[Mass Combat] Levies in a TL3 Western Europe context

[Anders]

When you call up the peasantry to fight (and die) for you, what kind of troops are you likely to get? I mean, they'll probably be low-quality and badly equipped, but apart from that?

What do you think of a mix of 20% Archers/30% Light Infantry/30% Medium Infantry and 20% Heavy Infantry? More Light Infantry? Less Heavy?

[Rupert]

Unless it's from a place with a tradition of archery or slinging, it'll be all melee troops, and just about all will have a spear, shield, helmet, and maybe some basic body armour, whatever that rates as in that time and place.

[Tinman]

Assuming mainland Europe (not Brittan).
Also, partly will depend on traditional enemies.
(If your main enemy is horsemen you might raise pikemen.)

Based on the troop descriptions (MC.16-17):
I'd be inclined to say (at best):
Lt Infantry: 10%
Md Infantry: 80%
Hv Infantry*: 10%
or Pikemen*: 10%

If no Hv Infantry:
Lt Infantry: 10%
Md Infantry: 90%

*I'm not sure peasant levies could be Hv Infantry.
Trained militia certainly could though.

Troop Descriptions:
Light Infantry (TL1):
Skirmishers & light missile troops.
They wear little to no armor, but may carry bucklers or small shields.

Medium Infantry (TL1):
Fight in a looser melee formation.
Lightly armored or unarmored foot soldiers.

Heavy Infantry (TL2):
Fight in close formation for hand-to-hand combat.
Equipped with armor and a shield.

Pikemen (TL2):
Heavy infantry with pikes.
Equipped with armor.

[mlangsdorf]

I'd generally put peasant levies as a 70%:30% mix of Medium and Light Infantry, all with Poor equipment and Inferior training. Some lands at certain times might have a better mix, say 50%:30% of the previous type, but 20% being noticeably better with Basic equipment and Average training and a special troop type. The English would have Bowmen, the Swiss would have Pikemen, and Germany and Spain would have Heavy Infantry. There might be others and some of these might be wrong; medieval military history is not my focus.

So a 2,000 man force of English levies would be:
* 60 elements of P/I Light Infantry: TS 30, R
* 100 elements of P/I Medium Infantry: TS 75
* 40 elements of B/A Bowmen: TS 80, F

For a total of TS 205, F 80, R 30.

Most peasant levies would be led by the local knights, who are probably Heavy Cavalry with Fine equipment and Average training. Around 1-2% of the force are going to be knights, so you could add:

* 4 elements of F/A Heavy Cavalry: TS 40, Cav

Mercenary forces with Good equipment and Average training are going to match levies even if the levies have a 5:1 numbers advantage. Which feels about right.

400 man mercenary company:
* 20 elements of G/A Heavy Infantry: TS 120
* 10 elements of G/A Bowmen: TS 30, F
* 5 elements of G/A Light Infantry: TS 15, R
* 5 elements of F/A Heavy Cavalry: TS 50, Cav

[Donny Brook]

I think most earlier replies are rather optimistic. They sound more like a town or county militia.

There may be some times and places where the levy gets called up for 'training' during peace time and has some identity between callups. In these cases there may be a stock of spears to hand out and there may be experienced or stronger individuals who act as corporals and have a helm and torso armor they keep at home.

Most of the time there will be no such organization and the men will bring whatever makeshift weapons and protection they happen to have on hand (farm and hunting tools). They will be marshalled by whatever armsman the lord can spare from the foot soldiery, probably a grizzled or disabled veteran. Quality will be terrible. The tendency to cluster together will make them sort of Medium Infantry.

[mlangsdorf]

And that differs from my suggestion of Poorly equipped, inferiorly trained Medium Infantry how? I guess I suggested that some troops are going to be Light Infantry, but that just means they'll throw some stuff at the enemy before running away. Making a percentage of the troops Light Infantry makes the overall force weaker, not better.

[Anders]

According to the Swedish medieval laws every man over 18 (unless he was lame, etc.) had to have bow and 36 arrows; sword, spear, or axe; shield; helmet (iron hat); and some form of torso protection, "brynja" (cheap scale or mail, probably).

I'd say that would point towards medium infantry.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Unless it's from a place with a tradition of archery or slinging, it'll be all melee troops, and just about all will have a spear, shield, helmet, and maybe some basic body armour, whatever that rates as in that time and place.

There's also a somewhat fuzzy line between Light Infantry and Archers. Light Infantry includes many troops that fight exclusively at range (if they could help it), but don't loose their shots in massed volleys, such as the Greek toxotai.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Anders

When you call up the peasantry to fight (and die) for you, what kind of troops are you likely to get? I mean, they'll probably be low-quality and badly equipped, but apart from that?

What do you think of a mix of 20% Archers/30% Light Infantry/30% Medium Infantry and 20% Heavy Infantry? More Light Infantry? Less Heavy?

Since you're asking for specifics, if it is a village militia - you likely won't get any heavy infantry. Nor will you get any archers. Since GURPS MASS COMBAT defines Medium Infantry as those with little or no armor, but don't fight as skirmishers, then I'd treat the Militia as Medium Infantry with Inferior training (half value). If they're fighting with improvised weapons, I'd go as bad as Inferior Quality and Poor equipment (.5 x .25 x 3 = .375 points per fully unit).

Now, if you decide that your peasants will be trained with slings and shield and use a spear for close in work - then I'd suggest they'd be Light Infantry who skirmish rather than fight in a line abreast formation.

[ericthered]

The local variation is worth emphasizing. England and Sweden have been mentioned: Its worth pointing out those nations punched far above their weight in the late middle ages and early modern period.

So the real question is what sorts of traditions have been maintained in the area? And secondarily, have they already been used? If I'm gathering peasants, the proper militias may have already been called up.