So I'm trying to expand my Red Army and build another battalion of infantry. It's been years since I've built any and looking back at what I have and comparing it with what I've seen on this forum I'm not satisfied with the two battalions I did years ago. Mine seem to be very dark and since I didn't use washes or highlighting they lack detail. I plan to remedy that part, but am still not certain what colors I should use for their uniforms and helmets. The reference materials I have show them in every shade of brown/khaki under the sun. My existing infantry have Tamiya Khaki Drab uniforms with Tamiya Dark Green helmets.
What do you guys use for Red Army uniform colors?
Thanks,
Chris
Red Army Infantry
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cbovill
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dougeagle
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I painted my infantry GW Catachan Green, which is close to being Olive Grey. I also put a white primer coat on before hand then painted them the CG color. Helmets I do believe I went with khaki drab. I also painted their backpacks a light brown color, almost tan I think.
They look alright to me, but others might have some other colors to use.
They look alright to me, but others might have some other colors to use.
Doug
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Bruce Lee
A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.
Bruce Lee
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Mk 1
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My WW2 Soviet infantry are painted with Polly-S "Soviet Khaki". This is a pretty dark brown-green. More brown than green.
For their helmets I use Tamiya (Acrylic) "Khaki Drab". This is a dark gray-green. From my observation of actual Soviet WW2 helmets, it was hard to call the color fully green. More like just dark, with a hint of green.
I mounted and painted them in the mid-90s. Re-detailed them after joining this board a couple years back, but didn't change the base-coating. I would give them a passing grade, but only barely.
The color that the Soviets standardized on for their uniforms was indeed a brown-green, and it was fairly dark.
The good thing about WW2 Soviets is there is no real need to search for the perfect color. Every lot that came from any of many factories came in the best color they could do with what they had available. The tone was not consistant, and the durability of the dyes was not consistant.
Summer uniforms were cotton, and tended to loose color pretty fast. It seems the green faded out faster than the brown, so anything from chocolate brown up to sun-bleached tan can work.
Winter uniforms were wool, and tended to hold their color better, so colors as light as tan are not really appropriate, except of course that some formations didn't get their winter fatigues quite as fast as others. Or didn't give up their winter fatigues as quickly with the return of Spring.
You might consider using a lighter (more tan) color for the gymnastiorkas (blouses) than the trousers -- as they tended to get more sun, and to fade a bit faster. I always have liked the look of figures with different colored tops vs. bottoms. But I would suggest not going too far on the difference. Romanians were known for a big difference, as their pants and shirts were of different materials, and so faded at very different rates. But not the Soviets -- same material for tops and bottoms, although both changed by season.
Also officers and politruks tended to get uniforms of higher quality material, and so might appear darker due to less fading.
Just some notions. Use or discard at your discretion.
For their helmets I use Tamiya (Acrylic) "Khaki Drab". This is a dark gray-green. From my observation of actual Soviet WW2 helmets, it was hard to call the color fully green. More like just dark, with a hint of green.
I mounted and painted them in the mid-90s. Re-detailed them after joining this board a couple years back, but didn't change the base-coating. I would give them a passing grade, but only barely.
The color that the Soviets standardized on for their uniforms was indeed a brown-green, and it was fairly dark.
The good thing about WW2 Soviets is there is no real need to search for the perfect color. Every lot that came from any of many factories came in the best color they could do with what they had available. The tone was not consistant, and the durability of the dyes was not consistant.
Summer uniforms were cotton, and tended to loose color pretty fast. It seems the green faded out faster than the brown, so anything from chocolate brown up to sun-bleached tan can work.
Winter uniforms were wool, and tended to hold their color better, so colors as light as tan are not really appropriate, except of course that some formations didn't get their winter fatigues quite as fast as others. Or didn't give up their winter fatigues as quickly with the return of Spring.
You might consider using a lighter (more tan) color for the gymnastiorkas (blouses) than the trousers -- as they tended to get more sun, and to fade a bit faster. I always have liked the look of figures with different colored tops vs. bottoms. But I would suggest not going too far on the difference. Romanians were known for a big difference, as their pants and shirts were of different materials, and so faded at very different rates. But not the Soviets -- same material for tops and bottoms, although both changed by season.
Also officers and politruks tended to get uniforms of higher quality material, and so might appear darker due to less fading.
Just some notions. Use or discard at your discretion.
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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1ComOpsCtr
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You might rent "Enemy at the Gates". It gives a good sample of Russian uniforms from the Stalingrad period of the war... Fairly easy to match existing colors and compare to the movie if you have the DVD and can pause, etc...
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enemy_a ... ailers.php
Will
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enemy_a ... ailers.php
Will
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, 1844-1900
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Ritter
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I have a few examples here:
http://www3.telus.net/Ritterkrieg/Russia.htm
I use colors that show up easy at a distance - not always exact but they look 'Right'
Troy
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cbovill
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It's interesting, I've been using Khaki Drab for their uniforms and it seems this is a popular choice for their helmets.
Mk1 as usual your answer is very well organized and thorough. I think I will go for the lighter look on the uniforms as it really seems to work well in this scale.
Ritter, I had actually looked at your website and some others before I started this post and your Russians look superb, what colors did you use? I'll probably try to translate what you have done into acrylics, can't use enamels because the smell of them bother my wife and kids.
Thanks,
Chris
Mk1 as usual your answer is very well organized and thorough. I think I will go for the lighter look on the uniforms as it really seems to work well in this scale.
Ritter, I had actually looked at your website and some others before I started this post and your Russians look superb, what colors did you use? I'll probably try to translate what you have done into acrylics, can't use enamels because the smell of them bother my wife and kids.
Thanks,
Chris
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Ritter
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I hear you about the smell - I have a extractor fan installed in my office for that reason!
The colors I use are humbrol 26 for uniforms with a red/brown/black wash. Highlights are done with white and 26 or 187.This gives just the right contrast.
This translates into Tamiya XF-60 mixed with XF-49 for the uniform.
Troy
The colors I use are humbrol 26 for uniforms with a red/brown/black wash. Highlights are done with white and 26 or 187.This gives just the right contrast.
This translates into Tamiya XF-60 mixed with XF-49 for the uniform.
Troy