A Veldwachter, c. 1540
The Veldwachter (Field guards) was a unit of the Royal Guard. They were considered the best soldiers of their day and were mainly used for offensive warfare.
History[]
The Veldwachter was founded in 1517. Modeled on the Swiss Guards and Landsknecht, the Veldwachter were professional soldiers who led the army into battle, ahead of the cavalry and infantry. The Veldwachter first saw action in 1517 at Middleton, against a force of North African Corsairs. The Veldwachter would fight pirates throughout the 16th century and into the early 17th century. During the Brunanter Civil War, the Veldwachter initially fought on the side of King Willem II and was known for their inability to surrender and brutality in the battlefield and countryside. Many of these soldiers later switched sides to support Karl Van Draak and became vital in ensuring his ultimate victory in June of 1663 and were instrumental in the victory at Grijzestad. They were also used during the Franco-Brunanter War and Carrington's Invasion of Brunant in 1784.
Due to the infrequent need for a standing army in Brunant, the Veldwachter often served as mercenaries. They would be hired out mostly to German rulers and up to 3/4 of the Veldwachter would be under mercenary service.
Veldwachter were gradually replaced with modern units of the guard in the 19th century, which employed more defensive tactics. During the Napoleonic Wars a Veldwachter regiment was assembled to form the core of the troops in France. Upon their return in 1815, the Veldwachter were officially disbanded and many of the soldiers joined other units of the guard. In the late 20th century, parade guard commanders have used Veldwachter uniforms for certain ceremonies.
Composition[]
Veldwachter were organized into battalions of 500-600 men. In 1540 there was a total of eight battalions (4200 men) in total. Veldwachter not only consisted of Brunanters, but also of foreigners employed in the service of the king. Many of these men were soldiers from the Electorate of Saxony, Italy Portugal and Spain, and would later be awarded land in Brunant for their service.