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.

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.

Special
Landsknecht
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
M
Kriegsher
ren

W
S
5

BS

W A

Pts

L
d
9

Noble

100

Orbris

50

125

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 doublehanded 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
M WS

BS

W A

4
4

2
2

3
3

3
3

2
2

1
1

2
2

1
1

L
d
5
5

Pts
7
7

Equipment: The pikemen carry pikes and wear

light armour. Crossbowmen may exchange
their crossbows for handguns.

BS

W A

Pts

L
d
7

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

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
7

Pts
7

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
Pikemen

German Militia
Pikemen
Crossbow

Landsknec
ht
Arquebus

M WS

M WS

BS

W A

L
d

Pts

4 3

3 3 3 1 1 6 9

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

Burgundian Netherlands.

from

the

0.1 English Longbow

Long
bow

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
7

Pts
10

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-ahalf 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
Reiter
Arquebusie

M WS

BS

W A

8
8

3
3

3
3

3
3

3
3

1
1

3
3

1
1

L
d
7
7

Pts
20
20

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
Mounted
Crossbow
man

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
6

Pts
14