Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Turcowaz - TURQUOISE Army

Thought it high time I set out my Turcowaz (TURQUOISE) Army as presently constituted for the expedition into Hyperborean regions northeast of the Settee Empire. For my Blacklands wars, this force is really a pool from which to build a far larger military presence in opposition to the covetous newly nascent neighbouring powers. I'll begin with this horrible photograph:


At least it gives an overall picture. Some work still required, and I'm not 100% sure whether to retain the Mamluk figures at the left of the picture, or find some replacements. They don't really belong to this army anyhow. I have added several logistic elements, four pack animal elements with two animals on each, and a large two-wheeled cart. The artillery limbers might count as logistic elements as well. 


Cavalry Division. This army is a bit deficient in this arm compared with the Izumrud-Zeleniyan force.  These are also lights. The mamluk auxiliaries, if used, will have but 2 Strength Points.
Turcowaz Irregulars - the Bashi-Bazouks. I give them a bit more military value than they had historically as Turks, but they still rate 'poor'. Here they have been divided into 3 Divisions each of 1 command, and 4 elements.

Turcowaz Regulars. Only 3 regiments per Division (plus command), but count as 'average'. To the right of the picture are two machinegun detachments (battalions).

Turcowaz artillery: Field, Medium and Mountain Regiments.

Army Command, potential Corps HQs and immediate logistic support. The army command is identified by the three figures on the element. There are 5 stands of logistic support. I may have to formalise the organisation for these. There are quite a lot of carts wagons and limbers kicking around, which I use as a transport pool for my various armies. Even so, they can be stretched pretty thin.

The Army at the moment comprises:

Army Command: Abdul Abulbul Ameer = 6SP
1st Division: HQ (1SP elite), 1st, 2nd, 3rd Regiment @ 4SP (average) = 13SP
2nd Division: HQ (1SP elite), 4th, 5th, 6th Regiment @ 4SP (average) = 13SP
3rd Division: HQ (1SP elite), 7th, 8th, 9th Regiment @ 4SP (average) = 13SP
4th Division: HQ (1SP elite), 37th, 38th, 39th, 40th Regiment @ 4SP (poor) = 17SP
5th Division: HQ (1SP elite), 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th Regiment @ 4SP (poor) = 17SP
6th Division: HQ (1SP elite), 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th Regiment @ 4SP (poor) = 17SP
IX Machinegun Battalion = 2SP (average)
X Machinegun Battalion = 2SP (average)
1st Cavalry Brigade: 19th, 20th Cavalry @ 3SP (average) = 6SP
2nd Cavalry Brigade: 21st, 22nd, 23rd Cavalry @ 2SP = 6SP
I, II/ 1st Field Regiment @ 2SP (average) = 4SP
III, IV/ 2nd Medium Regiment @ 2SP (average) = 4SP
V, VI/ 3rd Mountain Artillery @ 2SP (average) = 4SP
101st Medium Transport Battalion @ 2SP /3CP (carrying capacity)
111th, 112th, 113th, 114th Pack Transport Battalion @ 2SP /2CP = 8SP/ 8CP
2 x Corps Command HQ: e@ 3SP = 6SP
Total: 144 Strength Points.


And now ...



These strangers. They are the Russian Streltsi - one 'bonus' figure of which comes with each and every pack of Strelets-R figures. According to Plastic Soldier Review, this pose (#10) comes with the 027 'Russian Cossack Infantry and Sailors' box. Most of these were by courtesy of Paul 'Jacko' Jackson. I had decised they would form the Palace Guard of the Ameer of Zanzingabar, in the recent and stalled 'In Darkest Aithiops Campaign. But they ought to have some more permanent abode. Perhaps as some kind of unit in the Army of Isumrud-Zeleniya maybe?
 



I like them, but, as a rather orphaned unit, there is something forlorn about them.

I'll close this posting with a last pic of the Army of Turcowaz.


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8 comments:

  1. Steve J.October 13, 2022 at 2:02 AM

    A fine looking Army there and I love the mix of units. For my ImagiNations force of Ruthenia, I have used 1848 Danes, with some ACW, as well as some Afghan NWF units to represent Banat border troops. The slightly exotic troops only add to the mix, which I like:).

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    1. Archduke PiccoloOctober 13, 2022 at 4:05 AM

      Hi Steve -
      I really want some Turkish cavalry of the 1877 Russo-Turkish War for my cavalry, and that will be this army completed. Unfortunately, those fellows seem very hard to come by. All I need is one box...

      All of the infantry are Strelets-R, the artillery are bits and bobs including a few Airfix French Foreign Legion. The Mountain guns are HaT, the others are my adaptations of Napoleonic or Crimean War cannon. The Mamluk figures are actually HaT hard plastic - and they are very nice figures in their own way. The other cavalry are, I think, Zvezda 17th Century Turks.

      The pack horses are ESCI from, I think, the Alpini box. I don't know where the cart/ wagon is from. But I can use it from about 1850 through to WW2, at a pinch.

      Cheers,
      Ion

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  2. ElliesdadOctober 13, 2022 at 6:03 AM

    These guys are really colourful Ion. Thumbs up from me 👍👍
    The bashi-bazouks were, as you suggest, of limited value in war (seemingly preferring punitive actions against civilians or other “soft targets”) but they do bulk up the numbers. I tend to think of them as being poor quality - lesser use than cossacks.
    Cheers,
    Geoff

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    1. Archduke PiccoloOctober 13, 2022 at 1:53 PM

      Geoff - I tend to use cossacks and Bashi-Bazouks as though their battlefield utility was a deal greater than it was. But their real function was, of course, quite otherwise, and had nothing to do with the middle of a formal battle, though probably capable of effecting something on the fringes.

      In my view such types would be ideal for skirmish war gaming, but I don't 'do' skirmish war gaming - or at least, not so much. Otherwise it is quite hard to do raids against LOCs and depots and suchlike.

      Labelling them 'poor' is probably praising them with faint damnation, but in the late Blacklands War some of these Bashi-Bazouks performed prodigies on the battlefield. I'm rather fond of them.
      Cheers,
      Ion

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    2. ElliesdadOctober 13, 2022 at 2:57 PM

      I imagine bashi-bazouks & Cossacks would be equally at home in the ranks of Calvera’s bandit gang in The Magnificent Seven. Jolly good at intimidating defenceless peasants - but struggle when faced by a capable opponent. Still, use them to best effect by playing to their strengths and give them free reign to attack enemy lines of communication & supply, foragers, couriers etc.

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    3. Archduke PiccoloOctober 14, 2022 at 12:52 PM

      Shouldn't wonder. LOC raids and such would be fine for 'der kleine krieg' actions. Which reminds me: I must revisit the 'Olmutz Convoy' again...
      Cheers,
      Ion

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  3. Robert (Bob) CorderyOctober 14, 2022 at 11:34 AM

    Archduke Piccolo,

    As usual, you manage to effortlessly impress! I love the look of your Turcowaz army, with its eclectic mix of figures and figure types. The bashi-bazouks might not have the best of reputations, but I can imagine them being sent off on a raid behind an advancing enemy force, and being chased by enemy cavalry.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Archduke PiccoloOctober 14, 2022 at 1:05 PM

      Bob -
      Small action on the fringes - and, built into a campaign, a lot to be said for it. But, for the sake of the 'big battles' I want them at least to have some presence. But yours and Geoff's comments (on top of my own) are starting to give me ideas...

      But before doing anything else, I need a campaign map. I've looking once more at the Portable Colonial Wargames campaign. The thought occurs - what happened after that first action to deal with 'more trouble in Zubia'?

      Cheers,
      Ion

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