Ottomans Reborn

These poor 15mm Ottomans have been tucked away unused in boxes for many years.  That was, until a few weeks ago when I played a game of Sam Mustafa's Blucher Napoleonic rules with a new club mate.  

I liked the rules, so I thought I would re-base my long neglected Turks.  The rules use big bases and are a large scale big battle game of multi-corps armies, with units representing regiments or groups of battalions. 

This is the first batch of the re-based units from the Kapu Halki, the Sultan's household troops, starting with two regiments, or ortas, of Janissary infantry.  The Janissaries were, by the late 18th century, a pale shadow of their former greatness but still formed the core of the Ottoman infantry.

The household regular cavalry had six regiments and were 10,000 strong in total under Sultan Selim III.  These are the senior regiment, the Sipahis. 

The next regiment are the Silhadars, or 'weapon bearers'. These first two regiments were double size. 

The third and fourth regiments were the Ulufecis or 'salaried men'.  These continued to wear heavy armour into the Napoleonic era.

The household artillery corps, or Topcis, had a mix of traditional pieces and more modern designs, often imported or made to western patterns.  Sultan Selim tried to reform his army, against strong resistance from traditionalists within the empire.  He was most successful with the artillery.

Next up will be the irregular forces like these light infantry from Albania, Greece and Macedonia, known as Arnauts.