Up to the Austerlitz campaign the Russian artillery was often found to be woefully under prepared, with the Russians only able to carry half of the ammunition the Austrians could in their caissons. The horse were also underfed and badly tended. This was to change however with Sir Wilson (who was attached to the Russian army during the campaign) noting “The Russian artillery is of the most powerful description. No other army moves with so many guns, and with no other army is it in better state of equipment, or is more gallantly served.”
George Nafziger considered the Russian artillery in 1812 as:
“highly professional and very well trained” and their horses as “the finest horses available“. About the unicorns he wrote that they “had a greater range and more accuracy than the howitzers used by the other European armies.“
Nafziger – Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia
In 1812 the field artillery consisted of:
- 176 12pdr cannons
- 524 6pdr cannons
- 524 foot unicorns (10pdr and 20pdr)
- 132 6pdr horse cannons
- 132 horse unicorns (10pdr)
Pieces were formed into platoons of two guns, two of which (4 guns) formed a division. Three platoons (6 guns) formed a half-company, and two half-companies (12 guns) formed a company. In combat the companies guns were placed 8 cannon to the centre and 2 unicorns on either flank.
Using the table above we can establish the ranges of the Russian weapons in the scale we’re using (1:5300).
| Weapon | Maximum Range | Effective Range |
| 6 Pounder Cannon | 25cm | 16cm |
| 12 Pounder Cannon | 34cm | 16cm |
| Unicorns | 42cm | 12cm |
Unit Attributes
Special Rules
Artillery – When in melee this unit halves its combat dice.
Clausewitz Wargame 