Russian Opolcheniye 1813

At last it seems like I don't will need to paint new figures to depict the Russian Militia (Opolcheniye or Opolchenie) units in October 1813. I did made some research, finding in the Nafziger's Napoleon at Lepizig book (Emperor Press, 1996) that, until the arrival of Chasteler's Austrians at October 20, the Allied units fighting against Saint-Cyr near Dresden, were:

Austrian
Brigade: Generalmajor Seethal
3/Kaiser Infantry Regiment
3/Vogelsang Infantry Regiment
1/Czartorisky Infantry Regiment
4/Kollowrath (Landwehr Bn) Infantry Regiment

Russian Regular Units
Generallieutenant Markov III
l6th Division: Generalmajor Bulatov
Brigade: Generalmajor Sucharev
1/,2/,3/Neutchlot Infantry Regiment
1/,2/,3/27th Jager Regiment
1/,2/,3/43rd Jager Regiment

Russian Militia (Opolcheniye/Opolchenie) Units
Left Wing: Generallieutenant Ostermann-Tolstoy
Opolochenie Corps: Generalmajor Muromoc
1/,2/,3/1st Nishegorod Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/2nd Nishegorod Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/3rd Nishegorod Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/4th Nishegorod Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/Kasan Opolochenie Regiment
Position Battery #52
Pioneer Company, Capt. Shevitch
Opolochenie Corps: Generalmajor Titov
Brigade: Generalmajor Kashansky
1/,2/,3/1st Pensa Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/2nd Pensa Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/3rd Pensa Opolochenie Regiment
Brigade: Generalmajor Tshishkin
1/,2/,3/1st Riazan Opolochenie Regiment
1/,2/,3/3rd Riazan Opolochenie Regiment
Artillery:
Light Battery #64
1/2 Pensa Opolochenie 6pdr Foot Battery (4 guns)

Cavalry: Generallieutenant Tschlapitz
Nishegorod Opolochenie Cossack Regiment (5)
Kostroma Opolochenie Cossack Regiment (5)
Riazan Opolochenie Cossack Regiment (5)
Kasan Opolochenie Cossack Regiment (2)
5th Ural Cossack Regiment (5)
3rd Ukrainian Cossack Regiment (5)
Horse Battery #22

From the above units, the Austrian and Russian Regular units wore their typical white or green uniforms. The problem lies on the uniforms of the Russian Opolchniye. However, I found in the wonderful 'Mark Conrad’s Home Page - Russian Military History' site the following pieces of information:

-Nizhnii-Novgorod (Nishegorod): "In 1813, when the Nizhnii-Novgorod mass levy as over the border, soldiers in foot regiments received caftan coats and trousers of the previous pattern but in green, and similar cloth girdles, all with piping or trim of red cloth as for mounted soldiers in 1812. Along with this new uniform they were given infantry shakos of the current pattern, with cords and pompons, muskets, short swords, pouches, and accouterments,"
-Ryazan (Riazan): "In June and July of 1813, when the Ryazan mass levy was outside Russia, near Dresden, it received new uniforms similar to those for Army regiments, but no details are known"
-Penza (Pensa): "In the summer of 1813, when the Penza mass levy was outside Russia, it received uniforms of a new pattern, but no information has been preserved as to what it was exactly"

The de-facto standard book on Russian Militia Units, 'Brazen Cross of Courage' by Dr. Stephen Summerfield (Partizan press, 2007) gives similar information.

Therefore, it is very likely that Opolcheniye infantry units fighting near Dresden were virtually indistinguishable from Russian regular units.
So maybe, I could fight these combats with no remorse!

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Battle of Kalisz (February 1813)

Following an interlude caused by the end-of-semester academic duties, I return again to wargaming by re-fighting the battle of Kalisz (Kalisch).
That battle is considered to be the last of the ill-fated 1812 Russian Campaign or the start of the 1813 Spring Campaign. The pursuing Russian forces, leaded by Winzigerode, catched up the the Reynier's VII Corps. That Corps was almost intact after forming part of the French-Austrian right-flanking column under Schwarzenberg command, and was formed by two Saxons and one French division.
The involved forces were too samll for normal Napoleon's Battles, so again Iill use my 'one-half' Napoleon's Battles version : 1"/50 yds for terrain, 1/60 for men and 15 minutes per turn.
Kalisz is a somewhat obscure battle. The best references available were the Nafziger's (G. Nafziger, 'Lutzen & Bautzen. Napoleon's Spring Campaign of 1813’. The Emperor Press, Chicago, 1992) and Smith's books (D. Smith, 'The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book', Greenhill Books, London, 1998).
A search trough Google books produced some hits: Histoire de la Guerre de 1813 en Allemagne by J.B.A. Charras and Les Allemands sous les aigles françaises. Vol III by Sauzey . A query in the Napoleon-Series Forum, kindly answered by Digby Smith and Thomas Hemmann, also produced the existence of a series of 3 articles "Kalisch, la dernière bataille de la retraite de Russie" by Pierre Juhel in the issues Nos. 196, 199 and 201 of the French magazine Tradition. I have ordered these issues to make a definitive study bfore to play the battle.

Last but not least, I want to acknowlege the efforts of my Argentinian friend Armand d'Arc, which caught my attention on this battle and provided me with the necessary encouragement to further researching. This scenario is for him, sine qua non.

A break: le Régiment des Dromadaires

The 20 nivôse de l'an VII (9th January 1799) Bonaparte created le Régiment des Dromadaires, i.e. the Dromedary Regiment. It was formed from picked infantrymen from Light Infantry regiments so they were not cavalry, but mounted infantry acting as eclaireurs in the army's flanks. Commanded by the Colonel Cavalier (or Cavelier) it was formed by four squadrons at 100 men each. Le Régiment des Dromadaires was short lived and acted under Dessaix's command in the upper Egypt.
They wore a hussard style sky blue dolman and barrel sash with red breeches and hussard boots. They wore a white turban but some pictures show them in shako or bicorne.
I have used a pre-releasing sprue of the HAT 8194 British Camelry set, kindly provided by HAT staff. The helmet wearing heads of the British troopers were swaped with heads from ITALERI 6006 French infantry set which also provided the kneeling firing figure. The camels were used with only minor adjustments.
See more pictures at the main web site.

The Würzburg and Ilyrian Regiments

Amongst the odd units fighting for Napoleon were the Balkanian Ilyrians (a light Infantry unit) and the German Würzburg Regiment. They wore a French-style uniform and were painted in one only painting session!


As always the full story can be found at my web site The other French Allied at Gross-Beeren