Medieval Infantry - Revision history

imported>Administrator: 53 revisions imported

2023-06-22T03:17:43Z

53 revisions imported

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1d4chan>MiaoKobayashisDragonMaid: Ghilman/mamluks dont fit as they arent infantry

2023-06-19T06:07:04Z

Ghilman/mamluks dont fit as they arent infantry

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:07, 19 June 2023
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	Examples		Examples
	*'''Ghilmam:''' Persian slave knights taken from captured Turkic, Caucasian (in the geographical sense), or Indian subjects after raids or levies, they were noted for being kingmakers in several Persian Dynasties.
	*'''Mamluks:''' The Egyptian equivalent to the Ghilman, they were usually taken from Coptic boys in the region. They were most famous for pushing back the Mongols (who got used to facing slow and fractious infantry armies instead of mounted light cavalry). They remained in power as kingmakers in Egypt until they were destroyed as a force before the British captured Egypt.
	*'''Janissonaries:''' The most infamous fighting corps in the Ottoman Empire. They were usually recruited from boys captured in the Balkans and (while originally effective) were a major source of resistance against modernization advocated by the Young Turks (and their Young Ottoman predecessors) before being defeated once the Turkish Revolution and the breakdown of the Empire occured.		*'''Janissonaries:''' The most infamous fighting corps in the Ottoman Empire. They were usually recruited from boys captured in the Balkans and (while originally effective) were a major source of resistance against modernization advocated by the Young Turks (and their Young Ottoman predecessors) before being defeated once the Turkish Revolution and the breakdown of the Empire occured.
	*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.		*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.

	[[Category:History]]		[[Category:History]]

1d4chan>Gilten at 05:43, 19 June 2023

2023-06-19T05:43:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:43, 19 June 2023
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			{{Stub}}

	When people think about Medieval Warfare, what comes to mind first are [[Knight]]s as well as [[Men at Arms]], and fair's fair they were important and would be honed to a fine edge. However they were only part of the equation. Here's a rough guide to '''Medieval Infantry'''.		When people think about Medieval Warfare, what comes to mind first are [[Knight]]s as well as [[Men at Arms]], and fair's fair they were important and would be honed to a fine edge. However they were only part of the equation. Here's a rough guide to '''Medieval Infantry'''.

	== Note ==		==Note==
	This is a fairly big complex thing with a lot of local details and variation. Depending on who you ask or what the setting is, the "Medieval" period can stretch from the fall of Rome to just before the discovery of the Americas; even if you limit yourself to Europe, there was a lot of complexity in how some cultures raised and armed their armies. There is a lot of fine detail that will be glossed over here.		This is a fairly big complex thing with a lot of local details and variation. Depending on who you ask or what the setting is, the "Medieval" period can stretch from the fall of Rome to just before the discovery of the Americas; even if you limit yourself to Europe, there was a lot of complexity in how some cultures raised and armed their armies. There is a lot of fine detail that will be glossed over here.

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	*'''Ashigaru:''' The Japanese equivalent. Eventually they would be refined into solid fighting forces.		*'''Ashigaru:''' The Japanese equivalent. Eventually they would be refined into solid fighting forces.

	=== Urban Militias ===		===Urban Militias===
	Similar to levies, but in towns and cities; being a step-up in the ladder, they could afford better equipment and they generally ''wanted'' to be there. Also often better equipped as cities were usually richer per-capita. Still not the best trained and equipped force you can get as seen at the Battle of Visby; where the Danish king’s professional army all but annihilated the city’s militia. Excavations of the mass graves there (oddly well preserved and not looted due to the sheer number of dead as well as the summer heat risking rapid decay when they just died), showed equipment varied from simple mail and polearms to brigandine and battle axes.		Similar to levies, but in towns and cities; being a step-up in the ladder, they could afford better equipment and they generally ''wanted'' to be there. Also often better equipped as cities were usually richer per-capita. Still not the best trained and equipped force you can get as seen at the Battle of Visby; where the Danish king’s professional army all but annihilated the city’s militia. Excavations of the mass graves there (oddly well preserved and not looted due to the sheer number of dead as well as the summer heat risking rapid decay when they just died), showed equipment varied from simple mail and polearms to brigandine and battle axes.

