Trench Crusade's The Iron Sultanate - Faction Lore and History

Trench Crusade is an upcoming skirmish game designed by artist Mike Franchina, sculptor James Sheriff, and former Games Workshop designer Tuomas Pirinen (He who made Mordheim).
In this video, I go through the available lore on The Iron Sultanate and their various troops and minions. This is everything we have to date, from official sources, at least. Apologies for any mispronunciation, Google has not been hugely helpful for finding good data since recent core algo updates occurred, tbh.
www.trenchcrusade.com/
Background music is paid for and licensed through Envato Elements.
#TrenchCrusade #shorts #short #shortvideo #lore

[@albinclaus2850]

I know the faction title is a reference to the wall defending their territory, but now I have a mental image of the Iron Sheikh suplexing demons on the battlefield. Thanks, brain!

[@scannerbarkly]

"If I see Shaitan I break his back, make him humble."

[@owenparris7490]

​@@scannerbarkly"God's lessons...are so beautiful."

[@kingghidorah102]

Iron Sheikh is the most metal thing ever

[@nobleman9393]

"This request comes straight from Hell itself, the Devils want you to assist with a mission they call Operation Wallclimber"

[@scannerbarkly]

I did not expect to see an Armored Core reference in these comments. lol

[@nobleman9393]

@@scannerbarkly Couldn't stop myself.

[@charlieboone1298]

The Sultanate is shaping up to be my favourite faction in the setting.

[@scannerbarkly]

I think the potential for the minis to really steel the show is there, based on the art. I love the grimdark Christian stuff, but the Sultanate drip is just too much.

[@Darksky1001able]

​@@scannerbarklyMashallah.

[@josephthomas4797]

Likewise, the Sultanate is really cool

[@Godaronful]

Finally, a fantasy setting that remembers that christian and buddhist are not the only religious aesthetics!

[@samuelrodriguez9801]

D&D and Warhammer Fantasy used to have Middle Eastern inspired locations but they were mostly forgotten.

[@johnd2058]

Hey, there's a few in Warhammer & 40k, but it's good to see the Bogas getting this much love right out of the gate for once.

[@Brother_O4TS]

@@samuelrodriguez9801 Honestly, not having Araby in Total War Warhammer 2 and 3 is a giant disservice, but hey, at least mods exists

[@sarubet8725]

@@johnd2058 I hope by bogas you meant maccabian janissaries and hung tribes and not tallarn deser raiders and araby.

[@johnd2058]

@@sarubet8725 I meant the WeAreAllTurks subreddit TBH sry

[@devilfruit3415]

I had expected many things when i first began exploring trench crusades lore. Ottoman attack on titan was not one of them

[@thegingerheadperson9959]

This setting is super cool i wish i was fully out so we could see some more of the warbands

[@Darksky1001able]

Alhamdullilah, we get a faction if our own, and not one thats just an afterthought. Inshallah our Sultan will be able to be fielded in the tabletop. Inshallah we get Brazen Bulls and Lions of Jabir.

[@dc-101]

this is the first time i see how the ummah will look in a grimdark setting , i couldnt be more exited, and it kinda retains the golden age aspect aswell

[@Zarathustra-tr2cz]

@@dc-101 it's actually post islamic golden age and turkic

[@samuelrodriguez9801]

Warhammer Fantasy used to have Araby.

[@Brother_O4TS]

@@samuelrodriguez9801 They exist, they just aren't shown in any of the games, except in mods.

[@dc-101]

@@Brother_O4TS wasnt really grimdark

[@yasintamer1547]

Some insights: Sultanate of Rum, perfect catch (y)...Basically not the Ottoman Empire but also the Ottoman Empire :D Yuzbasi already means Captain. So for a native, it sounds like `Captain Captain`, it may need a retcon. Additions to the unit roster may include Deliler (Crazies): hit and run scouts with fast bikes(if this universe has) or altered steeds, and Acemi Ocagi (Aspirants/Initiates): who failed to become a Janisarry ultimately but have a high caliber to serve at rank and file. Two minor notes: Zulkareyn (Two Horns) fabled to be attested to Alexander the Great According to the Islamic tradition, alchemy, and magic are (generally) accepted concepts but vehemently forbidden arts let alone practicing but learning or teaching. So, if in a setting they are both in use, it means something :)

[@athillah8836]

in means something, really. the place where i live, many people still believe in and also practicing alchemy and magic despite being islam majority

[@rjoukecu]

wasn't Sultanate of Rum technically an Islamic successor state of Roman Empire(before Ottoman)?

