The first two Landsknechte regiments were bloodied in 1490 CE, at Stuhlweissenberg, against the Frisians.
They quickly gained a reputation for fierceness and professionalism.
After 1500 CE Maximilian allowed them to be hired by others and as a result they fought all over Europe.
The Landsknechte troops were organized per regiment, originally about 4,000 men in size, each led by a colonel.
The number of men in the regiments increased over time, sometimes to as much as 10,000.
Each regiment was subdivided into "fähnleins", 'companies', each led by a captain.
The colonels and captains were also responsible for recruitment.
They kept much money for themselves and thus the troops resorted to looting for extra income.
Like the Swiss, they had strict regulations that prohibited plunder while the battle was still going on and also determined how the loot was distributed afterwards.
But there was nothing in the rules about sparing the civilians on the losing side, who were plundered mercilessly.
On the whole the Landsknechte were an unruly lot: 1/3 died in battle; 1/3 from disease or starvation; 1/3 from internal squabbles.
Yet in battle their discipline was strong, because that was necessary for victory and victory was necessary for their income.
The Landsknechte soon became bitter rivals of the Swiss and proved to be the stronger party most of the time.
This was because they were tactically more diverse.
In the early years they employed "Verlorene Haufe", 'Lost Hopes', convicted criminals as well as volunteers,
who wielded polearms and two-handed swords to cut openings into the ranks of enemy pikemen.
Many of the volunteers were "doppelsöldner", who received double pay.
The sword fighters were supported by crossbowmen who were later replaced by arquebusiers.
Despite the weapon variety, at the core the Landsknechte remained a force of pikemen.
On the march Landsknechte were accompanied by their wives, the "kampfrau".
These took care of the wounded, the laundry, the cooking and everything else the army needed next to weapons and fighting.
The women were not prostitutes but wives; a landsknecht was allowed only one.
Nonetheless relationships changed frequently because mortality was high among men due to the fighting and among the women due to death at childbirth.
Landsknechte dressed extravagantly, making them easy to recognize.
They wore doublets and jerkins, deliberately puffed and slashed, topped with wide berets, all very colorful.
This fashion was born out of their poverty and looting, which provided with a confusion of often damaged clothes.
All Landsknechte wore "katzbalger" swords, which also became trademarks, though they were secondary weapons in battle.
From 1560 CE onward the status of the Landsknechte declined.
They were outclassed by the Spanish Tercios
and later replaced by line infantry.
War Matrix - Landsknechte
Age of Discovery 1480 CE - 1620 CE, Armies and troops