1:72 Russian Dragoons (WWI)

1:72 Russian dragoons of the First World War, a figure set from Strelets-R

The set widens the Strelets-R line with cavalry from the period of the First World War. The figures are in 1:72 scale, of soft plastic and supplied unpainted. They serve as an addition to a diorama, a display case or a gaming table.

The real subject

Dragoons were originally riders trained to fight both from horseback and on foot, and in the Russian army they kept this dual use even at the beginning of the twentieth century. During the First World War cavalry found use on the Eastern Front for longer and more widely than in the west, because the front was less continuous and offered room for reconnaissance and movement. The equipment of that time was already of the field kind, that is, muted and practical, with a rifle holster at the saddle, a saber and simple straps.

Building and painting tips

This set is suited to fitting into a larger scene with hardware of the same scale. Lay the figures out beside vehicles or guns, therefore, and check the height of a rider in the saddle, so that the scene matches visually as well. Before painting, deburr the figures, wash them and prime them with a thin primer for soft plastics. Keep the field uniform in a muted shade without sharp contrasts and create the differences by shading rather than by a change of shade. Horse coats are helped by layering two to three shades of brown and a light brightening of the back, while the mane and the tail are better left darker. Finish the harness and the straps at the end with a thin brush and add only discreet dust to the lower parts of the legs.

Who the set is for

• builders of dioramas from the First World War
• modelers who combine cavalry with hardware in 1:72
• collectors of historical figure lines
• players of historical tabletop games in a small scale

The figures are supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.