[@yasintamer1547]

it may include preparing talismans and protections...

[@yasintamer1547]

@@rjoukecu indeed it is a succesor of Selcuk Empire not Roman Empirr, where the Sultanate of Rum's lands were including the upcoming ottoman family... Fatih the Conquerer's adaption of title as Kaiser-i Rum has two facades: first declaring himself as Kaiser and affiliating ottomans to the Sultanate of Rum. Ottomans are not direct successor of Sultanate of Rum but one of the branches of it. this is why i wrote that way :)

[@Liber-teaDrinker]

We have Christians and Muslims, can’t wait for the scientology faction

[@scannerbarkly]

Can't suffer from Shellshock in Xenu doesn't believe in therapeutic psychiatry!

[@Liber-teaDrinker]

@@scannerbarkly wait they might unironically be the most busted faction if spiritual damage is based on your belief of spiritual things existing

[@bridiptabharali3433]

​​@@scannerbarklyhey scann what your thought happened to the pagan nations like those of china india and japan

[@scannerbarkly]

@@bridiptabharali3433 Part of me things that the idea of the Christian missionaries spreading the word will have been intensified much more than it would even in real history! The Church will need resources for the war, which means friendly Christian nations and populations to feed the machine.

[@bridiptabharali3433]

@@scannerbarkly nah,what I mean to ask do you think that are the pagan gods of the region going to fight against the demons or will the pagan gods be allied to the demons

[@thelastthingyouneversaw7376]

This setting would make for an amazing Hearts of Iron 4 mod

[@Saruman_Ring-Maker]

Actually though. If only we had a world map and deeper insights into the European nations and the sultanate

[@muellermat]

I mean hoi is really accessible for modding. It may be worth a shot

[@Alex-jl3el]

Nice I like it alot already more than Warhammer because instead of coming into this like I did 40k as a child I get to be here and perhaps introduce this to my sons as well...

[@scannerbarkly]

That's awesome! I have great memories of playing games with my Dad, I am sure you'll make many happy ones with your kids!

[@poundsofslothcigars]

I love the concept of these Babylonian alarmists making living weapons and pets!

[@birgaripadam7112]

As a turk, I love this but some of the names could change for example "yüzbaşı" could be change to something like "ağa" for example yüzbaşı is a late Ottoman army name for captain

[@ashyashy1018]

I think that’s what they’re going for. This whole game/story is essentially a timeline. Where all progress in terms of culture in religious aspect was halted due to the war against hell. So it makes sense that a lot of old world terms are used to define these modern day units. At least that’s my guess

[@birgaripadam7112]

@ashyashy1018 yüzbaşı is a new term. In older times, they used different names like ocakbaşı or ocakreisi or something like that And janissaries are there own beast in term of organization and culture which mostly lost to time

[@ashyashy1018]

@@birgaripadam7112 oooh ok. My mistake

[@birgaripadam7112]

@ashyashy1018 no problem, it a common mistake game companies make as they don't know the development of the modernday turkish Just to give you an idea after foundation of republic many Arabic and Persian words purged from the dictionary and replaced by pure turkish ones, if there is no turkish word they just invented one.

[@sarubet8725]

@@birgaripadam7112 this takes place in ww1 era. We had yüzbaşı during that time I suppose.

[@samuelrodriguez9801]

You could kitbash Stormcast Eternals, Beastmen, Chaos Dwarfs or even Ossiarch Bonereapers for this faction.

[@muellermat]

That is a great idea

[@a_random_orthodox_Christian]

One could wonder if the Caucasus are part of the sultanate

[@scannerbarkly]

We really need that world map! lol

[@AhmedMostafa-ir2bl]

Yeah we need a map bc there is no way in hell Muslim around the world will let macca or madina fall in demons hand also to know what happened to Africa , Asia and American

[@belyy_rusky]

@@scannerbarkly Yeah I want to see what that Iron wall looks like

[@ShadowFri3nd]

@@AhmedMostafa-ir2bl a lot of shit would have happend over the world since the first heresy and the opening of hell's gate, right now we only have info of the New Antioch(Europe?), the Iron Wall(Middle East?) and the Heretic Legion(Jerusalem?) but what about the Asian world? the slavic/russians city states, the mongols hordes, the chinese, japanese, what about america with the Aztects, Mayans and Inca's? and about African cultures, South East Asia, India... hopefully they flesh out Asia first.

