Moscow & St Petersburg Opolchenie

More units for my collaboration project with Ray are getting finished as part of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. Our joint Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow in the winter of 1812 project is coming together and both of us have been getting lots of units completed.  

In addition to the regular Russian army, the Tsar could call upon a huge number of volunteers to provide reserves and garrisons, and even fight alongside regular infantry. The Opolchenie militia enrolled over 220,000 men in 1812 and became a vital element in Russia’s defence. During the French retreat from Moscow, the Opolchenie were increasingly used to pursue the French and in front-line roles alongside regular units, which were by this time tired and depleted. The training was rudimentary at best with an emphasis on musketry and the charge. 

These two units are Front Rank figures and represent some of the better-armed “Jager” Opolchenien equipped with a rudimentary uniform and a Musket. There were also some mounted units armed with lances and other foot units armed only with a Pike and an axe. These would often follow up the Jager units and some sources refer to these troops as ‘foot cossacks’. Although initially used only for reserve roles they were increasingly used to fill gaps in regular troops. What they lacked in training they often made up for in bravery and ferocity in melee. 

Both units have a Kaftan-style jacket and trousers, and a backpack with black belts which wouldn’t be out of place in a regular Jager unit. The Moscow Opolcheine are dressed in brown with a tall fur hat, while the St Petersberg militia are in green with a soft cap similar to the infantry forage cap. In both cases, they display a brass cross symbol on their headgear, a symbol of their loyalty to the Tsar. 

I think I am going to buy more Opolochenie although I think my next lot will be the pike-armed variety plus some cavalry… yet again I am expanding the army before I have finished painting the first batch!