Hello. Last week you had a small glimpse of the great work Lady Meg has done with the Kingdom of Sweden. But, even though we should have known better, the next release will contain not 1, but 2 factions. So without further ado, here is a small preview of what I have been working on…
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Quite some time had passed since Suleiman the Magnificent laid siege to Vienna, and while the art of warfare has advanced in Europe, the Ottoman army was still a semi-feudal body, lacking modern organization and training.
The greater part of its infantry consisted of janissaries. Formed in the mid 14th century they were slave-soldiers, recruited from among the Christian children of the Empire. Their tactic was to fire their musket and charge into battle with sword and pistol.
Attempts to modernize the army were made by Sultan Selim III (for which he paid dearly in the end, as in reaction the janissary corps revolted, and in the end he was strangled). The Nizam I-Jedid were created, the troops of which were trained and equipped according to European standards.
The ottomans also had a variety of cavalry troops, among which the famed mamluks of Egypt. (I’d gladly show you them, but I haven’t made them yet, so here is some deli cavalry instead).
The Ottoman artillery was the only branch of the army that welcomed the reforms. In the end its men were well trained and brave; unfortunately they usually were supplied with low-quality gun powder.
This is just a small preview, there is yet a lot that has to be done before the ottomans are ready, and of course everything you see here is still WIP.
The Lordz.