Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry (ETW Unit)
These troops of the “new model” army are armed, equipped and trained in the latest Western European military fashion.
Overview
Fighting in formal order with tight control and disciplined fire is a new idea for Turkish forces; the traditional method has usually involved heavily armed and very brave men hurling themselves pell-mell at the enemy. The nizam-I cedit fight just as bravely, but with much more organisation. This “new model” army is such a break with the past that it has even adopted Western-style military dress for the most part.
Historically, the Nizam-I Cedit reforms were made vital by the repeatedly poor performance of the Ottoman armies against the Russians. The Empire’s inability to defend itself against a growing Slavic threat, and European predatory moves, was the reason why Turkey became the “sick man of Europe”. The French Revolutionary Republic (anxious for any allies at the time) provided much of the starting expertise that the Ottomans required for retraining their army in modern tactics and methods. The process was not without problems, though. The janissaries resented their loss of privileges and position and eventually the corps had to be disbanded.
Details
Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry are a Light Infantry unit recruitable only by the Ottoman Empire and are a variant of the European Light Infantry unit. Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry should be used to harass the enemy and combat any skirmishers, which the unit is apt at carrying out. Their high accuracy and rate of fire means that the they can easily defeat lesser trained enemy Skirmishers. They should though avoid melee at all costs as they have fairly low melee skills and will likely be defeated in combat. Furthermore hey are only recruitable when the European Doctrine technology has been researched, which takes a while to complete. This means that the Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry will only be available in the mid to late game.