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	*'''Men-at-Arms:''' A broad term to describe all the full time professional soldiers, what we normally think of as [[Knight]]s but could be a mercenary instead. Basically all Knights were Men-at-Arms, but not all Men-at-Arms were Knights. Besides paying for their own equipment, they'll also raise retainers to form a lance of troops that join the company. Men-at-Arms evolved over time from heavy cavalry to heavy infantry; the former using lances as their main weapon, and the latter switching to some heavy two-handed weapon such as a Pollaxe when full-plate armor allows one to ditch a shield. Can either be feudal lords with their own lands, an attache in the service of one, or a professional under the employment of the royal guard.		*'''Men-at-Arms:''' A broad term to describe all the full time professional soldiers, what we normally think of as [[Knight]]s but could be a mercenary instead. Basically all Knights were Men-at-Arms, but not all Men-at-Arms were Knights. Besides paying for their own equipment, they'll also raise retainers to form a lance of troops that join the company. Men-at-Arms evolved over time from heavy cavalry to heavy infantry; the former using lances as their main weapon, and the latter switching to some heavy two-handed weapon such as a Pollaxe when full-plate armor allows one to ditch a shield. Can either be feudal lords with their own lands, an attache in the service of one, or a professional under the employment of the royal guard.
	*'''Huskarl:''' To continue with the Anglo-Saxon examples, ''House-carls'' were professionals warriors on retainer and in the direct service to a noble.		*'''Huskarl:''' To continue with the Anglo-Saxon examples, ''House-carls'' were professionals warriors on retainer and in the direct service to a noble.

	===Yeoman===		===Yeoman===
	Unlike serfs or tenants, yeomen owned a plot of land of their own, which they themselves tended to when not at war. This meant they had more income than Paul the Peasant but they were also required to use some of that money to buy gear and serve as soldiers, and not to mention tend to their land.		Unlike serfs or tenants, yeomen owned a plot of land of their own, which they themselves tended to when not at war. This meant they had more income than Paul the Peasant but they were also required to use some of that money to buy gear and serve as soldiers, and not to mention tend to their land.
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	And yes, the modern NCO rank is named after them. There is a similar feudal rank called a ''serjeanty'', but they're only related by the root word of "servant." Sergeants are commoners serving as muscle and paid a wage, ''serjeanties'' was like being made a landlord in exchange for providing the King with some niche service in perpetuity, like [[Magical realm\|rubbing his feet]].		And yes, the modern NCO rank is named after them. There is a similar feudal rank called a ''serjeanty'', but they're only related by the root word of "servant." Sergeants are commoners serving as muscle and paid a wage, ''serjeanties'' was like being made a landlord in exchange for providing the King with some niche service in perpetuity, like [[Magical realm\|rubbing his feet]].

	== Mercenaries ==		==Mercenaries==
	Professional hired muscle. These guys are the highest quality soldiers you can find without having to maintain permanent standing armies. However, while they are well trained and well armed, they’re ultimately loyal to whoever can pay them the most unless they’re from a culture where honor and reputation are sacrosanct. Expect to spend a lot of time negotiating contracts and terms. And pray once the contract expires that they don’t get hired by your rivals. Or that they don't pillage your city if you can't pay for them anymore. Or that they don't end up aimlessly wandering your lands once the contract is concluded, harassing the populace as little more than glorified brigands. Mercenaries can come from any number of countries and vary wildly in composition. They may also possess skills that the employing military lacks, such as archers or cavalry, to make up for gaps in their unit composition.		Professional hired muscle. These guys are the highest quality soldiers you can find without having to maintain permanent standing armies. However, while they are well trained and well armed, they’re ultimately loyal to whoever can pay them the most unless they’re from a culture where honor and reputation are sacrosanct. Expect to spend a lot of time negotiating contracts and terms. And pray once the contract expires that they don’t get hired by your rivals. Or that they don't pillage your city if you can't pay for them anymore. Or that they don't end up aimlessly wandering your lands once the contract is concluded, harassing the populace as little more than glorified brigands. Mercenaries can come from any number of countries and vary wildly in composition. They may also possess skills that the employing military lacks, such as archers or cavalry, to make up for gaps in their unit composition.

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	*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.		*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.


	~~{{Stub}}~~
	[[Category:History]]		[[Category:History]]

imported>Administrator: 1 revision imported

2023-06-19T02:42:38Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 02:42, 19 June 2023
(No difference)

67.174.103.120: /* Slave Soldiers */

2023-06-18T23:24:10Z

Slave Soldiers

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:24, 18 June 2023
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	Examples		Examples
	*'''Ghilmam'''		*'''Ghilmam:''' Persian slave knights taken from captured Turkic, Caucasian (in the geographical sense), or Indian subjects after raids or levies, they were noted for being kingmakers in several Persian Dynasties.
	*'''Mamluks'''		*'''Mamluks:''' The Egyptian equivalent to the Ghilman, they were usually taken from Coptic boys in the region. They were most famous for pushing back the Mongols (who got used to facing slow and fractious infantry armies instead of mounted light cavalry). They remained in power as kingmakers in Egypt until they were destroyed as a force before the British captured Egypt.
			*'''Janissonaries:''' The most infamous fighting corps in the Ottoman Empire. They were usually recruited from boys captured in the Balkans and (while originally effective) were a major source of resistance against modernization advocated by the Young Turks (and their Young Ottoman predecessors) before being defeated once the Turkish Revolution and the breakdown of the Empire occured.
	*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.		*'''Unsullied:''' The Slave Soldiers and eunuchs of Game of Thrones, famous for their unbreakable morale and lack of self-identity.

