Russian Artillery Crew, Grenadiers and Cossacks

It's been a busy month! However I have some goodies which have all arrived within a few days of each other. A sizeable portion of my Russian SYW army is now resident on my pairing desk. A unit of infantry should be completed today and a further unit lies waiting. My Grenadiers arrived - Wargames Foundry bought off eBay and my Cossacks eventually showed up from The Assault Group. Only a month late - Gregorian Calendar perhaps!. Finally a box arrived from the States with 4 unicorns and some Crew - my guns from Fife and Drum. (Thanks Jim!!)

A few different manufacturers there - but a bit of variety didn't hurt anyone did it? 

Let's see.... 

Fife and Drum Russian Artillery 

Lovely sculpting, clean castings and nice simple poses. I like these a lot. 

Compared to the Ingo Artillery -

They're smaller but better sculpted and the poses are similar for these chappies, but not the rest of the  Ingo crew who suffer from odd arm and hand positions - if caught them swinging the sponge and porte fire around like in an action that I'd give them a thick ear! 

I'm tempted just to use the F&D figs as I have some labourers who can lend a hand with the spare tool which come in the pack.

The guns are 12llb Unicorns - lovely solid castings and I like the open box of roundshot. Nice touch.

Next up the Grenadiers. 

I'd describe these as a little well fed and rounded, but plenty fierce character. Height ways they are pretty close to Ingo's Infantry. Sadly I wasn't a fan of the Ingo's Grenadier figures. Some of them are in coats and I wanted the unit in summer uniform and again the poses are a little limited.

Finally the Cossacks.

Nice figures, smallish perhaps but well posed and animated. The horses.....hmm. Not so pleased with these. I might hunt around and see what I can come up with from my spares box.  Overall though they are nice and will make an interesting bunch of baggage botherers for my games.   They'll be mounted on my round skirmish base as individual figures so I can use them 

The Russians Are Coming!

Just before the holidays I bought some of Ingo's Figures 28mm Russians. Nice clean castings with a basic pose that was straightforward and business like.

I finished my those figures yesterday and just need to add flags and basing.

I have more on the way, another 3 units of Observation Corps infantry and some artillery crew for unicorn guns. That should see me for a good few weeks painting, by which time I ought to have the Foundry Hussars and Crusader Cuirassier off to the painters. 

By the end of March I ought to have more than half the army done. After that  I plan on having some dragoons, a unit of foot grenadiers and a further infantry unit and mounted command. 

As each of my units really represent 2 battalions and the Russians fielded 3 per regiment I need to work out how best to represent this - as they are Russians and "quantity has a quality all of its own" I'll need to get more!

For Flags I may make some up myself based on the excellent examples on the Kronoscaf SYW site. (If you've not seen this, go look!). On the other hand by the time I have all this lot done I might treat myself to some ready made examples. 

This is my main project for the year and possibly my last SYW army. I'll have Hoegaarden, Naples and the Russians, plus my "late" Austrians. I don't think I have space for another army - I still have bits and pieces to paint and add - like the foundry character sets, civilians etc., the Austrians need some cavalry,  Naples needs more officers, so there's plenty to keep them going. Looking far ahead I really do fancy getting some more AWI too and no doubt Crann Tara will ruin everything and bring out more excellent generic Savoia figures........!