Santa Anna's advance guard marched into San Antonio de Béxar on 23 February 1836, and the Texian garrison pulled back behind the Alamo's walls ahead of them. What followed was not one battle but thirteen days of siege. The Mexican army closed a ring around the old mission, pushing artillery batteries a little nearer each night, keeping up a bombardment meant to wear the defenders down and rob them of sleep. Patrols cut the roads and the river approaches so that no large relief could get in and no one could easily get out. The columns that would storm the walls on 6 March spent those days marching, digging, and standing to in the cold — the unglamorous work that fills the space between a war's famous moments.

King & Country's Set A gives the first pair of the marching column — two soldados mid-stride, bayoneted muskets on the shoulder, packs and rolled blankets on their backs. They wear the Mexican line uniform with red facings, white crossbelts and brass plates, a gourd canteen and cartridge box at the hip, and white trousers torn and grey from the road, on huarache sandals. Pair them with Marching to Battle (Set B) and put S.A.I. Drummer Advancing at the head to build the column, then run it toward the wall where Santa Anna's Laddermen are going in — a marching-to-assault diorama in one continuous line.

Model: RTA125 / King & Country / 1/30 (60mm) scale / matte finish / 2 piece set