"Peter Pig WOTR to Armati translation." Topic

Okay please be patient, because I am woefully ignorant of this period, but I'm looking at the Armati lists for WOTR and I would like to do a Lancastrian (of course) army and I would like to use Peter Pig's Bloody barons, but neither descriptions jive. Household, Retinue, Levy, Retinue, um okay so which guys have bills, which have long bows, and what is the difference between Household, Retinue, and levy?

I'm open for book suggestions too.

Doc

Retinue troops are regular troops paid by a baron. It's his permanent force and probably wear some kind of a uniform (livery). Such troops are professional soldiers and of higher quality than levy troops. Some retinue troops can be billmen, some are archers – predominant troop types of that period in England. Household retinue are elite of those and probably of better social status and have better armor. They often are cavalry knights.

Levy troops are militia provided by towns or villages as part of their feudal obligations to a baron. They would be of lower quality than retinue troops because they are actually farmers or artisans. Such troops can have some men that are veterans of Continental wars with France and may be practicing with bills and bows once a week or whatever the rules of their local town or shire.

Doc: Osprey WOTR, of course, Armies of the Middle Ages Volume I by Ian Heath (Wargames Research Group – lots of information on liveries during HYW and WOTR). link is a complete book by Michael Miller, inlcuding maps of the battlefields. Great read !

I'll second Porthos,Osprey and Ian Heath are a good starting point. The Military Campaigns of the War of the Roses, by Philip A. Haigh, has all the battles.For scenarios, Flower of Chivalry,by Canadian Wargamers Group is a good read. SAGA pub. also does a scenarios book, I don't have this one , but it looked good also.

I paln on picking up Peter Pigs Bloody Barons at Cold Wars .

The Medieval Soldier in the Wars of the Roses by Boardman is great.

John

Anything that says "Bowmen" fits into the Armati LB classification. Peter Pig 1,2,3

Levy & retinue fighting (Peter Pig 4,5) go into the Armati FOOT classification.

Household fighting & Bodyguard (Peter Pig 6 & 11) would go into the Armati MAA category.

Mtd General, Bodyguard & Household cavalry are Armati KN

Retinue cavalry would work for Armati HC

Hope that helps!

Thanks to all!

Doc