tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post3929933713673780318..comments2024-03-28T21:06:50.048-04:00Comments on Blunders on the Danube: Hussite Wars Part 2: Crossbowmen and HandgunnersGonsalvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-5099030651194098032016-07-31T09:45:25.342-04:002016-07-31T09:45:25.342-04:00We don't want to get too far off track here, b...We don't want to get too far off track here, but I vehemently opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003 as an exceedingly unwise and ill justified action that would embroil us in conflict for a decade or more. Certainly national alliances in the middle Wast often follow Sunni/Shia lines as well, but for sure the division is exploited by those in power, and those seeking powerm, such as the former Baathists. Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-9171591374894919962016-07-31T09:29:48.570-04:002016-07-31T09:29:48.570-04:00The rise of IS was driven by former power-brokers ...The rise of IS was driven by former power-brokers in Sadam's regime who had been displaced. Religion has been used to activate the masses to provide them with a means to re-establish their lost power. Various genies that have been released from bottles since the foolish invasion in 2003.James Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17897755636246185173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-50986152937005409532016-07-31T09:19:17.572-04:002016-07-31T09:19:17.572-04:00James, in this case, I would say that Religion WAS...James, in this case, I would say that Religion WAS assuredly the MAIN cause of the Hussite wars (and the dissent within the various Hussite factions), BUT that the other factors (nationalism, class differences) reinforced and widened the rebellion. In the case of the Wars of he Reformation a century later, then yes, religion was often more an excuse then the real reason. The modern Shia/Sunni Islamic conflicts are a mix of religion and national politics as well, with the religious component being quite strong. Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-66243105493993855902016-07-30T23:43:48.736-04:002016-07-30T23:43:48.736-04:00Belatedly catching up on this marvellous series of...Belatedly catching up on this marvellous series of posts Peter, piqued by your report of the game at Historicon.<br />I am assuming that, as with most wars of this nature (including the present), religion is not the cause, but a convenient 'rallying cry' used to mobilise the masses (or nobles in this case--as with the earlier crusades). Was it actually the next in the series of wars, conflicts and 'insurrections' by the Czechs against Imperial/Austrian rule? You seem to allude to that as a major element of these particular wars in this part (and to some extent part three)?James Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17897755636246185173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-63889568179164935392015-11-24T17:50:37.775-05:002015-11-24T17:50:37.775-05:00Thanks, Ian. The Hussite Wars, although fascinatin...Thanks, Ian. The Hussite Wars, although fascinating, certainly were a time of pretty major atrocities, such as throwing prisoners down mine shafts (Kutna Hora - several thousand over the course of the wars - Royalists), burning at the stake (both sides), death by starvation of prisoners, etc. Not pretty reading at times! Religious fanaticism seems to be immune to the actual central message of most religions, focusing instead on differences in doctrine, etc that seem foolish to those outside the debate - both then and now!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-20687651792662455662015-11-24T07:20:46.282-05:002015-11-24T07:20:46.282-05:00Nice units I especially like the mad monks, good...Nice units I especially like the mad monks, good command for hussites , I'd only heard of the 17th century defenestration it's was obviously popular in Prague! <br />Thanks Iain caveadsum1471https://www.blogger.com/profile/02174163740406928172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-83485403181737336622015-11-22T10:25:19.875-05:002015-11-22T10:25:19.875-05:00That's the idea; pus almost all of the coats a...That's the idea; pus almost all of the coats are in three or four different shades/stains. Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-70881612820732518972015-11-22T09:51:45.472-05:002015-11-22T09:51:45.472-05:00The different coloured trousers are representative...The different coloured trousers are representative enough of possible (OK, probable) variability between units as far as I am concerned Peter!Lawrence Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11626386564817082992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-33648706106487919932015-11-22T08:32:41.585-05:002015-11-22T08:32:41.585-05:00Glad you enjoyed both, Don!Glad you enjoyed both, Don!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-26183788036973346662015-11-22T07:47:46.929-05:002015-11-22T07:47:46.929-05:00Excellent paint job ! And the film was interesting...Excellent paint job ! And the film was interesting, thanks for sharing!Don Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07230631364253238804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-42627863675110524152015-11-21T17:30:13.178-05:002015-11-21T17:30:13.178-05:00Thanks, Lawrence. As noted previously, they are do...Thanks, Lawrence. As noted previously, they are doubtless brighter and more uniform than they should be, but I will plead wargames functionality and artistic license there!