Author: Matt Haywood (matthew.haywood@virgin.net)
Synopsis:
This list is to reflect substantial changes in the Polish army from the 13 years
war with the Teutonic Order (1454). The current list does not reflect the radical
changes to the command structures and troops used by the Polish. The main changes
are the options to upgrade Generals, Knights and cavalry to regular.
Proposal:
| CinC- Irr Kn(S) @22AP |
1
|
| Sub-general- as above |
1-2
|
| Rycerz- Irr Kn(O) @10AP |
*7-16
|
|
Czeladz- Irr Cv(O) @7AP |
*9-18
|
| Axemen- irr Bd(F) @5AP |
0-4
|
| Town militia Crossbowmen- Reg Bw, up to half (X) @ 7AP, remainder (O) @3AP if rear element of double base behind Bw(X), otherwise Bw(O) @5AP |
0-12
|
| Lithuanian cavalry- Irr Lh(O) @5AP |
0-6
|
| Wallachian or Moldavian cavalry- Irr Lh(S) @7AP |
0-2
|
| Hungarian or Cuman cavalry- Irr Lh(F) @4AP |
0-6
|
| Wagon fortress - TF @ 2AP |
0-24
|
| Infantry of the Lance - Hd(O) @ 1 AP |
0-6
|
| Only from 1342 AD to 1382 AD and from 1440 AD to 1444 AD: | |
| Hungarian Allies - list: Later Hungarian(Bk 4) | |
| Only after 1386 AD: | |
| Lithuanian allies - List Lithuanian or Samagitian(Bk4) [general treated as a same Nation Allied General] | |
| Tatar cavalry - Reg Lh(S) @ 7AP |
0-3
|
| Only after 1400 AD: | |
| Serbian cavalry - Irr Lh(O) @ 5AP |
0-4
|
| Guns - Reg Art(I) @ 4AP |
0-1
|
| Handgunners - Irr Ps(S) @ 3AP |
0-2
|
| War Wagons - Irr WWg(O) @ 8AP |
0-4
|
| Only after 1434 AD: | |
| Regrade War Wagons to - Reg WWg(O) @ 10AP |
All/0
|
|
Replace Handgunners: Handgunners - Reg Ps(S) @ 3AP |
**0-4
|
| Only after 1454 AD: | |
| Regrade Generals to Reg Kn(F) @ 31 AP or Reg Kn(O) 32 AP |
***1-3
|
| Regrade Rycerz to Lancers - Reg Kn(F) @ 11AP or Reg Kn(O) 12 AP |
***4-10
|
| Regrade Czeladz to Men of the Volley - Reg Cv(O) @ 8AP |
***4-12
|
|
Replace Town militia Crossbowmen with: Town/Mercenary Crossbowmen - Reg Bw, up to half (X) @ 7AP, remainder (O) @3AP if rear element of double base behind Bw(X), otherwise Bw(O) @5AP |
0-16
|
| 1471 to 1474 AD: | |
| Bohemian Allies- List Hussite(Bk4) | |
| * if any Irregular Rycerz or Czeladz are used after 1454 the minimum 7 Rycerz must be fielded as Irr Kn(O) and the minimum 9 Czeladz must be fielded as Irr Cv(O). They may only be fielded if the King is the CinC. | |
| ** If regular WWg(O) are fielded Handgunners must be upgraded to regular. | |
| *** If any regular mounted, except Tatars are used, CinC must be upgraded. | |
| Note for the purposes of same Nation reliability and swapping sides a Lithuanian ally counts a Lithuanian or Later Polish army as a same Nation. | |
| Regular Knights and General's must all be graded the same. |
Justification:
| Lithuanian allies - List Lithuanian or Samagitian(Bk4) [general treated as a same Nation Allied General] |
Inclusion of Lithuanian allied troops in Polish armies was normal but relations between the two Countries at the time was not cordial. Lithuanian Nobles refused to assist the Polish in the 13 Years war and revolted two years previously. There is however justification for allied contingents being classed as same Nation so may not swap sides except in a civil war.
| Regrade War Wagons to - Reg WWg(O) @ 10AP |
All/0
|
|
Replace Handgunners: Handgunners - Reg Ps(S) @ 3AP |
**0-4
|
| ** If regular WWg(O) are fielded Handgunners must be upgraded to regular. |
Post Hussite wars Poland employed Czech mercenary infantry in preference to all others, specifically for their Tabors and for their handgunners. The ex-Hussite troops were sufficiently disciplined to be classed as regular.
