Yermak and the Conquest of Siberia

[marco55]

This story is getting more and more interesting! Thanks to all the contributors of these rare infos!

I also thank everyone who has contributed to this thread.
Mark

[Andrei1975]

Here are some drawings of the streltsy of the 16th century:

[marco55]

Does anyone think that Old Glory's Cossacks and Russians would be suitable for the1580's?
Mark

[axabrax]

Anyone have any ideas for rules or army lists for the conquest of Siberia? I am looking at small scale skirmish. I was thinking a Muskets and Tomahawks variant would be perfect and about the size game I am looking for. I need to do more research before I can come up with some lists though. Picked up the Yermak’s Campaign in Siberia translations in English to start. Finally have some use for my Wargames Foundry Cossacks!

[cuprum]

I'm not ready to suggest the right rules, but the scale of the battles was rather small.
 
Ermak's detachment consisted of 540 Volga Cossacks. In addition, the Cossacks usually had one or more "chur" - the so-called adolescent teenager, who should have earned the right to be accepted into the Cossacks. The structure of the detachment Ermak included about 50 people from the military squads of merchants Stroganov, among whom were prisoners of the Livonian War (it is possible - Europeans). The total number of Cossack detachment is about 1000 people.
Later, Ermak received reinforcements from the tsar, a detachment of Prince Semyon Bolkhovsky. The squad consisted of 300 streltsy from Kazan and other nearby cities.
The Cossacks had in their arms a pischal (an analog of the European arquebus), small cannons. The main cold weapon used by the Cossacks is a spear. All the Cossacks had a good protective armor, which protected them in battle against the arrows of the Siberians. The Cossack boat carried about 20 people. Widespread in the Cossacks way of fighting - the best shooters are firing, the rest are charging and giving the guns to the shooters, which allows for a fairly intense fire.

The army of Khan Kuchum, according to recollections, could reach 10,000 people (which is clearly exaggerated). In any case, it was much larger than Ermak's detachment. Its core was the Nogai Guards (about 400 people) and the Tatars. It was a beautiful steppe cavalry. But there was not much of it, since the son of Khan Kuchum - Aley, left with a large part of the troops to fight with the Russians for the Ural Mountains. He returned only the next year. Local tribes Khanty and Mansi were auxiliary pedestrian detachments. The forced Siberian peoples did not want to fight for the interests of the Tatars and therefore had low fighting qualities.

The main weapon of the Siberians is a good bow, similar to the Mongolian one. Warriors Kuchum preferred to distance combat. The cavalry could attack with cold steel.
Firearms were familiar to Tatars and they were not afraid of him. The Siberians often met with this weapon in raids to the east of the Moscow principality. Khan Kuchum had even two own cannon, but there were no gunners for their use.

I hope this helps you with the drafting of army lists. If you have any questions - ask.

[axabrax]

@Cuprum

Thanks for the great info! I think for the sake of interest I would probably allow the Khan to have hired some gunners for his artillery 
I want to do some more of my own reading first but will post some lists here when I have something more concrete.

~ Ax

[marco55]

Wanted to ask about the Streltsy who was sent by the czar as reinforcements to Ermak,were they provincial or Moscow?
Mark

[cuprum]

They were provincial streltsy from the city of Kazan and nearby cities. Approximately 50 people from each city were allocated for the campaign.
Unfortunately, the streltsy did not have any food with them, hoping to find food on the spot. But almost immediately the whole Russian detachment was besieged in the capital Khan Kuchum and spent the whole winter there. Most of the streltsy, including Prince Bolkhovsky, perished from hunger.

[marco55]

Thank you again Cuprum.
Mark

[marco55]

Here are some drawings of the streltsy of the 16th century:

They sure did have a lot of different headgear!
Mark

[cuprum]

This is the streltsy of the 17th century, but the headgear is the same...

Two kinds of hats were used - summer and winter (conditionally). Winter - with fur trim. Also in the fight, helmets could be used.

In one of the drawings, the strelets has an ordinary cap just lying flat on his head))) In pictorial sources, sometimes there is such a manner of wearing a headdress.

[cuprum]

By the way, the streltsy of the period of the Ermak campaign did not have a bandolier and a berdish (a 17th-century ax-halberd). More precisely - the berdish only began to appear and was not distributed. Also in the campaign Ermak did not use a heavy musket with a bipod.

[marco55]

http://warfare.tk/17/Remezov.htm    http://warfare.cf/index.htm
Mark

[Byblos]

http://warfare.tk/17/Remezov.htm    http://warfare.cf/index.htm
Mark

Thanks Marco, this is really very interesting !

[marco55]

Your welcome.
Mark