Sunday, 3 May 2026

Russian Bus

Typical really, you wait years and years for 20mm Hinton Hunt Russians and then three units come along at once! I find myself in the position where I am simultaneously painting three Russian units - The Garde du Corps, Astrakhan Cuirassiers and Foot Jagers.

This is my test figure for RN/30 Russian Cuirassier (mounted) charging. I'm painting him in accordance with the Hinton Hunt painting instructions as a trooper of the Astrakhan Regiment. The black horse makes him hard to photograph when varnished but I do like the contrast between the black and the yellow.
The Hinton Hunt painting instructions. This version is one that Clive painstakingly re-keyed from the original flimsy copy because the original was too feint to scan or photograph well. I like to refer to these sheets whenever I can.

These are RN/15 Russian Infantryman, firing. I'm painting them as Jagers - or more accurately as Jager-Chasseurs because I didn't want to cut off the plumes.

This is not the sort of painting pickle I would normally get myself into so I will put the others aside and focus on the Cuirassiers for now.

 

16 comments:

Jeffers said...

It might be against the rules, but I dry brush all my black nags with Vallejo grey black. They still look black after, but it just gives enough contrast to make them something other than a big black blob.

Stryker said...

Thanks Jeffers, these do actually have a grey dry brush but it’s not showing up very well in the photo - more obvious to the naked eye.

Rob said...

The Astrakhan cuirassier is scrumptious white, black and yellow is a great colour combination.

Matt said...

Looking very good indeed!

Donnie McGibbon said...

Very nice indeed, the cuirassier is particularly lovely.

Stryker said...

Thanks Rob.

Stryker said...

Thanks Matt.

Stryker said...

I always say you can never have too many Cuirassiers Donnie!

Busker said...

Lovely looking figures Ian. Black horses are a bit like black Brunswickers....not as easy as first thought!

Stryker said...

That’s true Simon, the gloss varnish doesn’t help either!

Aly Morrison said...

Lovely work as always Ian…
The cuirassier is particularly striking…

All the best. Aly

David said...

Oooh, what lovely painting and figures. How lucky are you to have some HH original Russians. I'm not sure that I have ever even seen any in person!

Stryker said...

Thanks Aly.

Stryker said...

David, the castings are very nice Claytons, the only real difference is that the bases have angular rather than rounded corners but I filed these to blend in. I have only ever seen one original HH casting but these look just same except a little bit thinner.

the Archduke said...

Interesting. I am currently replacing my Clayton Russian cuirassiers with the real deal, or JC recasts, because the Claytons are significantly smaller . Yet when I saw the pics of your new acquisitions, I thought they were HHs, based both on the quality and the shape of the base. I wonder whether DC changed his mold. I also wonder whether I am getting out enough.....

Stryker said...

Nigel, I have no original to compare with but these seem a reasonable size against my HH Prussian Cuirassiers. They are a bit thin and the horses tails are weak but otherwise very good!