For other uses of the term, see Nizam-I Cedit.
Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry are a type of light infantry in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
These light troops of the Ottomans’ new model army are equipped and trained in the latest Western European fashion.
Fighting in a formal way with tight control and disciplined fire is a new idea for Turkish troops. The traditional method has involved brave men hurling themselves pell-mell at the enemy with no thought of defeat. The Nizam-I Cedit still fight bravely, but with Western tactics. They have adopted a combination of formations used by Western light infantry, and can switch quickly between skirmishing and a regular firing line.
Historically, the Nizam-I Cedit reforms were made vital by the repeatedly poor performance of the Ottoman army in battle against Russians. The empire’s inability to defend itself against growing threats was the reason Turkey became known as the “sick man of Europe”. The French Revolutionary Republic, anxious for any allies no matter how unlikely, provided military expertise to the Ottomans. The retraining of the army was not without problems: the janissaries resented their loss of position, privileges and influence.
General Information[]
Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry are the Ottoman Empire's standard light infantry, ably filling this role in a comparable manner to their Western counterparts, with identical stats in most areas but slightly better defense, and a higher cost to boot. While they are not as stealthy as Azzars, a similar type of unit, they have far better statistics overall, and can inflict more casualties.
Nizam-I Cedit Light Infantry are available in the Egypt Campaign, but the A.I almost never fields them. In multiplayer they are locked behind relatively steep technology and building requirements, relegating their appearance to the late game. To make matters worse, they can only be recruited in the region capital Latakia, Syrian Coast, which is the northernmost region of the map and therefore very far removed from the Ottoman Empire's adversaries. Their expense is also a problem, as most regions are very poor and cannot support large, professional armies. However, if they are recruited, they are versatile and powerful troops. Their range advantage over most French troops, combined with their resistance to heat fatigue, can allow them to kite their progressively more exhausted enemies with great efficiency.