Landsknecht Starter Army

Landsknecht Starter Army

The late 15th and early 16th centuries in Europe were characterized by almost constant warfare. National "standing armies" were unknown, and the ambitions of rulers depended on the mercenaries they could afford to hire.
The Landsknechte were founded by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in response to the Swiss mercenary pikemen who had dominated battlefields for decades before the Italian Wars (1494-1559).

During the Italian Wars, Landsknecht tactics adapted far more than those of the Swiss, and the use of firearms in conjunction with pikes gave them at least a tactical advantage.
The toughest of a rough lot were the veteran Doppelsöldner – soldiers with double pay. Their extra pay was for voluntarily participating in combat on the front lines and the associated risk. The trick was to survive to collect the extra pay!

Doppelsöldner were usually armed with an arquebus or crossbow and positioned in front of the main pike blocks. Alternatively, they could be armed with vicious six-foot-long two-handed swords, or halberds of equal length. Landsknechte armed with two-handed swords were usually found in the front ranks of the pike blocks or were occasionally detached to form their own unit for special tasks and to protect the unit's colors. The famous German mercenaries, the Black Band, included 2,000 two-handed swordsmen.
The Landsknechte, like other troops, used the crossbow and later the new arquebus black powder weapon for skirmishes in front of the pike blocks or as their own tactical unit. They were also very useful in sieges.

Contents:
- 96 Plastic Landsknecht pikemen with command options.
- 24 Plastic Landsknechts with Zweihänders
- 24 Plastic Landsknechts with crossbows or Arquebus
- 4 Metal Officers.
- Metal Handbüchse light gun and crew.
- Full-colour flag sheet
- Plastic Bases

The miniatures in this Landsknecht Starter Army set are made of plastic and metal components. They are unpainted and require assembly. Paints, tools, and glue are not included in the box.