67.174.103.120: /* Urban Militias */

2023-06-18T23:17:35Z

Urban Militias

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:17, 18 June 2023
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	=== Urban Militias ===		=== Urban Militias ===
	Similar to levies, but in towns and cities; being a step-up in the ladder, they could afford better equipment and they generally ''wanted'' to be there. Also often better equipped as cities were usually richer per-capita. Still not the best trained and equipped force you can get as seen at the Battle of Visby; where the Danish king’s professional army all but annihilated the city’s militia. Excavations of the mass graves there (oddly well preserved and not looted due to the sheer number of dead as well as the heat risking decay when they just died), showed equipment varied from simple mail and polearms to brigandine and battle axes.		Similar to levies, but in towns and cities; being a step-up in the ladder, they could afford better equipment and they generally ''wanted'' to be there. Also often better equipped as cities were usually richer per-capita. Still not the best trained and equipped force you can get as seen at the Battle of Visby; where the Danish king’s professional army all but annihilated the city’s militia. Excavations of the mass graves there (oddly well preserved and not looted due to the sheer number of dead as well as the summer heat risking rapid decay when they just died), showed equipment varied from simple mail and polearms to brigandine and battle axes.

	On the other hand, if properly led and motivated, urban militia could stand up even to the flower of French knighthood, which was arguably the best in the world, as was aptly demonstrated during the Battle of Courtrai, otherwise known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs, due to 500 spurs taken from the dead knights by the victorious Flemish.		On the other hand, if properly led and motivated, urban militia could stand up even to the flower of French knighthood, which was arguably the best in the world, as was aptly demonstrated during the Battle of Courtrai, otherwise known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs, due to 500 spurs taken from the dead knights by the victorious Flemish.

1d4chan>A Walrus: /* Levies */

2023-06-16T08:05:20Z

Levies

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:05, 16 June 2023
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	Examples of Levies		Examples of Levies
	*'''Fyrds:''' How the Anglo-Saxons organized their armies before they became the English, of which we know quite about because their kings wrote shit down; because the Anglo-Saxons were culturally Germanic, they fought like the [[Vikings]] that were invading their lands. A Fyrd would be composed of levied men, the newfags following the lead of the more grizzled neckbeards among them.		*'''Fyrds:''' How the Anglo-Saxons organized their armies before they became the English, of which we know quite about because their kings wrote shit down; because the Anglo-Saxons were culturally Germanic, they fought like the [[Vikings]] that were invading their lands. A Fyrd would be composed of levied men, the newfags following the lead of the more grizzled neckbeards among them.
			*'''Ashigaru:''' The Japanese equivalent. Eventually they would be refined into solid fighting forces.

	=== Urban Militias ===		=== Urban Militias ===

1d4chan>A Walrus: /* Note */

2023-06-16T08:03:32Z

Note

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:03, 16 June 2023
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	== Note ==		== Note ==
	This is a fairly big complex thing with a lot of local details and variation. Depending on who you ask or what the setting is, the "Medieval" period can stretch from the fall of Rome to just before the discovery of the Americas; even if you limit yourself to Europe, there was a lot of complexity in how some cultures raised and armed their armies.		This is a fairly big complex thing with a lot of local details and variation. Depending on who you ask or what the setting is, the "Medieval" period can stretch from the fall of Rome to just before the discovery of the Americas; even if you limit yourself to Europe, there was a lot of complexity in how some cultures raised and armed their armies. There is a lot of fine detail that will be glossed over here.

	For the average fa/tg/uy dabbling in Fantasy and Tabletop settings, this would probably be helpful in adding some complexity to your settings, just remember that "Medieval" worlds are mishmashes of things that just "feel" Feudal locked in [[Medieval Stasis]], who cares if you have [[Lord of the Rings\|potatoes]] in your setting, most neckbeards can't even agree on whether or not [[Gunslinger\|gunpowder]] [[Skub\|belongs in the setting]].		For the average fa/tg/uy dabbling in Fantasy and Tabletop settings, this would probably be helpful in adding some complexity to your settings, just remember that "Medieval" worlds are mishmashes of things that just "feel" Feudal locked in [[Medieval Stasis]], who cares if you have [[Lord of the Rings\|potatoes]] in your setting, most neckbeards can't even agree on whether or not [[Gunslinger\|gunpowder]] [[Skub\|belongs in the setting]].

