WRG's "Renaissance" Army List 1420-1700 2nd Edition

1420-1700 2nd Edition

review by Tom McMillan

The second edition of WRG's "Renaissance" army lists ( written bu George Gush) expands the number of armies covered from 41 to 90. Most of the increases have been in the 15th Century and non-European areas, with few radical changes in Western pike and shot armies. One welcome exception is that such lists as the French Italian Wars and Catholic Wars of Religion have been divided into more specific subdivisions for different periods. A major effort has been made to dovetail this list into that of the Book I I I Ancients, not only by introducing Hussites, 100 Years War, and Wars of the Roses forces, but by modifying such as the Burgundians, Swiss, and Venetians to be more compatible. For example, owners of Swiss armies will be pleased to hear that it is no longer necessary to rebase half your army between ancients and renaissance games as renaissance halberdiers can now fight in close order. How great masses of troops can swing halberds on a three foot frontage isn't clear, but so it goes. Considering the emphasis on early armies there are some significant omissions, particularly Maximillian's Imperialists and the French of Louis XI, though an early version of the latter is tucked in at the back of the 100 Years War list. Less significantly, the Papal forces of such colorful characters as Cesare Borgia and Julius II are absent, though admittedly such aggregations were less memorable than their commanders.

Many of the new additions will be useful. All of those dazzling Aztec armies can now leave Fantasyland and deal with Cortez rather than Chosroes, (not in close order, however). The equally stunning 16th Century Samurai, for which good ranges have long been available, are also legitimized. Eastern Europe and the Near East are better served, with three exhaustive lists each for Muscovites and ottomans, and a Persian list tripled in size. By contrast, armies of the English Civil War and Thirty Years War have undergone very little change, other than decreased minimums and increased maximums to create more flexibility.

If there is a problem with these lists, it is that there is so much flexibility that it tends to obscure the individual character of most major armies. This is important in the Renaissance, where there are few effective weapon systems, yet the difference between armies, while more subtle than between Romans and Carthaginians, should still be significant. For example, early Spanish armies had few good heavy cavalry but an abundance of missile fire, so were not only forced into, but admirably suited for, static defense. French armies, conversely, loaded with heavy cavalry but lacking good light cavalry and quality missile troops, were virtually forced into the offensive but susceptible to surprises and flank attacks. It is probably safe to say that there is an ideal 16th Century army of 20-30 heavy lancers (perhaps half extra heavy), 60-80 pike, 50 or so good missile troops and a unit or two of light cavalry. This army can be created from virtually all of the major European lists, barring the poor Scots. Armies notoriously short of heavy cavalry, such as the Swiss, English, and Spanish, can have 36, 32, and 30 respectively, while the French need only 20, down from 32, and can obtain all of the light cavalry and steady missile troops they desire. The lists are certainly historically accurate, but the tendency to list all possibly available troops and let commanders "optimize" somewhat defeats the purpose. Mr. Gush has written perceptive editorials on how the fascination of the Ancient period (and by extension the Renaissance) actually stems largely from the inherent defects of each army, and in this sense perhaps the lists are not sufficiently restrictive.

Since anyone currently gaming in the period will be buying these lists anyway, let me just say to the non-Renaissance gamer that this is a small investment for a remarkable amount of information. Available from THE COURIER Supply Depot and "better" hobby stores.

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