Tuesday 21 January 2014

Pavlovski Grenadiers - 1812 Borodino



The Pavlovski Grenadiers advancing

This visually appealing unit of Kutuzov’s Russian army at Borodino stood out by the usage of their old fashioned grenadier mitre caps. 

After an honourable conduct at the Battle of Friedland in 1807, Tsar Alexander ordered that the Pavlovski Grenadiers would be allowed, as the only unit in the whole army, to keep the old miters " in the state in which they left the battlefield as visible mark of the unit's bravery and Our grace." 

Close quarters

With the mitres as a visible field sign, they soon induced fear when spotted on the battlefield by the enemy. After yet more gallant display the unit was admitted into the Imperial Guard in 1813.

Figures by Victrix (now Brigade Games). Flag by GMB.

Amazingly the unit remained in service, still using mitre up till the very end of the First World War and the fall of Tsarist Russia in 1917.

11 comments:

  1. Sheesh Søren! You keep churning'em out like there's no tomorrow!

    Another top-notch unit this one – superb painting and basing.

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    1. Haha, well actually I cheated. If you look closer at the left most base of the three, this was painted 3 years ago. Got busy between Christmas and New Year finishing up some of my half done units. Fun to see how one develops technique and color scale over the years.

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  2. Replies
    1. Thanks, the new Kolinsky brushes was put to heavy duty in the Christmas holiday.

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    1. Thanks Micke, I have another half done unit starring at me on the painting table. The Washington's Life Guard (yes, the ones I got from you). Soon...

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  4. Thanks Andrew. Appreciate your visit and comment!

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  5. Very nicely painted and interesting historical background to!

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  6. Excellent brush work: these are small figures and have some painting characteristics found on larger 54 mm figures. Very well done.

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