[@ALV694]

​@@AhmedMostafa-ir2bl plus apparently silk trade still exists and it's the sultanate lifeline

[@mertroll1]

Great video ! quick correction tho for the word Yüzbaşı the ü is pronounce like the E in grew and the ş is pronounced like the english SH combination like in SHower and the ı not to confuse with the normal i, is pronounce like the u in run

[@scannerbarkly]

Thank you so much. :)

[@kingghidorah102]

Heavy Metal Chistianity aesthetic are pretty common, but Islamic Heavy Metal? Say no more, take all of my money!

[@aimanmarzuqi4804]

Hell yeah

[@kingghidorah102]

@@aimanmarzuqi4804 what do you mean "hell yeah", Heretic? -_o

[@furkan-emrekocalan9907]

Are there going to be any other religious factions besides Muslims and Christians? And where can I find lore/updates?

[@scannerbarkly]

There are mentions of things like Hebrew Knights in the lore, but rules and models will need to be somewhat limited at the start of any new game.

[@Highlander_Red]

@@scannerbarklyI assume they are in the works. But given the current social climate I doubt anything will be revealed soon. But if I were to guess they would be a smaller faction driven to take back their homeland lost in 1099.

[@im_aleey]

Would be cool to see Hindu and Buddhist factions.

[@furkan-emrekocalan9907]

@@im_aleey it would certainly be interesting to see what spin they would give the Buddhists given their pacifistic nature being confronted with the fact that literal demons are running rampant. Sort of a physical Kali Yuga. Hindu would also be cool but I think they should show what's up with the rest of the world in general, as I assume Europe never really had the chance to start colonizing stuff, so India would be pretty different.

[@Highlander_Red]

@@im_aleey *facepalm*

[@Kankan_Mahadi]

I love the Brazen Bull's concept! Considering I've always roleplayed as the tanker in boardgames & videogames since the 1980s.

[@user-sy6ni6qj8t]

The Principality experience during a heretic attacke : Sir they are unleashing big ugly and terrifying monsters upon us we will all die In the sultanate: unleash our big ugly and terrifying monsters upon the heretics

[@barbaricboi8905]

I can’t wait till there is enough lore for hour long videos fuckin hell!!! Ik this will suffer the same fate as Warhammer and I won’t be able to get models cause I don’t got the time of money for painting or building but this just is so dope

[@Saruman_Ring-Maker]

Its going to be a skirmish game. So it will be cheaper then warhammer for example. Though just enjoying the lore is perfectly fine.

[@va_sirberpasir9708]

Ngl, seems the Iron sultanate could be the 2nd bastion of humanity if New anthioc falls. Also is this only me missing something, but militarily speaking seems the Sultan's army is way more prepared and organized with specialist and all.

[@MrJackWorse]

Man, I wish there were some decades worth of lore for this like for 40k. This is so much my jam it's ridiculous.

[@mikayelalikhanyan1587]

the geo of this world confuses me, are the sultans a completely different faction or are they another force at Antioch, if they are from Turkey how do factions travel around if the whole world is overrun by demons

[@Darksky1001able]

It looks like they're akin to the Seljuk Turks combined with Ottomans. Because I heard Rum somewhere.

[@luisa.acevedo3326]

I think Constantinople never fell, so they probably controlled eastern Anatolia before the fall on Antioch.

[@Brother_O4TS]

The No Man's Land between the Wall and the rest of Europe isn't filled with demons and heretics. Also, air and sea travel exists

[@MrSkabrus]

My favorite

[@inkvizitor669]

That's how Dune design should be in my opinion

[@KalashVodka175]

Dune’s technology is purely futuristic tbh. Socially dune is feudalistic sure but the tech is so far ahead (of course there are no AI for very important reasons) So it doesn’t really make much sense if they started wearing gear of ancient civilizations

[@inkvizitor669]

@@KalashVodka175 And in a feudal society you need to show your status. In addition, the empire itself is an allusion to the Ottoman Empire. So I think that the Sardaukars looked something like this.

