Battle of Manzikert 1915

With lockdown broadly coming to an end and the summer weather we have been able to plan some larger games in the garden gaming centre. The list of options for these games is getting longer and longer. They provide both a motivation to collect and paint and the opportunity to play the types of games we normally associate with shows. Anyway enough of this meandering….Martin has a good collection of Turks and with my growing collection of WW1 Russians this gave us the opportunity to game something different to our normal fair. I am not an expert on this period although putting on this game has improved that knowledge I will leave you to search the web for more info if you need it. Suffice to say the Caucasus Campaign saw Russia battling for several years against the Turks between about 1914 and the Revolution in 1917 when the Russians turned their attention to killing each other instead. The battle of Manzikert took place in 1915 in Armenia. The Russian forces had captured the Town of Manzikert north of Lake Van. 

“On July 10, 1915, Russian General Oganovski launched an offensive to capture the hills just west of Malazgirt. He believed that the Turkish forces in the area were weak. However, the Turkish forces contained several divisions numbering upwards of 40,000 men. On July 16, the Ottoman Army counter-attacked under Abdul Kerim Pasha. They outnumbered the Russians by a factor of 3-1. Oganovski was forced to retreat back to Malazgirt, and in the process the Turks captured his baggage train”

In Hollywood style our battle would be ‘based’ on this History rather than a detailed reconstruction.

A map showing the approximate location of Manzikert 

The battlefield, a lot of artistic licence, the outskirts of Manzikert at this end going away into rough hills in the distance. The objective for both sides was to capture the four distinct hills.

The Russians are a mix of troops, they will start from behind the small stream which is only a hinderance to vehicles

Outnumbered but they do have an armoured reconnaissance unit of early armoured cars

Keri Pahsa and the Turks have infantry, infantry and more infantry with a few artillery pieces no doubt captured from the Russians in a previous engagement

Russian infantry beginning the advance out of the town

The Russians have managed to bring up one of their ‘big’ guns to support the advance

The Turks are supported by Armenian Tribesmen, they will be hard to control as the Turkish commander doesn’t have enough order dice for all his units

Oh dear General Oganovski hasn’t done his recon very well !

First blood to the Turks as an artillery barrage knocks out one of the Lanchesters

The other vehicles move of down the road and the Russian artillery starts to deploy 

The first hill will be an easy capture

Turkish regular infantry advances form their start point into the valley

Some of the better Armenian troops are sent to secure the small farm on the left

The second ‘easy’ hill has been secured 

As the infantry slogs forward an artillery duel ensues which after several hours the Russians get the upper hand

Having taken the first two hills the Russian must now push on General Oganovski can be seen directing from the front from his staff car.

But what awaits them in the valley is not an encouraging sight !

On the right the Russians too are pushing to capture the small farm

We has a small subplot with a hidden Armenian Rebel Leader who was captured by the Turks in the building by the road junction

The final armoured car is blown by artillery fire

We weren’t sure if the numbers for the battle balanced so Russian cavalry reserves arrive from the town they may be too late ?

The Russians are getting the better of the fire fight but gaps just get filled by more Turkish infantry !

At least the Turks artillery is in flames 

Moving through the town it is becoming clear that the cavalry even at a gallop isn’t going to make the battle

Eventually the Russian units are being thinned out

Gen Oganovski has his staff blown up and in flames but he manages to jump free

The Turkish infantry surprisingly tough nut to crack dug into the rough ground

A final push by the Russians but they have no reserves to support

Armenian tribesmen having seen the battle swing the way of the Turks surge forward to support them !

Karin Pasha can been seen directing his forces by the road

Galloping across the bridge at least the cavalry might be able to provide a rear guard

At this point the Russian attack cam to a halt. 

They have made a big dent in the Turks and pushed bravely beyond the first two objective hills but they don’t have the numbers to seal a victory

In the final throws of the battle Russian infantry even assault into the rough ground clearing some of the defenders away but they always seem to be more of them.

Form the rear of the Turks position the Armenians can be seen running down the valley.

A splendid game we gave it to the Turks in the end, the Russian did well and were brave in their attacks but too outnumbered. With some more luck early on it might have worked and perhaps the reserves arriving early would have helped. It was never going to be an equal battle but that wasn’t the point. Great fun to get a big battle played and to catch up 👍 Hopefully some painted troops finished this week with some landscape shots for those interested ?