Moscow Opolchenie with Pikes – 1812 Retreat from Moscow Project

Another unit completed for the 1812 Retreat from Moscow project that Ray and I have been steadily working through – and this one might just be my favourite so far. Introducing a grim and determined band of Moscow Opolchenie, citizen-soldiers armed with pikes, trudging through the snow to defend their homeland. This unit really captures the ragged determination of Russia’s last-ditch defense during the 1812 campaign. These militia were not professional troops, but rather volunteers and conscripts – tradesmen, peasants, and townsfolk – hastily organized to bolster the Russian resistance as Napoleon’s Grande Armée advanced.

What makes this unit stand out visually is their distinctive brown kaftan-style uniform. These long, belted coats were practical for the Russian winter, and many were lined or trimmed with fur, which I tried to reflect in the painting. The uniform was often accompanied by tall fur hats, giving the figures a consistent and iconic silhouette. I've kept the palette earthy and subdued – lots of rich browns, muted reds for the sashes, and dark fur tones. It’s a look that screams “militia,” but also carries a real sense of rugged unity. The basework ties it all together: snow effects and tufts poking through the frozen ground, along with a scenic backdrop that places them firmly in the brutal Russian winter.

Their weapons are just as evocative – long wooden pikes, some tipped with iron or even re-purposed bayonets. While pikes were largely obsolete by 1812, they still had their uses for militias. Cheap and easy to produce, they allowed these citizen-soldiers to form a semblance of defense, especially against cavalry or to harass stragglers during the retreat. I've painted the pikes to look weather-worn and practical, rather than polished – these were tools of desperation, not parade-ground arms.

The Moscow Opolchenie were intended to support the Russian army in a more defensive, auxiliary capacity – manning garrisons, guarding supply lines, and reinforcing the flanks when needed. But during the chaos of the French retreat from Moscow, even troops like these found themselves swept up in the wider conflict. They were often deployed alongside Cossack raiders or local partisans, harassing the retreating French, capturing isolated units, and cutting off supply routes. 

Their morale was often bolstered by fierce patriotism and the presence of religious icons – which I’ve echoed in the unit’s banner, featuring a traditional Orthodox image. One of the most striking elements of this Moscow Opolchenie unit is the religious banner they carry – a vivid reminder of how deeply intertwined faith and patriotism were in the Russian resistance during 1812. For many Opolchenie units, especially those raised in and around Moscow, banners were not standard military flags. Instead, they were often deeply personal and spiritual symbols, featuring Orthodox Christian icons, saints, or the Virgin Mary. These images weren’t just decorative – they were believed to provide divine protection and moral guidance, especially for irregular troops who lacked the discipline and structure of the regular army. 

In the case of the Moscow Opolchenie, many units carried banners bearing the image of Saint Nicholas, Our Lady of Kazan, or Christ Pantocrator, all revered figures in Russian Orthodoxy. In practice, these banners were often made by local communities or churches, sometimes even embroidered by hand, and then blessed before being carried into the field. This gave them deep emotional resonance for the men under them – they weren’t just fighting for Tsar and country, but for their families, faith, and the sanctity of their homeland.

This unit was a joy to work on – a little different from the polished parade of line infantry, but full of character and narrative. It really adds that layer of atmosphere and grit to the project, and I’m looking forward to seeing them on the table. 

Russian 6pdr Gun and Crew and a Water Wagon

So a few weeks ago I painted a 12pdr Gun Team and I mentioned that I also had a 6pdr gun and crew to paint. But you may recall that I had to ‘borrow’ a crewman from the 6pdr team because Sharp Practice has five-man crew for guns but the packs only come with four figures. Well, now that it was time to paint the 6pdr I was two figures down, so I bought a couple of artillery officers from Front Rank to fill the gaps. 

Actually what I plan to do is swap back the ‘borrowed figure’ from the 12pdr crew and give each set one of the officers (shown below)

As with the earlier gun, this was fun to paint, and I look forward to doing more artillery at a later date. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, the Russian army had a substantial artillery force, with estimates ranging from over 600 guns present at Borodino alone. Some sources indicate the Russians had over 2,000 artillery pieces available during the campaign compared to the French, who had approximately 1400 artillery pieces available.

I also had time to do a wagon, this one being a 3D print from Iron Gate Scenery. The Barrels are from Debris of War and the Horse is by Tiger Miniatures. 

