Joseon Korean infantry

[badhabum]

I am just wondering why the Joseon "battle" infantry is systematically "loose" while Japanese, Chinese are "flexible" ?

By "battle infantry" I mean, SSP, PA ...fighters

[lionheartrjc]

I suspect it may be because the Koreans took refuge in their mountains.
Or it may be inconsistencies because of the list authors!
Don't really know much about Josean era armies.
If someone can point to any evidence I would be delighted to look at it.

Richard

[badhabum]

Thank you

I suspect it is because they went to the mountains but still they fought battles and won ( and lost )

I would plead flexible as it seems logical but must admit I have no sources but if I find something i'll give a call 

[lionheartrjc]

No army list changes remember!

[badhabum]

Did I ask for one ? I just was curious as to why only loose and not flexible .

[Doomsmile]

I had assumed Joseon “spearmen” (the scare quotes used to be in the actual list; I miss them ) were classed as loose in order to give Japanese ashigaru (average flexible) a slight edge against them in a head-on fight?

From my (limited) reading, early Joseon armies were much more of a take-to-the-field army than a raid-from-the-mountains type of force in the period MeG covers. Hiding out in the mountains was— as I understand it— much more of a necessary response to the Joseon army being comprehensively Agincourt’ed early in the Japanese invasion of the 1590’s.