Gascon troops towards the end of the 100YW

[Dave Knight]

Thoughts on compsition of the troops that fought alongside and against the English?

Men at Arms, Halberds, Crossbows perhaps?

[Erpingham]

Gascons had a reputation as crossbowmen from at least 13th to 16th century.  Gilles de Bouvier notes this in the 1440s, so contemporary to the end of HYW.  Malcolm Vale states in his essay of the Hundred Years War in Aquitaine that Gascon foot sergeants were armed with crossbows and pikes or spears but isn't specific about when in the HYW he is referring to.

[aligern]

I suppirt your conclusions Anthony.  The English stopped taking spearmen from the UK  out to France and maximised archer units. I presume that they  could get spearmen locally and thus very lijely tgat tge Gascons supplied them. As you say they were renowned crossbowmen, I suggest tgat anbadded reinforcement for them having crossbows is that there was substantial trade between Bordeaux and England ( Wine abd Wool) and that the most popular defensive arm on a boat was the crossbow which gave a bost to crossbow use in tge area. Also, how do you defend all those bastides? 
Roy