Slitherine

I think we need a few changes and restrictions. Firstly I can find no evidence of traditionally armed highlanders outside Scotland. Those who went to England in 1644 are described as using pike and musket.
So I suggest we restrict highlanders to scotland only.
Even there I can find only two mentions of what appear to be traditionally armed highlanders. the first is Auldearn where 1300 what are described as Northern levies seem to be as some are described as using bows and at Inverlochy where 1000 Campbells definitely are. I think a poor option is required as the Campbells at inverlochy did not hang around when argylls own regiment broke. It is true that three highland regiments are described at Fyfie but I can find no mention of armament and tend to think these wer eCampbell militia with pike and musket.
It is interesting that the highland troops in the covenant army appear to have been less effective than those in Montroses army and I suspect that this must come down to leadership and motivation.The Campbells can hardly have been inspired with their leader watching the battle of Inverlochy from his galley in the middle of the loch while Montrose like Dundee after him seemed to be able to motivate these forces albeit not to the extent that they still did not leave with their booty after the battle. It is proven again by the fact that after Dundee was killed at killiecrankie that the highlanders were less effective under his sucessor.
Can we have an option for argylll being represented by a galley in the distance?
Hope this helps.
John

marshalney2000 wrote:I think we need a few changes and restrictions. Firstly I can find no evidence of traditionally armed highlanders outside Scotland. Those who went to England in 1644 are described as using pike and musket.
So I suggest we restrict highlanders to scotland only.

OK.

Even there I can find only two mentions of what appear to be traditionally armed highlanders. the first is Auldearn where 1300 what are described as Northern levies seem to be as some are described as using bows and at Inverlochy where 1000 Campbells definitely are. I think a poor option is required as the Campbells at inverlochy did not hang around when argylls own regiment broke. It is true that three highland regiments are described at Fyfie but I can find no mention of armament and tend to think these wer eCampbell militia with pike and musket.

On the grounds of variety - so that all the armies aren't just pike & shot & horse of some sort - I think that is enough evidence to allow them in Scotland. Sounds like it is just the armies that fought Montrose though so 1644-45?

It is interesting that the highland troops in the covenant army appear to have been less effective than those in Montroses army and I suspect that this must come down to leadership and motivation.The Campbells can hardly have been inspired with their leader watching the battle of Inverlochy from his galley in the middle of the loch while Montrose like Dundee after him seemed to be able to motivate these forces albeit not to the extent that they still did not leave with their booty after the battle. It is proven again by the fact that after Dundee was killed at killiecrankie that the highlanders were less effective under his sucessor.
Can we have an option for argylll being represented by a galley in the distance?
Hope this helps.
John

Alas I think not

I'll just have a galley for my own use then.
John