My friends and I have been researching and writing Renaissance army lists for use with Medieval Tactica. One of my friends, MWAN subscriber Tom Rogers, expressed interest in painting a Polish army. However, a quick review of Polish history showed a remarkable evolution of the Polish army over a relatively short period of time. Being a history buff (what MWAN subscriber isn't?), I wrote the following Time Line to help me in writing what turned out to be four different Polish army lists, covering the early Sixteenth Century up through the end of the Thirty Years War. The careful reader will note slight discrepancies depending on which source is cited. Early 16th C Mounted crossbowmen changed to arquebus (Gush, p 61). Infantry plate armour and crossbows disappeared early in the century. The Drab (infantrymen) rota formed in 10 ranks of ten. The first rank consisted of NCOs with half pikes (8'), the second and tenth ranks had halberds or berdische poleaxes, and the rest of the ranks had arquebusses (Gush, p 61). Infantry accounted for 10%-25% of the army. A Polish infantry rota consisted of 10 ranks. The first rank was heavily armoured shieldmen, followed by two ranks of spearmen. The next 6 ranks were arquebusiers, followed by a final rank of spearmen. The arquebusiers fired by rank, with the front ranks crouching to avoid being shot. Rota units varied in size from 50 to over a thousand, but most were between 100 and 200 men (Jasinski 1, p 43). Racowie (lightly-armed cavalry with Serbo-Hungarian origins) began to replace armoured Knights (Jasinski 1, p 43). Introduction of long-barreled cannons (Jasinski 1, p 43). 1520s: Cavalry crossbowmen begin to be replaced by regular bows (Haywood, p 24). 1524: Cossacks were hired from 1524 on. Stephen Bathory introduces system of registering Cossacks in 1571 (Gush, p 61). 1527: Heavy Cavalry Hussars and Drabant Guard were introduced (DBR 2, p 9).  1530: Polish pikemen make up 1 in 7 infantrymen (PAW p 184). 1531: Battle of Obertyn (Poles vs. Moldavians). The Polish force numbered 4,800 cavalry, 1,200 infantry, and Tabor wagons (Haywood, p 22). Polish mercenaries consisted of Serbian and Cossack Light Cavalry and Czech infantry (Haywood, p 23). The Serbs were Hussars (Haywood, p 24). Eighty percent of the Polish infantry were arquebusiers. The majority of the Polish army was cavalry but the infantry operated with the cavalry (Haywood, p 26). Czech infantry operating from within the Tabors loaded their fire arms with multiple balls (Haywood, p 26). Moldavians had 20,000 cavalry, 50 guns (with at least one organ gun) and an unknown number of infantry (Haywood, p 22, 26). 1540: Crossbows became obsolete. All cavalry carried bows (Haywood, p 24). Mid 1500s: Mail for infantrymen disappeared. Infantry NCOs retained half-pikes. Other infantry were armed with arquebusses or muskets. Halberds used by the royal guard (Gush, p 61). Hungarian infantrymen had 10% half-pikes and 90% fire-arms. "German" infantry (often made up of Poles) used western tactics and consisted of armoured pikemen and unarmoured shot. 1557: Knights disappeared and were replaced by Hussars. German mercenaries (Reiters, pike & shot infantry introduced. Hungarian or Polish Haiduks were introduced (DBR 2, p 9). 1562/63: Peacetime standing army became Quarter army (Kwarciani). They numbered 3,000-5,000 mainly lightly armed cavalry with a high proportion of firearms (Polish Osprey 1, p 10). They numbered around 4,000 according to Jasinski (1, p 43). 1565: The Drabant guard numbered 150 halberdiers (Polish Osprey 2, p 10). 1569: Union of Poland and Lithuania (Polish Osprey 1, p 4). Haiduks were standard from of infantry in Poland from 1569-1633 (Polish Osprey 1, p 39). 1570s: Lithuanian Petyhorcy (light cavalry) begin to appear in Polish army (Polish Osprey 2, p 16). 