DBR High Gothic
Army Lists

1475-1490

by David I. Lynch
originally from the Reiter
reprinted in Saga with permission


Wars of the Roses English
Ag2 WW, Rv, H(S), H(G), Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

    C-in-C - Ln(S) @ 32 AP 1
    Subgeneral Ln(0) @ 32AP 0-1
    Ally general Ln(0) @ 22AP 0-1
    *Household Bodyguard Ln(O) @ 12 AP 0-2
    Men-at-arms Ln(F) @11SP or Bd(S) @9 AP 2-4
    Retinue Billmen Bd(O) @7 AP 8-16
    Retinue Archers Bw(S) @ AP 4-12
    **County Foot Levy: up to 1/2 Bw(I)@3, rest Bd(I)@4AP 6-16
    ***Northern Levies Hd(S) @2AP 6-12
    ***Border Horse LH(F) @ 4AP 2-4
    Welsh Spearmen Hd(O) @1AP [E,H] 3-12
    Welsh Archers Bw(I) @3AP or Sk(O)@2AP [H,P] 4-6
    Continental Merc. Pike Pk(O)@4AP [H,P] 0-8
    Continental merc handgunners Sk(O)@2AP [H,P] 0-2
    **Irish Galloglaich Bd(I) @5AP [P] 0-2
    **Irish bonnachts Wb(I)@3AP [P] 2-4
    **Irish kern @Sk(I)@2AP [P] 6-12
    Organ Guns Art (I) @ 5 AP 1-3
    Bombards Art (S) @25 AP 0-2
    Burgundian Allies (see below list

This list covers Edward IV's later reign, following the final defeat of the Lancastrians at Teweksbury, through the reigns of Richard III and Henry VII, and includes both Edward's continental excursion and the later battles of the Wars of the Roses, until the Battle of Stoke. Items marked [E], [R], [H], and [P] may only be used by Edward, Richard, henry and Pretender armies respectively.

*: Only if C-in-C is a crowned King.
**: Minimums marked apply only if fighting in England and then only if troops of that origin are used.
***: Only in Richard III's army, and then only if troops marked are used.

Burgundian Ordonnance 1473-1477AD Cold
Ag3 WW, Rv, H(S), H(G), Wd, O, V, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

    C-in-C - Ln(S) @ 35 AP 1
    Subgeneral Ln(0) @ 32AP 1-2
    Household Bodyguard Ln(S) @ 15 AP 0-2
    Household mounted archers Dr(I) @ 6AP 1-2
    Ordonnance gendarmes and coustilliers @ 12 AP 4-8
    Ordonnance Pikemen Pk(O) @4 AP 6-12
    Ordonnance archers Bw(S) @ 7 AP 1-2 per 2
    Pk(O) Ordonnance handgunners Sk(O) @ 2 AP 2-4
    Ordonnance Crossbowmen Bw(O) @ 4 AP or Sk(O) @ 2 AP 2-6
    Flemish militia Pk(I) @ 3 A? 0-12
    Italian men-at-arms Ln(O) @ 12 AP 3-6
    Italian mounted crossbowmen LH(O) @ 5 AP 0-2
    Italian crossbowmen Bw(O) @ 4 AP 2-6
    Organ Guns Art (I) @ 5 AP 2-6
    Bombards Art (O) @20 AP 0-3
    palisade or ditch @ 2 AP 0-12
This list covers the army of Duke Charles the Rash, brother in law and undependable ally of Edward IV of England, and irksome, upstart vassal of Louis XI of France, from the Ordonnance 1473 until Chalres had his encounter with an annoyed Swiss halbadier at Nancy. The Court of Burgundy was the most wealthy and opulent in Europe, and Charles spent a great deal fo his time and money on improving his army. The components of this army are the Ordonnance troops, the reluctant burgher militia from Flanders, andthe many Italian mercenaries regularly hired by Charles. The peculiar mixed formation developed by Charles is represented by allowing Pk(O) to deploy in one rank, with a second rank of Bw(S) behind them. The Bw(S) may shoot and in close combat, the Pk(O) receive +1 rear support from the Bw(S).

French Ordonnance 1473-1477AD Cold
Ag1 WW, Rv, H(S), H(G), Wd, O, V, RGo, Rd, BUA

Use Book I, List 2, Italian French Wars, adding the following:

    Only 1475 to 1495AD
    Mounted Archers Dr(I) @6AP 1-2 per 2 Ln(S)
    Upgrade Mounted Archers to Ln(F) @11AP 0-1/2
    Arrier Ban Partisanmen Bd(I) @4AP 0-8
    Francs Archers Bw(I) @3AP 0-8
    Gascon bidets Hd(O) @1AP 0-6

    Only after 1479AD
    Upgrade Francs Archers to Pk(I) @3AP All
    Upgrade Mounted Archers to Ln(F) @11AP All

This list covers the reign of Louis XI, the Spider, from te time of the English-Burgundian expedition of 1475 to the battle of Fornovo, 1495. During this time, Louis achived far more by diplomacy than he ever did by military force, perticularly once his troublesome semi-vassal Charles the Rash had become so much swiss cheese.


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© Copyright 1998 by Terry Gore
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