Imperial Armies of the Habsburgs, 1476-1534

Imperial Armies of the Habsburgs, 1476-1534

I shall go into Italy and revenge myself on those who have injured me, especially on that poltroon the Pope. Some day, perhaps, Martin Luther will become a man of weight

Charles V

Following his marriage to Mary of Burgundy, the young Maximillian was forced to fight to defend what he considered to be his Burgundian inheritance. At the battle of Guinnegatte, Maximillian led an army composed of the remnants of the Burgundian Ordonnance Companies (including English longbow), Flemish pike and militia from the Austrian lands. The French cavalry routed the Austrio-Burgundian cavalry, while in the centre, the Flemish achieved victory. However, Maximillian could not rely upon the Flemish and as the Swiss would not serve under the house of Habsburg, he decided instead to create his own version of the Swiss: the Landsknects.

The bands of landsknects were recruited by Kreigsherren (gentleman of war) and hired under a contract of employment. As mercenaries they were motivated by pay and the opportunity for loot and soon acquired a fearsome reputation for avarice and cruelty.

During this period, German cavalry were noted as fighting in very deep formation, but based on their poor showing at Guinnegatte, Maximillian made no attempt to enhance their skills. Instead, Maximillian urged German knighthood to dismount and to lead the infantry, effectively transforming them into an officer class. During the Italian Wars, there are few references to the use of German cavalry, where cavalry are mentioned they are usually Burgundian (recruited from the Netherlands) or Italian mercenaries.

In 1519, the election of Maximillians grandson, Charles to the position of Holy Roman Emperor (achieved largely through bribery) altered the balance of power substantially. For Charles was the King of Spain, Duke of Burgundy and ruler Count of Flanders.

For much of his reign Charles V was embroiled in conflict, primarily with France over control of Milan and Naples, but increasingly with the Ottomans and also with the League of protestant Princes.

IN 1522, Charles V secured the allegiance of the powerful Duke of the Bourbonaisse. Concerned, that he stood to loose his lands and inheritance in a law suit brought by Francis Mother, Bourbon felt that he no other course of action but to desert to the Imperial cause. Now in conjunction with Henry VIII of England, Bourbon led an army, which besieged Marseilles. However, Henrys invasion proved abortive and Bourbon was forced to abandon the siege when a French army led by Francis advanced to relieve the siege.

Further campaigns led to the imperial victory at Pavia and the capture of Francis.

Outraged at the activities of the Pope, Charles V gave his blessing to a campaign to subdue the Pope. Led by the Lutheran commander Frundsberg and Bourban. This army sacked Rome, in an incident fuelled by the arrears of back pay, the breakdown of discipline following Bourbans death, and the protracted hatred felt by many German Lutherans for the city they saw as Babylon.

Charles undertook a punitive expedition to Tunisia and also Algeria. Then, as a tired and weary man, he retired to a monastery in 1556.

Early armies 1476-1494

Characters: up to 25%

Cavalry: Up to 30%: All Cavalry choices except mounted arquebus.

Infantry: At least 50%. All infantry choices allowed, 0-1 units of landsknechts per 1,000 points.

Allies and mercenaries: Up to 25%: May have allies from the Wars of the Roses list in Armies of Chivalry.

Later Armies: 1494-1534

Characters: Up to 25%

Cavalry: Up to 20%: May only take 1 unit of Burgundian Lances. May take mounted arqubusiers.

Infantry: At least 50%. Only Landsknechts and Verlaunne Haufe are allowed, longbow and Flemish pike may not be selected.

Allies and mercenaries: Up to 45%: May take Spanish allies or Allies from the Neapolitan list. You may take 0-1 Bande Nero from the Florentine list.

Special

Verlaune Haufe. These were soldiers, often selected by lot or the roll of dice or at times comprising condemned criminals, who undertook dangerous and at times suicidal missions. To encourage players to use such troops with a suitable disregard for their value, these units do not concede victory points to your opponent if they are destroyed, but do concede points if they survive the game.

Further, if these units are destroyed, they do not force friends to take panic tests.

Orbrist

If taken, the Orbrist must lead a unit of landsknechts. The Orbrist is taken in place of the unit Leader. He may issue and accept challenges. He may not leave the unit.

CHARACTERS

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Kriegsherren

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Noble463446228100

Orbris44334422850

Equipment: Full plate armour, hand weapon. May have a horse (free) or warhorse (+4). If mounted may have plate barding (+6) and a lance (+4). If on foot may have a double-handed weapon (+2) or a pike (+2).

If taken the Kriegsherren is the army general otherwise you may make a Noble into an Army General at +25 points.

One Noble may carry the army standard (+25) instead of a lance.

INFANTRY

German Militia

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Pikemen4223321157

Crossbow4223321157

Equipment: The pikemen carry pikes and wear light armour. Crossbowmen may exchange their crossbows for handguns.

Militia with Pike, are a medieval pike phalanx. Militia pike may only count a rank bonus of +2 on the turn in which they charge.

Landsknecht

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Landsknecht4333331179

Arquebus4333331179

Equipment: Landsknechts carry pikes or halberds; they may have light armour (+1), heavy armour (+2), or partial plate armour (+4). The front rank may be upgraded to doplesoldner (+3), doplesoldner have WS4 and carry zweihander (two handed swords).

One unit may be veteran (+2 per model) and one unit may be Stubborn (+2 per model)

Landsknect with pike are a medieval phalanx.

Landsknechts are subject to Bitter Rivalry of Swiss and Landsknechts in French employ.

Landsknechts with arquebus may exchange their arquebus for crossbow at no cost, they may be designated as skirmishers (free)

Landsknechts may take up to two detachments, these may be either one unit of skirmisher screen or a unit of rear support.

0-1 Verlaune Haufe per 1,000 points

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Verlaune Haufe, may have halberds (+2), double handed weapons (+2), crossbows (+2) or arquebus (+2). They may take light armour (+1) or heavy armour (+2). Verlaune Haufe may not outnumber any infantry unit, other than artillery crew.

Flemish Pikemen

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Pikemen4333331169

Flemish Pike have pikes and light armour, they may take heavy armour (+1)

Medieval phalanx

The Flemish disliked and mistrusted Maximillian. At Guinnegatte they fought, as they had no desire to be French subjects and out of a sense of duty to Mary of Burgundy. Following Marys death, Maximillian had difficulty in raising support from the Burgundian Netherlands.

0-1 English Longbow

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Long

bow

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Longbowmen, carry longbows and have light armour

Longbowmen may take heavy armour (+1). Longbowmen, may take stakes at +20 per unit May be skirmishers (free), may take hand-a-half swords (count as halbards).at +2 points. May be veteran +2

Maximillians army at Guinnegatte included 300 English Longbow provided by Edward IV.

Artilery:

May take 1 artillery piece per 500 points at 50 points per gun.

CAVALRY

German cavalry

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Reiter83333311720

Arquebusie83333311720

Reiters have heavy armour, and thrusting spears. May take Partial Plate Armour (+2), they may exchange thrusting spear for lance (+4)

They may count a rank bonus of +1.

Arquebusiers have arquebus, light armour, and swords. Arquebusier equipped cavalry may be designated as Mounted infantry May take heavy armour (+1).

During this period Reitter carried a boar spear and functioned as lancers. By the end of the sixteenth century, they were equipped as pistoliers.

Mounted Crossbowmen

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Mounted Crossbowman83233311614