ECW Dragoons

[ochoin]

I know that they essentially dismounted to fight. But were they associated (brigaded, if that's not too strong a word) with Foot or Horse units?
I have units of dragoons to use both with my Covenanters & my Royalist English but I'm not entirely sure how to use them.

donald

[DavidNBA]

They guarded the extreme flanks on both sides at Edgehill 1642 whereas at Naseby 1645, on the Parliamentary left flank only, Okey's Dragoons lined Sulby Hedges, but otherwise they rarely seem to be mentioned in battlefield accounts. They are most often mentioned in connection with the cavalry, often for raiding, but this is not from an exhaustive trawling of the accounts! The following stresses their hybrid nature: "They were firmly part of the infantry, being clothed and equipped solely for that role.. their small and cheap mounts... were solely for mobility to enable them to keep up with the regiments of horse on the march, dismounting to provide firepower for them in action. They were equally used in the vanguard as pathfinders, clearing roads, securing bridges, essentially as maids of all work. Taking his lead from Wallhausen, Robert Ward in Animadversions in 1639: "The Dragoones are no less than a foote company, consisting of Pikes and Muskets, only for their quicker expedition they are mounted upon horses. They are of greate use for the guarding of passages and fordes, in regard of their swiftnesses they may prevent the enemies foote, and gaine places of advantage to hinder their passage" (This is from the Brassey volume on the English Civil War by Philip J. C. Elliot-Wright page 48.)

On balance I think brigading them with the cavalry seems the most accurate way to use them.

I hope that is helpful!

Cheers, David.

[ochoin]

Thanks, David.

Our rules - 'Victory without Quarter - seem to treat them properly. They don't shoot or even fight mounted, have the ability to evade & move fairly quickly.
We've chosen to depict them dismounted.
The 2 base unit shown being charged having failed a dice roll to evade....


An issue with wargaming is you really want to game within historical boundaries & not use modern knowledge to produce a unit that functions like the SAS in floppy hats. I'll brigade mine with the Horse.

donald