"Russo-Polish War 28mm?" Topic

I've got a Copplestone Red Army and read a recent account the 1920 war. I'd like some Polish adversaries as an alternative to Back of Beyond. Does anyone make them? Can't seem to find anything so far.

Probably best would be using 1914 BEF, Musketeer Miniatures has a good range (as do some others). Mix in some WWI Austrians perhaps? Peter Pig does them in 15mm you could look at these or order some to get an idea on uniforms.
SkirmishCampaigns have a book of scenarios and background about part of this war. Ideas on uniforms and what to use are in there too – $20 USD USD. Good stuff.

The advice to look at WWI Austrians is good…WWI Russians can also work, as will WWI French for Haller's Blue army. Given the chaotic nature of the post war period and the fact that many Poles served with the Austrians and Russians and French there would be a wide range of uniform variation. I'd use the British cavalry for Polish lancers.

db

Here are a couple of previous threads on this subject that might be helpful.

TMP link

TMP link

I thought a unique characteristic of the the Polish army was a czapka, hat with the squared off top?
hallersarmy.com/gallery.php

Who makes these

Nice link to the Haller gallery, thanks. I'm going for a mix of French, Austrian and converted czapka square hats for variety. As I have a few Russians spare they can go in as well.

The Skirmish campaigns book looks a good idea for a purchase too.

The czapka is characteristic, but it is the Polish word for cap. Virtually all Poles fought in round cap in 1919-1920, rather than helmets, which makes using late WWI figures difficult to use.

I presume you are thinking of the Rogatywka, which is the square-topped cap most associated with Poles. It was part of the official uniform at the time, but few men wore that. Instead they were in ex-WWI round caps of various sorts. Some French from Haller's Army had rogatywka. Higher officers did weat it, and you can use early WWII Poles for them.

You can generally find figures for anything you need for 1920 Poles, but a good first step is to decide which former army they descend from. That narrows your range of options considerably.

<quote>I'm going for a mix of French, Austrian and converted czapka square hats for variety. As I have a few Russians spare they can go in as well.</quote>

Infantry divisions were largely recruited and equipped from the same source. Cavalry regiments likewise. As the Austrians and French had only recently been at each other's throats, it was thought wise not to mix them in the same units. It also meant each unit knew what the standard practices were, which reduced confusion.

If you wish to add uniform variety inside the same unit, mix in some units in British kit or in civvies. That was much more common.

In particular, the units of French origin has masses of surplus WWI kit, and no need to mix in anything else.

Hats can be all over the place – helmets, round caps, rogatywka, side-caps and civilian ones – were often side by side.

Hmmm. Thanks Mark. I already have some late war French so will probably go down that route, add some rogatywka and caps. By round caps do you mean peaked caps a la Russian or British 1914? Would the ex-French units be in full or near full French uniform?

Yes, by "round" I mean the normal Russian or British type. Apparently the cavalry were quite commonly found in ex-British caps. But also German and Austrian ones for units from those areas. Pilsudski seems to have almost exclusively worn a round cap of Austrian origin.

My understanding is that the ex-French units were equipped pretty well in the "horizon blue" outfits. They wore more helmets than most Poles and had plenty of nice Rogatywkas.

Many thanks. I can use them for Polish in French service against my 1918 Germans too in that case.