Red Box 095 1/72 16th-17th c. Osman Spahi Set 2

The Sipahi were the main cavalry element in Ottoman armies of the 16th century. Some served in the professional standing army of the sultan, but the majority formed a major part of the Provincial Army. In a semi-feudal arrangement they received land for service, and helped police the Empire when not engaged on campaign. When called to war, they generally protected the flanks and rear of the army when on the march, and formed up on both wings of the army before battle. If everything went to plan, then the enemy would have been coaxed into attacking the infantry in the centre of the Ottoman position, who would then damage and disorganise them with fire before the sipahi would close in from both flanks to fully defeat them. Since they generally had the last word on the battlefield, they were the ones that sealed the victory or made the last effort to avoid defeat, and were always a crucial element of the army. At their peak, in the last quarter of the 16th century, they numbered about 83,500, but from the early part of the next century they went into decline and became less important. This set, along with the corresponding Set 1, represents them for the first time in this hobby.

Specifications

• Contents: 12 figures and 12 horses
• Poses: 6 poses, 2 horse poses
• Material: Plastic (Medium Consistency)