THE THIRTY YEARS WAR

17TH CENTURY OTTOMAN ARMY

The Ottoman Empire was a serious threat to Christian
Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. The
expansionist policies of Suleiman the Magnificent in the
1500’s had seen a huge Empire carved from Eastern
Europe, North Africa and east into Asia. The driving forces
behind this army were the expanding Janissary Corps of
infantry and the feared Sipahi cavalry. These ‘household
troops’ were backed up by a wide array of feudal troops
from across the Empire. This particular list is more in line
with end of the 17th Century when Mehmet IV attempted
to aggressively expand into central Europe, only being
stopped at the gates of Vienna in 1683.
This army is a joy in its sheer diversity, fantastic shock troops
mixed with levies offers a challenge to any general, although
you can always rely on the very capable artillery. Although
certainly not a typical ‘Pike & Shotte’ army, having no pike
regiments, the Ottoman Army was too influential on
European warfare of the period to be omitted from the book.

Command Ratings
Overall Commander: Random Command Rating (see page 35) ...................................... 40 Points
Roll D6 for rating. 1-2: Command Rating 7, 3-5: Command Rating 8, 6: Command Rating 9
Infantry/Artillery Commander: Command Rating 7.................................................... 20 Points
Cavalry Commander: Command Rating 8 ...................................................................... 40 Points

Special Rule: A Class Apart

All units in an Infantry or Cavalry Battalia must be of the same type.

The Horse
Hand-to- Shooting Morale
Unit Unit Type Weapon Stamina Special Points
Hand Value Value Value
Sipahis Heavy Lance, Sword Elite 4+,
Pistols 8 1 3+ 4 64
of the Porte Horse Heavy Cavalry +1

• Maximum of three Units per Army

Feudal Sword or Spear,

Horse 7 1 4+ 3 Elite 4+ 45
Sipahis Pistol
• One unit can be armed with carbines @ 1 point
• One unit can be armed with lances @ 5 points

Lance, Sword,
Gonullu Heavy Horse 7 1 4+ 3 Heavy Cavalry +1 48
Pistol

Light
Cavalry/ Light Horse Sword, Bow 6 1 5+ 3 34
Delli/Arabs Skirmishers

• Up to half the units can replace bows with carbines @ 1 point

Skirmish
Tartars Sword, Bow 4 1 6+ 3 Marauder 31
Horse

The Foot
Hand-to- Shooting Morale
Unit Unit Type Weapon Stamina Special Points
Hand Value Value Value
Infantry
Janissaries Musket, Swords 5 2 4+ 3 Elite 4+ 39
Battle Line
• Up to three units can be Guard Janissaries. Gain ‘Fanatic’ ability @ 5 points per unit

Infantry
Azabs Musket, Axes 3 2 5+ 3 27
Battle Line

138 1632 - The Battle of Lutzen, Gustavus Adolphus is victorious again, but is killed.
 THE THIRTY YEARS WAR

Hand-to- Shooting Morale

Unit Unit Type Weapon Stamina Special Points
Hand Value Value Value
Tufekci Infantry
Sword, Musket 3 2 5+ 3 First Fire 28
Fusiliers Battle Line

Irregular Infantry Sword/Axe,

Bow 3 1 5+ 3 25
Infantry Skirmishers

Levy Infantry Mixed 2 1 6+ 2 Militia 12

Infantry Warband

• Shooting value represents thrown weapons

The Ordnance
Maximum of four artillery pieces per battalia
Hand-to- Shooting Morale
Unit Unit Type Weapon Stamina Special Points
Hand Value Value Value

Artillery Ordnance Various 1 3-2-1 4+ 2 Varies

• Light Guns: 19 pts

• Medium Guns: 23 pts
• Heavy/Siege Guns: 27 pts

Siege Mortar
Ordnance 1 2 4+ 2 27
Artillery

• Maximum of one mortar per army

Polish Winged Hussars charge the Ottoman line by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 191: Vienna 1683

139
1634 - The Battle of Nordlingen. The Roman Catholic Imperial army wins a crushing victory over the Swedes and their Protestant allies.