Warlord Games expanded their options for those diving into the Crimean War with the inclusion of the Turkish forces for your Black Powder battles. Leading the way is a unit of Turkish Infantry, marching forth in their brilliant blue.

Crimean War Turkish Infantry // Black Powder

The Ottomans were undergoing a period of modernisation during the Crimean War, which meant that they were in a bit of a halfway house when it came to tactics and equipment. They were often disparaged by their British and French allies but the Ottomans suffered the same supply issues as others, alongside harsh conditions and a failure of logistics that hampered their effectiveness.

As well as the infantry on foot, you also have some daring Turkish Cavalry for you to throw against the enemy as part of a devastating charge (maybe?).

Crimean War Turkish Cavalry // Black Powder

The Turkish Cavalry was, unfortunately, considered the worst element of the Ottoman army during the Crimean War. With this in mind, those devastating charges were few and far between and they were often used to support an army, working as reconnaissance troops, on picket duty and for disrupting the Russians' movements with hit and run attacks.

You can buy the Turkish Cavalry horsemen as a separate pack but there is also a Command set for those who want to blow the bugle and signal the attack. All miniatures shown above as part of the combined set.

No self-respecting army during this period would be without some artillery and the Turks are bringing some to the battlefield.

Crimean War Turkish Artillery // Black Powder

The Ottoman Artillery was a mix of older smoothbore cannons and the new rifled guns. Their effectiveness was hampered by logistical problems and the mixed quality of the gunners that made up the Ottoman Artillery Corps. Again, an issue that seems to stem from their modernisation during this period.

Last but not least, the Turks can also call on some Generals & Officers to lead the way.

Crimean War Turkish Generals & Officers // Black Powder

The Crimean War marked a period of transformation for the Ottoman Officer Corps. The corps was a mix of politically appointed and often illiterate officers that contrasted with Western-educated graduates who had come up through European military academies.

This ended up creating a backward and often corrupt structure, at least from the outside. However, the experiences within Crimea led to them becoming more professional with more support from nations like Poland and Hungary.

More Crimean War Russians

As well as the Turkish, the Crimean War collection also now contains more Russian Infantry as a Summer Dress Regiment.

Crimean War Russian Infantry - Summer Dress // Black Powder

At this point, the Russian army was drawn from a huge pool of peasants and serfs who were drafted in as conscripts. They were brave and loyal to the Tsar but they had poor training, outdated equipment and weak leadership. They were terrible shots and so relied on brave, often foolish, bayonet charges to rout the enemy.

The greatcoats were often thrown aside, as you can see with the miniatures here. Stoic Russian soldiers would march forth without their drab coats on and instead show off their green and white uniforms.

Even more Crimean War goodies can be found HERE if you want to dive deeper into this period. Check it out and tell us what you think of the focus on the Crimean War for Black Powder at the moment.

Will you be diving in?