Post by Edward I on Apr 17, 2008 7:15:23 GMT
The population of England is 6000,000 people.
3500,000 Non-combatants, this includes women, children, elders, working class men and the 1500,000 men which make up the yeomanry, (militia, men who work normal jobs but train on sundays with their militia band. )
2500,000 Soldiers.
These are professional soldiers, which make up the standing English army. 850000 men are the longbow-men trained from a young age the longbow was a deadly weapon with the longest range of any bow, the arrows could cut straight through mail, plate and then flesh with the deadly bodkin arrow. Or become firmly lodged in flesh at a closer range with the use of the barbed Broad-head arrow. At close range the longbow-men could draw short swords or small iron mauls some even carried bucklers making them decent light infantry. This tactic was best used against dismounted knights on slippery ground.
Another 850000 men being the men at arms or Knights who quite often dismounted and fought as heavy infantry, these men at the least would have heavy chain mail, a helmet, a large shield and a long-sword, some would have lances as well and the better knights plate armor. On horse these men were counterparts to the French cavalry who refused to dismount.
250000 men were hobilars the light cavalry that fought in support of the men at arms these men on their hardy mountain ponies could chase down any man on foot and horse, they wore only light mail and a helmet with a shield and sword, and most of them also carried a light lance.
And the 550000 men which were the armored billmen or poleaxe men. Wearing heavy mail and helmets to protect them from crossbow bolts these men were armed with a billhook or pole axe. Basically a large blade with a hook at one end, these men were kings at killing cavalry they could hack them to death or drag them from the saddle with the hooks and knife them with the short swords they used for killing people on the ground and at close range. For killing men on foot these also worked quite well for they could tear a mans shield off. The pole axe was a closer quarters weapon it was shorter and was a spear with an axe attached to a pole, it as well had a hook though this was allot sharper at the point these could kill a man on horse or cleave through dismounted man at arms armor, on the ground the extra range of the pole meant that a man at arms had to advance to attack the pole axe wielding man, he would then be speared or axed. These men would be mixed among the men at arms in a battle giving them cover against crossbows and the more primative hunting bows.
3500,000 Non-combatants, this includes women, children, elders, working class men and the 1500,000 men which make up the yeomanry, (militia, men who work normal jobs but train on sundays with their militia band. )
2500,000 Soldiers.
These are professional soldiers, which make up the standing English army. 850000 men are the longbow-men trained from a young age the longbow was a deadly weapon with the longest range of any bow, the arrows could cut straight through mail, plate and then flesh with the deadly bodkin arrow. Or become firmly lodged in flesh at a closer range with the use of the barbed Broad-head arrow. At close range the longbow-men could draw short swords or small iron mauls some even carried bucklers making them decent light infantry. This tactic was best used against dismounted knights on slippery ground.
Another 850000 men being the men at arms or Knights who quite often dismounted and fought as heavy infantry, these men at the least would have heavy chain mail, a helmet, a large shield and a long-sword, some would have lances as well and the better knights plate armor. On horse these men were counterparts to the French cavalry who refused to dismount.
250000 men were hobilars the light cavalry that fought in support of the men at arms these men on their hardy mountain ponies could chase down any man on foot and horse, they wore only light mail and a helmet with a shield and sword, and most of them also carried a light lance.
And the 550000 men which were the armored billmen or poleaxe men. Wearing heavy mail and helmets to protect them from crossbow bolts these men were armed with a billhook or pole axe. Basically a large blade with a hook at one end, these men were kings at killing cavalry they could hack them to death or drag them from the saddle with the hooks and knife them with the short swords they used for killing people on the ground and at close range. For killing men on foot these also worked quite well for they could tear a mans shield off. The pole axe was a closer quarters weapon it was shorter and was a spear with an axe attached to a pole, it as well had a hook though this was allot sharper at the point these could kill a man on horse or cleave through dismounted man at arms armor, on the ground the extra range of the pole meant that a man at arms had to advance to attack the pole axe wielding man, he would then be speared or axed. These men would be mixed among the men at arms in a battle giving them cover against crossbows and the more primative hunting bows.
