Well, six weeks in I had been planning to have rather more of this Russian force at the point I wanted them at, ie ready for a little highlighting and varnish then basing. I brought two regiments of Russian infantry, six battalions of 32 figures (24 musketeers and 8 grenadiers), and two half-batteries of artillery, minus the actual cannon.
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| Musketeers but off the top of my head I can’t remember which regiment they are destined to be. |
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| Grenadiers |
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| Should get these finished before we come home. |
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| The shambles that is my temporary painting station. |
Well I have failed 😞. There is only one battalion ready, plus two of the three grenadier companies of the regiment (one per battalion). I will more than likely get the other two battalions of the first regiment finished and all the others have had their greatcoats speed painted (still not wholly convinced as I like contrast paints better I think). You never know I may well get them pretty much along the road to completion as they’re very simple figures to paint and the greatcoats make them even simpler; collars, shoulder straps, cross belts, faces and various applications of black.
So it may be a bit longer before these boys take on the valiant/dastardly (delete as applicable) Swedes, let alone any Frenchies.
An interesting anecdote, or not? I very occasionally have used a painting service in Kiev, and keep in touch quite regularly, so given the current circumstances and to support them in their time of need I sent about a hundred figures to Vladimir to have painted. I mentioned that I had lots of Russians needing painting but thought it might be a bit insensitive, so they were sent loads of Steel Fist peasants. Not a problem I was told “as those Russians are history and we’ve been accepting commissions of Russian figures throughout the war” or words to that effect. I imagine many more present day Russians will join their forbears before this madness stops and Putin goes.
