TOPIC: [Project] The Low Countries in the 13th century |
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 29th May 2023 09:15:09 I crossed the Rubicon. Aftering being paralysed by choice for a long long time, I have settled on a 13th century medieval project in the Low Countries. The general idea is to model the units as generic, allowing them to be used for the various counties, duchies and prince-bishoprics but there will be 1-3 household units for the various bigger ‘principalities' and corresponding command bases. I'll be starting out with the household troops for the Counts of Holland and the Prince-Bishop of Utrecht. The units will be based for Milites Mundi, but with 60x30mm based instead of the 80x40mm bases. The command bases remain 30mm and 20mm round bases. A cavalry base will represent roughly 100 mounted men, a closed order unit 250 men and a skirmish base 50 men. Dismounted knights or ministerialen would count for roughly 200 men instead of the 250. The numbers will be doubled for big battles like the Battle of Bouvines (1214).
There are enough battles and campaigns to be fought in this period and region. From the Loon War (Succession war for the county of Holland), The Drentian revolt against the Bishop of Utrecht, the Drenter Crusade, the Stedinger Crusade (technically outside the Low Countries but many of the crusaders were from the Low Countries). The Counts of Holland fought multiple times in West-Frisia and Frisia itself and had multiple conflicts with the Bishop of Utrecht and the Counts of Flanders. And then there are of course the various rebellions by noblemen and peasants alike.
I am going to use the Early Holy Roman Empire (1138 to 1440) army list for Swordpoint and Milites Mundi and made a list for the various units and their corresponding Baccus products: Mounted Knights - Frankish knights - mid 13thC Mounted Ministerialen - Frankish knights - late 12thC Dismounted Knights - Dismounted Men at Arms Dismounted Minsterialen - Dismounted Men at Arms Militia - Scottish Spearmen Militia Archers - English Archers Militia Crossbowmen - Levy - Welsh Spearmen Levy Archers - Welsh Archers Levy Crossbowmen - Mercenary Spearmen - Frankish Spearmen Mercenary Crossbowmen - Frankish Crossbowmen Mounted Mercenary Knights - Frankish knights - mid 13thC
The Brabançons, mercenaries from particularly the Duchy of Brabant, also had pikemen. For those I will use the Levy Pikemen from the Late Medieval range.
|
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 29th May 2023 09:35:21 I am starting off with 9 mounted knight bases, 9 mounted ministerialen, 3 dismounted knight bases and a number of command bases. King Willem II of Holland fell through the ice during his pacification of West-Frisia (1256) and killed by peasants. His son Floris V, Count of Holland and Zeeland, conquered West-Frisia and recovered the body of his father. |
[Project] The Low Countries in the 13th century dourpuritan 30th May 2023 09:01:24 Well, Mr Mountain-Goat this does look to be a very promising project and I will follow it with interest. I was alerted to the medieval history of the Low Countries through the History with Hilbert channel on YouTube, although my own wargaming preference is for the Thirty Years War and the Nine Years War periods of the C17th involving the Dutch. A little goes a long way |
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 31st May 2023 05:37:30 Thank you! Ah, yes History with Hilbert is great. Dutch medieval history is quite obscure on YouTube and in English literature. The Thirty Years War and the Nine Years War are also very interesting! |
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 3rd Jul 2023 06:19:42 My order will arrive within a couple of days! Can't wait to start painting. So its time to figure out which noblemen will get priority in their creation. My focus lay on the County of Holland and the Loon War but also on the Battle of Bouvines. The kings of Scotland and England are also on the list, because why not. They will include: |
[Project] The Low Countries in the 13th century Whirlwind 3rd Jul 2023 09:29:39 Good luck, sounds great! |
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 4th Jul 2023 08:56:23 Thanks Whirlwind! |
[Project] The Low Countries in the 13th century dourpuritan 8th Jul 2023 07:54:25 It looks a very promising start to your project. Interesting to see that where I live, next door to Appingedam, was well within Friesland at the time. A little goes a long way |
Standard User Posts: 45 Berggeit 21st Mar 2024 10:47:22 Having been super busy with my thesis and my last university course, I completely neglected this project but in the end of January/ begin February I completed my masters and ordered for myself the infantry. They succesfully crossed the Channel but upon arrival in the Low Countries orders were a bit fudged (apparment letter dropped off). So now they are mustered at my neigbours castle (mailbox) for two weeks already, but the castellan isn't home and our leigelord hasn't been able to contact them either. |
[Project] The Low Countries in the 13th century dourpuritan 22nd Mar 2024 08:33:21 Good to see this project taking off again. It inspires me to take a look at the feudal ranges again. A little goes a long way |