Landsknecht Missile Troops

The late 15th and early 16th centuries were characterized by almost constant warfare in Europe. National "standing armies" were unknown, and empires' ambitions depended on the Mercenaries they could afford to hire.

Landsknechts were instigated by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in response to the mercenary Swiss pikemen who had dominated the battlefields for decades prior to the Italian Wars (1494-1559).

They were then found in most of the armies of western Europe and even showed up in the British Isles in the service of Henry VIII. The clashes between rival Landsknecht regiments were particularly bloody and became known as the "Bad War".

The most striking aspect of a Landsknecht troop was their outlandish attire. Maximillian wanted to leave men free to wear whatever they wanted, and that resulted in feathers, slit sleeves, and bright colors.

The Landsknechts and other troops used the crossbow and later the new arquebus black powder weapon as battle screens in front of the pikemen's blocks or as independent tactical units. They were equally useful during sieges.

The Figures in this box set can be used to represent the Landsknechts who were raised in Germany or other nations of the period.

This box set contains:

• Plastic Parts to craft 30 Landsknechts with Arquebus or Crossbow.
• Plastic base.