I'm planning on buying the upcoming Red Box Swiss/Landsknecht figures.I currently have the Dark Dream Studios Landsknechts and Cavalry. Do the 2 handed swordsmen go in front of the pike formation? Are the halberds mixed with the pikemen, if not where do they go? I noticed Red Box will issue heavy Landsknecht pike men which probably go in front of lighter armored pikemen. Would it be a good idea to form Dark Dream Pike men seperately or mix them in with the others? I have tried to find the answers to these questions on the internet. Thanks for any help forthcoming.

Bob

Concerning the doppelsoldner literally double pay soldiers (double handed swords men and halberdiers) consider them as as a sub unit. From what I have read they can be either front rank troops, a flanking unit, or the famous 'verloren hauf' or forlorn hope. There's no point in burying them in the ranks, they would lose their effectiveness, but out front, backed by the pikes in the subsequent ranks that is a different matter. Similarly if they can come in from the side they will do great execution.

I have read of doppelsoldner advancing down the field swinging their zweihander swords and halberds around their heads shouting "Hut - baur - ich - kom!" (forgive me if I have spelled anything wrong) literally " Watch out I come!". I'm guessing that these guys are at a really open order to avoid hacking themselves to bits.

You'll need a red flag wielding figure for the verloren hauf as it was traditional for them to have a red flag or Blood Flag (blutfahn?).