late 15thC Germans (new picture added 27 march 17)

[Charlie_]

Whilst recently reading the Osprey book on the battle of Pavia (1525), it mentioned the French cavalry charging in line, whereas the Imperial cavalry fought in a deeper formation.

[bluechi]

thats not a special german formation. To stand deeper (in waves) gives you more options...more power on one point, more maneuver changes, and the better chanche to make a feint to check if the infantry fearless or weak. its like a little bit of the later caracolla. checking, stoping, shooting....or go into it.

[Arlequín]

I think in the case of the HRR, the choice of a wedge with only a 'crust' of fully armoured 'knights', backed by rank upon rank of less well-armoured men (Einspannige etc), was forced on them by the proportions of each that were available. Although it is indeed effective against massed infantry.

I read that the Caracole began its life as the tactics of Spanish Jinetes. Caracole is after all Spanish for snail; the shell would resemble the 'swirl' of bodies of javelin-armed skirmishers. Certainly the term appears in the 15th Century, sometime before the pistol.

There is of course no reason why the term can't be used successively, but for different reasons; I think snail as a euphemism for 'slow' transcends the language barrier.



  

[bluechi]

mmmhhh it altough could be, that it means to ride a circle....to make place for the second wave of shooters,and again again again...and that looks like a snale.(volley fire((correct word in english ?))
back on topic...i would make six knights and two easy crossbows on the right flank.

[Arlequín]

Yes, volley fire is correct and indeed the circular motion of whole front ranks wheeling away to the rear is almost certainly where caracole comes from; whether you are throwing javelins or shooting pistols (or indeed handguns and crossbows). It is pretty much the same as the infantry's 'firing by introduction'. I would imagine the name was given when they began to use this disciplined exchange of whole ranks, as opposed to the individual action promoted by the training-game 'Carosella'.

... but yes back on topic. I agree the mounted crossbows would be used to support the men at arms. As for the men at arms though, I'm quite confident that mounted crossbows aside, there would be many more Perry 'Light Horse' required than 'Men at Arms' in a body of cavalry.

[bluechi]

The crossbowes take position on the right flank...could see in lots of ilustrations of the swiss books (Schilling...Tschachtlanchronik...etc) they shoot short before the knights hit the infantry to bring chaos and disorder in it. The problem would be the system who you would play....knights,mecanery,easy cavalry....
a good Inspiration how to look german Knights in the early 16th is the Epos of "Ritter Theuerdank"...(maximillian style) or some of the Turnierbücher...for example "Turnierbuch Freydal" or "Jost Pirckhammer".
if you use the perry Knights than take the gothic style armoury.they are perfect for the 1460-1510.