"1/72 Russ & Pruss Headswaps: Help needed about greatcoats" Topic

Today I conducted a little investigation into what extent I can convert late Prussians into Russians and vice-versa.

Since I only have models from two different companies for each nation, my command bases are running the risk of looking pretty poor pose-wise. I figured that headswapping a number of figures could potentially double my pose pool.

On first glance, the figures look 100% compatible; the Prussian uniform by the end of the wars was modelled on Russia's after all!

But there is one critical difference; most of the Prussian figures wear their greatcoats rolled over their packs and kit, while the Russians wear them underneath.

I've found Osprey illustrations of Prussians wearing them both ways, but Russians look to have worn them entirely under their packs.

Do you suppose it would be feasible for some Russians to have their packs over their kits? Or is a conversion necessary?

I don't have faith in my ability to cleanly remove the greatcoats so I am leaning toward saying "It's 1813 and this Russian army has gotten a little slack with discipline." ;)

For the curious, the green Russians are Zvezda Russian Heavy Infantry Grenadiers, the grey ones are Zvezda's newer "Art of Tactic" figures. The grey Prussians are Waterloo 1815 Prussian Infantry and the blue ones are from HaT's Prussian Infantry Command box.

Would be very grateful for any advice on either the viability of painting Russians as Prussians and vice-versa as well as whether I ought go about trying to cut off the packs on Russians > Prussians.

If you guys do think I should convert, how can I go about cleanly removing the packs and sculpting over the damage? I've plenty of greenstuff and epoxy, I just worry about messing up the removal of the coats.

Having 95 % of my collection Prussian and Russians I have pondered this before. Marching and a downpour hits the great coat comes out. Stops and not rest break does it all go back under or not?
As for Prussian in Russian uniform had 3 regiments in them, Lieb, E Prussian one other and was kind of talked out of them so they all went to the stripper repainted and joined the Russian army and Prussian units got replaced.
The argument went the Prussian late Russified uniform was during the occupation period but effectively past the campaign.
I have I,II, III Prussian Corp + some extra units and all but the whole 1st Russian army of Borodino all in 1=60

The method to roll the greatcoat in a more flat manner and wear it under the backpack belts was introduced in the Prussian army after the 1815 campaign.

My heart says – put them in the front rank of your command base, and only the most pedantic would notice anyway.

What I think gamers notice is the massed ranks, flags etc. So as long as you have most stuff right, don't sweat teh small stuff