Page 17 - All About History - Issue 53-17

The field formation Chalice or goose
In forming the battlefield strongpoints that became Each war wagon flew a pennant banner
a Hussite trademark, the front of the wagon and the displaying either a goose or a chalice.
apparatus that hitched the team of horses to it were These were used for identification,
pointed at an angle and joined to the rear of the next as rallying points, and to signal other
wagon by heavy chains. The angle assisted in rapidly formations, possibly when a column
hitching the horses to relocate the wagon and possibly was getting started in the field. The
reconstruct the strongpoint elsewhere. At times, goose emblem was actually a play on
supplemental mantlets were carried and attached words since ‘Huss’ meant ‘goose’ in the
between wagons to extend available cover. native language of the day.

Penetrating power of the pike
An ancient weapon, the pike, along with the flail, was a
reliable deterrent to cavalry or infantry charges against
any fixed position. Its length, often two metres or
more, and strong tip, including a blade, spike and spear
point, could easily penetrate armour when a charging
knight and his horse were thundering forward. Pikes
were commonly used in defence outside the war
wagons, providing some additional security for those
posted to the interior.

Rims of iron
The four large, iron-rimmed wheels of the war wagon
were built for sturdiness and speed, particularly when
traversing rugged terrain over substantial distances.
Repairs were sometimes difficult to complete in the
field. The wagon’s front wheels projected slightly
forward of the structure to make chaining to the next
wagon a simpler process. The sides of the wagon
were somewhat sloped outward to provide additional
protection for the wheels.

Man’s oldest weapon
Large bins containing rocks were constructed inside
war wagons for two reasons. When the soldiers ran out
of arrows, gunpowder or projectiles, they were directed
to hurl rocks at the enemy. The rocks also provided
ballast as heavy loads of men, arms and equipment
were susceptible to shifting and could possibly © Rocío Espín
otherwise overturn the entire wagon.

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