"Color Of Russian Great coats" Topic

I'm new to this period and have started a Russian army. I've a copy of Osprey's Russian infantry. In it it states that Russian Great coats are grey/brown. Which would leave me to beleive that the grey predominates with a hint of brown. All the painted figs I've seen have the coats mainly brown. Could anyone shed any light on this.
Thanks
Frank

I made a mistake in my previous post. I should have said brownish/grey.
Sorry
Frank

The Russian suply situation was such that there was no single standard color for greatcoats (or caliber for musketballs, or powder loads for artillery, etc...). Greatcoats came in a range of colors from grey to brown. They were consistent within a regiment, but varied from regiment to regiment. IIRC the paintings from the 19th cent. in the Hermitage show mostly dark grey coats, followed by some dull greyish-beige ones, and only a few dark brown.

I personally favor a Polly-S color called "Lichen Grey." Can't find the bottle easily to check the number, but could if interested. It has that hint of brown that I like.

Thanks that clears it up.

If only found this sooner like 9 battalions ago not 6 to go.
But at least being consistent, trying a brown/grey but maybe next will go tan brown.

Given how variable the current-issue US military wool blankets are (I think they're undyed and random mixes of gray, brown, and whatever other colors sheep get, I've seen gray, pale cream, near-black, and tan), I'm pretty sure just about anything gray-brown would be acceptable.

I will probably use Vallejo WW1 Feldgrau, if/when I get around to painting Napoleonic greatcoats.

and how long worn, washed and in the sun.

Mr Stokes just a note. the Russians had many caliber of muskets. As this referred to their length. the Caliber of the ball was the same. the Russian did this in the early 1700 I believe. there are discussions about this from am few years back.

Caliber as a description of length has fallen out of fashion.

interesting note the British sold great coats to the Russians and the French for the 1812 campaign. whole corps worth.

and one of the great of our hobby was quoted as saying just by figures in great coats and hat covers you could use them for any army.

Love these zombie threads. Wonder if the chap from 17 years ago still games?

@ Lord Ghee

One of the firms that supplied the French was Courtaulds, a UK-based textiles firm. This company's successors are still in business and were in textiles production until 20 years ago. I was at college with a scion of the family.

There was a cabinet meeting on the matter. The French were letting contracts for greatcoat supply because they couldn't make enough themselves. Courtaulds wanted to tender and this was approved on the basis that nothing should be done to discourage the French from invading Russia.

You have to laugh really. The idea of invading Russia was to enforce the exclusion of British trade from Europe. But to stop Russia trading with Britain, France had to trade with Britain.

Nothing sums up so well how hard it is for a land power to try to blockade a sea power.

For what its worth gents I am just in the throws of doign armies for the retreat from moscow and this si the colour I have plumped for for Russians. I like it and think it works.

Every geographic region has several types of sheep. Some are there by tradition, some are there because they are a good fit for the amount and type of pasture and help available, and some are there by fitting the climate. …. White wool is a genetic accident that is fortunate for being able to take a dye and get many colours….. Curly wool is a genetic accident- early sheep had long guard hairs (kemp) and an undercoat of "wool" that was shed in the spring. ……. Greys and brown wools are common with older sheep breeds.

Also

Seals the deal, next greatcoat regiment gets white with red spots.

Roger C – They do look good,I only have 1 more pack of infantry to go and no point in changing them now sosticking what I am doing.