Historical Overview Section
Like most fifteenth century sovereigns, the Kings of France sought to possess standing armies of professionals to fight their incessant wars, most notable of which was the Hundred Years War. By that period, the old form of feudal levy had long proven inadequate and had been replaced by various ad hoc methods of paying vassal troops serving for money rather than simply out of feudal obligation, which method was heavily supplemented by hiring large numbers of out-and-out mercenaries.
These methods, though improvements on the old annual 40-day service owed by knights (the traditional warrior elites of Medieval Europe), were also subject to strain over long campaigns. They also resulted, during periods of peace, in social destabilization, as the mercenary bands, referred to in this period as Armagnacs, refused to disband until granted their back-pay (which was invariably hopelessly in arrears), and generally looted and terrorized the areas they occupied. The French kings sought a solution to these problems by issuing ordinances (ordonnances) which established standing armies in which units were permanently embodied, based, and organized into formations of set size. Men in these units signed a contract which kept them in the service of the unit for periods of one year or longer. The first such French ordinance was issued by King Charles VII at the general parliament of Orleans in 1439, and was meant to raise a body of troops to crush the devastating incursions of the Armagnacs.
Using the army in ADLG
- This list has an enormous amount of toys, but with 4 compulsary Elite Heavy Knights you are working on supporting them as a primary aim
- Getting over 20 units is a real challenge, 19 is par for the course
- 1465 is the last year your knights can freely dismount without due cause
Useful Links
User-contributed links about this army. Add links in this format:
Useful Links
User-contributed links about this army:
- Building a viable list for this army : A Madaxeman.com Podcast, List discussion starts at the 1 hour 2 minute mark
- French Medieval Flags to download and print out from War Flag
- Ordannance Flags to download and use
- Krigspiel also has some flags for the Burgundians and Ordonnonance French
- PDF Download from Venexia
Army Lists
Sample army lists for this army
Britcon 2022 (V4)
1490
Competent Included
3 swiss Pikemen Elite
4 Light infantry crossbow ------
2 Savoy Men at Arms Knight on foot ------
==
Competent
1 Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Light cavalry crossbow ------
1 Light infantry javelin ------
1 Pikemen Mediocre
2 Longbowmen stakes pavise ------
==
Competent
1 Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Light cavalry crossbow ------
2 Medium swordsmen longbow stakes ------
1 swiss Medium swordsmen polearm Elite
1 Light infantry javelin ------
Britcon 2022 (V4)
1480
Ordinary Unreliable
2 Voulgiers heavy swordsmen polearm
3 Gascons light infantry crossbow
1 Swiss halberdiers heavy swordsmen polearm
==
Brilliant
3 Swiss Pike pikemen elite
2 Italian Men at Arms knight on foot ------
1 Swiss Handgunner light infantry firearm elite
==
Brilliant
2 Ordannance Gendarmes heavy knight impact elite
2 Handgunners light infantry firearm elite
3 Ordonnance archers medium swordsmen longbow ------
2 Adventuriers crossbowmen ------
Britcon 2022 (V4)
1485
Brilliant
1 gendarme d`ordonance Heavy knight impact Elite
1 vougier Heavy swordsmen polearm ------
1 mounted crossbowmen Light cavalry crossbow ------
2 spearmen replacement Pikemen Mediocre
2 francs archers replacement Pikemen Mediocre
1 coulevrines Light artillery ------
1 ordnance bowmen Medium swordsmen longbow ----
4 gascons Light infantry crossbow ----
==
Ordinary Included
1 piquiers suisses + gen Pikemen Elite
