Scots Covenanters

[shawkhan2]

Today I won my first immaculate victory with the Scots Covenanters versus the Early Royalists, 47% to 0%.
Basically I simply overloaded one flank, hid behind hedges and refused to fight the Royalist cavalry with my cavalry.
Shot the Royalist Pike and Shot to pieces. They only got in one charge and lost the melee.
I have not heard anyone talk about the Scots, but this seems to be a phenomenal performance.
Has anyone pitted them against the Poles for instance, to see how they stand up to what some people claim is the strongest army?

[Vadim84]

I have play with them only once and won but didnt found them that strong-was a close and pleasant battle. Unfortunately you cant thest them against the Poles as the game doesnt cross two armies from different conflicts tgther, but if you want we have a battle, with me as Royalist

[shawkhan2]

I think that the effectiveness of any given army is quite dependent on the battlefield terrain.
I spent last night reading about the Polish winged Hussars and their accomplishments were truly amazing. I think they never lost a battle for over 75 years, some sources claim 125 years, which gives them as much longevity for effectiveness as the Swiss Keils or the Spanish tercio. They appear to have been outnumbered in virtually every battle as well.
When they lost to the Swedes it was mostly because of terrain, trying to attack across deep ditches and into entrenchments, etc. One of Gustavus' proudest achievements was to have the Swedes actually survive an attack from the winged hussars for the first time. I believe they were the impetus for the development of his new system.
The Scots Covenants are effective because of the high proportion of muskets to pikes and their extremely low cost for their pike and shot. Their cavalry is nothing to write home about, that is for sure.
In open terrain, they would be massacred by the Polish cavalry, who could break pike formations.
In closed terrain with hedges, woods,rough terrain, the Scots Covenanters would dominate.
The literal home court advantage of fighting in the terrain their combat arms were developed in, I think.

[Triarii]

Try Scots Covenanters as Royalist vs the New Model Army this match has given me some great close games in the tournament but as per last post terrain is all important.