘Bringers of War’ (photo 22). My previous West Sudanese may yet find themselves representing the Zimba of the interior of East Africa at some point when my campaign gets into action.

CarlL