Breitenfeld

Catholic League-Imperial Army

CinC: Lieutenant-General Count Jean T’Serclaus, Baron of Tilly

Command General

Right Wing Furstenberg

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Imperial Infantry Tercio Veteran 1 12 p/S

League Horse Caracole Regular 3 5,9,9 S

Imperial Cuirassier Caracole Regular 1 4 S

Imperial Arquebusier Caracole Regular 1 6 S

Croats Skirmish Regular 2 4,5 S

Command General

Centre Schonberg

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

League Infantry Tercio Veteran 2 20 – 24 P/s

League Infantry Tercio Regular 3 20 - 22 P/s

Imperial Infantry Tercio Veteran 3 10,11,11 p/S

Imperial Infantry Tercio Regular 4 9,9,9,20 p/S

Demicannon Artillery Regular 3 4 S

Demiculverin Artillery Regular 2 2 S

Falcon Artillery Regular 4 4 S

Command General

Left Wing Pappenheim

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Imperial Infantry Tercio Veteran 1 15 p/S

Imperial Cuirassier Caracole Veteran 3 5,6 S

Imperial Cuirassier Caracole Regular 2 4,5,5 S

Imperial Arquebusier Caracole Regular 2 5, 8 S

Command General

Reserve Erwitte

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Life Guard Horse Caracole Guard 1 3 S

League Horse Caracole Regular 1 4 S

Imperial Cuirassier Caracole Regular 1 4 S

Imperial Arquebusier Caracole Regular 3 4 S

Swedish-Saxon Army

CinC: Gustav Adolf Vasa, King of Sweden and Finland

Command General

Right Wing Gustavus

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Detached Musketeer Regiment Veteran 4 3 S

Finnish Horse Galloper Veteran 2 4 S

Swedish Horse Trotter Veteran 3 4 S

German Horse Trotter Regular 3 4,7,8 S

Command General

Centre Teuffel
Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Swedish Infantry Regiment Veteran 6 6 p/S*

Scottish Infantry Regiment Veteran 3 8 p/S*

German Infantry Regiment Regular 12 6 p/S*

Detached Musketeer Regiment Regular 4 3 S

German Horse Trotter Regular 4 4,4,5,5 S

Demicannon Artillery Regular 1 4 S

Demiculverin Artillery Regular 3 4 S

*Battalion guns Artillery - - - S

Command General

Left Wing Horn

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Detached Musketeer Regiment Veteran 3 3 S

Life Guard Horse (Det) Trotter Guard 1 3 S

German Horse Trotter Regular 4 4,4,5,6 S

German Dragoon Dragoon Regular 1 5 S

Command General

Saxon Right Wing Arnim

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Life Guard Horse Trotter Regular 1 6 S

Saxon Horse Trotter Militia 3 5 S

Command General
Saxon Centre Sax-Altenburg

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Saxon Household Foot Regiment Regular 1 6 p/S

Saxon Infantry Regiment Conscript 2 20 p/S

Saxon Infantry Regiment Militia 3 20 p/S

Detached Musketeer Regiment Regular 2 3 S

Demiculverin Artillery Regular 2 4 S

Falcon Artillery Regular 2 4 S

Command General

Saxon Left Wing Bindauf

Unit Type Tactic Grade No. of Units Strength Weapon

Saxon Horse Trotter Conscript 5 5,6,6,6,6 S

Breitenfeld

September 17, 1631

The Battle

The Objective : The Swedish army rapidly approached the Catholic forces in an attempt to destroy it,
in the first major pitched battle between the two sides.

The Outcome : A lengthy bombardment commenced at noon and after several hours Pappenheim
and Furstenberg’s wings engaged their opponents. Pappenheim’s force was rebelled by the musket
fire from Swedish detachments. After two hours of attacking, Pappenheim’s cuirassiers were
exhausted and were swept away by a Swedish counter-attack of fresh cavalry. On the opposite flank
the Saxon army rapidly collapsed in the face of the Catholic advance. Tilly ordered his tercio’s from the
centre to support the attack on his right. Horn repositioned his force, pulling it back at an angle to meet
the new threat following the collapse of the Saxons. Unfortunately for Tilly his attack did not fall as one
blow and was disrupted by the terrain and limited counter-attacks. The fighting continued for several
more hours but the Catholic forces were eventually broken, Tilly narrowly escaped death and left the
battlefield badly wounded.