Here's a few thoughts:

The so-called "organ guns" were used by Pedro Navarro at Ravenna and were not particularly effective. I suspect that they were probably very short-ranged. That would make their crews vulnerable to arquebusiers. They would also be much slower to reload than conventional light guns.

Not sure the Spanish employed the halberd much. Gonsalvo de Cordoba preferred sword-and-buckler men for breaking up enemy pike-blocks - which is what the Swiss used halberdiers for. Both sides went over to using arquebusiers for the job as the war progressed.

As well as the gendarmes d'ordonnance the French also had the so-called "chevaux legères" which started out as the squires and retinues of the gendarmes. They were hardly less well-armoured than the gendarmes themselves.

The French clung to the crossbow for a lot longer than the other nations. Conversely, the Spanish were quick to adopt the arquebus.

Hope this helps.       

This is all really helpful - thanks, all 

My halbards were a bit extra as I fancied a pack, more of a hangover from Warmaster I think than serious history! In French service the Swiss seem to have used relatively few short hafts (or anything else!), so I guess as the French just bought MOAR PIKES PLIS! as they were the "best", despite the Swiss being well into "combined arms" when fighting on their home turf.

forget organ guns you want a couple of these (though a bit earlier than the period you are looking at) -

"At Castagnaro in 1387 the Veronese had three huge battle-wagons with three decks apiece and twelve bombardelle - gun-barrels fitted to the side of each deck - so that every wagon carried 144 gun-barrels, each barrel capable of firing a stone the size of a hen's egg. There were three men to each wagon, two of whom could take it in turns to fire salvoes of twelve per wagon, while a third applied the brake or wielded a hatchet. Each wagon required four large warhorses to drag it along and, since the animals were all fitted with protective harness, they were like a type of armoured car."

They never got deployed in the battle and Hawkwood's forces captured them afterwards. But always thought they would be great fun to model and try out.

Would an empire warmaster army be a good start for the period ?

Yes it would but for two things:

a) there are no empire pikemen (but the Kallistra WoR pike might do at a pinch);

b) the beautifully sculpted gendarmes have shields and they are an absolute pig to try and remove.

I have an empire army that I'm currently rebasing in 40 x 40 mm for Mayhem.
I'd like to find an historical use to them too.

Quote from: Matt of Munslow on 27 August 2014, 07:26:07 PM
forget organ guns you want a couple of these (though a bit earlier than the period you are looking at) -

"At Castagnaro in 1387 the Veronese had three huge battle-wagons with three decks apiece and twelve bombardelle - gun-barrels fitted to the side of each deck - so that every wagon carried 144 gun-barrels, each barrel capable of firing a stone the size of a hen's egg. There were three men to each wagon, two of whom could take it in turns to fire salvoes of twelve per wagon, while a third applied the brake or wielded a hatchet. Each wagon required four large warhorses to drag it along and, since the animals were all fitted with protective harness, they were like a type of armoured car."

They never got deployed in the battle and Hawkwood's forces captured them afterwards. But always thought they would be great fun to model and try out.

Now, that sounds fun - and they come in threes 

Yann, if you are adding pikes to WM Empire, then you should look at the Kickstarter that has just been done by Dave of Warmonger to produce zweihanders and pikes in a style that fits with Empire. You can also use Pendraken, I used a mix of LAN and ER  codes.

If you want an idea of troop-types these might help. They're all 15mm.

See, that's what attracted me to the period - it's just so colourful!

For Mtd Arquebus i would try to adapt  ELM 23 - Italian and French mounted crossbow/

Cut the bow arms off of the crossbow and either just give it a paint job to show the barrel or add a wire barrel

I really should have thought of that!! The above 15s look really good. My 15s are based up for Impetus and give a terrific game.

That's why I am trying to resist 10mm Italian Wars as I also have it in 15mm and 6mm already

Oh my god! I have 28mm, 15mm, 10mm, 6mm and 2mm. Only period I have anything like that.