New Units and Uniforms

[King Henry V]

I thought I'd post some new units I've thought of:

Italian Communal Infantry:
Available for recruitment throughout northern Italy. Cheap, good value infantry units, armed with spears, swords, helmets and shields (though little armour) with good morale. These are the soldiers who defeated Frederick Redbeard at Legnano. If it is in the game, they should get a bonus if they are trained in Milan.

Order of the Temple sergeants:
I shall quote from Philippe Contamine's War in the Middle Ages:
"In the order of the Temple sergeants or serving brothers had the right to on mount only unless given permission for more; they did not have esquires. Their external appearance differentiated them at a glance from the knights since the latter wore a jupon and white mantles bearing red crosses, whilst the former only had the right to wear a black surcoat and a black or brown mantle. However, there was scarcely any difference between their actual equipment; the sergeants, in place of the haubert, simply had a haubergeon (small haubert) lacking manicles (a kind of mail glove protecting the hand), in place of the helmet an iron cap, and mail leggings without foot protectors."

Almogavars:
"Some infantry of high quality did, however, disdain the use if all protection out of choice in order to retain their agility, as did the English and Welsh archers and pikemen and the Almogavars of the kingdom of Aragon. These troops, who came from the mountains of Aragon and Catalonia, had very limited equipment in which the use of leather recalled their pastoral origins: a tunic called a gonella, cassot or camisa, leather gaiters, sandals with leather soles, a leather bonnet, sometimes reinforced with a kind of steel framework, and a leather knapsack containing food supplies."

English Northern Archers:
These archers used a bow which was similar to the war bow in size, i.e being the height of a man. They were used primarily in the North of England against the Scots in the 12 century, notably at the battle of the Standard in 1138.

Condottieri Units:
Infantry, cavalry and missile troops who can be hired solely in Northern Italy. Expensive yet excellent troops, should be of low loyalty if this is included, with leaders having things such as "Weak Principles" traits so that they can be easily bribed to join an opposing camp.

Flemish, Breton and Provençal Mercenary Knights:
Heavily armed, well equipped high stat units available throughout Western Christendom. Flemish and Breton mercs should be available in Northern Europe: Provençals in Southern.

Note on mercenaries: should have low morale so that they rout fairly easily, though this depends of course on the mercenaries. After all, no matter how much someone pays you, it won't be enough for you to die for him.

Flemish urban militia:
Lightly armoured infantry armed with the famous goedendags and pikes.

Spanish Sword and Buckler Men:
Available late in the game. Armed with a sword and a small shield, these were the first soldiers to beat the Swiss pikemen at La Bicocca.

That's all for now.

[fenir]

Just a note to try and help.

in the time period, Mercenary's were of high valour.

From a few exceptions, Mercenary's where usually the younger Son's of noble families seeking fame and fortune. With paid followers, which was the norm.
Or
They where Soliders not needed in their own kingdom/by their own lords, so went in search of "work" it was tough times, you did what you had to, to get by.
And that usually meant puttiing your life on the line every day.


and Mercenary units where known to fight to the last, as they where in many cases the professionally soliders of their era.
Hired by lords in groups, as indentured (workers) Soliders.


2. A bow as tall as a man, war bow? Longbow? In all the medieval texts i have read about England and Scotland, i have never heard, or seen mention, of a "war Bow".
Northern English Archers however did use a smaller Bow than the South of England.

The Longbow.
In medieval times, the best places, (termed the best longbowmen, and the famous longbowmen) to recruit Longbowmen, were Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.
These 3 counties, provided most of the Longbowmen to England (and others) for the medieval period. and were very famous for it.
they are mentioned in treatise by lords and Kings as such.

Italian Communal Infantry.
If memory Serves me, these are Condottieri.
Men provided to the Condotti, which i think is a hired general, are termed Condottieri.



just some insight. Look forward to seeing the mod. Keep up the good work.

regards fenir

[Triglav]

Spanish Sword and Buckler Men:
Available late in the game. Armed with a sword and a small shield, these were the first soldiers to beat the Swiss pikemen at La Bicocca.

Were the Swiss not mainly defeated by artillery fire and musketry safe behind earthworks, rather than from melee infantry?

http://www.answers.com/topic/battle-of-bicocca

[Casmin]

Condotierri were mercenaries operating in Northern Italy.

[FrantzITA]

a condottieri units never existed ...existed the "Condottiero" = 1 person leading a group of mercenaries or a person hired to hire a group of mercenaries .... Hackwood ( or Colleoni , Da Giussano , Da Barbiaro etc etc )was a condottiero ( or condottiere , is the same ) but was not a unit and even less a unit of men at arms .
so for example in my Mtw2 ive replaced it with another unit ( Tuscan Fenditori )

[Burns]

They can be called Contada which means contract. Condotierri armies often had their own systems of management, recruitment, logistics, organization and so forth. All they needed was money and sought work from the various city states in Italy and also in many of the kingdoms in Europe.

[FrantzITA]

I'm Italian ... the italian word is "soldati di ventura" and that is something like "Adventure's soldiers" ... btw we can call them in any way but they are not a specific unit just mercenary troops of every kind

[El-Wrongo]

As far as I know, the Condottori system was a rather inefficient one. When they participated in campaigns the condottori was notorious for switching sides to the highest payer. Condottories was also normally unvilling to fight, because the more men they had, the more they would get paid. When the condottories however had to fight, they mainly just led their men in fancy manouvers and it was rare that fights got serios.

So if they are included it is my humble opinion that they get horrible moral.

[FrantzITA]

its not totally true ... some condottieri and their units are considered the best of their age , Hackwood , Bande nere , Colleoni were excellent as their troops .. if a unit was inefficent no one would consider to hire it !!
That system of course failed miserabily against professional state armies of France and Spain at the beginning of XVI century but before that they were superior ( as shown with the many french defeats from milan ).
so i will still consider them an elite but of course FEW .