Czarist Russia
Russia may appear backward to the other Great Powers, but Her slumbering might cannot be ignored for Her manpower and natural resources are vast. Surely it is only a matter of time until they are harnessed and bent to the will of the Czar, who is using all means to find ways to modernize his nation.
Russian Forces
Russian field forces rely heavily on masses of infantry. Their quality is, unfortunately for their commanders, quite variable. If the troops can be convinced to fight, they are often ferocious in close combat.
Steam Technology Wonders
Whispers of phenomenal success regarding steam technology wonders abound, but few concrete examples have yet to be seen. Most of the wonders of Steam Technology that Mother Russia has unveiled have been flawed copies of things produced by other Powers. A few have been original, as witness the famous (infamous?) clockwork soldiers.
| flag | category | pic | name | colors | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Troops |  |
Infantry | Cap: White Piping and shoulder boards: yellow for infantry; red for elite rifle regiments Tunic: white, possibly pale khaki Buttons and buckles: brass Blanket roll: gray-brown Belt: black Equipment: black Trousers: dark green; fades in service Boots: black |
This soldier is a Russian infantry trooper. He carries a Moison-Nagant bolt-action rifle. |
|
Troops |  |
Cossack Cavalry | Hat: fur Piping: red Coat: dark (blue?) Buttons and buckles: brass Belt: black or brown Equipment: brown Trousers: khaki Boots: black |
This fellow is one of the unruly cossacks that the Czar has exported to Mars. They are very effective light cavalry - when sober And nearly as effective when not. He carries a saber and pistol, and sometimes a rifle of one sort or another. |
|
Steam Technology |  |
Clockwork Soldiers | New models are usually bright brass, Field service darkens this to a somber bronze. Certain warlords paint their clockworks in fanciful colors. |
The most famous, or perhaps infamous, of the Steam Technology Wonders that Russia calls its own are the Clockwork Soldiers. These machines are nearly autonomous, mechanical soldiers. Early models were slow and highly prone to breaking down, but were heavily armored and armed, with gatling-style rotary guns. More advanced models are lighter and more agile and are armed with a unique weapon that operates a bit more like a modern machine gun. Clockworks continue to be somewhat unreliable, but remain a dangerous threat to enemy infantry, though sometimes they are nearly as great a danger to their own side. |