The Janissaries were the main core of infantry that fought for the Ottoman Empire from the 14th Century on. They also reputedly provided "the model" for Ivan "The Terrible" when he created his own Streltsi regiments for the Duchy of Muscovy, as gunpowder-powered firearms became increasingly prevalent on the battle field.
The Janissaries provided a form of "elite" unit for the Ottoman army, which was mainly a cavalry force. Light cavalry would initially harass the enemy, with the heavier cavalry then adding some muscle. If an enemy provided stubborn, or the terrain wasn't suitable for cavalry, the Janissaries would be brought in.
The strong point of the Janissaries was their firepower. Also gunpowder weapons were still relatively ineffective in the early years of their existence, the numbers of troops firing could still provide a devastating effect. Jannisary regiments were led by an agha, and the Sultan himself, if he was present, would command the Jannisary corps in battle.
As with the Austrians/Poles, I have provided two pics - one of the front on view and enemy would have as the Janissaries closed for battle, and the other a slightly overhead view, so you can see the full unit, including back ranks. My front rank is kneeling and firing, the secoond rank is mostly standing and firing (this rank also includes my agha, a standard bearer and musician) and the back rank is mostly reloading its guns for use next round.
This is just my first Janissary unit. I plan to add two more in 2011 as I bulk my Ottoman Turk army up to enable it to compete with the Muscovites, should they field their full strength army.
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