1576: Election of King Bathory; introduction of Hungarian dress into Poland (Polish Osprey 1, p 7). Bathory introduced Hungarian and probably Wallachian troops into Polish army (Gush, p 61). Also Cossacks and Scots (Jasinski 1, p 43). Army divided into Rotas. Infantry were divided into Rotas of 100 men, cavalry of 50 men. Infantry rotas could be grouped into regiments. Cavalry were formed into "hufs", which could be several thousand strong (Gush, 61). Polish infantry modeled on Hungarian infantry (90% arquebusier and 10% spearmen). Infantry lose their armor (Jasinski 1, p 43). Polish infantry lose armour during reign of Stefan Bathory (PAW p 185). Polish armoured Cossacks (Pancemi) and Lithuanian Petyhorcy introduced. Registered Cossacks (Zaporozhian Cossacks) introduced (DBR 2, p 11; Gush, p 61). Polish Hussars required to carry two pistols and they occasionally had carbines as well (Polish Osprey 1, p 16). Stephen Bathory increased their training (Jasinski 1, p 43). Polish Hussars represented 75% of all cavalry in Polish army (Polish Osprey 1, p 16). Or up to 90% of the Commonwealth's cavalry (PAW p 184). All Polish cavalry carried sabers, pistols or muskets, and reflex bows (PAW p 183). Polish army was 75% cavalry (Gush, p 61). Foreign infantry units, mostly German, were present in army during reign of King Bathory (PAW p 187). Knights account for only 7% of the cavalry (Jasinski 1, p 43). Noble infantry only last one year (Jasinski 1, p 43).  Bathory had three successful campaigns against Muscovy (Jasinski 1, p 43). 1577: Drabants (old Polish Infantry) had been largely replaced by Haiduks by this time. A Drabant unit had 34 pikemen to 111 arquebusiers (with 2 drummers and 6 flags). In the old style Polish Drabant infantry units, the pikemen did not fight as a block but acted as protection for unarmoured arquebusiers (Polish Osprey 1, p 20). Haiduks were armed almost exclusively with firearms (Polish Osprey 1, p 21). Polish and Hungarian infantry, armed with arquebusses, shatter German pike squares at Battle of Lubieszow (and again at Battle of Byczyna in 1588; PAW p 185). Bathory created wybraniecka (selected infantry). They were peasant levies. They were organized on Hungarian lines and were armed with arquebusses, sabres, and axes (Jasinski 1, p 43). 1578: Wybraniecka infantry established by decree issued by King Bathory. They numbered 2,000 and had a high desertion rate (Polish Osprey 1, p 21). Zaporozhian Cossacks enter Polish army (Polish Osprey 2, p 18). 500 were enlisted. By 1583, there were 600. By 1600, there were 2,000 Cossacks in the Polish army. By 1619, there were 10,600. Between 1625 and 1648, there were 6,0008,000 Cossacks. 1580s: Cossacks made up 10% of the Polish cavalry (Polish Osprey 1, p 17). Polish Hussars adopted cuirass over mail (Gush, p 61). 1581: War against Muscovy. Polish army numbered 9,000 cavalry (mainly Hussars), 12,000 infantry (including 1,878 wybraniecka, 1,600 western mercenaries, and 648 noble infantry) and 10,000 Lithuanians (Jasinski 2, p 11). 1589-1631: Reign of Sigismund III. The standing army and selected infantry extended to Lithuania by Sigismund III (Jasinski 1, p 44). Polish army could reach 30,000 men for a campaign. The standing army numbered only a few thousand during peace time (Jasinski 1, p 44). Number of cannon decreased during reign of Sigismund III. Only light cannon used on the battlefield (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1596: War against the Turks. The Polish army numbered 3,200 Hussars, 1,330 Kozacy, 800 Polish/Hungarian infantry, 1,240 wybraniecka infantry (Jasinski 2, p 11). End of 16 C: Polish artillery was quite effective by the end of the 16th century (Gush, p 67). Early 1600s Polish Hussars decreased in numbers to about 60-70% of Commonwealth Cavalry (PAW p 184). 