2 piquiers suisses Pikemen Elite
1 swiss hallebardiers Heavy swordsmen polearm ------
2 skirmishers Light infantry crossbow ------
1 bidet Light infantry javelin Elite
1 ordnance bowmen Medium swordsmen longbow ----
==
Ordinary Included
1 gendarme d`ordonnance + gen Heavy knight impact Elite
1 ordnnance bowmen replacement Heavy cavalry impact ------
1 mounted crossbowmen Light cavalry crossbow ------
1 bidets Light infantry javelin ------
Lockdown Podcast 17 Peters List
Competent
3 Men at Arms Elite
1 Mounted XBow LC
1 Bidet LF Javelin
1 Gascon LF XBow
1 Italian HKn Ordinary
1 Franc Archer Mediocre
1 Longbow Elite
==
Competent
3 Men at Arms Elite
1 Mounted XBow LC
1 Bidet LF Javelin
1 Gascon LF XBow
1 Franc Archer Mediocre
1 Longbow Elite
==
Ordinary
1 Culverin med Artillery
2 Mediocre Spear
1 LF handgun
1 LF Xbow
Andys List Podcast 16
Ordinary
2 HF 2HW Partizan
1 Swiss Pikeman
2 Longbow
1 LF Xbow
1 Mediocre XBow
==
Competent
4 Ordonnance Knights
1 Longbowmen
1 Italian Knight Ordinary
1 LH Xbow
==
Ordinary Included Unreliable Ally Condotta
2 MAA Mounted HKn IMpact
1 As above with General
1 Stradiot MCv Impact
1 LH Xbow
1 LF Handgun
200 Points Worlds 2019
- 1 LH XBow
- 3 Hvy Kn Impact Elite, included Competent General
- 1 MCv Impact
==
- 1 LH XBow
- 3 Hvy Kn Impact Elite, included Competent General
- 1 MCv Impact
==
- 2 Pike Mediocre
- 3 Ordinary Longbow
- 2 Mediocre Xbow
- 2 Javelinmen
- 1 mediocre Halberdier
- Brilliant General
BHGS Challenge Winning List 225 Points
3 Impact Elite Knights + Ordinary General
1 LH Impact Elite
1 LF Javelin
==
1 LH Xbow
3 Knights Impact Ordinary
1 CRossbow
2 LH Javelin (Elite)
1 Longbow (Elite)
==
1 XBow
2 Longbow
1 Handgunner
2 LH XBow
1 MCv Impact
2 Elite Knights
1 MF Halberdier Elite
Brilliant General
Britcon 2018
234 French Ord
Competent Included
3 Swiss Pikemen (inc) Pikemen Elite
2 Partisans Heavy swordsmen 2HW ------
2 Ordonnance Archers Longbowmen ------
2 Swiss Skirmishers Light infantry firearm ------
==
Comp Included
2 Ordonnance Men-at-Arms (inc) Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy Men-at-Arms Heavy knight impact ------
1 Ordonannce Archer replaced by Cav Medium cavalry impact ------
1 Italian Mercenaries Light cavalry crossbow ----
==
Comp Included Unreliable
2 Ordonnance Men-at-Arms (inc) Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy Men-at-Arms Heavy knight impact ------
1 Ordonannce Archer replaced by Cav Medium cavalry impact ----
1 Italian Mercenaries Light cavalry crossbow ----
Cieur Ordonnance 234
Competent
1 Ordonnance Archers Longbowmen Elite
1 Crossbowmen Crossbowmen Mediocre
2 Swiss Pikemen Pikemen Elite
1 Mercenary Pikemen Pikemen Mediocre
1 Swiss Handgunners Light Infantry Firearm Elite
1 Gendarmes d'Ordonnance Heavy Knight Impact Elite
==
Competent
1 Ordonnance Archers Longbowmen Elite
1 Crossbowmen Crossbowmen mediocre
1 Swiss Pikemen Pikemen Elite
1 Mercenary Pikemen Pikemen mediocre
1 Swiss Handgunners Light Infantry Firearm Elite
1 Gendarmes d'Ordonnance Heavy Knight Impact Elite
==
Competent
2 Ordonnance Archers Longbowmen ----
2 Ordonnance Archers Longbowmen elite
2 Crossbowmen Crossbowmen
1 Swiss Halberdiers Medium Swordsmen 2HW elite
Derby 2017 list
Brilliant Gen
1 Lanciers Phalange Médiocre
1 Partisans Fantassin lourd A2M ------
1 Ordonnance Archers elite Archer arc long pieux Elite
1 Tirailleurs Suisses Infanterie légère arbalète Elite
1 Gendarmes d'Ordonnance Chevalier lourd impact Elite
==
Ordinary Gen
3 Swiss Pike Phalange Elite
1 Swiss Halberdiers Fantassin moyen A2M Elite
2 Bidets and Bretons Infanterie légère javelot Elite
1 Culverin Artillerie moyenne ----
1 Gendarmes d'ordonnance Chevalier lourd impact Elite
==
Brilliant Gen
1 Lanciers Phalange Médiocre
1 Partisans Fantassin lourd A2M
1 Ordonnance Archers elite Archer arc long pieux Elite
