Chapter 6

Medieval Wargaming

The Medieval period covers the zenith of feudalism from 1100 to 1300, and more specifically the age of chivalry. The latter concept stemmed from the increasing status and battlefield dominance of the mounted nobility, facilitated as it was by the development of horsemen who were both heavily armoured and equipped with lances – the shock impact of a Medieval cavalry charge, greatly enhanced by the development of stirrups (which appeared during the eighth century), was frequently decisive on the battlefield.

The dominance of the mounted nobility was such that their position was enshrined in society. The Medieval world became divided into three estates, each of which had a vital function. Thus it was that the clergy formed the first estate, which provided for society’s spiritual and cultural needs; the knights and their armed retainers formed the second estate, which upheld justice; and the labourers formed the third estate, which provided economic support for the whole. The knights therefore had every reason to see themselves as the rightful secular rulers, since they protected Christian civilization: this self-perception was even supported by literary works of the time, such as the Arthurian legends and the tales of Emperor Charlemagne and his paladins.

With societal values and literary works supporting his position, the role of the knight became almost ritualized, as was demonstrated by the growth of the tournament. This opulent display of jousting became immensely popular from the twelfth century onwards, and the most successful participants even had their achievements celebrated in biographical works. The combination of genuine martial achievements, literary glorification, and the spectacle of the tournament duel led to the development of a code of chivalry, and a general belief that the mounted knight’s position in warfare and society alike was unassailable.

There was however a realization that infantry had its uses on the battlefield. They could for example provide a rallying point behind which cavalry could recover after a succession of exhausting charges; the foot soldiery could also stand and hold strategic terrain such as prominent hills. Unfortunately, the preeminence of the knight meant that infantry tended to be undrilled and rather unwilling levies, who were hastily equipped with spears and shields and instructed to stand firm on the battlefield – an injunction that was not always followed; for such troops may have had reasonable striking power, but could scarcely be expected to possess the esprit de corps that would have guaranteed endurance at the time of ultimate trial.

Two crucial developments enhanced the combat power of infantry. The first occurred when the knights themselves dismounted and fought on foot. The nobility doubtless saw this as rather humiliating, but the combination of heavy armour and martial pride improved cohesion immensely, and turned the dismounted knight into a doughty and reliable component of the infantry contingent. The second vital development was the rise of the crossbow, a weapon that had been around for some time, but which was perfected during the Middle Ages. Archers were pretty feeble in hand-to-hand combat, given the lack of spears, shield and anything other than light armour, but the mechanical power of the crossbow meant that enemy troops were now very vulnerable to missilery – only dismounted knights had enough protection to withstand the power of a crossbow bolt. The nobility were so appalled by the threat now posed by mere commoners that they even tried to implement a legal sanction against the new weapon. Thus it was that the Second Lateran Conference of 1139 banned the use of the crossbow against Christian foes (Muslims, being infidels, were not so fortunate). This injunction met with the same level of success as most legal attempts to ban the use of particular weapons – it was soon breached, and became no more than a rather meaningless curiosity.

The rules that follow are based upon the Ancient wargaming set in their general principles, but use four different troop types, which are considered below.

1. KNIGHTS

Mounted chivalry are the most numerous type of unit featured here, reflecting their dominance in the Medieval battlefield. They move as rapidly as cavalry units, reflecting their impetuosity; the latter trait also explains their great potency in hand-to-hand combat, enjoying as they do an addition of 2 to every die roll. Their rash behaviour did however induce a lack of cohesion, which is why knights do not enjoy any benefits for their armour protection – also explained by the fact that the horses were not protected as heavily as their riders.

2. ARCHERS

These are assumed to operate in close order and be equipped with crossbows. They accordingly have a minimal capacity for hand-to-hand combat, lacking as they do an effective mêlée weapon or much in the way of armoured protection – resulting in a reduction of 2 to all hand-to-hand combat dice rolls. The crossbow is conversely an exceptionally effective missile weapon, which is why dice rolls are increased by 2 when the archers are firing.

3. MEN-AT-ARMS

These are heavily armoured dismounted knights equipped with spears and shields. Their charges lack the shock impact enjoyed by noble cavalry, which is why they do not enjoy a combat bonus. Their armour does however confer a good deal of protection and hence endurance, which is why they only suffer casualties at half the normal rate.

4. LEVIES

These rather unenthusiastic infantry are equipped with spears and shields, but little in the way of armour. They strike as effectively as units of Men-at-Arms, but lack the protection bonus received by the latter.

A glance at the rules will reveal that Medieval troops can be rather inflexible. They do for instance lack any capacity for entering woods, and may never pass through each other. This is intended to reflect the undisciplined and untrained nature of many units. This does not in any way diminish the fascination of this period; it does instead provide a great test of any wargamer’s ability – and those with an inclination to develop their figure painting skills, should note that noble heraldry can look very striking when rendered by gifted brushwork.