One of the main attractions of the Napoleonic period for wargamers, is the colourful and flamboyant troop types available. Yet the most colourful and flamboyant army of the period is seldom represented on the wargamer's table. I am speaking of that other Empire that not only outlived Napoleon, but whose spirit still dictates political decisions in the 1990's - the Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman involvement in the Napoleonic period takes place in the Balkans, where the Turks find themselves fighting their old enemies the Russians, this time with French allies - and also in Egypt, first as allies of the British and then as enemies. Battlefields range from the old crusader stronghold of Acre to Serbia. The addition of Turkish troops to the wargamer's Order of Battle increases the scope for different, challenging wargames, far removed from the normal European battlefields.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

To understand why the Ottoman Empire got involved with Napoleon we must look briefly at the history of the period. Throughout the 1780's and 1790's the Turkish empire was at war with Russia and Austria -- two enemies it had been fighting for centuries. This time fortune and military might were against the Ottomans and the Turks lost badly. Then, some new friends, the French, sent the Turks both modern artillery and perhaps more important engineers and artillery men to teach them how to use it.

In 1798 Napoleon invaded Egypt and defeated the Mamluks. However, Napoleon was so impressed with these warrior cavalry that he incorporated a unit of them in his own army, and took them back to Europe.

Politically the mamluks were rebellious subjects whom the Sultan did not mind being defeated - such a defeat made his subjection of them easier. But national pride would not allow the Sultan and the Empire to remain idle while Turkish "subjects" were beaten by Frenchmen. Despite the gifts of guns and technicians from France Turkey joined forces with her old enemy Russia, and with Britain formed a triple alliance against Napoleon.

The British and Ottoman troops fought together against the French, with Royal Navy blue-jackets and marines aiding medieval Turkish infantry to defend the old Crusader city of Acre. Many of the Turkish troops would not have been out of place storming the city centuries earlier.

In 1801 the French were finally forced to surrender to the joint Turko-British army, although by this time Napoleon had already left and was back in Europe.

BRITISH IMPERIALISM

Having defeated the French the British now proceeded to alienate the Turks. They remained in Egypt, supporting one of the Mamluk factions in the hope that they might rise against the Empire and British influence could have a permanent home in the newly-won free state. But their intrigues were not successful.

Having successfully alienated the Turks the British then withdrew from Egypt - too late to patch up relations, but just in time to allow the Turks to put down the Mamluk rising.

But the Ottoman Empire stretched both sides of the Mediterranean and into the Adriatic. Here Serbia, under one of her greatest heroes Kara George, was in revolt against the Ottoman Empire, and so when the Sultan Selim recognised Napoleon as Emperor in 1806, a joint expedition was organised. This would crush the rebellious Serbs once and for all. But Russia was now seriously worried about French intervention in the Balkans - her sphere of influence. Britain was also worried and her fleet was sent to attack Istanbul. Egypt was once again invaded and Alexandria taken. The Russian fleet met the Turks on the seas and defeated them at Lenmos.

FICKLE PARTNERS

Napoleon, now ready to dismember the Ottoman empire, did a deal with Russia. Russia consequently made peace with Turkey as she prepared to invade the Empire with France. However, the two partners could not agree on what proportion of the spoils each should have, so the invasion did not take place.

Old enemies became friends, as with Austrian aid the Turks signed a treaty with the British against the French and Russians. The Russians invaded Wallachia, but were driven back by the Ottomans. In Egypt the Turks finally put down the Mamluk uprisings. The fighting still continued in Serbia with the Turks doing rather badly.

Then in 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia. A hasty peace was made with the Turks so that the Russians could use their armies to defend themselves against their old ally. Napoleon offered the Ottomans the Crimea and other inducements, but the Turks no longer trusted him, if they ever did. The British advised the Turks to stay out of the conflict, and wisely they took this advise. Turning their attention instead to the troublesome Serbs, who had lost the Russian supplies and support they had been counting on, finally crushed the rebellion.

Turkish intervention on the Napoleonic period had finished.

WARGAMING

What this means for the Napoleonic wargamer is that if he has French, British, Russian or Austrian armies he can use them against a totally different foe. Whilst there are differences between the different European armies of the Napoleonic period they are all essentially "modern - 19th Century" armies. Whilst there are difference in tactics, such as "column" vs "line" they all understand the principles of "modem" warfare.

Not so the Ottomans. here is an army that is virtually unchanged since the Renaissance period and any one who has a renaissance Turkish army can use it straight away in this period - but more of that to come. This army still fights in the way it did against the Poles and Hungarians in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Whilst there is a core of professional soldiers the bulk of the army is feudal in nature - called to serve, not for wages but for plunder. In theory the army is neatly divided into decimal based units tens, hundreds and then thousands, but in practise each unit is its own size. Some are huge, and some aren't.

