Slitherine

I am not enitrely happy with Border Horse having full triple capabilities - this is against our usual policy.

OTOH I guess as they are LH their shooting would be too ineffective if they were 1/2 crossbow,sword, 1/2 lancers, sword.

This did cross my mind.

However, I think that they are essentailly like the Bow, Light Spear, Swordsmen LH we have in some of the Eastern European lists in FoG:AM and so not unreasonable. Whilst Light Lance is possibly better than Light Spear the relative shooting power of crossbow compared to other shooters in FoG:R is, I think, a balance.

I'd be more concerned with the Pistol, Light Lance, Swordsmen version - which, BTW, has been in without comment from when I drafted the list

Well I think the pistol, lance version is pretty much without question considering all the descriptions etc of them in action, George McDonald fraser et aL. If this is accepted then it is difficult to accept that in earlier years they would not have provided themselves with some missile capability for use during raids etc. A lance is not a lot of use when you are stood looking up from the bottom of a fortified tower.
At the end of the day, they are light horse who ar enot going to give too much of a fight to anything substanially heavier than them. in practice they will do what they did in practice hover around the fringes of the battle looking for easy pickings.
As Nik says the xbow is hardly making them super troops and if anything makes them more expensive to buy.
John

marshalney2000 wrote:As Nik says the xbow is hardly making them super troops and if anything makes them more expensive to buy.

It would if it wasn't free.

marshalney2000 wrote:Well I think the pistol, lance version is pretty much without question considering all the descriptions etc of them in action, George McDonald fraser et aL. If this is accepted then it is difficult to accept that in earlier years they would not have provided themselves with some missile capability for use during raids etc. A lance is not a lot of use when you are stood looking up from the bottom of a fortified tower.

All true, however, we must remember that possession of a weapon does not necessarily lead to a capability and that what you do on a raid may not be what you do in a battle.

That said for the border horse I suspect some missile capability is justified - a battlefiled account to nail it would be nice if possible

The key issue is whether they were in the regular habit of using their crossbows mounted. If not, we can just allow them a crossbow capability when dismounted.

Apparently as late as 1589 there were still 1,100 bows and strings as well as 4,900 arrowsneing held in Newcastle and in 1575 at the raid of Reidswire the borderers are descroibed as letting fly with trusted bows. This comment is then followed with the remark that the Scots used the bow but not as significantly or with such effect as the English and seemed to prefer the small light crossbow known as the latch. The latch is I understand it is small because it wa sintended for mounted use.
As for battles at solway moss the borderers are described as hacking and slashing with broadsword and lance and dischargings pistols and haggs. I still feel commonsennse indicates that the tactics did not change too much during the period but the weapons technology advanced from xbow to pistol.
John

marshalney2000 wrote: As for battles at solway moss the borderers are described as hacking and slashing with broadsword and lance and dischargings pistols and haggs. I still feel commonsennse indicates that the tactics did not change too much during the period but the weapons technology advanced from xbow to pistol.
John

I am inlcined to agree with this.

Suppose I need to change the English lists to allow their border horse to have missile weapons as well ...