Ottomans Vs Ming

It's a common Fact that these to Empire were the LArgest and richest empires of there time. at there hight

One in asia one around the medditerenean.

Both had a spectacular Millitay organisations and a advanced arsenal at that point.

What if these 2 Superpowers would go to battle.................With eachother.


We could have 2 senario's

1. Game senario: Like Age of Empire a map with 2 camps special units no other factors
2. Real life senario : enemies and allies play a factor.(Lets say ming could use the european powers against the ottomans or the Ottomans could rely on The Central asian Khanates against the Ming.)



so who would win the war?

Really depends on what date, but I bet on the Ming military. Never underestimate the Chinese military when they are not fighting each other. They get as scary as endless Russian advance.

In the 18th Century the Ottoman standing army was 180,000 men. Presumably much smaller in the 15 century. The Ming standing army of the time was 1.8 million. that's a more than 10/1 advantage.

I'm not talking about the numbers

we all know the chinese allways relied on there numbers.


It's not the numbers of the advance but the advance it self.

1.8 million ^professional soldiers thats allot how r u gonna equip such an army well ill equiped mabey.

Turks don't know what defense is the best defense is offense

as you all said what about the firepower of the ottomans?

The funny thingy is they allmost all were

1. The kapikulu(slaves): were trained to be soldier by the state at a young age.(large proprtion of the army)
2. Ethnic Tribal families who suplied the Sipahi's and akincis(there basicly like knights all they do is fight all the time ore train)
3. Freelancers who were mostly a bit crazy(would you like to fight a crazt man who charges the enemy alone with one firearm (bashibozuk).

I never heard that common folk were in the army.

I'm no expert but every young boy was thought how to handle him self in a fight(kids of that they learnt how to wrestle ride a horse,etc... hell there favorite game was playong soldier accualy it was my favorite game 2 yours mabey also)

In the ottoman army you were either a farmer or a soldier other possition were mostly outside the heartland and were non ethnics like jews, armenians & greeks (eventhough allongside the georgians & serbs they were in the jannisary corp)

Thats the structure or accualy the diffrent sections of the Ottoman army.

1. Kapikulu(janissaries = slaves) main infantry
2. Ethnic Turkish families (fight war for booty) Main cavalary
3. exeptional forces like bashibozouks(Basibozuk = Crazy)

These is the make up of the ottoman army

I wanted to point out that the common folk had no place or a verry little role in the Ottoman military life

I think basicly they didn't need the common folk they must think those numbers were enough

Early 15th century Ming was more powerful then ottomans and by a wide margin, however late 15th Ming would still have an advantage but not great.

The Ming were certainly much larger and more powerful, they had more resources and wealth. They were technologically more advanced, had a much larger and better quality army.

Just to note, the Japanese pirates didn't make a lot of serious threat to Chinese ports during Ming dynasty. It was usually Korea that Japanese raided.