Reaper Paints and WW1 Russian Uniforms

[Ataman]

Hey lads I'm planning on finally jumping into the First World War era and, unsurprisingly, I've chosen Russia again. I'm currently planning on buying a mix of Brigade Games infantry and officers with Copplestone Cossacks and heavy support. The only thing I haven't really decided on is what paints I'm going to use to paint their uniforms. Thus far, Reaper paints are looking like my number one choice.

Now I've never used Reaper paints personally, but I've read and heard good things about them. I went onto their site and copied the colour swatches of Ghoul Skin, Moldy Skin, and Bloodless Skin into Paint.net and used them to paint over some of Mark Plant's Russian Civil War uniform examples (to see the originals, go to his excellent site Pygmy Wars)


Infantryman


Infantryman with papakha (I added the anachronistic ribbon because it is present on Brigade Games 'Russian Infantry with Fur Hats.' I'm not currently planning on buying them, but if I do the ribbons will be hacked up with a hobby knife to resemble a fur pattern.)


Don Cossack

Now, from what I see here they look alright. The question is if they actually fit on miniatures 'in the flesh.' Anyone have any personal experience, or recommendations of other paints?

[Wirelizard]

I use Reaper's Khaki Shadow as the base for most of my Russian uniforms, darkened with GW's Devlan Mud wash. It's quite a greenish khaki shade.

On my White Russians, I then highlight back up with Khaki Shadow repeated, then a bit of Terran Khaki. The officers get a final highlight of Khaki Highlight, for extra spiffy-uniform factor.


The Reds get exactly the same basecoat, a heavier dose of Devlan Mud, and generally a lot less highlighting. It's quite interesting how the same basecoat can come out quite differently.


Looking at the various undead skin tones you've used, they look good, and I might have to pick up that Triad too as an alternative to my Khaki Shadow/Terran Khaki/Khaki highlight (plus Devlan Mud) set currently.

I guess with Devlan Mud out of production (thank you, GW...) I'm going to have to change my method and palette a bit at some point, but I bought two bottles of Mud as soon as I heard the rumours of it's demise, so I'm set for a while yet...

[H.M.Stanley]

Please be kind - i'm colour-blind [i'm not joking]

So are we talking shades of browns/khaki for the Russian infantry? I'm about to paint up some White Russians for BoB. What about overcoats?

Thanks fellas

[cstoesen]

HM Stanley, I know what you mean.  I am red/green color blind.  Painting by numbers so to speak is what I can manage.  Wirelizard has helped me before with some of the colors I needed to paint my first squad of Russians. 

Here are a couple of helpful posts:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=41675.msg488308#msg488308  -- Lost of good info there.  Some of it RCW related.

And here where I have asked a similar question:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=37142.msg434792#msg434792

[H.M.Stanley]

Thanks chap - much appreciated
James

[Ataman]

Rather convenient that this thread got dug-up since I just finished my first Russian mini tonight!

No picture yet, since it's nearly 1 O'clock in the morning, but I can say that the Undead Skin triad works. It's a fair deal more vibrant 'in the flesh,' but still well within Russian uniform standards.

[Blackwolf]

Please be kind - i'm colour-blind [i'm not joking]

So are we talking shades of browns/khaki for the Russian infantry? I'm about to paint up some White Russians for BoB. What about overcoats?

Thanks fellas

Me too, I drive the Mrs mad asking her colour questions

[Plynkes]

Please be kind - i'm colour-blind [i'm not joking]

So are we talking shades of browns/khaki for the Russian infantry? I'm about to paint up some White Russians for BoB. What about overcoats?

Thanks fellas

Oddly enough whenever I see painted Great War Russian figures (and in most illustrations) they are dressed in an olive green colour (not what you would really call khaki at all, just like in the pictures above), and I believe that is what the regulations called for. However many of the photos I have seen of actual Russian uniforms have them a sandy brown, with not a trace of green in the colour. The plates in the Osprey book run the gamut from sandy khaki to green. Greatcoats were grey (bluey-grey for officers, browny-grey for other ranks), er... except when they are some other colour.

Not too well acquainted with the Russian side of things, I admit. One would presume that there was quite a bit of variation in shades manufactured in different places, fading from the sun, etc. That's usually the reason for inconsistencies like this.

[Ataman]

Oddly enough whenever I see painted Great War Russian figures (and in most illustrations) they are dressed in an olive green colour (not what you would really call khaki at all, just like in the pictures above), and I believe that is what the regulations called for. However many of the photos I have seen of actual Russian uniforms have them a sandy brown, with not a trace of green in the colour. The plates in the Osprey book run the gamut from sandy khaki to green. Greatcoats were grey (bluey-grey for officers, browny-grey for other ranks), er... except when they are some other colour.

Not too well acquainted with the Russian side of things, I admit. One would presume that there was quite a bit of variation in shades manufactured in different places, fading from the sun, etc. That's usually the reason for inconsistencies like this.

You're quite correct. Official uniform regulations for the Russian army's enlisted infantry at the beginning of the First World War consisted of an greenish khaki tunic with dark green/black trousers (the latter of which disappeared very quickly in favor of trousers the same colour as the tunic). Of course, in practice this was hardly the case even before fighting broke out.

It wasn't as noticeable as in the Russo-Japanese War, where uniforms were dyed locally and could run the range from olive to khaki to even pink in some unfortunate cases! However, in the First World War the Russian uniforms could vary wildly depending on which material was used to make them and which conditions they were used in. While most remained greenish khaki in the colder climes of north-eastern Europe, Russian troops deployed to the Caucasus or south-western fronts quickly discovered that their uniforms faded to a 'sandy khaki' as you described it, or even white.

[H.M.Stanley]

Thank you gentlemen.

Provided i don't pick up the wrong paint-pot by mistake i'll be fine now