Saturday, December 24, 2016

Happy Christmas from Russia, 1812

This year, it is my recently augmented Napoleonic Russian Army which gets to shake out for the annual Christmas Review...


It seems the event centers around the dedication of a monument to the darlings of the Russian Army - the Artillery!


Southern view.


Some closeups, working clockwise...


The "monument" is some 54mm figures given to me last year by our good friends, the Hopkins. They "get" my love of history!


The army, as seen above has 43 Infantry units.


16 Musketeers, 7 Jager, 4 Grenadiers, 4 Guard, 3 Guard Jager, and 4 4 Opolchenie


There are 21 cavalry Regiments


5 Hussars, 1 Uhlan, 2 Dragoon, 2 Mounted Jager, 4 Cossack, 3 Cuirassier, 1 Guard Dragoon, 1 Guard Uhlan, 1 Chevalier Guard, \1 Lifeguard Hussar


In suitably Russian fashion, it includes 21 Artillery batteries


Seven Line 6 lber Foot, Three Line 12 lber Foot, Five Line 6 lber Horse Batteries, one Guard 6 lber Foot, one Guard 12 lber Foot, and one Guard 6 lber Hiorse Batteries., along with four Li9mbers and 4 Engineers.


On the Leadership side, there are thirty-four command stands.

Eleven 2 figure "Corps?Army" commanders, and twenty-one Divisional commanders


Totals: Infantry: 43@ 698, Cavalry: 21@168, Artillery: 18@113, 34 Staff @ 45
Grand Total 1,024 figures and 42 guns


To President elect Trump,

Bet my...     army is bigger than yours!

Happy Christmas with love,

Vladimir Putin 


"Russian Christmas Music"- Russian in theme only, but beautiful none the less.
Russian Christmas Music, written by Alfred Reed in 1944. It is one of the most frequently performed pieces of concert band literature. Reed was commissioned to write a piece of "Russian music"  for a concert in Denver, Colorado. The concert's aim was to improve Soviet-American relations; as such, it was to include premieres of new Soviet and American works. Prokofiev's March, Op. 99 was supposed to be the Russian work, but it was discovered that the work had already been performed in the United States, and Reed was assigned to write a new piece a mere sixteen days before the concert. The piece was first performed on December 12, 1944, on nationally-broadcast NBC radio. (From Wikipedia)

Merry Christmas to one and all who celebrate it!

May there be Peace on Earth and Good Will towards all men.

14 comments:

  1. What a splendidly martial sight, Peter! In 25s, that is a BIG army! Well done.
    Merry Christmas, my friend!

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    1. Thanks, Jon, and a very Merry Christmas to you your family!

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  2. A splendid sight! Have a great Christmas!

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  3. What a spectacle! I've always wanted a Russian army. Maybe this year.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it, David. Green and Red - Russians have the Christmas colors down!

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  4. My favourite Napoleonic army. Merry Christmas Peter.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed them, and Merry Christmas to you as well, Lawrence!

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  5. Gosh that's a lot of Russians! They all look splendid! Best Iain

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  6. Makes me want to get started on my own Russians, best wishes!

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    1. Thanks, Mark. The Russians are a tough army. I like the more colorful, earlier uniforms, but figures for those weren't available when I started my Russians back in the 1970's.

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