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Topic: Schiltron

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	schiltron@Everything2.com
		A schiltron (pronounced SKILL-trun, sometimes spelled "schiltrom") was a formation used by Scottish infantry during the High Middle Ages, reputedly invented by William Wallace.
		Schiltrons could be rather small (50-100 men) or rather large (several thousand men); large schiltrons could be several ranks deep and may conceal archers and/or cavalry in their centers.
		Schiltrons were primarily a defensive formation, perfect for repelling the charges of mounted knights.
	www.everything2.com /?node_id=1420473 (0 words)

	Schiltron - Biocrawler (Site not responding. Last check: )
		A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men crouching shoulder-to-shoulder under/behind shields while holding their pikes (long, spear-like weapons) slanted outwards.
		Unlike a phalanx where the pikes were concentrated to the front and defence at the side and rear depended on a cohesive battle line with cavalry screens at the side, the schiltrons were circular with pikes in all directions.
		The word "schiltron" dates from at least 1000 AD and derives from Old English roots expressing the idea of a "shield-troop".
	www.biocrawler.com /encyclopedia/Schiltrons (211 words)

	DBA Variant Rule -- Scottish Schiltrons
		Walter de Guisborough describes the Scottish schiltrons as "circular in shape...[with the men] standing shoulder to shoulder in deep ranks and facing toward the circumfrance of the circle, with their spears slanted outward at an oblique angle" in his account of the battle of Falkirk.
		There are accounts of schiltrons on the move, but invariable these involve small bodies of men (50-100) crossing open ground in fear of being ridden down by cavalry, and are much smaller than the schiltrons represented in DBA scale.
		Schiltrons must be formed as part of the initial deployment and may not be reformed during the heat of battle.
	www.fanaticus.org /DBA/variants/varschiltron.html (621 words)

	DBA Variant Rule -- Scottish Schiltrons
		Walter de Guisborough describes the Scottish schiltrons as "circular in shape...[with the men] standing shoulder to shoulder in deep ranks and facing toward the circumfrance of the circle, with their spears slanted outward at an oblique angle" in his account of the battle of Falkirk.
		There are accounts of schiltrons on the move, but invariable these involve small bodies of men (50-100) crossing open ground in fear of being ridden down by cavalry, and are much smaller than the schiltrons represented in DBA scale.
		Schiltrons must be formed as part of the initial deployment and may not be reformed during the heat of battle.
	fanaticus.org /DBA/variants/varschiltron.html (621 words)

	Schiltron (Site not responding. Last check: )
		A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men carrying pikes and polearms.
		Contary to popular belief, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce took the time to drill his troops in the offensive use of the pike (requiring great discipline) and engage the English host on unfavourable ground.
		In fact, the traditional use of the schiltron resulted in a crushing defeat for the Scots at Falkirk (1298).
	www.kiwipedia.com /schiltron.html (262 words)

	Schiltron Information
		A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men carrying pikes and polearms.
		There are only two recorded Scottish instances of circular schiltrons: William Wallace's army at Falkirk and Thomas Randolph's forces on the first day of Bannockburn; as opposed to numerous accounts of rectangular/linear schiltrons - Glentrool, the main battle at Bannockburn, Myton, Dupplin Muir, Culblean, Halidon Hill, Neville's Cross and Otterburn.
		Contary to popular belief, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce took the time to drill his troops in the offensive use of the pike (an effort that requires great discipline) and engage the English host on unfavourable ground.
	www.bookrags.com /Schiltrons (294 words)

	Falkirk
		The English from their vantage point could not know that where Wallace was deployed there was a fast-moving burn that ran into another stream which made the ground wet and boggy.
		The foot formed into schiltrons, a solid core of spearmen utilizing 12 foot iron-tipped spears.
		Lest we think that Wallace was heavily out-gunned, so to speak, he did have about 1500-2000 spears, a contingent of bowmen between the schiltron and the enclosure, and had his knights in reserve at the back, led by John Comyn.
	www.nwlink.com /~scotlass/falkirk.htm (1522 words)

	Scottish Wars of Independence - Questions, Answers, Fun Facts, Information
		A Schiltron comprised a large body of soldiers armed with long spears (often little more than long poles with sharpened points).
		By moving the schiltron bodily across the battlefield, like a very vicious hedgehog, it could also be used offensively.
		This was an extremely effective tactic against cavalry, but the schiltron was vulnerable if there were effective archers on the battlefield.
	www.funtrivia.com /en/History/Scottish-Wars-of-Independence-14199.html (2553 words)

