Ottoman Armies 1820-1914

At the start of this book, the reader is reminded that at the height of its power, the Ottoman Empire spread across a vast area, from the Balkans into North Africa and stretching eastwards. Controlling this vast area required a large military presence and Turkish forces were bolstered by local troops and bashi-bazouk mercenaries. Each of these is considered along with the weaponry, including artillery, and coverage of the uniforms of the branches of the army will please military modelling hobbyists with the artwork. The period covered in the book includes the Crimean War, the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, and the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, which will please war gamers. Military enthusiasts seeking a general read will be fascinated by this work, which describes the evolution of the Turkish army over 100 years, from post-Napoleonic influence to conclude in 1914 on the eve of the outbreak of WWI, when the country became an ally of Germany.