The plaustrella

[mitra]

A thing few know of Comuni era it is the employ of war wagons: they appears for the first time during the XII century in the Milan army.

They know named Plaustrella (sing. Plaustrellum), and are four wheel wagons protected by a "Panthera" a wood structure with fixed falxs protect the wagons and the animals, a frontal shield protect the animals. They was builded by Mastro Guintelmo a famous engineer of XII century, probably freely inspired by Anonymous's De Rebus Bellicis war chariots pictures.

They have a defensive function: in march they run before the army so that in attack case they can stop the enemy the time necessary the army can place herself for battle; in open field battle, linked one with other, they can form a wall at place of infantry. We can see them operate with elite infantry and shooters squad or the little siege artillery, mounted over the wagons.