1d4chan>A Walrus: /* Knights */

2023-06-13T18:05:31Z

Knights

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:05, 13 June 2023
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	Similarly, while a sapper's job was generally considered unbecoming of a noble, some knights were all too eager to lead the glorious charge through the freshly-dug hole in the ground. The most famous example, perhaps, is Arnaud Guillaume de Barbazan's duel with Henry V of England in tunnels underneath Melun. Once again, equipment often gave such knights an edge over regular sappers, and their mere presence encouraged lowborn grunts.		Similarly, while a sapper's job was generally considered unbecoming of a noble, some knights were all too eager to lead the glorious charge through the freshly-dug hole in the ground. The most famous example, perhaps, is Arnaud Guillaume de Barbazan's duel with Henry V of England in tunnels underneath Melun. Once again, equipment often gave such knights an edge over regular sappers, and their mere presence encouraged lowborn grunts.

			And of course, sometimes a knight would have his horse shot from under him and he'd be left footslogging it with the riffraff.

	==Slave Soldiers==		==Slave Soldiers==

1d4chan>Flutist at 15:41, 13 June 2023

2023-06-13T15:41:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:41, 13 June 2023
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	*'''Swiss Mercenaries:''' Swiss mercenaries who have gone off to find their fortune in the wars of other countries, they were famous for their discipline and the effectiveness of their pike squares. The Swiss Guard for the Pope hold a number of unique distinctions such as: oldest military formation in history, being the only armed group to still formally call there soldiers "halberdiers" and being the only foreign military group a modern Swiss citizens can legally join.		*'''Swiss Mercenaries:''' Swiss mercenaries who have gone off to find their fortune in the wars of other countries, they were famous for their discipline and the effectiveness of their pike squares. The Swiss Guard for the Pope hold a number of unique distinctions such as: oldest military formation in history, being the only armed group to still formally call there soldiers "halberdiers" and being the only foreign military group a modern Swiss citizens can legally join.
	*'''Varangian Guard:''' The personal bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperor, they were originally Norse mercenaries in direct service to the Emperor. The use of foreigners as the Emperor's guard was important because of how political the role was. While local ethnic groups’ restlessness in the Empire and internecine politicking in the Empire made Greek subjects impossible to hire reliably for fear of coups, the Norse’ honor-bound reputation made them impartial bodyguards; also helped that they can legally loot the treasury if the Emperor can die of natural causes on their watch in a tradition called polutasvarf.		*'''Varangian Guard:''' The personal bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperor, they were originally Norse mercenaries in direct service to the Emperor. The use of foreigners as the Emperor's guard was important because of how political the role was. While local ethnic groups’ restlessness in the Empire and internecine politicking in the Empire made Greek subjects impossible to hire reliably for fear of coups, the Norse’ honor-bound reputation made them impartial bodyguards; also helped that they can legally loot the treasury if the Emperor can die of natural causes on their watch in a tradition called polutasvarf.

			==Knights==
			Now, let us be clear, knights were specifically NOT infantry, but they could dismount and fight on foot with various degrees of success. English knights, in particular, were famous for this tactic during the Hundred Years' War. Having dismounted knights nearby boosted infantry's morale immensely, sending clear message that nobles won't just gallop away on their horses if things go south (as they did all too often).

			Obviously, sometimes knights had to fight on foot. During the Crusades, Arab chronicles sometimes describe "Frank" knights becoming loci of resistance during sieges, with their heavy armor withstanding tremendous punishment. One man in a narrow spot could hold attackers at bay long enough for defenders to regroup and provide backup: often in those cases, it wasn't skill at arms that allowed knights to distinguish themselves (they primarily trained to fight on horseback, after all), but equipment and morale, standing firm where levies fled.

			Similarly, while a sapper's job was generally considered unbecoming of a noble, some knights were all too eager to lead the glorious charge through the freshly-dug hole in the ground. The most famous example, perhaps, is Arnaud Guillaume de Barbazan's duel with Henry V of England in tunnels underneath Melun. Once again, equipment often gave such knights an edge over regular sappers, and their mere presence encouraged lowborn grunts.

	==Slave Soldiers==		==Slave Soldiers==