Alba's tercios in Flanders: raised in Italy as 25% shot - 75% pikemen (very different from standard tercio ratios)rbodleyscott wrote:Nik wrote:Highlighted section makes no sense as it says Alba’s tercios had 60% shot and had 30% shot ! Surely it can only be one of these.current blurb wrote:The theoretical strength of the Tercio was still 3,000 men. The Tercios of Spain and Italy were supposed to have 10 companies of 300 men each, with roughly equal numbers of pikemen and shooters. The tercios raised by the Duke of Alba to suppress the Dutch rebellion had 12 companies of 250 men, and were supposed to have three pikemen for each shot. However, from the start of the Dutch rebellion actual numbers in campaign show companies of around 175 men, with 60% shot, and that proportion increasing with time. The only exception to this are Alba’s Tercios between 1567 and 1573, with an actual ratio of circa 30% shot. The proportion of musketeers to arquebusiers also increased with time, but during this period was not sufficient to give shot integrated in tercios musketeer capability. We give it only to detached units on skirmish missions.
Comments please amigos.
Actual figures in Flanders by the mid 1570s already show standard ratios: 60% shot - 40% pikemen
Sincere there were no ordinnances regulating these changes, I assume it was a progressive evolution effectively taking place through the campaign.
So, how do we reflect it? An option would be:
- Flanders 1567 - 1570: only Alba's tercios allowed
- Flanders 1570 - 1573: a combination of both kind of tercios allowed
- Fanders post 1573: only standard tercios allowed
Would it be OK?
Cheers
xavier
