Donnington Miniatures
15mm Ottoman Turk Figures

Review

Reviewed by David Barnes

Available from 15, Cromwell Rd, Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2HP. UK.

In the catalogue these figures are listed under "Early Ottoman Turks, 1300 – 1600". Pp37 & 38. Consisting of 28 cavalry, 32 infantry, 7 horses and seven artillery items. I am going to review this little lot – risking meltdown (cooled down with uisquebeatha) listing ALL of them and commenting on most. Notice (as all good magicians say) at no time do my hands leave the end of my arms!

A general comment first; all these figures are clearly cast and well modelled and animated and are, as far as possible, as up to date as modern research has gone into Ancient, Medieval or Renaissance ranges. Also you can buy one of each sort if you wish. No bags of so many, so that you finish up with "fifteen artillery wheelbarrows" too many left over – or what have you.

Cavalry to start with:

OC1. Feudal Sipahi, firing bow.

OC2. Feudal Sipahi, loading bow. Together will make a good firing line, maybe the old "Cantabrian circle".

OC3. Feudal Sipahi, lance, bows, round shield.

OC4. Feudal Sipahi firing a bow, lance slung, round shield, firing to left, lance slung at his right elbow.

OC5. Feudal Sipahi officer, waving sword, round shield.

OC6. Feudal Sipahi Standard Bearer (you have to say which standard you require – choice of eight.)

OC7. Qapukulu / Heavy, mail and lamellar, lance, bows, pointed helmet, round shield. An elite to punch decisive holes in the opposition.

OC8. Qapukulu / Heavy Officer, waving sword, pointed helmet, round shield.

OC9. Qapukulu / Heavy Standard bearer (state which standard you want.)

OC10. General / Qapukulu, waving mace, pointed helmet, round shield. The Qapukulu or Kapikulu were, like the Janissaries, slaves of the Sultan, through of a higher "stream". "None so well know how to govern as those who have learned to obey". cf. "Lords of the Horizons. A History of the Ottoman Empire" by Jason Goodwin. Chatto + Windus. U.K. ISBN. 07011 36693. £ 18.99.

OC11. Kettle Drummer. Ottoman armies went in for mounted bands. Any chance Donnington??

OC12. Akinji (scout) firing bow.

OC13. Akinji loading bow.

OC14. Akinji officer waving sword, bow.

OC15. Akinji standard bearer (state your standard preference).

OC16. Balkan / Turkoman, lance, shield, feathered cap.

OC17. Turkoman, lamellar armour, firing bow, helmet, mail face guard, round shield.

OC18. Ghazi (warrior of the faith), buff leather armour, firing bow, helmet with mail aventail, round shield.

OC19. Silahtar (personal guard) lance, shield.

OC20. Guard / Qapukulu, lance, turban, shield.

OC21. Guard / Qapukulu, standard bearer, turban, shield.

OC22. Guard / Qapukulu, officer waving sword, turban, shield. All these are excellently detailed casting.

OC23. Sultan / General, pointing, suitable horse OH6.

OC24. Sultan / General waving mace. (OH6).

OC25. Sipahi, armoured, firing bow.

OC26. Deli (mad head), lance, shield.

OC27. Sipahi (16th Century), armoured, lance. (OH6). Tough looking hombre.

OC28. Sultan Sulliman The Magnificent (OH7). A wonderful turban with falling plume. Long overcoat and sceptre like mace. The horse looks like the one in portraits of Sulliman.

Now, horses

OH1. Horse walking.

OH2. Horse, trotting.

OH3. Horse trotting / cantering. More cantering I would say.

OH4. Barded horse.

OH5. Horse with pistols (in holsters!). Good looking model.

OH6. Barded horse with pistols. The tank of the time.

OH7. Sultan's Horse. Very ornate trappings, crisply cast.

All these horses are simple, proportionate, good models.

Now, Infantry

OF1. Archer/Azab firing bow. (Irregular Infantry).

OF2. Archer/Azab loading bow. OF3. Hand gunner firing early arquebus.

OF4. Spearman/Azab, spear, round shield. Good, straight-forward, waiting pose.

OF5. Janissary Archer firing bow. The Jeni cherry had a falling sleeve, white cap (Zareda) signifying the sleeve of their master blessing them as they entered his service. The descendants of their band has been seen in fairly recent years at the Edinburgh Tattoo. Their march step 3 paces, pause, half turn left, 3 paces pause, half turn right, - along with shrill horns, deep drums and "Jingling Johnnies" gives them tremendous menace + feeling of power!

OF6. Janissary archer loading bow.

OF7. Janissary hand gunner firing early arquebus.

OF8. Janissary, waving sword, round shield, advancing. Leaning forward, false sleeves down his back. OF9. Janissary spearman, spear, bow.

OF10. Janissary Archer firing bow, long coat. Very tall Zarcola.

OF11. Janissary archer loading bow, long coat.

OF12. Heavy infantryman, waving sword, round shield, advancing. Bow case on left hip, quiver on right.

OF13. Azab Archer/Dismounted Akinji, firing bow.

OF14. Azab Archer/Dismounted Akinji, loading bow.

OF15. Balkan Gunner, holding lighted match, hat. Holding his hat on, match extended awaiting the big bang.

OF16. Balkan Gunner, holding stowe, pointing, hat.

OF17. Balkan gunner, directing, hat.

OF18. Ottoman gunner, holding cannon ball (just!) turban. "Oh my this is heavy and slippery. Feet wide spread in case he drops it on his toes.

OF19. Ottoman gunner, wiping brow, turban. He really looks hot!

OF20. Ottoman gunner, walking, turban. Good simple pose with lots of uses.

OF21. Ottoman gunner levering with stave, turban. All together now, "He-a-a-ve!"

OF22. Ottoman/Balkan Yaya, reinforced jacket, incendiary spear,(!) helmet, round shield. Middle Eastern Kami Kazi?

OF23. Wallachian Yoynik, long coat over mail, halberd, winged shield.

OF24. North African Marine, tunic, firing crossbow, helmet, shield slung. Heart shaped shield.

OF25. Janissary slinger, firing.

OF26. Janissary crossbowman firing, shield slung on his back. Cut the lug and twist the xbow to the left, to make it line up (done for ease of casting).

OF27. Janissary musketeer, firing long musket.

OF28. Janissary musketeer, loading musket. A group of these two would look a good unit.

OF29. Janissary Zirhli Nefer, mail coat, short halberd, shield slung, advancing.

OF30. Janissary Standard Bearer, tall hat, (please state which standard you require).

OF31. Early Janissary Archer, firing bow.

OF32. Wallachian Yoynik, long coat over mail, halberd, helmet, winged shield slung, advancing.

Artillery

OG1. Bombard £ 0,65 Barrel bound with wire to guard against bursting. None of the bombards are mobile of course. They are "artillery of position". Choose carefully!

OG2. Heavy Bombard with screw breach chamber - £ 1.30.

OG3. Dardanelles Bombard with screw breach chamber £ 2.20. A very ornate detailed casting of a bigger banger!

TYG4. Pile of cannon balls for OG1.

OG4. Pile of cannon balls for OG2.

OG6. 16thC field gun. - £ 0.65. Trail, wheels + barrel finely detailed.

Standards – state which one you require. Tug with 1 horsetail. Tug with 2 horsetails. Tug with 3 horsetails. Tug with 4 horsetails. Large Square flag. Split Tail flag. Tug with 6 horsetails. Small square pointed flag.

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