Medieval warfare

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Table of contents

1 Origins and reasons of medieval warfare
2 Battlefield tactics

2.1 Deployment of forces
2.2 Employment of forces
2.3 Retreat

3 Siege

3.4 Siege-weapons
3.5 Dynamics of a siege
3.6 Sally
3.7 Wall assault

4 Organization

4.8 Chain of command
4.9 Units
4.10 Training
4.11 Levying

5 Equipment

5.12 Personal equipment

6 Supplies

6.13 Plunder and foraging
6.14 Supply trains
6.15 Supplies during siege
6.16 To incorporate in the article:

Origins and reasons of medieval warfare

Battle of Adrianople (378)

Battlefield tactics

Deployment of forces

Medieval European armies were typically divided in three sections called 'battles' - the vanguard or vaward, the center or main-battle, and the rearward or rearguard. This was usually the order of march, and the three battles deployed on the battlefield with the vanguard on the right, the center in the center and the rearward on the left. However, as armies grew larger and more unwieldy they often deployed as they arrived on the field.

Each section deployed in either linear or block formation. A linear formation had the advantage that all soldiers could take part in battle almost at once (especially those with ranged weapons such as longbows or crossbows). However a linear formation was easily scattered by a cavalry charge. A block formation prevented this, but the soldiers in the rear ranks would be delayed from entering the fighting (or totally prevented in the case of the French at the Battle of Agincourt).

(more needed on deployment for combined arms armies, cavalry, ranged weapons etc., importance of terrain, and manouever possibilities)

Employment of forces

Retreat

Siege

Laying siege to a castle or the like would usually mean a long drawn-out battle which could take months or even years, with occasional charges towards the fortification being attacked. However, for the most part, siege-weapons were employed. While the siege was going on, life in the encampment was like any other town in Medieval times. There would be jesters, and sometimes whole businesses would spring up to serve the thriving camp.