How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Byzantine Productions Pike and Shot is a deep strategy game set during the bloody conflict of the Thirty Years War.

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kvnrthr
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How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by kvnrthr »

I'm having some trouble trying to understand the Ottomans.

The cavalry is poor at impact compared to both adversaries, and don't outnumber the enemy much. They can't evade either, so I feel like I'm doomed to shoot once then die. To rub salt in the wound, they're all paying for the useless Swordsmen capability which goes to 0 against 90% of enemy units.

Janissaries also feel suboptimal. Once again the Swordsmen capability raises the unit price for no appreciable benefit, considering most enemy have pike. They can't resist cavalry charges due to lack of pike. They don't even consistently outshoot cheaper enemy units.

What exactly do I do with this army? It just feels inferior in both infantry and artillery.
Pixel
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by Pixel »

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot, and scoot. Use the hilltops and rough terrain. The bow cavalry has extra range compared to the carbine ones and most shot armed troops. The Veteran Janissaries can be nasty buggers if they manage to get enough volleys off. Depends on who you are fighting and the battlefield but the Ottomans can do well. They are a bit tricky to play compared to armies with a lot of pike that can mass troops, push forward and grind the enemy down. The various Sipahis are some of the more versatile cavalry in the game and can really do a good job to harass lighter enemy units. If facing tercios / pike blocks rough ground if available is probably advisable for your shot armed troops. The Azaps are very brittle so mainly just fodder to delay enemies.
Last edited by Pixel on Sat May 04, 2019 5:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pixel
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by Pixel »

Also I find focusing using your Janissary volleys to disrupt the enemy cavalry (although be careful if they are pistol armed Kurraissers) and fighting more of a running harassing battle against the heavier infantry tends to help if you end up finding the Janissaries faltering head on versus the pikes. You can also ZoC isolated enemy pike blocks and shoot them up. Keils also can be rear charged if the opportunity arises and non-keil pike units have vulnerable flanks. Veteran Janissaries defending rough ground can at 40-80 or so killed per volley get Pike and Shot units with less firepower to drop cohesion levels and maybe even break on shooting alone. It isn't super easy as the Ottomans but they are not without their strengths.
Last edited by Pixel on Sat May 04, 2019 5:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pixel
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by Pixel »

Only charge at good odds after disrupting enemy units. You don't want to hurl the bow cavalry or Janissaries straight into charges and melees right a way.
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kvnrthr
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by kvnrthr »

Thanks for the tips. I've had some luck with my sipahis sitting on rough ground and shooting at enemy cavalry who don't dare to charge at them. Now that I've played some more battles the Janissaries are fine, I just never have enough of them.

The army does feel like it heavily relies on rough ground and other difficult terrain to survive against melee pistol horsemen. I don't dare move too far from rough ground.

I actually really like the Azaps a lot: they're quite cheap, and their bows are good against cavalry and passable against infantry. If only I could have more.
SnuggleBunnies
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by SnuggleBunnies »

The mass of light bow cavalry is useful, too, taking out artillery, disrupting cavalry, rear charging disrupted units and generally forcing the enemy to attack you, while the rest of your army waits in prepared positions.
SnuggleBunny's Field of Glory II / Medieval / Pike and Shot / Sengoku Jidai MP Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjUQy6dEqR53NwoGgjxixLg
Cronos09
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by Cronos09 »

Finally, you can play my General mod (viewtopic.php?f=322&t=88123). In its Great Turkish War campaign you will find several interesting things, which are designed to diversify the game. And the Turkish timariot sipahis can evade enemy charges there.
AlexDetrojan
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by AlexDetrojan »

kvnrthr, Pixel and Snugglebunnies answers are spot on(and are two really good P&S players, if my bruised ego is correct. ;) ) I rarely play AS the Turks, but really play a lot against them. This is one way to find out their strengths and weaknesses. My personal advice to play them is this: Max out Med. and Hvy artillery, place them on a hill if you can, guarded by a couple of cheap levy foot. Reign fire on enemy hvy cavalry, until enemy pikes are within closer distance then concentrate fire on them, including your Janissaries, which can put out withering fire if concentrated. Max out on your Cavalry and especially their Akinji and any other light horse they have. Pick an enemy flank and sweep around it with a combined force of light and heavy horse(those Akinji are a terror if they get behind the enemy line). Your center should be your Janissaries interspaced with with hvy cavalry. Your goal is not to defeat their pikes(though this is sometimes possible) but just to delay them until your cavalry crushes the flank of your choice. My 2 cents worth. ;).
Cheers
Alex
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by KiwiWarlord »

Alex sums it up well. I have won with the Ottomans many, many times using such tactics. One of my favourite armies.
burakataman
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Re: How to play an Ottoman army (Great Turkish War)

Post by burakataman »

AlexDetrojan wrote: Sat May 04, 2019 5:11 pm kvnrthr, Pixel and Snugglebunnies answers are spot on(and are two really good P&S players, if my bruised ego is correct. ;) ) I rarely play AS the Turks, but really play a lot against them. This is one way to find out their strengths and weaknesses. My personal advice to play them is this: Max out Med. and Hvy artillery, place them on a hill if you can, guarded by a couple of cheap levy foot. Reign fire on enemy hvy cavalry, until enemy pikes are within closer distance then concentrate fire on them, including your Janissaries, which can put out withering fire if concentrated. Max out on your Cavalry and especially their Akinji and any other light horse they have. Pick an enemy flank and sweep around it with a combined force of light and heavy horse(those Akinji are a terror if they get behind the enemy line). Your center should be your Janissaries interspaced with with hvy cavalry. Your goal is not to defeat their pikes(though this is sometimes possible) but just to delay them until your cavalry crushes the flank of your choice. My 2 cents worth. ;).
Cheers
Alex
The problem is 1649-98 ottoman no longer had Akinji but only 2Tatar
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