The army can be divided into horse and foot. In both there is an element of professional units and the bulk of the army being made up of irregular, feudal troops.

The Janissaries were the elite troops of the Empire, providing the regular infantry. By the beginning of the 19th century they had deteriorated, and would not be a match for other elite/guard units found in European armies. They were formed in "Ortas" of two to three thousand men. Another elite unit would be the "Solacks" - the archers of the Sultan's guard.

By the Napoleonic period these carried muskets, but retained their quivers as a mark of their guard status. A unit of these would be with the Sultan, or the Commander of the army.

Perhaps as much as a third of the infantry would have been Janissaries, with the rest made up of militia - conscripted infantry who fight for the campaign. Certain militia units were long standing and as professional as any Janissary unit - the Albanians for example had a long tradition of supplying mercenaries to the Ottomans. These would be "regular" conscripts.

These militia units did not wear any uniform, but since they were formed in units from the same region there was a element of unifomity about them. Units could be distinguished from one another and wargamers can paint them as distinctive units.

Any wargamer who has used Turks in the Renaissance period will recognise the cavalry. Here are the Spahis - lance armed heavy cavalry - backed up by hordes of light cavalry. These are armed with lances, swords, muskets, pistols and bows.

TACTICS ON THE TABLE

When wargamers first see these figures on the table they begin to "twitch", and you can see them mentally working out what they would need and how to paint and organise such an army. It's when they start to realise that the bulk of the army is "rubbish" that they dismiss the idea. Why buy and paint troops that will run away, when the same amount of money, time and effort could bring a winning army. Well, historically Napoleon's first defeat was at Acre, by just such a "rubbish" army. So it's possible to defeat even a Bonaparte with such troops.

I think many wargamers are "brainwashed" by troop types and when they see lots of "D" class units they switch off. An Ottoman army can beat a French, British, Russian or Austrian, if you use its component pieces to their best advantage.

First thing, think BIG. There should be lots of Turks - lots of units and lots of figures. My light cavalry units have twenty five to thirty figures in them, and I like to field a lot of these. The idea is not to win with any one particular unit, but to have so many that even if some get broken and smashed there are still always enough floating around to do damage.

Use the light cavalry to skirmish and use their bows to advantage. Don't attack French or Russian Cuirassiers with skirmishing light cavalry - of course you'll lose. But use their bows to draw Cuirassiers out of position, to where one of your heavy cavalry units can get in the flank or better still in the rear. It doesn't matter if they're "D" class if they're attacking your troops from behind !

The same with the infantry. Don't be afraid to lose a unit or two - just leave gaps where they can rout through. But support them, always have another unit behind to follow up, and you can break the best infantry by wearing them down.

Some rule writers will disagree me, but I modify morale rules when using Turkish armies. Because of the low class of the army, units were expected to break and run. So such a rout did not have the same effect that it did on a European army watching their comrades running past them, throwing their weapons away. Also Turkish cavalry should be going forward, using their bows and coming back - the "feigned flight" tactic they had used for centuries. So I tend to be generous with Turkish morale. If a unit routs it normally has little effect on other units.

Morale is certainly taken into account to see if units will charge home, and they won't unless you get the circumstance right for them. But they will charge flanks and rears, and should exploit any opportunities that appear. There should always be light cavalry riding around, looking for any unguarded gaps and ready to exploit them.

By using them in large numbers, and using the light cavalry to screen the advance of the rest of the army, it is possible to beat any other Napoleonic army. It is also very possible to lose - but I always think the issue is in doubt until the game is over it's never a forgone conclusion that the Turks will lose. And sometimes they give my regular opponent a fright!

If you have any Turkish troops it's almost certain they will fit into a Napoleonic army. Any light cavalry or irregular infantry will do - including Arabs for the campaigns in Egypt. It's a very cost-effective army, since it will cover about 500 years and lots of different enemies - when mine have finished fighting Napoleon they turn their attention to Sobieski and his Poles, Hunyadi and his Hungarians and Eugene of Savoy and his Austrians.

Most rules for the period should allow the use of Turks. If they don't they can be modified, for example using the factors for Cossacks for a great deal of the light cavalry. If you are using the excellent electronic rules - FOLLOW THE EAGLE - you'll be pleased to know that Ottomans are already catered for.

When you get tired of that same old European battlefield with its windmill and coaching inn think of the burning sands of the desert, the Pyramids and the sun glistening on the cool water of a lone oasis surrounded by palms. The enemy are not disciplined soldiers, but irregulars in flowing robes and turbans, an unknown quantity that you have to defeat.

It could be a lot of fun.

Turkish Delights: Historic anecdotes