Kievski Cuirassiers

Inhaber
Unknown

Unit History
The regiment was converted from Dragoons in 1756 to Cuirassier. In the conversion, the regiment retained its name. Of the Russian horse the cuirassiers were intended to be shock troops and made up almost forty percent of the regular cavalry fielded in the campaigns. The Russian Cuirassiers suffered from a lack of good horses in the early years of the Seven Years War but the situation improved as the war went on. Five of the six Cuirassier regiments participated in the Seven Year War campaigns and the regiments were: Fedorovitch, 3rd Cuirassiers, Kazanski, Kievski, and Novotroitzski.
The regimental flag is similar to the infantry flag of the unit by the same name, Kievski (No.14), but lacks the flames in the corner. During the Seven Years War, the unit was present at Groß-Jagersdorf, Kay and Kunersdorf.
At Groß-Jagersdorf, August 30, 1757, the regiment was part of the advance guard cavalry brigaded under Aft.
At Kay, July 23, 1759, along with the 3rd and Novotroitsk Cuirassiers, the unit was brigaded under Teraptin and formed the right wing of the second line. They saw no action in the battle.
At Kunersdorf, August 12, 1759 was present along with the 3rd Cuirassiers and the Archanguelogorodski Dragoons.

Comments
These Front Rank Russian cuirassiers are one of my favourite cavalry units due to their unparalleled success on my gaming table. On the night of their maiden game, they charged over a hill surprising two Prussian regiments routing them starting the collapse of the flank. Turning away from the fleeing Prussians, they charged through the local village chasing out a Hussar regiment. The unit has never looked back and is ‘feared’ by my Prussians. The regiment was originally three squadrons strong but one squadron was recruited by the Austrians to become the Bretlach Cuirassiers. Unit painted in 1991.

Sources
Flag: Osprey’s Russian Army of the Seven Years War (2) (Men-at-Arms 298)
Text D. Meuser, Battle of Gross Jagersdorf, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No.2
D. Meuser, Battle of Kay, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No.2
F. Mueller, 1998 Frederick the Great Battlefield Tour, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No.3