	Reference.com/Encyclopedia/Schiltron
		A schiltron or schiltrom or shiltron is a group of soldiers wielding outward-pointing pikes and/or other polearms to ward off cavalry attacks.
		Although the schiltron is often seen as a principally defensive formation, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce had drilled his troops in the offensive use of the pike (requiring great discipline), and he engaged the English host on unfavourable ground.
		Tactically, schiltrons are related to the tercios of the 16th Century and the Napoleonic infantry squares, which both used pikemen to defend against cavalry.
	www.reference.com /browse/wiki/Schiltron (287 words)

	Schiltrons (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Although the schiltron is often seen as a principally defensive formation, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce had drilled his troops in the offensive use of the pike (requiring great discipline), and he engaged the English host on unfavourable ground.
		Tactically, schiltrons are related to the tercios of the 16th Century and the Napoleonic infantry squares, which both used pikemen to defend against cavalry.
		The word "schiltron" dates from at least 1000 AD and derives from Old English roots expressing the idea of a "shield-troop".
	www.e-tv.co.za /s/c/h/Schiltrons.html (318 words)

	Schiltron
		A schiltron or schiltrom or shiltron is a group of soldiers wielding outward-pointing pikes and/or other polearms to ward off cavalry attacks.
		Although the schiltron is often seen as a principally defensive formation, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce had drilled his troops in the offensive use of the pike (requiring great discipline), and he engaged the English host on unfavourable ground.
		Tactically, schiltrons are the forebears of the Napoleonic age's infantry squares, in which infantry regiments fought at the Battle of Waterloo when attacked by Ney's French cavalry.
	www.parsnava.com /biography/sdmc_Schiltrons (290 words)

	Scottish History - Summary Index
		The 12 foot spears of the Scots were like long pikes and they stood in crowded phalanx formations -- called schiltrons (pronounced skil-trons) -- presenting the enemy with a forest of iron points.
		Wallace is credited with the invention of the schiltron units (long speared units of men, to fight horsemen) that were later employed with tremendous success by the Flemish warriors against the French chivalry at Courtrai, in 1302, and again with astounding success when used by Robert Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314.
		In addition to the front row of spear points, the unit was further protected by two more rows (triple rows) of the twelve foot spears, pointing outwards, the front rows kneeling whilst those behind stood.
	www.scottish-history.com /falkirk.shtml (0 words)

	Schiltron
		Schiltron is an Aberdeen-based group of dedicated enthusiasts which portrays Scottish life during the period of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce (1297 - 1329) in an authentic and professional manner.
		The fighting section of the group is known as The Black Company ("La Compagnie Noire").
		Members develop their adopted medieval personas, and construct a name and background for their alter ego, which fits with the assumed history of the group as a whole.
	myweb.tiscali.co.uk /schiltrongroup (147 words)

	Surviving Bannockburn -- the Boyntons
		The Scots used a formation of the men on foot, a schiltron, to protect themselves from the knights on horses.
		The Scots left the woods and formed themselves into three large schiltrons with a fourth led by Robert the Bruce prepared to act as required as the battle developed.
		The knights at the front of the force were being slaughtered by the schiltrons of the Scots and their own troops kept pushing them into the Scots to be slaughtered.
	www.boyntons.us /yorkshire/stories/bannockburn.html (1833 words)

	plastic surgery Schiltrons - plastic-surgery-report.com (Site not responding. Last check: )
		There are two recorded Scottish instances of circular schiltrons: William Wallace's army at Falkirk, and Thomas Randolph's forces on the first day of Bannockburn.
		However, there are numerous accounts of rectilinear schiltrons - Glentrool, the main battle at Bannockburn, Myton, the Dupplin Muir, the Culblean, the Halidon Hill, the Neville's Cross and the Otterburn.
		Tactically, schiltrons are related to the tercios of the 16th Century and the Napoleonic infantry squares, which both used pikemen to defend against cavalry.
	www.plastic-surgery-report.com /Schiltrons (435 words)

	Schiltron, when and how to use? - Total War Center Forums
		Because the Schiltron has every man facing outwards, being surrounded isn't as critical as it would be for a phalanx line, and there were little to no casualties from friendly fire (the enemy soldiers got hit in the back, while a stray arrow would hit my own soldiers frontally).
		It wasn't a circle formation, or at least, it wasn't limited to a circle; I suppose if a single group of spearmen were surrounded by cavalry they'd adopt a circle formation, but more likely the cavalry would charge from one direction and the spearmen would face all of their spearheads in that direction.
		A schiltron is basically like a Medieval phalanx formation, but it's strictly for defending against cavalry, which is why the pikes are pointed at three different height levels (to ensure that horses can't jump over the pikes).
	www.twcenter.net /forums/showthread.php?p=1390832 (2440 words)