(Spieralski,Jan Tarnowski)
| Regrade Generals to Reg Kn(F) @ 31 AP |
***1-3
|
| Regrade Rycerz to Lancers - Reg Kn(F) @ 11AP |
***4-10
|
| Regrade Czeladz to Men of the Volley - Reg Cv(O) @ 8AP |
***4-12
|
This provides the option for the professional army that emerged in the later 15 Century, although smaller than the General Levy army it was by far more effective. The current list does not, in my opinion, offer a viable list for fighting Moldavian, Russian or Tatar armies, which were the main enemies of the later period. Regular Generals and troops allows for rapid and disciplined movement. I personally prefer KN(F) option for the lancers as their equipment was not as heavy as their Western contemporaries and better reflects the manoeuvrability of the army. Reg Kn(O) is also included as an alternative as there is no detailed evidence on how much more manouverable Polish Lancers were to Western Knights. The men of the volley are harder to categorise. However given that the usual interpretation of mounted crossbow is cv(I), The mix of Lancers and Cb in these units makes Cv(O) a reasonable option. This is particularly apt as the usual tactic was a volley then a charge. The compulsory Reg general represents the Polish Crown's appointment of a Crown Hetman of mercenaries, this post only became a permanent feature in 1503 but the office existed in the 15 Century, usually only during a war.
(Spieralski,Jan Tarnowski,Sven Ekdah,Andrej Nadolski,Kuczynski,Ekdahl)
|
Replace Town militia Crossbowmen with: Town/Mercenary Crossbowmen - Reg Bw, up to half (X) @ 7AP, remainder (O) @3AP if rear element of double base behind Bw(X), otherwise Bw(O) @5AP |
0-16
|
Ex Teutonic Order Towns provided additional forces to the Polish army and Mercenary foot were hired in greater numbers. Foot became a proportionally greater part of the army, still secondary but providing closer support.
(Spieralski,Jan Tarnowski)
| * if any Irregular Rycerz or Czeladz are used after 1454 the minimum 7 Rycerz must be fielded as Irr Kn(O) and the minimum 9 Czeladz must be fielded as Irr Cv(O). They may only be fielded if the King is the CinC. |
This represents the General Levy, which was only called once in 1497. Part of the agreement of 1454 was that the Levy had to be commanded by the King. I don't think this justifies making all of them part of the CinC's command though.
(Spieralski,Jan Tarnowski)
| *** If any regular mounted, except Tatars are used, CinC must be upgraded. |
Reg CinC represents The King with the Crown Hetman or the Hetman on his own. The minimum's of cavalry are arbitrary for both as the actual mix could vary considerably but on a whole the total would have been less due to the smaller sizes of the armies.
(Spieralski,Jan Tarnowski)
| Bohemian Allies- List Hussite(Bk4) |
Between 1471 and 74 King Casimir of Poland supported his son Wladislaus, King of Bohemia against Hungary. On two seperate occasions joint armies of Polish and Bohemian troops campaigned together.
( The Realm of St
Stephen. Chronica Hungarorum ,
Historia Pannonica sive Hungaricarum rerum decades IV et dimidia)
References and Sources
Primary Sources
Jan Tarnowski's Consilium Rationalis Bellicae
Ioan Thuroczi, Chronica Hungarorum 1488
Bonfinius, Historia Pannonica sive Hungaricarum rerum decades IV et dimidia
( Pal Engel, The
Realm of St Stephen. Ioan Thuroczi, Chronica Hungarorum 1488
Historia Pannonica sive Hungaricarum rerum decades IV et dimidia- Bonfinius)
Other Sources and references
Spieralski, the art of war 1454-1562
Pal Engel, The Realm of St Stephen
Sven Ekdahl, Die
"Flucht der Litauer" in der Schlacht bei Tannenberg in
Lietuviu Kulturos Institutas (Lampertheim 1999), 147-167,
Andrej Nadolski,
Grunwald, Problemy Wybrane
(Olsztyn Wybrane, 1990), 49-69, 106-115,
Kuczynski, Wielka Wojna (Warsaw 1960), 235-267,
Ekdahl, Die Schacht bei Tannenberg (Berlin 1982), 70f)
The Spieralski source is available as a PDF download in the file area of the Tabulae_Novae_Exercituum .