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Topic: Hastings and development of cavalry /infantry interaction.

Babington
Member
Member # 29

posted 10-18-2000 07:29 AM

hello guys and gals
you are probably getting a lot of info about the battle of Hastings from the destrier site or the re-enactment web ring.one of the messages we recieved was the lack of cavalry /infantry engagment i think this would be an excellant topic although perhaps in a different forum.To all those U.s.riders at hastings well done you had a dirty job and you did it well. Not easy to jump on a strange horse and atttempt to put through a saxon shield wall,but we did!!!
for myself I led a conroi so any first hand info you want on the battle just shout up,the main reason is though there are many rules and regs about cavalry/infantry fighting the thing being in the correct training of horses and footsoldiers it takes time !!I will e-mail some of our stuff to any interested parties
Regards to all Dominic

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Dom

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Buran
Member
Member # 37

posted 10-18-2000 01:02 PM

Dom:

Talk on! How do you handle arrows?

How do you "kill" from horseback?

???

Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Babington
Member
Member # 29

posted 10-20-2000 10:57 AM

Hi Buran,it`s a tricky one,as for arrows archers do not usually loose when cavalry charge infantry during re-enactment shows,neither are mean`t to flat shoot at people so battle scripts do become important.
The ground is cleared of arrows before a charge as much to save the arrows from damage as the horses.In the uk fletched arrows cost $10 each!Incidents do occur,but very rarely.I know that one of my members once had an arrow hit his horses flank during a battle but the horse hardly felt it as the arrow had been loosed at a 45 degree angle and the horse was away from the front lines.
Kills This is much more complicated,certainly in late15c. battles all engagement is pre-arranged with infantry groups who have trained with the cavalry on a regular basis,they are horse aware and sensible enough not to mind the odd sore foot from being stood on.I assume that in the US you have a controlled target zone on your oppponent,in the UK this is sternum to thigh anything else must be pre-arrranged with the induvidual,as a dented sallet often offends.In the heat of battle mistakes and mistimed blows may happen but this comes with the territory ie. do not place yourself in a potentially dangerous situation then complain if you get hurt!!I would like to see your comments and I will field any critisms and questions.
regards Dominic

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Dom

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Mel
Member
Member # 62

posted 10-22-2000 04:20 AM

Hi Dom !

We were also at Hastings, which group were you in ? Were you on your own Horse or a hired one ? Either way how did it cope ?

Mel

Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Babington
Member
Member # 29

posted 10-22-2000 08:43 AM

Hi Mel
I ran the 4th conroi with Pat Bale,our lot were on the left flank not a group as such but a rag bag of europeans and Americans and a Kiwi!! We did`nt do bad considering that none of us had ridden together before.I rode a couple of Janets nags,King a Frisian with no bottle but we got through in fact Ithink it did him good as he normally gets cut from a show more than any horse I can think of.Again he is one of those horses that needs more training,on the Sunday I was required to do the skill at arms show so I changed to a graet little horse called Melody who aquitted herself with a plomb.I take it you are ECWS?Got any good stories?
Regards Dominic

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Mel
Member
Member # 62

posted 10-23-2000 03:31 AM

>.I rode a couple of Janets nags,King a Frisian with no bottle but we got through in fact

Black chappie on the left who backed off ? Did you have a red & yelloe shield ? I think I saw you.... well maybe

>I take it you are ECWS?

No, we are with the First Dragoons at least my son is, I'm just a trainer

Mel

Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Donnachaidh
Member
Member # 121

posted 02-13-2001 10:14 AM

Better late than never...!

The trouble I had with Hasting's was not being able to tell friend from foe when entering into the fray. Having dumped my lance early on, I was able to go in with sword to good affect, but all I can say is I'm sure some of the guys I hit were Saxon.

I was in the third conroi with the Dutch Currasier, the Vike cavalry, and the Hussars de le Morte, and a top time was had by all. Had one of Janets mares. Not the fastest thing in the world, but she went through the shield wall...!

Till next time.....

Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

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