"Thinking of doing a Slobbovian or Ruritanian army" Topic

Or, Zenda or Graustark… I need a "new" faction to interfere in my 1885 GASLIGHT campaign, and am running out of Europeans.

Back in the long forgotten mists of the last century, nay Milennium, I was heavily involved in a pbm version of Diplomacy called "Slobbovia". I was at one time (twice actually) Czar of slobbovoa, as Raoul I Raskolnikov D.G.I.O.S, and Rutabaga I Raskolnikov D.G.I.O.S. Not to mention I was also Grund Rufus Patrairch Raskolnikov.

Anyway, it was sort of late 19th Century Mittel Europe. Sort of. We did have some Thracian peltasts as I recall.
Who makes suitable 1885 Prussian or Austrian or Russian or what-not 28mm figures? I would like some flashy dress uniforms, with infantry in wtrange helmets, cavalry as Uhlans or Hussars. Attila jackets would be nice for the cavalry. I would like to get away from FPW Prussians if I can.

How gaudy are Battle Honors Austrians?

I always thought that the Old Glory/West Wind Vampire Wars Zendarian Troopers would work pretty well for an unusual Prussian type opponent.

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Battle Honours Austrian Hussars

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They are not gaudy but they are true 28s.
They fit nicely with Eurekas Austrians, the big E also has Russians and Danes, while the russians are nicely done I don't care for them, just not an atractive uniform.

Also take a look at the "minor" forces of WWI. I especially the 1914 Belgians by Battle Honors – they have shakos with pompoms and the dog-pulled machine gun cart. Their Serbian cavalry might be good as well. WWI Italians and Austrians from Old Glory or Brigade. The Italians have all sorts of weird headgear. For my Ruritania game at Historicon, I am using Old Glory Montenegrins and some Foundry FPW Jaegers and Westfalian troops. Foundry Crimean War French might be useful too.

Try the Austrians that will be coming out from Helion soon. They would make nice Eastern european 19th century types. They are for 1866 but if I recall correctly Slobbovia was pretty backward and conservative in it's military fashion due to some leftover Turkish influence.

some leftover Turkish influence

Which might justify Perry Bashi-Bazouks!

In that case why not just use Turks?, Old Glorys Egyptian are rather nice, while I don't know about thier size Tiger has some good looking pre-WW i Turks too.

Also Tiger miniatures Greeks, Turkish, Bulgarian, armies for Balkan wars.

In greek section there is evzones with 1897 uniform while infantry could be used (apart guns) from 1862-1935.
By the way the Greek infantry uniform (kepi etc) is similar to Danish era infantry till early 20th century

That's because thier King was a Dane.
I wish I could see a photo of Tigers figures next to some other companies, when they fisrt came out I bought a bunch of thier SAWs only to find they were way to big to go with anything else out there.

Try some of the WWI figures but paint them in brightly colored tunics instead of khaki. London War Room has some nice Parroom Station figures that would also work for your project.

Yes, that famous Slobbovian regiment, the Czar's Caterers, would not wear khaki, or drab of any kind…

Crimean War French have already been earmarked for Quebec, particularly the Papal Zouaves.

Evzones… Now, there is a thought.

Iron clad miniatures have some new VSF prussian and british troops that might work

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And redoubt's victorian Russians look nice

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Jon

>>London War Room has some nice Parroom Station figures
These are dwarfed by Old Glory figures, at least the British infantry and sailors.

>>as Raoul I Raskolnikov D.G.I.O.S
What's the D.G.I.O.S. stand for?

Dei Gratia Imperator Omnium Slobboviensium.
One of Raoul's first duties was to put this into proper Latin, Well, Slobbovian Latin to be honest. He(I) wanted to clarify the Czar's Imperial mission. The previous slogan implied that he was master of his fate and captain of his soul, but little else.

If it's 1885, have lots of pickelhaubes.

Remember, countries the world over (including the US and Britain) looked at the Franco-Prussian War and decided that the aspect of the German army that they most needed to adopt if they wanted to be as successful was not the general staff, the railway-based mobilisation or the Krupp guns, but the headgear.

Look at cremean war russians, with those really tall pickelhaubes.

what about Bavarians; gotta love those Ruppenhelms!