[@AC-hj9tv]

Dune sucks

[@KalashVodka175]

@@AC-hj9tv Objectively shit take. You can dislike Dune, thats one thing, claiming it suck is another.

[@AC-hj9tv]

@@KalashVodka175 bro I'm Emperor Shaddam Hussein Corrino the 4th the 5th. Can't touch me

[@Thought_Processing_]

If I ever get into this game the Sultanate is likely to be my faction.

[@peterwight3918]

The yusbazi are straight up custodian guards

[@CashFreedman]

Thanks for the idea. Guess I'm spending my next check for a kitbash🎉

[@gamewarden3534]

Holy shit thats a custodian

[@jamespage4809]

Not sure I follow the idea of the Iron Wall; some light Googling says that the wall should already be existing, so does it just kinda pop into existence when the Hellmouth opens, or was it actually built by the Sultanate?

[@scannerbarkly]

It is considered the last great miracle in the lore, as it just kinda appeared. The lore primer describes it as "re-immerges".

[@jamespage4809]

@@scannerbarkly Neat! Sort of an in-between already being and coming back to reality. Thanks for the info!

[@sarven5974]

I wonder which assassin is more powerful, these guys or the ones who got the pope

[@samankucher5117]

who did the art ? the art is impressive and doesn't look cheep mo made by Ai coping a style of a artist that means the artists is actually great and must have a awesome page full of art that looks like this somewhere :)

[@scannerbarkly]

All the art and initial worldbuilding etc was done by Mike Franchina. You can find his stuff here at very high quality - www.artstation.com/sirfrancisdrake

[@samankucher5117]

@@scannerbarkly thank you . great video btw it was extremely enjoyable i subscribed to the channel . hope my English is good .

[@avatar2xl]

Oh hell yeah gimme that berserk energy

[@usamasajid9872]

does this Sultanate have more art

[@scannerbarkly]

This is everything that has been made public so far.

[@lsdan4096]

@@scannerbarkly So the artist has made other art of the Sultante? Wait, this is off-topic, but wouldn't it be cool to see a Hindu-centric faction? Or, better yet, a Buddhist faction. Also, a non-religious faction (something like the SCP Foundation, who try to explain the supernatural with the scientific method, would be pretty neat.)

[@reclusiarch557]

@@lsdan4096out of here heathen(jk)

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

Till wait for Azazel to found out that these people are making "Nephilims" without Fuckingly knowing.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@LouSantiago-mg9dg]

So what about a Jewish faction? Some kind of Survivors that fled to Gaza, Sinai, & Negev while also living in the Sultanate as Dhimmi as well. Maybe one Jewish sect that believes hell unleashed is some fulfillment of Messinic Prophecy on some Kabbalistic Rabbinic Extremism and another that is more like Zealots and ultra-pious in an alliance with the Muslims but against the Christians. That would be dope.

[@Saruman_Ring-Maker]

I think there a jewish stronghold deep in Heretic territory that has been besieged for hundreds of years.

[@user-el7hl3nh6f]

Masada?​@@Saruman_Ring-Maker

[@Gruntvc]

Interesting, but waiting for a video on the Christian faction.

[@scannerbarkly]

Trench Pilgrims coming later today, and hopefully New Antioch tomorrow. :)

[@AC-hj9tv]

Waiting for Jewish faction

[@ShadowNetWeaver1]

@@AC-hj9tv Facts! The majority of the population would've still been in central and Eastern Europe, so their population may even be much greater than irl. More warriors for the war effort

[@mnalghrenn]

Something I love about the Sultanate is how its built upon the Islamic Golden Age. It would have been so easy for the writers to make the Sultanate a xenophobic extremist faction as Islamic groups are so often depicted. Instead we get faithful and free people, that pride themselves on their unity and service and succeed through cleverness and invention as well as belief.

[@mukadewolf530]

*BY GOD , SHAYTAN SHALL NEVER WIN !* *GOD IS GREAT !* "PROCEEDS TO RUSH"

[@sebastianromero113]

no Sultanate minis yet?

