Is there any firm scholarly evidence about how MacColla's Irish were actually organised/armed?

My own gaming experience is somewhat shaped by their depiction under Gush's 1970's WRG Rennaisence rules as exclusively salvo firing troops who then used a version of the "highland charge". I remember someone having an army centred around them which seemed nigh on untouchable at the time, though the owner, like Montrose, really knew how to use them.

More recent material tends to suggest that they had at least some pike armed foot along the lines of "conventional" ECW pike and shot units i.e. 1/3 pikes 2/3 shot but were overall pretty experienced/veteran troops.

I have several of Stuart Reid's books about Scots ECW armies (well when I get them back from someone who has had them for a while now).

Any suggestions on how the Irish might be depicted? Yes I have seen the WWAE thread with the Alford scenario.

Cheers

Stuart Reid's books are widely seen as the best around at the moment. I happen to know that there is also another good one on the way but I am not sure of the details or if this will change the view.

I think all now agree that in short the Irish are standard ECW style pike and shot units. Probably on the high end of the musketeers to pike ratio, so 1 pike to 2 or 3 muskets. They are very experienced troops and well led. They can salvo but salvo firing is not thought as important now. Similarly they liked to charge but this was common and they were not particularly better at it than another unit of the same quality. So all in all they are just very good standard ECW units.

Quote from: Hwiccee on 18 June 2014, 08:09:02 PM
Stuart Reid's books are widely seen as the best around at the moment. I happen to know that there is also another good one on the way but I am not sure of the details or if this will change the view.

I think all now agree that in short the Irish are standard ECW style pike and shot units. Probably on the high end of the musketeers to pike ratio, so 1 pike to 2 or 3 muskets. They are very experienced troops and well led. They can salvo but salvo firing is not thought as important now. Similarly they liked to charge but this was common and they were not particularly better at it than another unit of the same quality. So all in all they are just very good standard ECW units.

OK about what I thought - thanks for the reply Hwiccee

cheers