1 Tirailleurs suisses Infanterie légère arbalète Elite
1 Gendarmes d'ordonnance Chevalier lourd impact Elite
200AP from The Worlds 2017
3 Swiss Pike Included Ordinary General
2 LF Handgun, Elite
2 Longbow, Elite, Steaks
2 MF Swiss Halberdiers, Elite
--
4 Knights, Elite, Included Ordinary General
1 LH Xbow
2 LF Xbow
--
2 Knights Elite (included General)
1 MCv Impact
1 Ordinary Knight
1 LH Xbow
Peter Webbs Worlds 2016 List
Competent Included
2 Ordonnance men at arms Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy men at arms Heavy knight impact ------
2 Gascons Light infantry crossbow ------
1 Mounted crossbowmen Light cavalry crossbow ----
1 Horsemen Medium cavalry impact ----
===
Ordinary Included
1 Swiss pikemen Pikemen Elite
1 Swiss halberdiers Medium swordsmen 2hw Elite
2 Swiss skirmishes Light infantry firearm ------
3 Ordonnance archers Longbowmen stakes Elite
===
Competent Included
2 Ordonnance men at arms Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy men at arms Heavy knight impact ----
1 Cavalry Medium cavalry impact ----
2 Gascons Light infantry crossbow ----
1 LH Xbow Light cavalry crossbow ----
200 Points Britcon 2016 Winning List
====Competent
2 Ordonnance men at arms Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy men at arms Heavy knight impact ------
2 Swiss skirmishes Light infantry firearm ------
2 Mounted crossbowmen Light cavalry crossbow ----
====Ordinary
1 Swiss pikemen Pikemen Elite
1 Swiss halberdiers Medium swordsmen 2hw Elite
2 Gascons Light infantry crossbow ------
3 Ordonnance archers Longbowmen Elite
====Competent
2 Ordonnance men at arms Heavy knight impact Elite
1 Italian and Savoy men at arms Heavy knight impact ----
2 Medium cavalry impact ----
2 Gascons Light infantry crossbow ----
200 Points
- Competent
- 4 Elite Heavy Knights
- 2 Mounted Crossbowmen //
- Competent
- 2 Elite Heavy Knights
- 2 Average Italian Heavy Knigts
- 2 Mediocre Bowmen
- 2 LI X-bow //
- Competent
- 4 Longbowmen
- 2 LI X-bow
200 Points
- Competent
- 4 Knights Heavy Knight impact Elite
- 1 Franc Archers Medium cavalry impact ///
- Competent
- 5 Longbowmen Longbowmen Elite
- 1 Swiss Halberd Medium swordsmen 2HW Elite ////
- Competent
- 2 Pikemen Pikemen Mediocre
- 1 Partisans Heavy swordsmen 2HW
- 1 Swiss Pike Pikemen Elite
- 1 Handgunner Light infantry firearm
---- - 1 Gascons Light infantry crossbow
---- - 1 Foot Knights Foot Knight
----
15mm Manufacturers supplying figures suitable for Late Medieval Armies
You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site
- Essex Miniatures - vast range of generic medieval figures
- Donnington C15 Europe Range, 36-strong WOTR range,
- Museum Miniatures 100YW & WOTR ranges with nice generic mounted and dismounted knights
- Black Hat Miniatures (previously Gladiator Games) 40+ Medievals, 18 WOTR, plus Feudal/Crusade ranges
- Corvus Belli 30 or so figures in a well-regarded 100YW range
- Old Glory 15's, large number of medieval figures
- Minifigs 2 large and separate 100YW Crecy & Agincourt ranges, plus large WOTR selection
- Irregular Miniatures 60 medievals in a range spanning East/West Europe from Late Feudal to C15
- Lancashire Games Around 30 generic & English medievals
- QRF Models Ltd 20 WOTR figure codes in the Feudal Castings range, plus some additional figures in the LAN early renaissance range (e.g. French Pikemen).
- Tin Soldier 40 C14 & C15 medievals, including Swiss and equipment
- Battle Line Miniatures (NZ) 60 generic Medievals, some noted for WOTR
- Vexilia Extensive Mirliton & Venexia Italian/Burgundian Wars ranges for C15 armies
- Isarus - sold by 15mm.co.uk 70 codes in their C11-C15 Medus ranges
- AlainTouller Figurines A dedicated Spanish/Almughavar late medieval range
- Gallia 21 Late Medievals (a little small)