Medieval Warfare Dark Age and Medievel Armies Part 4

Medieval Warfare
Dark Age and Medievel Armies

Part 4

By Terry Gore

Part 1: Descriptions of Armies for Medieval Warfare
Part 2: Descriptions of Armies for Medieval Warfare
Part 3: Descriptions of Armies for Medieval Warfare

26. FEUDAL SPANISH: EARLY 8TH TO MID-14TH

This period of history includes the army of El Cid. The Spanish forces were involved in centuries of warfare with Muslim invaders. As they honed their tactical expertise, they were held back by several mediocre rulers. Their most renowned defeat was at the hands of Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Muret in 1213, when the Spanish were commanded by Peter (Pedro) of Aragon, called "...the best warrior in Christendom." Hardly. Their generalship failed them earlier in 1086, when at Sagrajas, an Andalusian army defeated Alfonso IV and his Castilians.

The Hidalgo cavalry are excellent, the rest of the horse are average. The foot are formidable enough, well-armored and armed. There are plenty of skirmisher infantry in the earlier period and enough spear and bow-armed close order foot to keep an enemy hesitant to simply charge in to combat. Though Spanish tactics usually involved a frenzied cavalry charge, with the foot sitting back in support, it would behoove the player to be a bit more imaginative. The Spanish armies usually used three divisions, with the best troops in the center and on the extreme flanks and with foot in front of the mounted troops. This is a good army for any level of player.

27. ANDALUSIAN: MID-8TH TO LATE 12TH.

The fierce Moslem armies which assaulted Spain in the early 8th century were made up of Berbers, Syrians, Jordanians and Arab troops. They pushed through Spain into France before being stopped by Charles Martel at Tours in 732. After that, the Moslems settled into their possessions in southern Spain, becoming known as Andalusia, holding on to the territory for four hundred years.

This is a mobile army with plenty of light cavalry, skirmish infantry and loose order fighters for rough terrain. There are plenty of close order spearmen and archers as well as a fair number of lance-armed cavalry. A very versatile army with the later options (after the advent of the 11th century) make it even more tough, upgrading the cavalry and spearmen.

The spear and archer units can be very effective at locking an enemy in position in position while light cavalry and skirmish infantry swing around the flanks with a decisive heavy cavalry attack on either flank or in the center, deciding the issue. A good army for any level of player.

28. VIKING: 9th to 11th.

This army needs very little introduction. From their fierce raid on Lindesfarne, England in the 9th century until Harald Hardrada's massive defeat in the late 11th century at the hands of Harold of England (the Battle of Stamford Bridge), the Vikings managed to plunder Europe from Ireland to Byzantium. Though an infantry army, the Vikings made use of their longboats for mobility, often taking horses with them or foraging for them ashore in order to facilitate rapid movement once ashore. A prime example of Viking confidence in their battle prowess occurred at Maldon in 991 when they destroyed a Saxon army under Brihtnoth after being bottled up on a small isthmus.

Anglo-Saxon 'honor' allowed the Vikings to cross to the mainland and deploy unmolested before they proceeded to kill Brihtnoth and most of his followers.

Frenzied attackers, the Vikings were not averse to wearing armor, preferably plundered from the corpses of their enemies, unlike their Irish cousins, who mostly eschewed armor. Viking armies were composed of reliable, hardy fighters, willing to spend many months of hardship in bloody campaigns to enrich themselves. The hierarchy, or huscarls, were the most experienced, strong fighters. the rest of the army strove to become huscarls through the 'glory' of battle. Berserkers managed to work themselves up into a psychotic, frenzied state, though whether the state was psychologically motivated or aided by natural substances is difficult to determine. A sacred banner sometimes is mentioned by contemporary chroniclers as an aid to morale.

Famous Viking leaders included Olaf of Norway in the early 11th century, Cnut, conqueror of England in the early 11th century, and Harald Hardrada, the most famous of them all in the mid-11th century. Tactics favored ambushes, flank attacks or sailing up a river along the flank of an enemy and landing in his rear. The huscarls and berserkers would form into swine-array (wedge) and wade into their opponent. It is essential to screen these assaults to whatever extent possible with the few skirmishers available.

This is a great, fun army for any level of player, but deadly in the hands of a virtuoso.

29. NIKEPHORIAN BYZANTINE: MID-10TH TO MID-11TH.

Another favorite army. One of the few trained armies with plenty of attacking power. Generals with names such as Basil 'Bulgar Basher' give you some idea of their potency. The army represents the Byzantine Empire at its best and brightest.

There is a veritable cornucopia of troops choices, and all of them are good! Whether opting for an armored cavalry heavy army, or relying more on lighter troops, you cannot go far wrong. A balanced force provides plenty of opportunity for tactical genius to come to the fore. Avoid rough terrain, however. Usual tactics would see foot in the center, skirmishers and light cavalry to the flanks, with cataphracts in support ready to exploit any mistake an opponent made. An excellent army choice for any level of player.