1600-1609: War in Livonia (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1609-1618: War against Muscovy (Jasinski 1, p 44). Polish army numbered 5,556 Hussars, 1,670 Kozacy, 4,700 infantry (including regiment of 1,500 western mercenaries, 700 Hungarians, 500 wybraniecka infantry, 400 guard, with the rest being comprised of Polish mercenaries with some private units), and 5,000 Zaporozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 12). Infantry used mainly in sieges and to garrison captured castles in both the 1600 and 1609 campaigns (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1604: Battle of Kircholm. Swedes numbered 14,000. The Polish army numbered 3,500, two-thirds of which were cavalry. The Polish cavalry "charged the Swedes with such elan that they routed the Swedes in one unstoppable charge." (Murphy, p 40). 1618: Dragoons first appeared in the Polish army (Polish Osprey 2, p 8 and Jasinski 1, p 44); or in 1617 according to PAW p 187). They were originally armed with short pikes and light muskets. By mid-17th cen the pikes were abandoned and they were armed with muskets. German or Livonian Cuirassiers, Dragoons, and Ukrainian Cossacks introduced (DBR 2, p 11). 1620s: After Swedish Wars of the late 1620s, the Polish infantry was reorganized to include Western-style pike and shot units (Polish Osprey 1, p 21). Mounted arquebusiers, in foreign style, introduced. They wore a helmet and cuirass, an arquebus, two pistols, and a rapier (Gush, p 67). Rajtars (Reiters) were a new medium-cavalry. They were armed with a sword and two pistols (Gush, p 67). Dragoons carried a musket, two pistols, axe, and a saber (Gush, p 67).  Kozacy were the largest cavalry type (different from Russian Cossacks, included Pancerni and Lithuanian Petyhorcy); (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1621: There were 8,000 German infantry in the Polish army (Polish Osprey). At the Battle of Chocim, against the Turks, the Poles deployed separate fieldworks in front of the ramparts to protect the infantry (PAW p 186; (Jasinski 2, p 11). [Author's note: presumably, this was in addition to the wagon defenses]. Polish army numbered 8,280 Hussars, 8,200 Kozacy, 1,400 Lisowczycz (armored Cossacks), 2,160 western cavalry, 6,800 Polish infantry, 5,800 western infantry, 800 Hungarian infantry, and 20-30,000 Zaporozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 12). 1621-1629: Polish-Swedish War. Poles still armed with arquebusses while the Swedes had muskets (PAW p 187). 1625: Poland had 6 regiments of Cossacks, each of 1,000 men (Gush, p 67). Cossack rebellion crushed (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1627: War against Swedes. Polish army numbered 2,150 Hussars, 3,290 Kozacy, 2,515 western infantry, 1,620 Polish infantry, 1,265 dragoons, and 2,000 Zaporozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 12). 1627-1628: Use of pike and shot infantry increases from 1627-28 (Jasinski 1, p 44). 1627-1633: Polish Hussars decreased in numbers to just under half of the Polish Commonwealth's Cavalry (PAW p 184). 1630s: The Royal Guard contained at least one large regiment of German infantry known as King's Footguard or Lifeguard. It had 600-1200 men, 50% pikemen, 50% musketeers (Polish Osprey 2, p 11). King's Dragoon Regiment formed (Polish Osprey 2, p 11). 1630: Drabant Guard became closely associated with regiment of German Reiters (Polish Osprey 2, p 10). 8,000 Cossacks in Polish army (DBR 2, p 11). 