Typically, the Emperor found himself almost without an army at the outset, and had to borrow 25,000 mercenaries under Count Tilly from Bavaria and the Catholic League. To these and their successors were added in 1625 the first ’private army’ raised under contract by the extraordinary and enigmatic Czech, Wallenstein, who earned wealth, a dukedom and finally assassination from his career as private-enterprise general and military entrepreneur.
Troop types and organisation at this period were fairly standardised, though Wallenstein’s armies were better dressed and possibly more uniformed (being supplied with clothing from Wallenstein’s own workshops) than those of Tilly (a believer in ’a ragged soldier and a bright musket’).
Some of Wallenstein’s regiments at least were identified by coat colour, but it was still necessary to wear a red sash ora scrap of red cloth since there was certainly no army uniform.
Infantry would be pikemen in corselet and perhaps tassets, or musketeers with at the most a helmet and buff coat for protection, in a ratio of about 2:3 (though a Bavarian ordnance of 1634 lays down a 1:2 ratio and the trend was probably in that direction).
Imperial forces had begun to be grouped in regiments of varying size considerably earlier, and Wallenstein at least seems to have aimed at a ten-company regiment, though regiments of five, six, eight or even 20 companies still existed, and independent or detached companies were not uncommon. As company size had been reduced to 300 (from the 400 of the earlier Lansknechts), this would give a theoretical
3,000 like a Tercio.
In practice, desertion (often 50 per cent in winter) and ’dead-pays’ (non-existent men whose salaries enriched their officers — universal at this period) would very greatly reduce this. At Lutzen (1632), Wallenstein’s regiments were mostly 500 to 800 strong — perhaps connected with his apparent move toward Dutch or Swedish type tactics, with ’battallions’ about 1,000 strong drawn up ten ranks deep on the battlefield, rather than the
Big Spanish type squares used previously.
German cavalry had abandoned the lance in the later 16th Century, and the only heavies now carrying it were bodyguards — Wallenstein had a splendidly accoutred guard of 200, and the Croats’ commander, Isolani, had a lancer guard. Most cavalry were still ’Cuirassiers’ wearing three-quarter armour and often a closed helmet, but armed with sword and two pistols. An arquebus could also be carried, though Wallenstein ordered his cuirassiers to give this up. Lighter ’Arquebusiers’ or ’Carabiniers’ carried arquebusses, and in the latter case pistols also, and would usually have open helmet, and often corselet, or at least breastplate.
Light lances were still carried by irregular light cavalry, with which Imperial armies were better provided than their opponents in this period. Those whose chief weapon it was were referred to as ’Poles’ or ’Cossacks’, while those whose main weapon was the ’panzerstecher’, or long straight thrusting sword, were called Hungarians or Hussars. The most numerous and important of the irregulars, at least in Wallenstein’s armies, were the Croats. Though their tactics were influenced by their usual enemies, theTurks. these Balkan frontiersmen were essentially firearm cavalry, with a short arquebus and often two pistols as well. They had sabres (slung from the saddle to facilitate dismounted action), and a quarter to a fifth of each company also had light lances, which could serve as pikes when dismounted. They could be un-armoured but some would have
K-l Mid-16th Century Reiters. Note horse trappings, square-toed boots typical of this period, and hats which seem to be normal with eariy Reiters, ‘k’ carries a boar spear, ’/’ has a mail cape and pistol. Note knotted horse tail and metal gauntlets worn on left (reins) hands only, m 30 Years’ War carabinier. He wears morion and breast-piate only (held on by the crossbelts). His wheel lock carbine is carried (as usual) on a shoulder belt. His baggy breeches resemble those worn by infantry. Note leather holder with builet bag, wheel lock key and powder flask, n 30 Years' War dragoon in sleeveless buff coat and infantry shoes and stockings. The musket was normally slung as shown. o-p Croat light cavairy of the 30 Years' War. Caps are trimmed with wolf skin. Clothes are varying coiours, often reds. The eiabo-rate striped waist sashes and other trim inciuded much gold thread. When mounted, sabre was slung from horse, not rider. A large saddle cloth could replace the leopard or other pelt. Hungarians often wore fleece over the saddle. Bridles etc were richly decorated, and red cloaks are sometimes mentioned, q-r Serbian hussars of the early 16th Century (of the type who later gave rise to the Polish hussars). These could be found in Austrian, Hungarian, Polish or Lithuanian forces. Note shield, convex in horizontal section and concave in vertical section. Hats seem to be fur.
Breastplate or corselet, and helmets with peak and cheek-flaps could be worn. They evidently made an impression on their opponents, as ‘krabater’ still means ‘a funny chap’ in Swedish.
Finally, Imperial armies usually included a small body of dragoons, mounted infantry who did not fight on horseback. They carried axe and sword, and at the beginning of the 30 Years’ War included armoured pikemen and officers with halberd, though later all were buff-coated musketeers. Cavalry were organised into ‘Cornets’, usually 100 each for the heavies, 60 for the arquebusiers, etc, though Wallenstein’s were all supposed to be 100. Regiments had five to 12 cornets, but could in practice be as small as 100 men, though typical strengths would be 250 to 500. Battlefield 'squadrons’ would also be around this size.
Among the most famous were Pap-penheim’s Black Cuirassiers. Deep formations were still used; Tilly formed his cuirassiers ten ranks deep, and lighter cavalry six, while Wallenstein, again more ‘progressive’,
Lansknecht in mail shirt.
Favoured eight and six ranks respectively (at Lutzen all his cavalry seem to have been six deep).
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