	SCHILTRON Articles A schiltron or schiltrom is a group
		A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men carrying pikes and polearms.
		Contary to popular belief, it was not the defensive use of schiltrons that proved decisive at the Battle of Bannockburn; instead, Robert the Bruce took the time to drill his troops in the offensive use of the pike (requiring great discipline) and engage the English host on unfavourable ground.
		In fact, the traditional use of the schiltron resulted in a crushing defeat for the Scots at Falkirk (1298).
	www.amazines.com /Schiltron_related.html (501 words)

	Flodden, Battle of - New World Encyclopedia Preview
		The English cannons and longbow men then concentrated a furious fire upon the pikemen of the Scottish schiltrons.
		They used the schiltron, a tight formation of long spears better suited for use against cavalry charges than for infantry melees.
		In attempting to cross, the schiltron formations began to break down.
	www.newworldencyclopedia.org /preview/Flodden,_Battle_of (1085 words)

	scottish heritage - genealogy scotland - clans - scottish associations - historical attractions (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Their charges gradually waned as the schiltrons stayed fast, the front line with their spears embedded in the ground and pointing forward, the rear line resting their spears on the shoulders of their friends and comrades.
		After Falkirk, where Wallace had used schiltrons as defensive bodies of men, and had then been cut to pieces by the opposing archers, Bruce had trained his schiltrons to be either defensive or offensive.
		Edward Bruce's schiltron was being slowly ground down by the English though it was holding as firmly as ever.
	www.scotlandonline.com /heritage/weekly_history/wh25_bannockburn.cfm (3025 words)

	Scottish History -
		The schiltron, led by Robert the Bruce, and supported by a force led by his brother Edward, has forced the English to retreat.
		If the Scottish schiltrons hold firm then the English may not be able to organise themselves because they are based on such a small area of land.
		The Scottish schiltrons have proved that they are capable of repelling the attack of the heavy English horses.
	www.ltscotland.org.uk /scottishhistory/middleages/warsindependence/bannockburn/textonly.asp (1471 words)

	NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Battle of Bannockburn (Site not responding. Last check: )
		In the meantime, another English cavalry force under Robert Clifford and Henry Beaumont skirted the Scottish position to the east and rode towards Stirling, advancing as far as St. Ninians.
		Henry Beaumont, titular fourth Earl of Buchan, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Independence.
		But the difference now was that the schiltrons had learnt mobility and how to keep formation at the same time.
	www.nationmaster.com /encyclopedia/Battle-of-Bannockburn (5419 words)

	BBC - History - A Soldier's View of Battle through the Ages
		The English may have had heavy cavalry but the Scots had the 'schiltron', a tightly packed and well disciplined body of spearmen, capable of moving across the battlefield like a terrifying hedgehog, with steel tipped spines holding at bay even the boldest mounted knight.
		We got an idea of what it was like to be a Scottish soldier fighting in a schiltron through a re-enactment society, although the numbers involved were reduced - a real schiltron involved hundreds of men.
		Sergeants desperately shouted at the spearmen to close the formation and restore discipline, and so the schiltron continued to advance, eventually driving the English from the field.
	www.bbc.co.uk /history/archaeology/excavations_techniques/soldiers_view_02.shtml (375 words)

	Robert the Bruce & Battle of Bannockburn, pt.2
		As the Scots advanced in slow, pace-by-pace schiltrons, the English were shocked and horrified to see that the immobile schiltron that Wallace had developed was now a moving, offensive unit under Bruce.
		This was a new develoment in the use of the schiltron and the English were totally unprepared to fight against an offensive, mobile, speared unit which previously had been a stationary object.
		This was a pointless attack: the Scottish schiltrons stood their ground, and soon Gloucester and much of the best blood of English chivalry were impaled on the hedge of the 12-foot spears.
	members.aol.com /skyelander/bruce2.html (3692 words)

	UK Battlefields Resource Centre - Medieval - Boroughbridge campaign - The Battle of Battle of Boroughbridge - The ...
		The pikemen were deployed in ‘schiltron, after the Scottish fashion’, that is in the form of a shield.
		Soldiers thus deployed in schiltron, like the more famous late medieval Swiss and German pike, seem to have been the precursor of the well disciplined and close order formations of pikemen typical of 16th and 17th century infantry action across Europe.
		The use of pikemen in schiltron was an effective defensive answer to cavalry and, according to the Lanercost account, appears to have been the main or first body defending each crossing.
	www.battlefieldstrust.com /resource-centre/civil-war/battlepageview.asp?pageid=283&parentid=282 (423 words)

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