Cossack Opolchiene - Russian Mounted Militia for 1812

I need to add more cavalry to my army so when I purchased the Gun and Limber that I painted last week I also purchased this unit of mounted Opolchiene from Perry Miniatures. The set comes with lances for all, however, there are also several muckets/carbines in the pack so I decided to give a couple of them firearms instead of lances. These are militia after all, and uniformity is not a word I would usually associate with a unit of this type. 

I’ve already painted a couple of units of foot Opolchiene, but there were also a series of short-lived cavalry formations. These were formed in July 1812 as ‘Cossack’ (ie mounted) militia regiments. The Moscow militia had two regiments, but other regions were able to raise considerably more. All were disbanded in 1813-14 once the crisis of Napoleon's invasion had been defeated. 

I probably won’t have time for more cavalry before the Challenge ends, but I am giving careful consideration to adding a few units of Uhlans to my army to give it more mobility and lethality. Let's see if I have the energy (and the money) once the challenge ends!

Opolchiene 3 Pounder Gun & Limber

A few weeks ago I completed a couple of units of Opolchiene Militia and enjoyed them so much I decided to expand this section of my growing army. I was immediately tempted by the options offered by Perry Miniatures and decided a small artillery piece would be good with the foot troops. So I purchased the 3 Pounder Gun with its associated Limber.

I haven’t been able to find out much about the use of artillery with the Opolchiene so I have had to ‘fill in the gaps’ a little. Some sources mention that Cossak Opolchiene used captured Turkish guns dating from the 18th Century and I guess that makes sense. Modern artillery pieces would be used by the regular army, but these older, supposedly obsolete weapons, would be ideal for the Militia.

The sculpting on this model is really nice but my one criticism of the set is that none of the ropes between the draft horses and the limber are included. I couldn’t reconcile myself to the omission so I made the ropes using a few metal spears that were left over from an earlier project. A little bit of texture was added using a file and then the new ropes were pinned to the horses and cut to the right length to attach to the limber. It is surprisingly difficult to find pictures of how these were harnessed but I think I eventually worked it out (via a bit of head scratching and swearing) and I’m pretty happy with this modest bit of conversion work.

I also had time to work on a wagon and some casualties this week. I found this model, painted but seriously battered, in a box of terrain that I used to use for face-to-face roleplaying games. It's made of resin and had taken a lot of damage with a lot of the paint chipped off. So I cleaned it up and gave it a new coat of primer before repainting it. I also made a pile of grain sacks from greenstuff to partially fill the back of the waggon and left just enough room for one lucky passenger. This guy may survive the battle simply because he has been able to get up off the ground, unlike his companion who has succumbed to wounds and the cold down on the ground. Both figures are Perry Miniatures and are painted as Jagers, with green uniforms and black leather belts and straps.

Retreat from Moscow 1812: Smolensk Dragoons and Officer

I needed to get more cavalry completed so this week I have focused all my efforts on a unit of Dragoons. By 1812 there were somewhere around 37 Dragoon Regiments in the Russian Army. This had risen in stages from about 15 regiments back in 1801. 1812 would be the high water mark because in December of that year, partially in response to battle losses, some regiments were converted into Cuirassier Regiments and some reduced regiments were absorbed into equally understrength Hussar regiments.

Russian Dragoon uniform for 1812 was largely established in the 1807 changes with troopers wearing a Dark Green jacket with coloured facings and collars of various colours. The Yellow cuffs can’t be seen under the Greatcoats but the Yellow collars and the trim around the Shabraques (saddlecloths) reveal that this unit is the Smolensk Dragoons, originally formed as part of Catherine the Great’s army in the previous century. Troopers wore grey trousers, often reinforced with black leather, with black-buttoned over-trousers and boots. 

Typically each Dragoon was armed with a cavalry musket, a bayonet and 2 pistols. The Russian musket was significantly shorter than the French version which made it easier to use on horseback, although it limited its range. This was normally carried on the right side of the saddle but in 1812 many of the Dragoon regents lost their muskets which were given either to the infantry or the many Militia units that were being raised. Instead, they relied on their pistols for short-range fire and their stout cavalry swords for close action. 

