 reeves lk  | 25 Mar 2025 6:15 a.m. PST |
Might be a dumb question to some of you. So, call me dumb.:) |
 Herkybird | 25 Mar 2025 7:35 a.m. PST |
I think so. If they served alongside their Theigns.
Regia Anglorum is the go to place for me.
Their armies and warfare: link |
 Extra Crispy  | 25 Mar 2025 7:40 a.m. PST |
I have no idea. But it seems an easy tactic to teach and enhances the soldiers' protection. What's not to like? |
| GildasFacit | 25 Mar 2025 7:54 a.m. PST |
I'd need convincing that peasants fought in Anglo-Saxon armies as a general rule. In theory the great Fyrd could be called up but even that did not include all those tied to the land. A lot depends on what you mean by a 'peasant'.
By the time you get largish armies you are really talking 'Early English' and not 'Anglo-Saxon' and society had changed with the older personal ties between Thegn & warrior becoming more formal and moving toward a feudal system. Before that Warriors did the fighting most of the time, Ceorls didn't fight. |
 Bobgnar | 25 Mar 2025 9:34 a.m. PST |
Ditto to GildasFacit. I do not think so in the time of Arthur. I thought they would form a levy, some with bows and others with farm implements. Hardly shield wall material. |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 25 Mar 2025 11:11 a.m. PST |
I think the idea of peasant levy/rabble is a throwback to the old days of Wargames Research Group. The Select Fyrd made up of land owning, semi professional, warriors, with their own armour and weapons, would make up the bulk of Anglo Saxon armies. I guess in a skirmish game, maybe a raid on a village or farm, any man who could hold a weapon, and didn't just do a runner, might get involved in a fight. Even if he did only have a wood axe or hayfork to fight with. As a general rule battles of the period would, I feel, be between small armies of Professional and semi professional warriors not peasants. |
| Woolshed Wargamer | 25 Mar 2025 12:04 p.m. PST |
Watching the Vikings TV show has shown me that Saxon armies were composed entirely of men who wore uniforms and Spanish morion type helmets. Their chief enemies were unarmoured guys wearing biker leathers and Mad-Max costumes. |
| Herkybird | 25 Mar 2025 12:15 p.m. PST |
I respectfully disagree, to a degree. Ceorls as a class would most likely be more like garrison troops holding Burghs, though if needed, at least Geneatas, I think, could conceivably serve alongside the Theigns.
In a general Fyrd raising, all Ceorl classes might be expected to serve, being free men. Feel free to disagree though! |
| dapeters | 25 Mar 2025 12:49 p.m. PST |
I think essentially that is the great fyrd. |
| Extrabio1947 | 25 Mar 2025 4:25 p.m. PST |
I'm not well-versed in this era, but would peasants even have shields? I would have thought they went to war carrying improvised weapons, such as scythes and such. |
| Herkybird | 26 Mar 2025 1:31 a.m. PST |
Extrabio1947: Fyrd service was based on land holdings. It was a requirement to attend with Spear (Gar), Shield (Bord, Scyld etc). Some few had bow or sling of course, and all would have some kind of Knife/Sword (Sax/ Scramseax).
In home defence, in extremis, any weapon could be used, but not in an organised army. One point: 'Select Fyrd' and 'Great Fyrd' are from C Warren Hollister's early 1960's writings. They are not contemporary Anglo Saxon terms. A/S simply called it 'Fyrd' or 'Here'.
It was to describe the different ways of raising a smaller, more professional force, and the general call up of the Fyrd. |
looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!