What is the rationale behind Later Henrician English?
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:35 pm
Companion 2, starting Page 83.
To my mind there are some things missing from this list and I wanted to understand the rationale for their exclusion, or to request amendment to the list if it is agreed that they have been omitted in error.
I should declare an interest here. I own the army for use under Gush and Tercio (indeed it is probably my longest serving 15mm army) that I am rebasing and I have some figures I could not use under FoGR as per the current list. However my question/objection is (mostly) based upon historical accuracy. I will also state that Oman is my source for this.
The things I believe missing are:
1, Gendarmes. I believe that a BG of 0-2 Gendarmes FA, Ave (or possibly superior though I would not stake my reputation on that), Heavy Lancers (Light Lancers MIGHT be a viable interpretation), Swordsmen is required. Oman page 336 states that in Henry's army for France in 1544 had "indentures for a body of heavy cavalry... 121 men-at-arms, each with footman attendant", and "Probably these, together with the King's 'Gentlemen Pensioners'... may have been almost the only units of fully armd cavalry in the army....a few individual men-at-arms... not attributed to any unit" This is after listing the Demi-Lancers and the light horse. Oman is quoting from the Calendar of State Papers Domestic. Given that the total horse was 4,000 and "there may have been over 2000 - the rest of the 4000 mounted... being the archers on horsenback and arquebusiers on horseback, who were not really cavalry at all", these two make up about 10% of the mounted arm. The maximum English mounted is 20 bases so a 2 base BG option is justified, even if just a special campaign option.
2, an English Arquebus unit. Oman on page 333 lists the number of arquebus armed men in various contingents, coming to the the conclusion "It would seem doubtful wheather in the whole 28,000 foot... there can have been anything like 2000 men with firearms." Henry hired 4 companies of contenential arquebusiers who may have been 2/3rd of the shot in the army. If the English shot were perhaps 1,400 strong, that would be 5% of the foot. Oman, page 336 "it would seem that many of the arquebusiers may have been mustered into seperate companies" I would say that again there should be an option for a BG of 0-4 MF, Unarmoured, Ave (or Poor if militia) Arquebus. On page 335 Oman records "with 1500 men. This Monday the shooting was very hot on both sides." The 6 captains listed are all English so it is not an unreasonable number of shot. Again this could be a special campaign option but Oman again indicates that 5% of Somerset's foot for Pinkie was English Shot.
3, Heavy guns. Oman records on page 362 Somerest deploying "heavy guns". Why, given Henry's noted interest in modern artillery does the list not include any even if just a Medium/Heavy option?
I would be most interested to hear why these were excluded from the list and if a revision of the list could be posted?
To my mind there are some things missing from this list and I wanted to understand the rationale for their exclusion, or to request amendment to the list if it is agreed that they have been omitted in error.
I should declare an interest here. I own the army for use under Gush and Tercio (indeed it is probably my longest serving 15mm army) that I am rebasing and I have some figures I could not use under FoGR as per the current list. However my question/objection is (mostly) based upon historical accuracy. I will also state that Oman is my source for this.
The things I believe missing are:
1, Gendarmes. I believe that a BG of 0-2 Gendarmes FA, Ave (or possibly superior though I would not stake my reputation on that), Heavy Lancers (Light Lancers MIGHT be a viable interpretation), Swordsmen is required. Oman page 336 states that in Henry's army for France in 1544 had "indentures for a body of heavy cavalry... 121 men-at-arms, each with footman attendant", and "Probably these, together with the King's 'Gentlemen Pensioners'... may have been almost the only units of fully armd cavalry in the army....a few individual men-at-arms... not attributed to any unit" This is after listing the Demi-Lancers and the light horse. Oman is quoting from the Calendar of State Papers Domestic. Given that the total horse was 4,000 and "there may have been over 2000 - the rest of the 4000 mounted... being the archers on horsenback and arquebusiers on horseback, who were not really cavalry at all", these two make up about 10% of the mounted arm. The maximum English mounted is 20 bases so a 2 base BG option is justified, even if just a special campaign option.
2, an English Arquebus unit. Oman on page 333 lists the number of arquebus armed men in various contingents, coming to the the conclusion "It would seem doubtful wheather in the whole 28,000 foot... there can have been anything like 2000 men with firearms." Henry hired 4 companies of contenential arquebusiers who may have been 2/3rd of the shot in the army. If the English shot were perhaps 1,400 strong, that would be 5% of the foot. Oman, page 336 "it would seem that many of the arquebusiers may have been mustered into seperate companies" I would say that again there should be an option for a BG of 0-4 MF, Unarmoured, Ave (or Poor if militia) Arquebus. On page 335 Oman records "with 1500 men. This Monday the shooting was very hot on both sides." The 6 captains listed are all English so it is not an unreasonable number of shot. Again this could be a special campaign option but Oman again indicates that 5% of Somerset's foot for Pinkie was English Shot.
3, Heavy guns. Oman records on page 362 Somerest deploying "heavy guns". Why, given Henry's noted interest in modern artillery does the list not include any even if just a Medium/Heavy option?
I would be most interested to hear why these were excluded from the list and if a revision of the list could be posted?