"Turkish Artillery" Topic

"The year 1606 is sometimes cited as the end of the Golden Period in the history of the Ottoman Empire, which tells you something about its fortunes in the following century. 1606 saw the end of the Long Turkish War, which proved indecisive for both sides, but after that Ottoman strategy generally became more defensive than expansionist, and they began to suffer more defeats. There were still many victories however, but European states in particular were increasingly organising professional, national armies (especially after the Thirty Years War) and so were better able to meet the professional forces of the Empire. The bold but failed attempt to capture Vienna in 1683 is seen as a turning point, after which the War of the Holy League proved disastrous, heralding a long decline that the Empire would never be able to reverse.

The Ottoman military machine had not stagnated during the 17th century, but it had not progressed as much as the European powers. What reforms there had been favoured the Janissaries and the artillery (at the expense of the Sipahis and the navy), but the artillery still lacked any standardisation, and although it remained a powerful force it lost much of the advantage it had had over other powers in the previous century, despite assistance from the English and Dutch in particular. The guns in this set are exactly the same as those in the set of 16th Century Artillery, and are still very appropriate to the 17th. There are two guns, of standard design for the period, with the larger having a barrel length of 35mm (2.5 metres) and a carriage length of 46mm (3.3 metres), while the smaller has a barrel length of 29mm (2.1 metres) and a carriage 40mm (2.9 metres) long. Both are fine historically, and fair models too though naturally lacking some smaller details as is usual in this hobby. The barrels sit on the carriage well and the wheels fit easily onto the axles, so the only problem is the larger barrel, which is missing the cascable at the breech.

Each gun is served by a generous eight figures, all of which we liked. They are engaged in the usual tasks for serving the gun, although as usual they would not all be doing their particular job at the same moment, particularly as one man is applying the match. Nevertheless everything here is correct and useful, and the poses are quite natural in general appearance…"

Historical accuracy: 10 points!

See here
link

Amicalement
Armand

And along with those ten points, a very nice rating of 9 for both sculpting and the mold. It is great to see Red Box raising their standards, they make a lot of cool off-beat stuff.

Seems like a very useful set – while the Ottoman artillery may not have been very mobile, they certainly had a lot of it

Ottoman artillery at the Battle of Mohacs, 1526, in the Hünernâme (1588)
Ottoman artillery at the Battle of Mohacs, 1526, in the Suleymanname, (1558)

Druzhina
Ottoman Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Look good.
What are the hats they are wearing?(two in the middle -second row)
Druzhina´s link Shows gunners wearing them but what are they called?

Redbox have certainly upped their game with recent releases. this looks a really decent set.

Glad you enjoyed them boys.

Thanks Druzhina!.

Amicalement
Armand

What are the hats they are wearing?(two in the middle -second row)
Druzhina´s link Shows gunners wearing them but what are they called?

Possibly also the 2nd and 4th in the 1st row.

These hats with a split brim go back at least to the Ilkhanids:
Mahmud of Ghazni in robe from the Caliph – 1305-14 Jami' al-Tawarikh

Topçus from the Ralamb Costume Book, 1657

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Thanks Druzhina..

You are the man Druzhina! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand