Minifigure – Russian Foot Artillery NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) from the Napoleonic Wars (LEGO Compatible)

This image displays a toy minifigure representing a Russian Foot Artillery NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) from the Napoleonic Wars era.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the figure and its historical significance:

The Figure: Russian Artillery NCO This figure represents a veteran gunner responsible for leading a cannon crew. He is distinguished from the standard gunner by his facial hair and specific equipment.

• Headgear: He wears the Russian Shako (Kiwer) with the signature “dipped” top. The most important feature is the Gold Crossed Cannons insignia on the front, which universally identifies him as a member of the Artillery. He also wears a red pom-pom.

• Facial Features: Unlike the previous figure (who had a simple mustache), this soldier sports thick Mutton Chop Sideburns. In the Napoleonic era, extensive facial hair was often a sign of a veteran soldier or a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), marking him as an experienced leader of the gun crew.

• Uniform: He wears the standard “Tsar Green” tunic with black facings (cuffs and collar) and white trousers.

• Equipment: He wears the Grey Greatcoat Roll (Shinel) draped diagonally across his chest. This was the standard way Russian soldiers carried their heavy wool coats on campaign.

• Weapons & Tools:

  • Musket: He carries a Musket with a Bayonet. Russian artillerymen were unique in that they were often issued infantry muskets to defend their battery positions against enemy cavalry charges.

  • Artillery Rammer/Sponge: The long green tool with a grey tip is an Artillery Rammer. This was the most essential tool for a gunner. One end (the sponge) was dipped in water to extinguish sparks in the barrel, and the other end was used to ram the powder and cannonball down the muzzle.

• Accessories: A black knapsack is included for the back.

Historical Background: Russian Artillery was the pride of Czar Alexander I’s army. They generally used heavier guns than the French and had more of them. Russian gunners were renowned for their stubborn defensive tactics. During the Battle of Borodino (1812), Russian battery commanders and NCOs like the one represented here ordered their men to hold their ground even when surrounded, firing “canister shot” (tins filled with musket balls) at point-blank range into Napoleon’s attacking columns.