Russo-Turkish War 1768-1774 - on the tabletop

 I started this project in 28mm after reading Brian Davies' excellent book on the war and Simon Sebag Montefiore's biography of Potemkin. I began with the North Star range, which include the distinctive Potemkin helmets. I have added some of the new Claymore Castings Russian SYW range as not all the units would have converted to the new regulations. For now the project is completed, although I am planning to add some more Ottomans to my 6/8mm armies for the larger battles.

North Star 28mm Russian's with the Potemkin helmets

For over a hundred years before this conflict, the Russian tsars had gradually expanded their southern borders at the Ottomans' expense. They established military colonies on the border, with support from the Cossack hosts. Empress Catherine II took advantage of the weakened Ottoman Empire and the end of the Seven Years' War to assert Russian power. If this sounds familiar in a modern context, it should!

The war started with the Khotin campaign of 1769 in modern-day Ukraine. An attempt to storm Khotin failed, but the siege was eventually successful, and the Russians moved into Wallachia (modern Romania), capturing Bucharest. The Russians consolidated their success in 1770 with a major victory at Kagul in August, forcing the Ottomans to flee back across the Danube. The Russians also sent a fleet into the Mediterranean from the Baltic, which stirred up revolts in Greece and Dalmatia. The Ottoman navy was more effective on the Danube, making it difficult for the Russians to cross the river until they developed their own flotilla. The war became a war of outposts, straining both sides and their finances. A peace treaty was signed in 1774, which created an independent Crimea, moved the border further south into Moldavia, and allowed the Russians to gain key Black Sea forts. 

You can see from this outline that the war offers a range of wargaming opportunities. The Potemkin helmets are nice, but a Russian SYW army will do fine if you don't want to collect a one-off army. It could be a challenge anyway, as it looks like I got the last of the range that has gone from the North Star site. The war of outposts in Wallachia suits the 28mm figures and rules like Rebels and Patriots. The Greek and Dalmatian campaigns can add some additional colour. There are also naval actions suitable for Black Seas, including the Battle of Chesma 1770 and a Middle East prelude to the later Revolutionary Wars campaigns in Egypt and the Levant.

Some of the Claymore castings 28mm range

Light Artillery from Claymore Castings

These are uniformed Don Cossacks, but irregular types were also used.

I got all the units onto the table for a game of Rebels & Patriots on Sunday. It is usual to downgrade Russian shooting and upgrade their melee capability for this period. However, the Ottoman troops shooting was certainly no better, so I left the Russians as per the standard R&P line infantry and downgraded the Janissaries shooting and upped their fighting to 'aggressive'. This gave the Janissaries the edge in combat, so long as they don't lose too many figures before they charge in. I am going to try a few more permutations in future games.

The Russians deployed. 5 infantry units, artillery and Cossacks

Here come the Janissaries

It ended badly for Potemkin, with this final stand on the hill.