Armored Pikemen

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Rob Herrick
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Armored Pikemen

Post by Rob Herrick » Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:05 pm

How common were armored pikemen in ECW regiments by 1643/44?

Warlord makes what looks like a pretty nice armored pikeman, and I'm wondering if they're historically plausible for the southern/western campaigns.

Thanks.
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dashing blade
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Post by dashing blade » Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:37 am

Hi Rob,
Phillip Haythornthwaite in his book (the English Civil War) states that the breast and back armour was popular with pikemen but no so the corselet with tassets.He also mentions that if a wealthy noble had raised a regiment of foot, and had his own personal arsenal, the pike and shot would be well equiped. Plus garrison towns and militia armouries in Taunton, Plymouth and Lyme Regis(all Parliamentarian in 1644) and Bristol and many more (royalist) would have at least enough for trained bands.What state the armour was in by 1643/44 is not mentioned.Plus if you win a battle, the spoils are yours!

n.b.On a side note the book mentions the Cornish Trained Bands who as late as 1645 were "full of complaints and all sorts of distempers" so maybe they wore what they dam well liked! :lol:
(The historical evidence that God comes from Lancashire is slim, however he's definitely not from Yorkshire)
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