Hi guys, I require your advice, please.
Most of the army lists I have give Italian states the option to use 'close order' (probably, more accurately 'order') units of crossbowmen. However, I can't find any evidence for their use in my other sources, which seem to indicate an Italian preference for skirmishing in open order.
Is it a war-gamey thing, or is there firm evidence that they were used in 'formed bodies'?
If there is evidence, were they used in 'formed bodies' often?
I ask because in the next few weeks I intend putting in a Perry Minis figure order for some early war Italian foot (for 1495 - 1500) and I want to firm up on what I'll need. I have already have 112 crossbowmen in skirmish order and 32 in formed bodies (I'm not sure I should have done the latter) and don't want to add more in formed bodies only to find out I didn't actually need them - I'd rather invest my limited 'Italian Wars' budget in early Italian melee troops as I only have 32 of these.
In fact, I quite like to re-base the formed ones I have into skirmish, so fingers crossed on your advice.
Thanks,
James