Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Death and The Landsknecht - Pike Block Upgrades

If I understand the rules in the new supplement correctly, I was able to add another 30-man pike block for a total of 8 blocks. Using the Arquebusiers and Swordsmen Forward! tactical upgrades special rules, I added two-each zweihander swordsmen and arquebusiers to 6 of the blocks (only had 12 zweihanders on hand - pardon the pun). I may add some to the other two units - one a Swiss block and the other the Black Band. Hopefully, this is how the author intended these upgrades to be used. I also arranged the pikemen wearing armor to the ranks immediately behind the first rank for the Armored Front Ranks special rule. Here are the 6 blocks with the arquebusiers and swordsmen, along with the leader and musician, in the front ranks.



Here are excerpts from the supplement of the special rules mentioned above.

The Swiss army list allows for the same upgrades. I have enough arquebusiers for the separate units to be deployed in Battle Line. I didn't see a provision for separate swordsmen units in the German lists.
Here's a picture of the 8 pike blocks - before I swapped out the arquebusiers for swordsmen.
I have to say that I was happy I based the figures individually. 

6 comments:

  1. Oh my!!!!! What a FANTASTIC Landsknecht collection!

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Michal. Really appreciate it. Kind regards, Dean

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  2. Well Dean, they do certainly look the part, that's for sure! If the upgrades are there, you might as well paint up the figures for them, doesn't mean you have to use it in every game, it sounds like it'll make a change in the gameplay.

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  3. Having watched the collection grow, I am greatly amazed by the whole enchilada shown at once. Wonderful work. I would play the blocks with upgrades as you want to try them out. War was chaotic in the day.

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  4. Awesome muster Dean.
    My book arrived today. I'm going to use my own rules but it'll be fun to read and see how they handle aspects of 16th century warfare.

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