New Model Army

The New Modelled Army of Parliament was a reaction to the indecisiveness of Parliamentary commanders throughout the early war. The Self Denying Ordinance (3^rd April 1645) overhauled the old guard of officers and allowed radical changes to be made in organisation, recruitment and training of the parliamentary forces. This was certainly not a superhuman army however; the men were pulled together from existing regiments, Royalist deserters and raw recruits.

They were highly motivated, and quickly well-equipped and trained. They proved to be more than a match for their Royalist and later Scots Covenanter opponents. From 1646 they were issued with their red uniforms across all the regiments in the army. The New Model Army was the precursor to the legendary British Redcoat.