Got a copy of Soldier's Companion (Spce 1889)? There are painting and Uniform Guides for Trans Balkania, Ruhritania and Graustark.

In 15mm I used Rank and File, lots of useful figures

Contact Outpost Wargames Services in the UK for 28mm 19thC Bulgarians in Fur hats…these fit into the period 1876-1885.

Hope this helps,

Geoff

PS You will need to send Jeff at OWS an email for details as they are not as yet on official release until the end of this month.

What about Foundry's FPW Bavarians?

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Nice hats.

Outpost now have for sale their 1877-78 Bulgarians and Turks in Zouave dress with Russians in Kepis coming out during May 2009. I have created an army uniform breakdown for a fictional country of Kravonia (not my creation I would hasten to add ). I will post details here soon.

KRAVONIA

Kravonia was formed when the zeibeks serving in the Ottoman army rouse up against the perceived ethnic injustices that they felt were inflicted upon them by the pashas responsible for administering the Balkan vassal states of Albania and Montenegro. The zeibeks quickly gained support from the peasant population who were sick of the continual poverty and corruption that they lived through.. The local governments were soon overthrown and a new country was formed and called Kravonia. The serving army took advantage of European support to modernise their front rank(I Ban) troops and these were uniformed in European style but retained much of their former Ottoman panache. The organisation was based around the typical Balkan model of Bans. II Ban troops retained their former zouave style uniforms as uniform supplies were poor due to the poor economy..The frontiers were guarded by III Ban troops made up of regulars from the old Albanian army but uniformed in Euro

THE ARMY UNIFORMS OF THE KINGDOM KRAVONIA

I BAN EUROPEAN STYLED DRESS

FEZ- FRENCH BLUE WITH RASBERRY RED TASSELL

TUNIC – RED PIPED YELLOW

BUTTONS – BRASS

TROUSERS – RED SINGLE THIN YELLOW STRIPE

GAITERS – OFF WHITE

SHOES – BROWN

BELT – TAN

AMMUNITION POUCH – TAN

BAYONET SCABBARD – BLACK WITH BRASS FITTINGS

RIFLE SLING – WHITE

II BAN – RESERVE/MILITIA TRADITIONAL ZOUAVE DRESS

FEZ – FRENCH BLUE WITH RASBERRY RED TASSELL

TURBAN – WHITE

TUNIC – RED WITH YELLOW TRIM

UNDERSHIRT – FRENCH BLUE WITH YELLOW TRIM

TROUSERS – FRENCH BLUE

WAIST SASH – RASBERRY RED

SHOES/BOOTS – NATURAL BUFF LEATHER

WAIST BELT – TAN

AMMUNITION – POUCH BRASS CRESCENT AND STAR

HAVERSACK – OFF WHITE

BACKPACK – BROWN WITH WHITE STRAPS

GREATCOAT/BLANKET ROLL – BUTTERNUT

RIFLE SLING –WHITE

BAYONET SCABBARD – BLACK WITH BRASS FITTINGS

III BAN – FRONTIER MILITIA EUROPEAN DRESS – FORMER ALBANIAN VASSALLS

KEPI – WHITE WITH FRENCH BLUE BAND PIPED TOP AND BOTTOM IN RASBERRY RED, RASBERRY RED PIPING TO TOP OF KEPI, YELLOW CORD TO FRONT, COCKADE(ROUNDEL IN NATIONAL COLOURS –RASBERRY RED, PARROT GREEN, RASPBERRY RED ROUNDEL HAS A GILT EDGE.

TUNIC – WHITE PIPED FRENCH BLUE AROUND COLLAR EDGE AND DOWN FRONT OF JACKET

TROUSERS – WHITE WITH SINGLE THIN STRIPE OF FRENCH BLUE

BUTTONS – SILVER
WAIST BELT – TAN LEATHER WITH – SILVER BUCKLE

AMMUNITION POUCHES – TAN LEATHER

BOOTS – DARK BROWN

HAVERSACK – OFF WHITE

ROLLED GREATCOAT – PALE GREY

BAYONET SCABBARD – BLACK WITH SILVER FITTINGS

RIFLE SLING – TAN LEATHER

@ Shipka: thanks for sharing – always interested in fictitious Horse & Musket uniforms (even if out the 'Lace Wars' period!).
Jean-Louis
aka Louys de Monte-Cristo
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