1632-1633: King Wlawyslaw IV (Ladislas) ordered most of the Polish infantry rearmed with muskets. Polish infantry reorganized according to the Austrian model (PAW p 187). Wlawyslaw formed foreign section for Polish army. It consisted mostly of pike and shot infantry, equipped and organized along German lines. Regiments varied from 4 to 8 companies, with a 2:1 shot to pike ratio. The pike stood in the center flanked by the shot. The Dragoons also formed part of the foreign section. Cavalry included arquebusiers, cuirassiers, and Rajtars (Reiters). The Rajtars were similar to Swedish light cavalry and did not caracole. However, they were armed with pistols. The vast majority of the "foreign troops" were Polish (Jasinski 2, p 10). The national section of the army was composed mostly of cavalry. The most numerous were the Kozacy, now called Pancerni to avoid confusion with Zaparozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 10). Polish/Hungarian infantry were little used and usually only formed guard units (Jasinski 2, p 10). Wlawyslaw expanded size of artillery. By 1640s, the royal army has 350 cannons and mortars of which over 40% were newly cast. He introduced 3 and 6 pound regimental guns in imitation of the Swedes 1632-1634: Russo-Polish War. First use of new Polish Infantry (PAW p 188). 1633: War against Muscovy. Polish army numbered 3,120 Hussars, 4,260 Kozacy, 1,700 western cavalry, 10,500 western infantry, 1,040 dragoons, 2,200 Polish infantry and a few thousand Zaporozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 12). 1633-1650: Poles introduce three-to-six pound regimental guns in imitation of Swedes. Polish infantry now stiffened by larger proportion of pikemen, up to one-third of total (PAW p 188). 1634: Poles used Tabor wagons in battle against Turks (Polish Osprey 2, p 47). Polish army numbered 12,180 cavalry (including 4,180 Hussars), 7,500 Polish infantry (with large number of private troops), 5,500 western infantry, 3,460 dragoons, and 16,000 Zaporozian Cossacks (Jasinski 2, p 12). 1637: Polish artillery brought up to Western standards (Polish Osprey 2, p 9). 1640s: Heavy armour worn by Polish Reiters replaced by buff coat and simpler breastplates (Polish Osprey 2, p 8). 1648: Rebellion of Zaporozhian Cossacks. Polish Cossacks renamed Pancerni (mail-coated men) to avoid confusion (Polish Osprey 1, p 17). 1652: Quarter army destroyed (Polish Osprey 1, p 10)  Mid 1600s: Polish Hussars decrease in number to 5-20% of cavalry (Polish Osprey 1, p 16). Polish Cavalry were 20% Hussars, 20% light cavalry, and 60% Pancerni, Rajtars, and Dragoons (Gush, p 67). Polish Artillery recognized as among best in Europe during second half of 17th century (Gush, p 67). 1653-1662: Polish Hussars decrease in numbers to about 5-7% of Polish Commonwealth Cavalry (PAW p 184). 1655: Swedish invasion of Poland. Infantry and Dragoons had fallen in numbers too only a few thousand. War against Swedes conducted mostly by cavalry (PAW p 188). 1665: Haiduks mostly fallen out of use (Polish Osprey 1, p 21). 1677: Cossacks and Light Cavalry start to carry lances (PAW p 183). 1680s: Cossacks make up over 60% of Polish cavalry (Polish Osprey 1, p 17). Tabors could be used offensively (Gush, p 67). Kozacy, Pancerni, Petyhorcy, and Czeremisy were different names for the same type of cavalry. The first two were the names for the Polish light and medium cavalry. The Petyhorcy were the Lithuanian equivalent of the Kozacy and were also known as Czeremisy. Some of the cavalry were armoured and used spears. Others were unarmoured and used arquebusses and/or bows (Jasinski 2, p 12). Hussar armour was arquebus shot proof. The Hussars were a fast heavy cavalry, not extra heavy cavalry (Jasinski 2, p 12). References Brzezinski, Richard; "Polish Armies 1569-1695" (1 and 2), Osprey DBR Army Lists (Book 2) Gush, George; "Renaissance Armies, 1480-1650", 2nd edition. Haywood, Matt; "The Battle of Obertyn (1531)", by Miniature Wargames, #156, May 1996, pp 22-27. Jasinski, Stefan; "The Polish Army 1450-1645", Miniatures Wargames, #44, pp 42-44 and #45, p 10-12. Majewski, Wieslaw Majewski; "The Polish Art of War in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries", (PAW) Murphy, K.; "Potop (The Deluge)", Miniature Wargames, #96, May 1991, pp 40 41. Back to MWAN # 125 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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