Título: Jan Žižka
Seção: Wagenburg tactics
Background: Jan Zizka z Trocnova a Kalicha (Czech pronunciation: ['jan 'ZISka] ( listen); German: Johann Ziska; English: John Zizka of Trocnov and the Chalice) was a Czech general, a contemporary and follower of Jan Hus, Hussite military leader, and later also a Radical Hussite who led the Taborites. Zizka is held to be one of the most renowned military leaders by many historians and today he is widely considered a Czech national hero. He was born in the small village of Trocnov (now part of Borovany) in the Kingdom of Bohemia into an aristocratic family.

Conteúdo: Zizka helped develop tactics of using wagon forts, called vozova hradba in Czech or Wagenburg by the Germans, as mobile fortifications. When the Hussite army faced a numerically superior opponent they prepared carts for the battle by forming them into squares or circles. The carts were joined wheel to wheel by chains and positioned aslant, with their corners attached to each other, so that horses could be harnessed to them quickly, if necessary. In front of this wall of carts a ditch was dug by camp followers. The crew of each cart consisted of 16-22 soldiers: 4-8 crossbowmen, 2 handgunners, 6-8 soldiers equipped with pikes or flails (the flail was the Hussite "national weapon"), 2 shield carriers and 2 drivers.  The Hussites' battle consisted of two stages, the first defensive, the second an offensive counterattack. In the first stage the army placed the carts near the enemy army and by means of artillery fire provoked the enemy into battle. The artillery would usually inflict heavy casualties at close range.  In order to avoid more losses, the enemy knights finally attacked. Then the infantry hidden behind the carts used firearms and crossbows to ward off the attack, weakening the enemy. The shooters aimed first at the horses, depriving the cavalry of its main advantage. Many of the knights died as their horses were shot and they fell.  As soon as the enemy's morale was lowered, the second stage, an offensive counterattack, began. The infantry and the cavalry burst out from

user: What can you tell me about Wagenburg?

assistant: Zizka helped develop tactics of using wagon forts, called vozova hradba in Czech or Wagenburg

user: How did Zizka use wagon forts?

assistant: they prepared carts for the battle by forming them into squares or circles.

user: At what battles were the Wagenburg tactics used?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: What else can you tell me about Wagenburg tactics?

assistant: consisted of two stages,

user: What were the two stages?

assistant: stages, the first defensive, the second an offensive

user: How did the defensive stage work?

assistant: the army placed the carts near the enemy army

user: How did the offensive stage work?

assistant: The infantry and the cavalry burst out from behind the carts striking violently at the enemy,

user: Did this tactic always work?

assistant: The enemy armies suffered heavy losses and the Hussites soon had the reputation of not taking captives.

user: What else can you tell me about the Hussites and their tactics?

assistant: The shooters aimed first at the horses,

user: What did they aim at after the horses?

assistant: horses, depriving the cavalry of its main advantage. Many of the knights died as their horses were shot and they fell.