Russian Line Infantry (1812-1815)

Napoleonic Wars: Russian Line Infantry (1812-1815) plastic boxed set

Infantry formed the backbone of all armies in the Napoleonic Wars, but no army relied more on its simple private foot soldier than that of Imperial Russia.

Brave, tenacious, and resilient, they had to cope with poor conditions, bad provisions, and a cadre of mostly incompetent officers. Whenever Western observers spent time with the Russian army, they were repeatedly amazed by the sheer toughness and good humour of the average Russian infantryman in the face of adversity.

Many thousands of men were forced through the Imperial war machine to defy Napoleon on the fields of Europe. They often had to endure terrible punishments but remained undeterred. French officers admired their ability to withstand artillery fire, cavalry attacks, and the famous French assault columns. It was said that only when they were impaled on a bayonet could one be sure that they were dealing with ordinary men.

The Russians seemed to use the bayonet more frequently than any other army; it suited their character to strike. Moreover, the Russian army was generally poorly equipped, and the quality of their muskets was generally worse than that of their opponents. Bayonets were always reliable!

Contrary to popular belief, it was not the fear of punishment or excessive alcohol consumption that kept these men fighting when others might have collapsed, but rather an unwillingness to accept defeat.

Recruitment was never a problem for the Russian army. Many of the recruits came from an agricultural environment with serfdom and were little more than uneducated slaves. The army offered a regular income and regular meals. Any hardship they had to endure was an improvement for many, so conscription was generally not considered a curse. Service was for life, although it was reduced to 25 years after 1805, which in reality was still lifelong service, albeit in name only. After conscription, a man left his village as if he were already dead, and appropriate ceremonies were held, as there was little hope of him ever returning.

With this boxed set, you can raise a regiment of Russian infantry. With the variants in the box, you can assemble both musketeers and grenadiers, along with a command section to lead them into battle. We have also included a selection of flags from various regiments so you can send them into battle immediately.
For the Fatherland!

Contains 24 plastic and metal miniatures.

Models are supplied unassembled and unpainted.