WW2 Painting Guide: Russian / Soviet Infantry

This is my WW2 Painting Guides for Soviet Infantry. I was puzzled by Soviet Infantry uniforms of World War II for a while because two mates of mine, Roland and Ian, both of whom know their stuff, painted Russians in completely different colours. Apparently this is okay.

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Green versus Brown Uniforms

Roland paints Russians a kind of greenish khaki. It turns out this is Tamiya ‘Khaki’ (XF-49). You can see more of Roland’s painting in my Steven’s Russian Rifle Battalion.

But my other mates Ian and Wayne – who paint for Battle Front – give them British Khaki uniforms, i.e. brown. Looking at Battle Front: Late-war painting guide it seems they recommend Tamiya ‘Flat Earth’ (XF-52), although I suspect Ian uses Humbrol. Most of the BF Russian Helmets are green (e.g. Vallejo Russian Green). You can see more of Ian’s painting on my Crossfire pages.

I worried about this for a while, but then I read this …

The common uniform colour was called khaki, but this had an unusually wide definition. Uniforms varied from an ochre through a sort of dull chocolate brown, with various sandy green through camo green increasingly common towards the end of the war. (WW2 European theatre uniforms)

There was no standardization in the material itself, and I even have an excellent photo that clearly shows a female, soldier wearing a gymnastiorka tunic made out of lend-lease G.I. herringbone twill. Color of material varied from anything to near-white shades of green to dark brown and green khakis. An example of a gymnastiorka in the Patton museum is made of a wonderfully dark green shade of U.S. G.I. blanket wool. (Daniel Welch Portrayal Of Soviet Forces: The Frontovik)

… which by and large seems to include almost any brown or green shade.

Blankets were brown (Daniel Welch Portrayal Of Soviet Forces: The Frontovik).

According to World Army Uniforms Since 1939 (Mollo, McGregor, Smith & Chappell, 1973) the great coats could vary in colour from pale grey to red brown, whereas The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation (Mollo, 2000) says “greyish-brown”. In both books all Russian great coats are represented as grey.

For Scouts in camo, Roland used the same greenish Khaki but with dark green splotches on top. But this scheme is only one of a several used. Most scout figures wear a side cap which Roland painted normal greenish Khaki.

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Steven’s Recommendations

Here’s how I’m going to paint my next battalion (see WW2 Painting Guide: Soviet Motorised Rifle Battalion with Vallejo Paints):

Item	Steven’s Paint Recommendation	Colour Patch
Helmet and Vehicles	Vallejo 70894 Russian Green (096) with two dry brushed layers of ligher shades (i.e mixed with white)
Infantry Tunic, Breeches, Cap (if worn)	For a brownish shade:
	Base colour Vallejo 70921 English Uniform (141)
	Highlight Vallejo 70880 Khaki Grey (113)
	For a greenish shade:
	Cote D’arms 528 Russian Brown or Tamiya ‘Khaki’ (XF-49) both of which are greenish
Boots	Vallejo 70950 Black
Belts and webbing	Vallejo 70983 Flat Earth
Packs, bags, pouches, canvas on vehicles etc	Vallejo 70821 German Camo Beige (103) with one dry brushed lighter shade on bigger pieces
Great Coat / Coat Roll	Vallejo 70874 USA Tan Earth
Metal e.g. Guns barrels	Vallejo 70863 Gunmetal Grey
Wood e.g. Gun stocks	Vallejo 70875 Beige Brown
Faces and hands	Vallejo 70955 Flat Flesh
Wood e.g. Carts and Wagons	Heavy dry brush Cote D’arms 534 Dark Leather (Vallejo 145 German Camouflage Mid Brown)
	Dry brush Cote D’arms 524 Tan Earth (Vallejo 113 Khaki Grey )
	Light Dry brush 50:50 mix Cote D’arms 524 Tan Earth and White.

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Other Recommendations

I’ve just noticed that Battle Front (BF) recommend quite a few variations for Soviets, including one big surprise 830 Fieldgrey as the uniform colour! Bolt Action Miniatures (BAM) had a good Russian Army painting guide including Vallejo colours but since they were bought by Warlord Games it seems to have disappeared.

Item	Actual Colour	Guide	Paint Recommendation	Colour Patch
Helmet and Vehicles	Green	BF	Vallejo 894 Russian Green
		BAM	Vallejo 967 Olive Green
Infantry Tunic, Breeches, Cap (if worn)	Field Drab/Khaki	BF	Vallejo 880 Khaki Grey
			or the unlikely Vallejo 830 Fieldgrey !!!!
		BAM	Vallejo 912 Tan Yellow
Cap band		BAM	Infantry: ?	?
			Cavalry: Vallejo 925 Blue
			Artillery: Vallejo 909 Vermillion
Boots	Black	BF	Vallejo 950 Black
		BAM	Vallejo 950 Black
			or Vallejo 822 German Black Brown
Belts and webbing	Dark Yellow/Khaki Drill	BF	Vallejo 983 Flat Earth
			or Vallejo 978 Dark Yellow
		BAM	Vallejo 822 German Black Brown
Packs, bags, pouches etc		BF	Vallejo 821 German Camo Beige
		BAM	Vallejo 924 Russian Uniform
			or Vallejo 821 German Camo Beige
			or Vallejo 916 Sand Yellow
			or Vallejo 912 Tan Yellow
			or Vallejo 847 Dark Sand
Great Coat / Coat Roll		BF	Vallejo 874 USA Tan Earth
		BAM	Vallejo 888 Olive Grey
Metal e.g. Guns barrels		BF	Vallejo 863 Gunmetal Grey
Wood e.g. Gun stocks		BF	Vallejo 875 Beige Brown
			or Vallejo 846 Mahogany Brown
Faces and hands		BF	Vallejo 955 Flat Flesh
Tank Camouflage	Earth Brown	BF	Vallejo 983 Flat Earth
			or Vallejo 913 Yellow Ochre

Also check out

• Dallas Ewen Painting Guide: Russian Uniforms and Equipment of World War II
• http://rkka.ru/uniform/files/i_arm.htm