More Dark Age and Medieval Armies (Part 11) The Last of the Medieval Armies

The Last of the Medieval Armies

Part 11

By Terry L. Gore

86. MEDIEVAL SPANISH/PORTUGUESE: LATE 14TH TO LATE 15TH

These are the armies of the Spanish territories of Aragon and Castile as well as Portugal. Employing free companies, mercenaries and allied contingents of troops, the leaders of these forces forged the disparate elements into tough armies which fought Christian and Moslem foes alike for the right to rule the Iberian peninsula. A Portuguese army of 10,000 used 100 Year's War English mercenaries, tactics and artillery to defeat a Castilian army of 30,000 under John I, which happened to emulate the French tactics, dismounting in three lines and charging the longbows.

Historically, the Spanish knights would simply line up and charge, allowing for missile troops to disorder the targets of their attacks. The light cavalry were used in support of the knights on their flanks. Use of handgunners by the Portuguese and artillery by all provided these armies with a powerful punch when facing other knights.

This is a good, well-balanced army for any level of player.

87. FREE COMPANY: MID-14TH TO MID-15TH

After the truce which ended the 100 Year's War, many of the troops in the contending armies were left with no skills other than the waging of war and plundering the countryside. Instead of returning home and attempting to enjoy peace and quiet, the more 'adventuresome' fighters formed themselves into large companies which fought for pillage and/or pay. One of the most famous of these was John Hawkwood's White Company.

The truly international gamer could do well with this army. You can have German, English, French and Spanish knights; double-armed English longbowmen, mercenary crossbowmen, some rough terrain fighters and a handful of skirmishers. Granted, there are not a lot of any one thing in this list, but for the offensive minded, there are plenty of armored knights to make life miserable for many opponents. Use the longbowmen behind stakes to hod down a flank or the center while the knights gang up on the other flank. Watch out for elephant armies.

This is a fair army for any level of player.

88. TIMURID: MID-14TH TO EARLY 16TH

Timor the Lame (Tamerlane) managed to acquire a reputation of an all-out violent terrosrist as he fought against Christian, Moslem and Hindu enemies alike with his army of Mongols, mercenaries and subject bands. Based in Persian Samarkand, Timurid armies defeated the Ottomans at Ankara in 1402, but after Tamerlane's death in 1405, there was a gradual fragmentation until the empire fell apart a hundred years later. Tamerlane fielded armies of 30,000 and even 72,000 men in 1393. This is a good army, emphasizing cavalry mobility as well as missile fire, gunpowder weapons and even elephants.

Being trained, the Timurid heavy cavalry are able to pick their targets and time their charges. Being armed with both bow and lance, they can shoot their enemies into disorder before charging in. The elephants can be used on a flank or in the center, supported by Afghan loose order fighters. Mass the archers for a devastating arrow barrage to fracture an enemy line before pouring in with the cavalry.

A good army for any level of player, but a great one one in the hands of an experienced one.

89. MEDIEVAL BURGUNDIAN: MID-14TH TO LATE 15TH

Before the Burgundians became the brutal, armored juggernaut of Charles the Bold, they were a much poorer, simpler armored (and armed) force which had plenty of trouble with their enemies, notably the French, Germans and Flemish. There are numbers of good quality knights longbowmen and archers, but little else of value here. As a transitional army, they are a true challenge to win with.

As usual, use the longbowmen and artillery to hold a portion of your line, with knights and mounted crossbowmen in support charging into the other sector(s). Try to disorder your foe with missile fire first. Even then, it will be tough going with no rough terrain troops or skirmish infantry.

Not an army for beginners.

90. HUSSITES: EARLY 15TH TO LATE 15TH

Jan Sziska and his religiously motivated army of Hussites fought successfully against various Catholic and Hungarian forces intent on destroying him. His tactical innovations included the aggressive use of war wagons with gunners or crossbowmen inside. The largest numbers of reported Hussites were under Prokop the Bald in 1429. There reportedly were 40,000 foot, 4,000 cavalry and an astonishing 3-4,000 wagons.

This army is a tough one to use successfully. Tactically, the Hussites would form their wagons up in a defensive line, trusting their enemies to recklessly attack them. Conversely, as in the Battle of Kutna Hara (1421), they could be used in moving columns as an attacking force. There are some nobles and heavy cavalry, skirmisher horse, halberdiers, and plenty of missile-armed fighters for the wagons. The army can be raised as fanatical Taborites, but sacrifice the nobles and knights in this instance. I have never fought with or against this army, but it looks like a challenge for any and all.

91. FRENCH ORDONANNCE: MID-15TH TO EARLY 16TH

The French learned several lessons during the 100 Year's War, albeit slowly. One of theme was to leave the knights mounted and not relegate them to being slow, encumbered, and exhausted fully armored foot sloggers. They added longbowmen, having see what the English archers had done to them at Poitiers and Agincourt. Gunners, both horse and foot, were provided as well as artillery. The French continued to maintain units of crossbowmen, spearmen and rough terrain troops as well.

Tactics emulated the English, to a point. The French did not provide stakes to their longbowmen, partially because of the French philosphy of offensive tactical operations. The French armies continually moved ahead, putting pressure on enemy ranks with massed archer/crossbow/artillery fire. Once the enemy line was weakened, the knights went in. A colorful and interesting army, good for any level of offensive-minded player.

92. WARS OF THE ROSES ENGLISH: MID 15TH TO EARLY 16TH

The armies of Richard III, Edward IV and Warwick the Kingmaker were a mixture of high quality knights, Warriors mercenary and allied foot, and levies of dubious tactical value. There is plenty of versatility in this list, you only have to decide upon which faction you wish to represent. Battles raged across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland for thirty years as Yorkist and Lancastrian armies fought at St. Albans, Mortimer's Cross, Towton, Bosworth Field, Stoke, and dozens of other fields of battle.

Tactically, the armies used masses of longbowmen to shoot their opponents to pieces before pushing in with halberds, dismounted men-at-arms and mercenary foot. Armies formed up in three divisions or battles, sometimes with a large vanguard of archers and dismounted men-at-arms leading the center, and with mounted troops on the extreme flanks. Not very sophistocated, but such was the nature or warfare, War of the Roses style. Use the available skirmishers to hold off a flank attack and then pick your targets and fire. Not a beginner's army.

93. BURGUNDIAN ORDONNANCE: LATE 15TH

For an army that is extremely popular with gamers, this army was not very fortunate in battle, losing repeatedly to Swiss forces ar Morat and Nacy, and to Low Country armies as well. Charles th bold brought in mercenaries and trained his troops well, but the Swiss continued to defeat him. Army strengths of 8400 in 1472 for a campaign against the French, and 10,000 in 1476 give an indication of the size of the Burgundian forces.

This is a good army, with plenty of trained veterans, as well as handgunners, crossbowmen, some skirmishers (both infantry and cavalry), and artillery. The knights (gendarmes) are extremely powerful, fighting in wedge. You must plan well with Burgundians. The usual deployment had the archers and dismounted men-at-arms in the center with cavalry on the flanks and in reserve. Placing the archers behind stakes in the center, preferably uphill, makes them virtually impregnable. The knights, supported by skirmishers, handgunners and crossbowmen, can operate in a reserve capacity, choosing a weak point to attack, much like the Teutonic Order. A good army for any level of player.

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© Copyright 2000 by Terry Gore
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