[@scannerbarkly]

Not yet! The various factions will be arriving in the Kickstarter later this year. The only minis we have had to date are connected to the small Kickstarter that kinda beget this entire game. If you check the Facebook groups, Reddit, etc, you will see a bunch of folks Kitbashing their own stuff for now. :)

[@belyy_rusky]

@@scannerbarkly Any idea why they didn't go with a 28mm scale?

[@scannerbarkly]

@@belyy_rusky I think 32 mm gives just a little more room for detail on the sculpts, but the kitbashers are all just using 28mm because there is such little difference.

[@luclin92]

​@belyy_rusky I think it might have to do with how modern prints are done, resin often looks better or keeps details better at that scale. Had it been pewter models then yeah 28 works great.

[@aimanmarzuqi4804]

As a Muslim, this faction really excites me. I have always dreamed of seeing an Islamic faction in a fantasy setting, this is so cool. We just gotta make sure we gatekeep this franchise from the Salafi and Takfiri Muslim snowflakes on social media. Those people still believe music is haram 🤦

[@dongwhan7033]

This faction is not halal

[@Brother_O4TS]

Grand Cathay but Islamic

[@CashFreedman]

Didn't even think of that 😂

[@mantastyle3677]

Actually this is more like Araby or Ind

[@Brother_O4TS]

@@mantastyle3677 Yeah, it's more of a mix of all 3

[@sarubet8725]

literally any Turkic empire after islam

[@akumaking1]

The Sultanate in this universe is somehow more reasonable than the current hellhole that is the Middle East in reality.

[@housewilma4904]

petty dispites over minor divisions in belifs tend to vanish in the face of a truly evil enemy. and what enemy could unite people agasint it more then hell itself?

[@Trollge398]

In order to achieve middle east peace we must open the gates of hell

[@torpenhigalak5909]

It's called Sultanate not a Caliphate for a reason. Theirs a theory from the community that the entire Islamic world from this current age is fracturing and divided. But that doesn't the bordering Sultanate and Emirates aren't funded or donated with Arms and Men for their own interest. Because human natures of man vs man still exist.

[@sarubet8725]

@@torpenhigalak5909 the hell invaded during the era of Seljuq Turks. They controlled the middleeast but didnt claim the title of caliph. The client state abbasids were the caliphs

[@CashFreedman]

I may not particularly care for Islam but this is an awesome faction!

[@HandfulofComments]

Muslim and Christians

[@thedrifter3779]

In this universe is Jesus God or Allah God!?

[@im_aleey]

Yes

[@alecazadi-hocking8381]

Just like in this reality, the answer to both questions is yes.

[@alyseleem2692]

Allah is the Arabic word used for God by Arab Muslims, Jews and Christians. In other words, as others have said, the answer is yes to both. Both Muslims and Christians worship and follow the same God, but have very different interpretations of God and His wishes. Thankfully, these interpretations largely agree on the necessity of crushing demon skulls.

[@im_aleey]

@@alyseleem2692 Muslims and Jews would very clearly dispute their God being Jesus, but I get your point.

[@epimetrius7348]

The key difference between Islam and Christianity is the divinity of Jesus and the addition of new prophets, otherwise, the two are basically the same. Allah is just arabic for god, the quran was written in Arabic, so it says Allah.

[@minecraftgabutyt7734]

As the Muslim, i am glad there finally someone that remember Buddha and Christian isn’t only religions aesthethic that beatiful, in Fact Islam Heavy metal is literally one of most Underrated and Underappreciated Religion Aesthethic i ever seen, well maybe thanks to our bad images no one wanted to adopt Islam aesthethic but then Trench Crusade doing that i am Love it! Anyway besides ehem the Controversy i am willingly give my money to get one of them…until i can buy 3D printer :)

[@squanchygetttin]

Oh please let them come out with a Norse army, the second they do Im going ham with the printer.

[@scannerbarkly]

You could likely run a pretty decent Norse homebrew using the Eire Rangers rules.

[@thedrifter3779]

In this universe is Jesus God or Allah God!?

[@raixuh]

Yes 🦉

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

No one knows, I think not because the Quran mentioned Allah appearance and the Bible mentioned YHWH appearance, in the Quran, Allah look like not human, but YHWH is humanoid.

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

​@@raixuh, No

[@raixuh]

@@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo read the exodus book again, the I am, what I am, is beyond human 🦉

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

@@raixuh, YHWH said "I made man in my image" means he look like human in some form and Allah, he didn't.