"Fireforge Byzantine Cavalry as Medieval Russians?" Topic

I want to make a medieval Russian army and like the Fireforge minis. But the Russians are resin rather than plastic so are a bit more expensive than I want to spend because I need a lot of cavalry.

Looking at their Byzantium cavakry would they be closely servicable to be Russians? They look like them to me but I could be missing something. Thank you!

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There may be some slight differences, especially in the horse 'barding,' but during this time period many "nation-states" in Eastern Europe and the Middle-East used very similar personal and horse armor and weapons. Also the shields are very different – teardrop for the Byzantines and round for the Russians. But if you (and your opponents) can live with that, then go for it!

Jim

Yeah, looks like the Koursores would be pretty close to the druzhina, except the shields, as ColCampbell noted

I have all three cavalry sets and I would say definitely yes to question. The Byzantines heavily influenced the Russians.

Does anyone make round shields? If not, if you had to make a shield, a round one is probably the easiest.

They come with both round and teardrop shields.

I'm using the Fireforge Byzantine cavalry for Turkic Volga Bulgars, Russia's Islamic neighbours, with the addition of spare bow and arrow cases for the heavy and medium horse. Depending on the period Russian cavalry would also have been armed with bows and arrows.

Thanks everybody. Yea, for the shields I was going to use the Russian Infantry ones along with some of their heads for different helmets. And some bows in that set too so I can add them to some cavalry.

For 12th and 13th centuries, almond/teardrop shields would be suitable instead of round. It seems to have been the dominant type for horsemen for a while.

You can see Fireforge have almond shields on some of their druzhina.

I would be wary of horse armour and iirc bows would be evident after the Mongol invasions.

There are kite and almond shields in Scenes from the Life of King David. Simon Psalter, Monastery of St George, Novgorod, 1290s. Historical Museum, Moscow, Russia.
Also lamellar as well as mail.

mirror sites
Scenes from the Life of King David. Simon Psalter, Monastery of St George, Novgorod, 1290s. Historical Museum, Moscow, Russia.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Russian Costume & Soldiers

Well I bit the bullet and ordered my Fireforge boxes – Byzantine cavalry & horse archers, and Russian infantry. Planning on using some heads and shields from the ifnnatry to "Russian up" the Byzintines….