"War and Peace - Cossacks, Russian Units" Topic

For the literati gamers out there…

What types of cossacks and Units figure prominantly in the famous novel "War and Peace"? A pal is interested in a W&P themed game, and I haven't read the novel [yet]. There are some good figures – and a sale – from Old Glory 15mm, including some cool character figs, so…

I guess it would be good to ask if anyone recommends any particular edition of the book?

And any movies / TV series that should be watched?

I still remember the episode of Cheers…

One of the viewpoint characters, Nikolai Rostov, is an officer with the Pavlograd Hussars, and has some exciting experiences with them.

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky is on the general staff.

Patriotic War of 1812 features strongly in the novel, including Borodino, occupation and burning of Moscow and the French retreat. The Austerlitz campaign of 1805 is also featured.

Despite its reputation for being tedious, I found it W&P to be quite engaging, and I managed to read it cover to cover enthusiastically (not something I can say for other Russian novels I've attempted!)

There was a BBC serialisation in the 1970s starring Anthony Hopkins. It has been many, many years since I watched it but I thought it very good at the time. Wether it has aged well, I don't know. It did have many, many episodes to do justice to the size of the book!

There was a more recent TV adaptation a couple of years ago, again from the BBC. This tried to do the whole thing in just six parts. I felt it focused too much on a couple of storylines, one of which was a fairly brief episode in the book.

There have been several film versions over the years. The main problem, again, is squeezing a mammoth, epic novel into a couple of hours of cinema! I believe the one often considered the best is the Russian Bondarchuk version, which was actually in four parts.

As willthepiper says, the main military characters that are involved in combat are Nikolai Rostov and Prince Andrei. Specific unit are not really referenced, apart from the aforementioned hussars. So you can use whatever you've got that is suitable for either the Austerlitz campaign or 1812. If doing 1812, you're going to need Cossacks….

Oddly enough, I had the same thought years ago. Now, as noted above, the Pavlograd Hussars and generic cossacks are the most frequently mentioned, next come the Guards units, both foot and horse are mentioned repeatedly. Interestingly enough a fair number of basic line regiments also get a mention, though it is usually in passing.

I have the list I made here long ago:

The Guards:
Semenov Guards Rgt.
Preobrazhenks Guard Rgt.
Izmailovsky Lifeguard Rgt.
Hussar of the Life Guards.
Horse Guards Rgt (cuirassier)

Infantry:
Kiev Grenadier Rgt. (Pink collar and cuffs, red shoulder strap)
Azov Infantry Rgt. (Straw yellow collar and cuffs, red shoulder straps)
Podolsk Inf Rgt. (Straw yellow collar and cuffs, pink shoulder straps)
Kursk Inf Rgt. (White collar and cuffs, pink shoulder straps)
Novgorod Inf Rgt. (Raspberry collar and cuffs, white shoulder straps)
Apcheron Inf Rgt. (Straw yellow collar and cuffs, raspberry shoulder straps)
36th (Podolsk) Chasseurs Inf Rgt.
6th Chasseur Rgt.

Cavalry:
Pavlograd Hussars

Apologies for the Inspection colors noted in the infantry, but that is how I painted them up.

The translation I read translated "Jager" as "Chasseur" for light infantry, and thus the seeming incorrect application for light infantry. The translation I had referred to the "Podolsk chasseurs" which I seem to recall tracking down as originally being a line regiment (and indeed, as you see, they are also listed as an infantry regiment), that was transferred to the light infantry. At any rate the book referred to the 6th Chasseurs (apparently a pretty good light infantry regiment) and the Podolsk chassuers, so you at least have 2 light infantry regiments.

There was also reference to a couple of artillery batteries, however in the book, this was done by name of the commander instead of the battery number. As I assumed that the commanders referred to were fictitious, I don't seem to have made a note of them. Sorry about that!

Hope this helps!

May your beard grow ever longer, langobard!

I was looking at the Old Glory 15s several varieties of Cossacks, and wondering if any would be preferable, from whence came this thread. But any thoughts on bashkir, peasant, or Don Cossacks and if they had guns or infantry with them appreciated!

Strangely never kept tract of units Tolstoy mentions though read W&P twice, movies so many times in all versions.
Do have a Pierre Bezukhov figure in a white top hat in 15mm.

I need more cossacks in 15mm too.

AB has excellent cossacks, a treat

If I could afford it I could clean them out and that would do it.

May your beard grow ever longer, langobard!

Thank you kind sir!

Sadly, I am now moving from notes to memory, so this may be even less reliable, but in terms of making a "Tolstoy" army, hopefully useful.

First, I have no memory of bashkirs or peasants and certainly not artillery for them. I always use Don Cossacks but I think this is more because I liked Platov wanting Murat captured, than anything from War and Peace.

That said, Nicky's best friend in the Pavlograd Hussars is a fellow called Denisov. He is actually based on Denis Davydov. In reading War and Peace, I didn't really understand how a regular could more or less decide to become a Cossack and lead partisans. I have just read Dominic Lievens "Russia against Napoleon", and it turns out that partisan warfare was more cossacks backed by some regular cavalry, than cossacks and peasants spontaneously cutting supply lines.

As such, and given that partisan warfare is rarely gamed, what I'm thinking of doing is giving a couple of my cossack units some hussar or dragoon command figures to show this sort of thing on the tabletop. I doubt that I'd change the stats for cossacks, it would be simply for show.

Next, 14Bore notes Pierre (white top hat mandatory, though not sure if that is from the film?) He turned up at the battle of Borodino and essentially has a breakdown. But he is sort of adopted by the gunners as a mascot / lucky charm while he is there and referred to as "the gentleman". Again, not much use in wargame terms, but for a Tolstoy army something I've always wanted, but never found.

In passing, Russia against Napoleon is subtitled "The true story of the campaigns of War and Peace". It is probably a little too pro-Russian, but the author is trying to make a point (as authors are wont to do), so that is fair enough. I found it an excellent read though, and will be re-reading War and Peace soon because of it.

Hope this helps!

During Napoleon retreat from Moskow many regular units were used in flanking and scouting and paired with cossack units.
Pierre in the Russian 60's movie has a light blue coat and white top hat.