Fighting in the Green Hell: Chaco War 1932-1935

Here is a new project that I have been working on since 2022, Green Hell: Chaco War 1932-1935, a 15mm scale campaign module based on a little known inter-war conflict between Bolivia and Paraguay. A bloody affair which saw the smaller Paraguayan army defeat the larger and better equipped Bolivians at nearly every turn, the "Green Hell" refers to the arid and treacherous conditions of the the Chaco Boreal, the borderlands between the two warring nations which were thought to contain a vast amount of oil. For three years the two countries waged a brutal war marked by WW1 style frontal assaults, artillery bombardments, and sieges along with warplanes and even a few British tanks. The Chaco Boreal itself was a third combatant in the conflict-drought conditions along with poisonous insects and snakes made it extremely difficult terrain to fight in. Foreign advisors and European military equipment were readily available to both sides with this set of 15mm miniatures reflecting that.

Bolivian soldiers fighting in the Chaco

Khurasan Miniatures

These Chaco War miniatures were produced by Khurasan Miniatures in the United States. Khurasan carries a wide range of detailed miniatures from many different time periods, the Chaco models being a highly unique offering for those looking to wargame in the ‘Inter-War’ period. At the time of this posting, just one other company offers Chaco miniatures set to my knowledge-comparing the two, Khurasan's are far more detailed. They created an excellent mix of poses within packs of 8 for the regular infantry. The light machine gun troops are cool for both the Bolivians and Paraguayans-the latter toting the Danish made Madsen light machine gun.

I really dig the Paraguayan sculpts in particular, barefoot and waving machetes through the rough terrain of the Chaco Boreal. Both sides have great looking heavy machinegun teams which fit neatly on a single base. Most of these models were based on 20mm plastic bases and when those ran out nickels did just fine. Where noted, terrain made on commission by Miniature Landscape Hobbies. Find them on Youtube, Patreon, and the other socials as well.

Paraguayan unit holding an observers outpost

Terrain by Miniature Landscape Hobbies

Paraguayans armed with machetes & LMG

Paraguayan infantry unit digging in

Using a d10 system for combat in this module. Besides a handful of d6s and d10s, I grabbed a few packs of tokens for units in cover and those who have gone prone. Regular units hit on d10 7+ not counting any cover which an enemy might have. A unit of eight veteran troops (Hit on 6+) can take an officer, one light machine gun, and one support weapon, either a mortar or HMG. The squad based LMG shoots d3 shots and the HMG d6 shots. I plan on eventually adding some heavy artillery-WW1 Krupp or Vickers 75mm should work fine for either side. Tanks and faux-Ford transport trucks are an unknown make (resin) purchased on ebay and re-painted appropriately for the Chaco War. Bolivia used three Vickers 6-ton tanks during the conflict, which I have represented below. Not very reliable and forever short on petrol, the Vickers move at 4" + d6. If you roll a 1, the tank stalls making it easy pickings for mortars. The two trucks that came in the same lot work well as scatter terrain or as dedicated transport for the 'Dos de Mayo' squad, Paraguay's anti-tank squadron. A six man unit, one model can attempt to destroy a tank, support weapon, or fortified position if in prone position after rolling a d6 3+.

Bolivian Tanks

Terrain by Miniature Landscape Hobbies

Bolivian riflemen

Units have a Nerve rating which along with a 2d6 serve as a leadership resolve stat. These are simplistic rules which do not require a ton of strategy but so far I've enjoyed solo play throughs. I wouldn't hesitate to present this to a gaming club (with a bit more polish perhaps) for some quick skirmish games on a small tabletop surface, 3' by 3'. Most of the basic combat & movement rules were copied from Went the Day Well, A Very British Civil War module designed for small unit battles in 28mm scale. Pared down for 15mm scale, I like how the cover/move & fire actions work in the module. All units have a random activation order decided with a numbered token at the start of each turn so their is no true initiative which brings a better "firefight" atmosphere to the skirmish action.

Terrain by Miniature Landscape Hobbies

Bolivian infantrymen & officer

A lone Madsen gunner provides cover to some Paraguayan squad mates

Keep Rolling Those Crits...

-15mm Dieter