CZARIST RUSSIA
Russia may appear backward to the 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.
Russia field forces rely heavily on masses of infantry. Their quality is, unfortunately for their commnaders, quite variable. If they 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.
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.
Military Forces of Mother Russia
This soldier (portrayed by an Old Glory Boxer Rebellion Russian) is a Russian infantry trooper. He carries a Moison-Nagant bolt-action rifle.
This fellow is one of the unruly cossacks that the Czar has exported to Mars. They are very effective light cavalry - when sober. And they are nearly as effective when not. He carries a saber and pistol, and sometimes a rifle of one sort or another.
All material on this website, except where specifically noted, is copyright 2001-2009 by Robert N. Charrette