In the Archon Supplement for Piquet there were a couple of oversights on the tables that refer to the Normans. After some research I suggest the following attributes for the Normans: Possible and Preferred Formation Table Tribal Skirmish = Limited Shield Wall = Yes Phalanx Taxis = No Legion Maniple = No Battle Mass = Yes-S Battle Line = Yes-MS This is based on what I have been able to research so far. I have found discussion of the use of cavalry, infantry, and archers in Battle Line formation. I have also found much discussion of cavalry used in Battle Mass formations (Conroi), or tightly packed squadrons of knights. I have found some reference to a Norman predilection for the use of infantry in round or rectangular masses, depending on terrain features. Of course, like all research into the Dark Ages, this can be considered conjectural at best. Card Divisor Table On the issue of the makeup of the cavalry, I have found nothing to suggest that the Normans of this period used any form of barding on their warhorses, hence no Extra Heavy Cavalry should be allowed. There is much reference to the fact that Heavy Cavalry made up the backbone of the Norman army of the day, uniformly armored with round or nasal helms, mail hauberks (or lamellar, scale, or heavy quilted hauberks), shields, and the weapons of preference being swords and spears. There is also reference to some use of Light Cavalry armed with spears and also bows. I would suggest the following: Light Cavalry = 5% Medium Cavalry = 0% Heavy Cavalry = 25% Extra Heavy Cavalry = 0% These numbers would change for the later Normans in Italy, Sicily, or in Byzantine service, where Extra Heavy Cavalry would be allowed. Army Type Table This seems pretty good, with the possible exception of allowing bows for Auxiliary Cavalry, but still limited to 5% of the army. You might also consider allowing unarmored Crossbows (helmet only) as this seems to have been common as well. Tactical Notes The favored Norman tactics seem to have been to soften up or disorder the enemy battle-line with bow fire, and then to press forward the charge with heavy cavalry, or in some cases dismounted knights. Shock cavalry charges seem to be the mainstay of the Norman tactical doctrine. Naturally, like all army lists, use your own more extensive research and intuitions to adjust these tables and tactics as you see fit! Back to Piquet Dispatch Vol. 1 Issue 4 Table of Contents Back to Piquet Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Piquet, Inc. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com