Russian Armylist in Shakos and Bayonets

I have just recieved my books of Shakos and Bayonets and I am trying to diggest the Russian list. I am no scholar of Napoleonics but I read quite a lot about Russian army both English and Russian as well and I am still trying to know more, so I am not quite happy of what I see. It seems French people beats Napoleon, not Brittain, but Russia so they avenge themselves in this rules. But I would like to point out, that it was Blücher and not Alexander I. who wanted to blow up Jena bridge during their mutual and successful visit of Paris in 1814.

The Historical Narative

I mean introduction and those short previews of the unit stats. Just ignore it. If you are new to Russians it can misleads you a lot. If you are not, you know better. It’s all build upon prejudice and legends of the past. And there are critical mistakes, which leads me to a question how the army been designed, if there are such wrongness on historic part. It’s easy – the list plays on the same note. If you are looking for more – check Lieven, Vyshkovatov or Zhmodikovs books.

The list

Understanding the profile is quite tricky, and here it’s upon players perception how they want to understand the list.

Let’s start with basics – you can find some information about Russian units here on this blog, so only briefly – All Russian battalions except Combined be it Guard, Jager, or Heavy (Musketeer and Greandier) has same organisation structure. 1 platoon of grenadiers (not carabiniers, all are grenadiers), 1 platoon of marksman and 6 platoons of jager, fusilier or musketeer dependant on type of the regiment. Whereas fusilier are rank and file of the grenadier battalions. Therefore all battalion can field musketeers, skirmishing section and grenadier. Jagers are thus musketeers of the jager battalions. As usualy names of the unit entries are just labels to name them somehow, so you work it out as much as you want. Combined Grenadiers battalions are composed only from Grenadiers and Marksman platoons of infantry and jager regiments of the 2nd battalions of the Regiment.

Now, the „skirmishing section“ I believe it refers to French Volitigeurs, but Russian Marksman platoon (vzvod dlia strielkov) do not wok same way as Voltigeur Companies. Skirmish chain for army has been done usually by Jager battalions. If there is need for skirmish screen provided by battalion for themselves, then there were no usual standard to it. Marksman platoon, volunteers, best sharpshooters or flankers of the central platoons could fill this need.

The rules offer Grenadiers, Musketeers, Jagers and Skirmishing Section. Grenadiers are grenadiers, Musketeers covers musketeers and fusiliers, Jagers are jagers and Skirmishing section is of course band of tiraillerus detached from the unit, so can be anything as above plus Marksmen (Stelki). Elite Guard Marksman can be used for any good sharpshooters, not only guard. Same Guard entry can cover units covered by glory not only Guard.  

Leib Gvardii Ismailovskij polk pri Borodino Ježov Alexandr Nikolajevič

The cavalry is unclear even in historical resources regarding of firearms. Interesting part (probably typo) is that line cavalry gains additional lance, Guard change them for Carbine. According to Zhmodikov (Order to the Western Army as from 1^st July) all dragoons, cuirassiers and hussars were stripped of their fireaerms, except for 16 flankers per squadron in July 1812, as per Vyshkovatov November 1812. Horse Jagers were equipped by Eger Ruzhia - Carbine. Only 16 flankers per squadron of Uhlans has carbines.

Let’s discuss Opolchenye, quality differ, but some of the units used in open order (St. Petersburg) were quite a good with musket. However no opolchenie fought well in close order. So you can play some of the Opolchenye as Volunteers. Again, Some of the Opolchenye cavalry units fought quite well, you can use them as cossacks, hussars or uhlans, as you wish. Bashkirs were able to use Bow and Lance, same as any turkic cavalry since Golden Horde raids, and to be honest I don’t grasp the reason why they have to substitute one for another. But it’s designer’s decision. One I will happily comment :-D. I miss Cossack infantry.

The funniest part came with artillery which is good because they had bigger gun?! Seriously? Problem with Russian Artillery was that it run away in order not to loose guns. It changed during 1812 with Arakcheev and Kutaisov reforms and by the order of De Tolly, but Russian artillerist were no difference to French one. Except they have probably better gun, better sights and better education too.

The worst part of the rules are officers. Why Russians has so limited options (no scouts?!) eludes me, and this soviet style of Commisar killing his own men is nonsense.

Stats

I will not comment stats. I do not like perception where Russians are bad shooters, but good in close combat. More likely when close combat was so rare during Napoleonics (at least that’s what most historians said).

Conclusion

Let’s see how the army will behave on tabletop. Reading the book and playing the game are totally different things. At this moment I tend to use French or Minor nations rules instead of Russians.

Rules as written it seems that Russian army is bad with shooting, great with bayonets if you paid enough points for upgrades and will be able with their morale close the gap between armies for some serious bayonet trusts. It is probably design goal to put an emphasis to difference between armies and playstyles. Also this playstyle comply with usual prejudices about Russian army. I hope it will offer balanced and fun gameplay.