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-81554570839365062822015-11-21T17:13:23.023-05:002015-11-21T17:13:23.023-05:00A great assortment of figures and nice use of colo...A great assortment of figures and nice use of colours between the units Peter.<br />Lawrence Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11626386564817082992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-56500498045064558132015-11-21T16:20:46.804-05:002015-11-21T16:20:46.804-05:00Thanks; the "Mad Monks" are certainly fi...Thanks; the "Mad Monks" are certainly fitting for the Hussites; the Old Glory Line has no command figures, so that's what I drew them from.Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-22508519689361100272015-11-21T11:16:47.821-05:002015-11-21T11:16:47.821-05:00Very nice figures...I like the sprinkling of belli...Very nice figures...I like the sprinkling of bellicose clergy among the soldiers.Springinsfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14088330681756351208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-73255577095386822382015-11-20T21:23:12.206-05:002015-11-20T21:23:12.206-05:00In addition to Oman's Art of War in the 16th C...In addition to Oman's Art of War in the 16th Century, which you now posses, and I am confident will enjoy (best digested a chapter at a time only), Oman covers the decline of Chivalry in the 2nd volume of his Art of War in the Middle Ages, 1278 -1485 AD, which, although not without its flaws, is also well worth owning. It includes about 10 pages on the Hussites, as doe Delbruck's "History of the Art of Warfare: Volume II: Medieval Warfare. Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-17682880615478849202015-11-20T19:41:46.305-05:002015-11-20T19:41:46.305-05:00You are a wealth of knowledge, Peter! Thanks!You are a wealth of knowledge, Peter! Thanks!Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-82386901992547984922015-11-20T18:19:06.827-05:002015-11-20T18:19:06.827-05:00Well, the "Catholic" side in this confli...Well, the "Catholic" side in this conflict certainly produced no military geniuses! However, it is important to remember that as far as the "crusaders" were concerned, they were a body of noblemen, well equipped, well armored, and well and trained, who were facing what was effectively an armed rabble of heretics. By their social standing, their faith, and the superiority of their combat ability, they had every expectation of sweeping aside this gaggle of peasants and slaughtering them! Although the use of war wagons was not original (we will come to that), certainly at Sudomer it was, if not unexpected, certainly something that almost none of the men there would have had experience in fighting. They didn't get any better at it with practice, either, while the Hussites certainly did! The Hussites NEVER lost a battle in 10 years of fighting... until they started feuding with and fighting against one another. <br /><br />Ziska was said to have had a particularly keen eye (just one, he lost the first years before, probably as a teenager, and lost the other in action during the Hussite Wars, and yet still commanded effectively even when effectively of not totally blind!) The film clip shows him quite carefully choosing where he would fight; the rapid frormation of the "Wagon Fort", the use of terrain that caused the failed flank attack to bog down in the thick mud, the reserves planned to address that threat, etc. <br /><br />The Military narrative of the 14th and 15th centuries, and even the 16th largely deals with ways to counter the heavily armored knight/gendarme. The Swiss did it with Halberds and Pikes, the English with longbows and stakes, the Hussites with the War Wagon and zealous peasantry, and the Spanish with the Arquebus! Many other such attempts over those centuries ended in bloody ruin for the opponents of the knightly class!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-37439705202240773342015-11-20T17:59:28.998-05:002015-11-20T17:59:28.998-05:00Thank you, Phil!Thank you, Phil!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-28442549090533792782015-11-20T17:58:55.027-05:002015-11-20T17:58:55.027-05:00Thanks, Jason!Thanks, Jason!Gonsalvohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531623280789478092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-23729212391191735132015-11-20T16:24:15.236-05:002015-11-20T16:24:15.236-05:00Great post and beautiful units!Great post and beautiful units!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08913029478686087197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-46458171950705502422015-11-20T15:41:36.066-05:002015-11-20T15:41:36.066-05:00For me, this is a quite an obscure period. Intere...For me, this is a quite an obscure period. Interesting history lesson, great looking units, and movie clip all rolled into one! I wonder about the military acumen of the attackers in the movie clip. Both attacks seemed destined for failure. Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170582445870210697.post-72088148085279445042015-11-20T14:30:06.236-05:002015-11-20T14:30:06.236-05:00Great looking units!Great looking units!Jason Meyershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12510878862274931588noreply@blogger.com