My Cossack project

[Bessiere]

I have been anxious for 3 years and finally started on my irregular Cossack army. Though mostly from the centuries prior I would find these acceptable on a battlefield of 1812. I love these Redbox and Orion figures who have been armed with 3lb artillery and a 12lber swiped from Peter's army. I could easily see Cossacks keeping such antiques stashed away for emergencies. The cannon are Zvezda models. Another thing is with the events in Ukraine lately I see no references to the quintessential Ukrainians, the Zaphorozian Cossacks (in my opinion anyway) and their various offshoots. If anyone valued freedom it was those men who as fate would have it served both Poland and Russia in war although Moscow would ultimately embrace them to the point of becoming a military institution and symbol of Russian might. I really enjoyed painting these.

Redbox cossack infantry (set 3)

Orion figures manning the guns

Redbox Cossack cavalry (set 1)

[Bessiere]

I forgot to mention I was eagerly anticipating arrival of the 3 new Cossack sets by Redbox of irregulars, registered and peasant Cossacks. These are obviously on hold until stability returns to the Ukraine which I know we are all hoping and praying for. Another effect will be on Zvezda products which I suspect may not replaced by retailers when sold out.

[Emperor]

Great painted...I use also square bases for figures...I just don't paint details on horses so good like you...

[Kekso]

Cool work

[Bessiere]

Thanks Kekso. Getting to choose any color was actually a challenge and several got repainted after being unhappy with my color choice. Why is Taras Bulba about the only movie made about these men? Their history is every bit the equal of American pioneers and cowboys only going much farther East than Americans went West. There's even a paucity of books published about them. History ignored has always bothered me and the Cossacks are singularly worthy of much more attention.

[Peter]

This is an army you don't see often. Great painted army!

[Bessiere]

Thank you Peter. Some sculpts are so good they almost paint themselves. I really think these Cossack sets were a labor of love for some Ukrainian sculptor. What's nice is how well the Redbox and Orion sets blend together. It would not surprise me if they were the work of the same artist.

[C M Dodson]

Apologies for not spotting this Mr B.

Very nice indeed, very different .

Taurus Bulba…. Tony Curtis / Yule Bryner that’s an old film.

Best wishes ,

Chris

[Bessiere]

Old films for old people. It made an impact on me as a young child, the scene where they jump the chasm on horses was something I never forgot. I'm surprised anyone here finds these at all unusual, perhaps that's evidence of how overlooked they are by films and historians.

[Susofrick]

Looks great! Only had Taras Bulba as a comic, but I remember it as quite good! Have some Nappie cossacks lying around somewhere.

[Flambeau]

Splendid figures, great job!

But the old Taras Bulba is not the only film about the period and while good, not the best one. By far the best one, at least imho, is the Polish "Ogniem i mieczem" (With Fire and Sword") by Jerzy Hoffman form 1999. A bit lengthy perhaps, but fantastic battle scenes (great Poish huszars). And there is a Russian remake of "Taras Bulba" with the same title by Vladimir Bortko (from 2010 I think), which may be worth a look too. Then there is also the Ukranian "Bogdan Khmelnitskiy" by Mjkola Maschchenko from 2008 (which I haven't seen, but looks interesting).

[Bessiere]

Thank you Flambeau. I only speak English but would still gladly watch any of those with or without subtitles. Khmelnitskiy is a very interesting figure I would like to learn more about. There are still far too few movies about Cossacks though.

[Flambeau]

Hello Bessiere, found all three on Youtube:

"Ogniem i mieczem" Polish original with Portugese subtitles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9slHxaiznNs Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blat-cvdaMQ Part 2

"Taras Bulba" (German version "Steppensturm – Der Aufstand der Kosaken")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAY4yn_b0sY

and "Bogdan Khmelnitskiy" (sounds a bit like a Polish version, but I confess my ignorance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa2VtnV6MbI

and here [German version "Die Rückkehr der Steppenreiter"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ImlGQ6X_eI

awful synchronization (to be very polite), I'd prefer the above even if I understand far less, but we can probably be grateful that we have it at all.

And you're right, there are far too few movies about cossacks or the period as such and also too much ignorance about the history of eastern Europe (or for that matter almost everything east of Europe).

Have fun!

[Bessiere]

I just watched the movie on Khmelnitskiy. I don't know the history well enough to say whether it is accurate but I know he did lose his family and home. Exploding cannonballs is ridiculous but that's movies for you. There was no military discipline displayed either, no formations so the battle scenes are rather suspect. That said I loved watching it just for weapons, clothing and architecture. I have saved pictures of the wooden orthodox church which I think was in the Zaphorozian sich. The Cossacks seemed very numerous for the time, I suppose the decades of constant war and lack of women led to their decline. Thanks for the links, I will get around to watching the others very soon I'm sure.

[santifernandez]

Great paint.

[Flambeau]

#Bessiere

well there's that, when it comes to movies depicting battles, most are on the rediculous side. The old "War and Peace" with Mel Ferrer is one example. But as you said, the costumes are fun.
There's a good Wikipedia article on the Khmelnytsky Uprising:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmelnytsky_Uprising

with links to all the major battles. At the Battle of Berestechko the cossacks are said to have fielded as many as 200.000 men and the Poles 80.000 that's an enormous number and a battle scarcely anybody on the West knows about. So much for history lessons being taught at school ...

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Excellent painting!!

[Santi Pérez]

Wonderful painted figures, Bessiere. Amazing job!

Santi.