Donnington Miniatures

15mm Ottoman Turk (figures)

Reviewed By David Barnes

Donnington Miniatures 15mm complete Ottoman Turk range, available from 15, Cromwell Rd., Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2HP, UK and Papa Willie's Wargaming Central, 8014 Ivory Forest, San Antonio, TX, 78239 Tel: (210) 654-6601

In the catalog these figures are listed under "Early Ottoman Turks, 1300 - 1600," pp. 37 and 38. Consisting of 28 cavalry, 32 infantry, 7 horses and 7 artillery items. I am going to attempt to review this little lot - risking meltdown (cooled down with uisqueberatha) listing ALL of them, commenting on most and drawing some, not to scale. 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 cleanly cast and well modeled 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 wheel barrows" too many left over - or what have you.

Cavalry to start with:

OC1 Feudal Sipahi, firing bow.
OC2 Feudal Sipahi, loading bow. Together with OCI, "I make a good firing line, maybe the oh "Cantabrian circle."
OC3 Feudal Sipahi firing bow, round shield, firing to the left, lance slung at his right elbow.
OC4 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, bow, 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 Kampikuh were, like the Janissaries, slaves of the Sultan, though 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 Ottomai Empire," by Jason Goodwin. Chatto and Windus, UK. ISBN 0 701136693. f 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 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 castings
OC23 Sultan/General pointing. Suitable horse is OH6.
OC24 Sultan/General waving mace (OHIO).
OC25 Sipahi, annoured, firing bow.
OC26 Deli (Mad Head), lance, shield.
OC27 Sipahi (16th century), armoured, lance (OH6). Tough looking hombre.
OC28 Sultan Sulliman the Magnificent (0117). A wonderful turban with falling plume. Long overcoat and scepter-like mace. The horse looks like the one in portraits of Sulliman.

Now, Horses.

0H1 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 orriate tr-appings, crisply cast. All these horses are simple, proportionatly 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 the band has been seen in fairly recent years at the Edinburgh Tattoo. Their march step: 3 paces, pause, half turn left, paces, pause, half turn right - along with the shrill homs, deep drums and "jingling Johnnies" gives them tremendous menace and 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 hi 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 stave, pointing. hat. "Er left a bit - up a bit - oh well."
OF17 Balkan gunner, directing, hat. "Shut up OF16, Fm in charge!" Hand about to sweep down.
OF18 Ottoman gunner. holding cannon ball Oust!). 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 Kaze?
OF23 Wallachian Yoynik, long coat over mail, halberd. winged shield.
OF24 North African marine, tunic, firing crossbow, helmet. shields 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 OF27 and OF28 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 EO.65. Barrel bound with wire to guard agamest bursting. None of the bombards 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 ol bigger banger!
TYG4 Pile of cannon balls for OG1.
OG4 Pile of cannonballs for OG2.
OG6 16th century field gun. EO.65. Trail, wheels and barrel finely detailed.

Standards

1. Tug with 1 horsetail
2. Tug with 2 horsetails
3. Tug with 3 horsetails.
4. Tug with 4 horsetails.
5. Large square flag.
6. Split tail flag.
7. Tug with 6 horsetails.
8. Small square pointed flag.

Cracking detail! Get a few samples and see for yourself. Donnington sell single figures, not packs, so wastage.

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