Black Powder: The Crimean War - Russian Generals & Officers

Russian officers usually came from the nobility and either trained at one of the various military cadet schools or acted as a volunteer officer in a regiment before being confirmed in post. A few officers were promoted from the ranks, having served for a number of years as NCOs, but this was not commonplace. Initiative was not encouraged amongst the officer class, who were given little training beyond the parade ground drill anyway. Officers obeyed orders, but when those orders had been carried out, they usually stopped and waited for further orders rather than seizing the initiative or having the confidence to act on their own.