"18mm Russian Infantry Variations" Topic

I have ordered my first AB Russians for an 1812-14 project, and they are as good as their admirers say they are. Onwards and upwards, and I am poised to dive in.

The thing is that variations in Russian line uniforms are limited, basically either summer or winter dress, winter dress with greatcoats, and forage caps, or multiples of these alternatives. The Foundry 28mm Russian line or the current Perry 28mm are pretty good examples.

And that is just if you have all in Kiwer. If you are a bit of a Kiwer sceptic or are focusing on Borodino the 1809 shako is pretty essential, with all of the above variables (except forage cap).

But the superb AB Russians are just Kiwer in summer dress. No gaiters, no forage caps, not even greatcoats! In fact their pre-1812 range is much more extensive (which no doubt is a good thing).

So what do you Russian 1812-14 collectors/gamers do? Look to other ranges? I couldn't really see a lot available that solved the problem. Blue Moon offer Kiwers in gaiters and greatcoats, so that is at least an option. Battle Honours are nice but smaller. Old Glory 15s at least have forage caps with greatcoats, but the sculpting, especially faces are not quite AB. Fantassin have some really good sculpts, but unfortunately the Russian musketeer in forage cap is not their best effort.

So is the answer conversions? I ordered some Peter Pig 15mm heads with forage caps, and will see how that goes. An earlier TMP thread was pessimistic about using them for 18mm as too small, but only seeing them up close will tell.

Any thoughts would be welcome. Maybe the answer is to ask the Maestro Mr Barton to sculpt more 1812-14 Russians. It does seem a bit odd that such a major power in the Napoleonic wars has such a limited range from such a fabulous line of figures, but each range has its soft spots.

Помогите! (I think that is the Russian for help)

You want Russian Infantry in 1809 (actually 1808) Kiwer?
In summer and winter (overcoats) dress?

Like these?

A propos, Russians don't haved gaiters.
Those black things on winter breeches are just reinforcements, not gaiters.

Sho they look great. This seems to be the answer.

One question. Your website shows painted musketeers in great coat with forage cap. Your metal figures for sale don't seem to include that figure. Is it available?

Know what you mean about the leggings – I just didn't know what to call them.

Many thanks for your help.

If others have further suggestions I would also like to hear them!

I don't liked this chap with forage cap, so I don't added it to resculpted Grenadier set. And I don't have this figure in stock either. I don't rememeber, somebody buys them all or I melted them down.

But I prepare new Musketeer set about late war conscriptions in my Mass Army Project. There definitely will be some chaps with forage caps.

Great to hear Sho.
I look forward to them.

When I have too,many grenadiers, I just cut the plume, davaļ!
Otherwise I mix. Campaingn games go well with Ab, and some do not have backpacks for a change.

I like diversity, but at the mercy of the figures I get. Never tried to get all troops to be winter or summer but at least sort of get a division all the same or at least the regiment. Don't see a problem if 1 chap is missing his shako and has a forage cap.

Thanks Jcfrog, I have ordered some CGM without backpacks, and will probably use them as Jaegers, mixed in with AB, BH and BM. Thanks for the tip.

14Bore Regimental/Divisional compatibility with winter/summer dress was what I had in mind, but then other variety within. The variations that Greystreak achieved with his superb 28mm Russian Foundry Miniatures was what I was after in 18mm, and started me on this quest.

Looking at 1/72 there are a lot of separate heads made (but not Russians), especially by Franznap, Lancer Bleu, Hagen etc which permit wide scale modifications. Other than Peter Pig there does not seem to be the same in 18mm – I guess I was wondering why that was.