Start of my Bolsheviks Train Guard +armoured car

[Johnno]

I picked these guys up from another LAFer a while back and decided to get some paint on them. Sorry for the poor iPhone pics.
The are supposed to be Trotsky's Red Train Guard.

I have a 4 person command, 2 squads of 10 trropers and a HMG.

Painted during my lunch break on Wednesday and Thursday. Bases pending  



Started the next 4 today and should be finished for tomorrow.

In case anyone is interested...

Army painter spray Pure Red
Reaper Leather brown, and bright skin for leather and skin
Vallejo Flat brown, black and German field grey for wood, boots and cloth blankets
GW boltgun metal for the metal bits  
Army painter Strong Tone wash
Highlights with above and GW Mithril silver and Retributor gold for metal bits and dawnstone on boots

[marianas_gamer]

Looking good!
LB

[Johnno]

Quick update

I have 8 completed (minus bases)

Managed to get 13 more 1/2 done (just need flesh painted, then ink washed, and touched up)

Need to build the HMG, and add bases to the Lewis gunner and standard bearer and prime them red.

Strong possibility they will be completed by next week

Piccies to follow soon.

[Johnno]

I finished the 2x 10 man squads and the commander. The lewis gunner, HMG loader and standard bearer are now primed red. Need to build the HMG and put the firer on a base.

Anyways, here are the pictures.

The entire group.


Close up of the left squad.


Close up of the right squad.


The commander. I gave him a white mustache. Must be all that experience he has.

[marianas_gamer]

Very nice, but as a gentle critique a "natural" basing would really make them pop.
LB

[Johnno]

Yeah, they are not based yet. But that's the easy part 

[Plynkes]

Can't say I know much about the ins and outs of this period, but are those red uniforms legit, historically speaking? They're rather snazzy. I really like 'em.

[Hammers]

Can't say I know much about the ins and outs of this period, but are those red uniforms legit, historically speaking? They're rather snazzy. I really like 'em.

I think they are. Trotsky had unit of body guards in red leather uniforms.



They would not look out of place in a Gay Pride parade.

It is my opinion that Russian guard like troops have a history of rather outré uniform colors.

[cuprum]

In fact, there is no evidence that the uniform of the escort Trotsky wore leather outfits of red color. And in the descriptions of contemporaries and in the photo, the outfit has a black color. The red color of the uniform is first mentioned in the book of the Russian researcher Deryabin, and from there goes into the book publishing house "Ospray". But the source of this information is not known. In my opinion, this is a mistake or an intentional hoax.

However, the red leather uniform had a place to be. In Turkestan, which was cut off by White troops from the rest of Soviet Russia, the leather uniform was widespread among the Bolsheviks, and often very unusual colors - crimson, orange, lemon-yellow, emerald, turquoise, lilac. This was due to the lack of dyes of the more "calm" colors of the Bolsheviks. But these uniforms in reality were quite "Calm color".





Commander of Trotsky's escort:



Trotsky's escort soldiers:



Presumably the photo, on the basis of which the reconstruction was made in Osprey:

[Johnno]

IMHO one of the draws of the Back of Beyond is that complete historical accuracy doesn't really matter.

These guys represent an elite unit. Trotskys Red Guard sounds good, easy fluff,  and looks cool so thats what they are, accurate or not.

[cuprum]

I agree. You have the right to embody any fantasy on your gaming table.

But since Back of Beyond covers a much broader time period than the Russian civil war, many historically correct and very beautiful colors of uniforms can be used for Bolshevik units:

http://siberia-miniatures.ru/forum/showthread.php?fid=12&tid=61

For example, one illustration from an article by reference:

[GamesPoet]

I like 'em!

[marianas_gamer]

Cuprum,
Would any of those uniforms be appropriate for the Trana-Baikal or Siberian regions? I have a bunch of Bolsheviks to paint and khaki/green gets boring. I cant even paint on the red arm bands anymore since you pointed out that those are early in the Revolution Thanks!
LB

[cuprum]

These articles talk about the uniforms of troops GPU (State Political Directorate), the former Cheka (Extraordinary Commission).

All uniforms are quite suitable for Siberia and the Far East. Of course, the color uniform was not widely used for economic reasons, but since it was prescribed officially, its use took place and coloring the figures in such colors would not exactly be a mistake. But you need to pay attention to belonging to a certain department. For example, the uniform of prison guards is unlikely to suit you.

[Johnno]

I like those uniform too Cuprum

Onto the next unit