30. GHUZZ: EARLY 7TH TO LATE 11TH.

Enemies to the Nikophorian Byzantines, Pechenegs, Russ and others, the Ghuzz were ancestors of the later Seljuq and Turkoman armies. Unlike most other Asiatic hordes, this army relied heavily on loose order foot, armed with both bow and javelin, to provide rough terrain fighters. Other than that, they are a typical horse archer army, with plenty of close order, armored, veteran cavalry as well as masses of light cavalry.

This army can handle just about anything in rougher terrain. Use of the foot to ambush, push through woods, fall upon exposed flanks, and harass slower moving enemy close order foot allows the numerous horsemen to pick their point of attack and destroy portions of the opponents forces, piece by piece. Again, this is a good army for any level of player, but experience helps. In the hands of a seasoned player, this army is deadly.

31. PRE-CONQUEST NORSE-IRISH: MID-9TH TO EARLY 11TH.

This is one of my favorite armies. The army of Brian Boru, Sigtrygg, Bromir and other epic historical figures always provides for an interesting battle. There are a lot of choices with this army, again like the Vikings, an all infantry array. The Irish did not usually wear armor, as part of their Celtic heritage they considered it unmanly to protect oneself, though if the opportunity allowed, they would strip portions of the accouterments from their defeated foes and wear it.

The Irish are powerful fighters, with axe and javelin, though shieldless if opting to be armed in this way. The Irish fight best in rough terrain, with lots of woods and steep hills. The large numbers of skirmisher infantry kerns is necessary to screen the other fighters from devastating missile fire. Tactically, force the issue on a flank with fanatics, either from ambush or by simply charging headlong at whatever is in front of them. The rest of the army should inexorably move ahead to contact--frenzied at the point of attack. It is amazing how much damage this can do to an enemy line! Any level of player can have fun with this army, but a skillful mounted opponent will try to run rings around you.

32. RUSS: MID-9TH TO MID-11TH.

The Russ managed to make themselves such a nuisance to the Byzantines that they were actively recruited to serve in the Imperial armies as it seemed easier to pay and house them than to fight them. Ancestors of the later Russians, the Russ were originally from Scandinavia, settling along the major rivers of Russian while setting up trade routes and local principalities.

The attraction of this army has to do with the fact that it not only had large numbers of tough, sturdy, armored foot, but also light cavalry. Russ armies are excellent in any terrain. Their weapons are good against any enemy. This army is a good one, only lacking in heavy cavalry which would make them one of the most powerful ones in this period of history. Use the Varangians and berserkers to control the rough terrain and the spearmen to mass across the center and march to the enemy baseline. Use the skirmish cavalry to screen the flanks and attempt to get into the enemy rear. This is a great army for any level of player.

33. EARLY NORMANS: LATE 9TH TO LATE 11TH.

This list includes the armies of William the Conqueror and Robert Guiscard. Originally of Norse heritage, the early Norman dukes held the territory of Normandy in fealty to the French kings until such time as Duke William in the mid-11th century was forced to fight for his survival against his liege-lord, Henry I. The success of William's military genius, at Mortemer in 1054 and at Varaville in 1057 assured his continued existence.

Robert Guiscard, one of the famed de Hauteville brothers, left Normandy to find his fortune in the early 11th century (the result of primogeniture). He travelled to Italy, fragmented by Byzantine, Lombard, Saracen and local city factions, all striving for supremacy. Invited into the conflict as mercenaries, the Normans soon proved a powerful new player in their own right. Soon, by the mid-1050's, the Papal and Lombard hierarchy had joined forces to defeat their new rivals. At Civitate in 1053, Pope Leo's allied army of 4,000 men under Frederick of Lorraine found itself totally defeated by the fierce Norman cavalry charges. The Normans formed up in three divisions, holding one of them in reserve and attacked in wedge along the entire front, destroying the Papal army and wiping out the 700 Swabian foot who held out to the last.

This is an extremely powerful army. I have used Normans under four different rules sets for over twenty years. They consistently are winners. The wedged Norman knights can ride over most opponents. The massed firepower of the archers can keep elephants and enemy skirmishers away while the spearmen allow for a steady center behind which the cavalry can reform and rest between charges. There are rough terrain troops in either contingent army (either forces in Normandy or Italy) as well as sufficient skirmishers to screen the cavalry as it moves into position to attack.

Pick your targets, for instance the enemy CiC, and push toward that location with screened wedges of cavalry. Frenzied charges should scatter the foe unless he is in prepared positions or behind obstacles (a wise place to be when facing Normans). Even then, remember Hastings.... A great army for any level of player.

Back to Saga #67 Table of Contents
Back to Saga List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1998 by Terry Gore
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com