Somewhere in Spain: Assembling Perry Miniatures' Napoleonic Spanish Infantry

I recently finished assembling a full Spanish force for the Peninsular War using Perry Miniatures’ excellent hard plastic kits. In total, the force consists of 7 battalions of 24 men each, ready to hold the line or crumble heroically under French pressure.

The Spanish army of the Peninsular War was a fascinating patchwork — a mix of brave regulars, proud provincial militias, and ragged volunteers, all thrown together in desperate attempts to resist Napoleon’s forces.

Regular line battalions fought stubbornly in traditional formations, while provincial militias, often raised from local towns and villages, brought raw enthusiasm and fierce regional pride to the battlefield. Meanwhile, volunteer bands — sometimes little more than armed civilians — harassed French columns and fought skirmishes with unmatched ferocity.

Despite shortages of weapons, uniforms, and supplies, the Spanish troops showed remarkable determination.  This chaotic but spirited blend gave the Spanish army a unique character: unpredictable, often battered, but never truly broken.

1st Cataluna Infantry Battalion – Famous for their stubborn resistance, these figures have tons of character. The Catalans fought with a fierce regional pride, and I wanted them to stand out visually and thematically on the table.

One Provincial Militia Battalion – Militia battalions like this were often hurriedly raised, ill-equipped, and lacked consistent training. Still, their ranks were full of men willing to fight — and occasionally they performed with remarkable bravery. I built this unit to look slightly rougher, with more mixed equipment and a few battered veterans leading the way.

1st Barcelona Infantry Battalion – Drawn from the urban heart of Catalonia, this battalion adds another splash of Catalan flavor. Uniforms could vary wildly during the Peninsular campaigns, and the Perry figures make it easy to reflect that slight irregularity among the ranks.

 

 Two Line Infantry Regiments, each fielding two battalions, form the core of the force — the spine that tries to hold back the French onslaught. The first battalions of each regiment are better equipped and maintained, with a more "spit and polish" appearance, including full grenadier companies making up roughly half their strength. These battalions are posed in parade-ground marching order, representing their training and formal discipline.

In contrast, the second battalions are slightly more irregular — veterans and raw recruits mixed together — with a rougher, more casual marching style for the regiment on the move, and a steady but less polished firing line for the regiment engaged in battle.

The Perry kits were an absolute joy to work with. The level of detail — from musket straps to officers’ sashes — is crisp, and the number of head and arm options gave me the flexibility to create some unique poses. Particularly enjoyable was assembling the drummers and standard bearers, ensuring each battalion will have its own bit of personality on the tabletop.

 It’s easy to overlook the Spanish army when diving into Napoleonic gaming — French and British forces often dominate the tabletop. But there's something uniquely rewarding about putting together an army that represents grit, stubbornness, and national pride under the hardest circumstances. These battalions might not always win the day on the battlefield, but they’ll look fantastic trying!