BoB: Ragged White Russians

As commented earlier the White Russians in the RCW had way to many officers and way too few ordinary infantry. they resorted to conscription, but all levels of their armies suffered from supply problems. I’ve just painted up 10 Ragged White Russians from Copplestone (BU23) and have another 30 on the painting table.

there are more than 10 variants of the model, but I won’t bore you with each and every one.

The models are based on a fairly well known photo:

The Whites were supplied lots of weapons and uniforms by the Allies. Not much got to the front due to corruption and inefficiency.

So much of these supplies reached the Bolsheviks, that Trotsky sent the British General Knox a letter: “thanking him for his help in equipping the Red troops” (Figes 1996).  Knox was dubbed the Quartermaster General of the Red Army.

Some of these models include Lee-Enfields, some are in British tunics, most are in ragged Russian uniform and most with Mosin-Nagants. These poor souls made up the majority of the White Russian armies on all fronts.

Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago: [narrating over a military parade in Moscow]The party looked to the peasant conscript soldiers – many of whom were wearing their first real pair of boots. When the boots had worn out, they’d be ready to listen. When the time came, I was able to take three whole battalions out of the front lines with me….By the second winter, the boots had worn out… but the line still held. Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900-mile long front… as well our own cursed capacity for suffering. Half the men went into action without any arms… irregular rations… led by officers they didn’t trust.

I’m designing a game system to generate BoB/RCW factions/armies, and the Whites (and the Reds) will be getting a lot of these demoralised poortly equipped troops.