(Scoring: 9x28mm Cavalry = 90 Points)

Russian Mounted Field Officers for 1812

This is just a small entry of four officers from me this week. My excuse for not getting more done; Three days of gaming instead of painting. After completing the Opolchenie last week, hot on the heels of the Cossacks the week before I was feeling a little ‘painted out’ so I took a day off before starting to prep my next big entry (a unit of Dragoons). Then the game invites began to come in and before I knew it I had ‘lost’ half a week's painting time. That’s not a complaint, I’ve had some great games over the last week, and focusing on a couple of models has enabled me to gather my strength for the next lot of cavalry. It’s also presenting Ray with a golden opportunity to overtake me in the rankings… let's see if he takes it!

The two mounted officers are from Perry Miniatures and are cast as a single model. These two are not wearing greatcoats unlike pretty much all of the rest of my army. Maybe they are just harder than their men, or maybe they are foolhardy? I did consider copying Ray and adding a greenstuff scarf or cloak, but I decided against that because I knew I didn’t have much time but also because I didn’t want to obscure the details on their uniforms. So for the first (and possibly last) time in this project, I have had a chance to paint dark green jackets, brass buttons and silver braid. I’m rather happy with how these came out. 

Next are a couple of officers on foot. I think these are Foundry figures. One is wrapped in a long greatcoat while the other wears only a frock coat. I think I may have made a mistake with this guy. I copied a picture I had so the whole figure is in grey, but now I think I’ve boo-booed and his frock coat should have been dark green. It’s too late now, he’ll have to do as is. I have a few more officers to paint so I will have plenty of choice when Ray and I finally play a game. 

 

I’ve started on the Dragoons and hopefully, I’ll have them done for next week… crossed my fingers and a following wind permitting. 

Don Cossacks and Officer

This week I have a unit of Don Cossacks charging across my desk. It is said that just hearing their cry of “Hurrah” could send entire battalions into retreat. Even Napoleon seemed impressed by these wild undisciplined horsemen, stating “Cossacks are the finest light troops among all that exist. If I had them in my army, I would go through all the world with them."

The Cossacks had a fearsome reputation and formed fast units that could exploit open flanks and harry retreating troops. They were excellent for reconnaissance when they could be bothered to report back on the position of enemy troops rather than chase after them. It was said (mainly by the French) that the easiest way to distract Cossckas was to present them with an unguarded baggage train. This unit is painted as Don Cossacks with a dark blue uniform, red trim, and a broad red stripe down the leg of loose-fitting trousers. They wear various cloaks and many have ill-matching headgear, from tall fur busbies to soft forage-style caps. All bar the officer carries a lance and I can testify to the sharpness of these…they drew blood on several occasions when I let my attention wander while handling them! 

Unlike the regular troops, the officer was cast as a single figure. That said, I decided to assemble all the figures before painting…a practice that doesn’t have universal approval, judging from a very quick search online. I think I prefer this method, and while it makes painting some parts of the model a little more tricky, overall, I found it easier than trying to combine painted figures without destroying the paintwork. 

I’m happy with how these turned out although I think I’ll take a rest before painting more cavalry! 

Russian 12pdr Gun & Crew

I have been looking forward to getting started on this piece since I bought it at Partizan last year. This is a Perry miniature and comes with four crewmen. But it was only last week that I realised that in Sharp Practice guns have five crewmen…so I found an extra figure from another set to make up the numbers. I’ll worry about replacing the crew from the other gun later. The sculpts on these are outstanding and the crewmen all look suitably cold, especially the guy hugging his hands in his greatcoat. He looks thoroughly miserable and makes you realise that while the French army had a terrible time in Russia, the Russian troops weren’t much better off. There’s a good reason why campaigning in winter is a silly idea, even if it is your homeland and you are used to the weather. When the temperature drops to -20℃ everyone suffers. 

The 12pdr was the standard heavy artillery piece of the Russian army in 1812 and their crews have been described as highly professional and very well trained. At the Battle of Boridino, General Kutuzov ordered the artillery to hold their ground to the last possible moment and then fire at the enemy with canister. When artillery are about to be overrun it takes a significant amount of training and discipline to follow such orders. 

I also wanted to get a few more officers painted so here are three, including one who seems to be overcoming the cold from the bottom of a bottle. All three officers are from Wargames Foundry and are beautiful minis with plenty of character. 

  

Already on the workbench are the next unit, a fearsom-looking unit of Don Cossacks. Once again, I should stress that I haven’t painted multi-part 28mm cavalry in decades so I am approaching this unit with some trepidation. However, now that I have got started I am enjoying it. Whether they are finished by the next submission day remains to be seen. I’d rather take my time than rush these… especially with their sharp lances. I’ve drawn blood already and I’m not even half done.