Ravenna 1512

[Scrumpy]

Every reference I can find to the above battle says the French used Lansquenets and Italian pike. Something the list does not allow pre-1513 or at all.

Could the list be errated for 1.09 to read "Lansquenet from 1512" and "French or Italian Foot" ?

Cheers

[panda2]

You'd also need to change the dates for the Swiss to "Only before 1512". There were no Swiss at Ravenna and I'm pretty sure that the French shouldn't have the option of fielding them since later in 1512 the Swiss invaded Milan (then a French possession) at the behest of the Pope.

[Scrumpy]

I read an account of 'dismounted archers' in the French list, would they have been the lighter equipped men-at-arms, or bowmen/crossbowmen ?

[DanielS]

Dismounted archers using longbows and rather good armour (sallets, breastplates and probably leg armour as well). The French Archers used the bow a lot longer than they get credit for in most army lists, indeed both the 1515 and 1526 Ordonnances still regard them as as armed with bows though the 1526 may simply have been a copy of the one from 1515 rather than reflecting the reality on the battlefield. Ravenna is the last large battle I've been able to find descriptions of the archers dismounting to fight.