The Battle of Lubieszow, 1577

 

Karl IX made 1 error - opposite to his commanders, he trusted too much the big amount of his army and his reformed pike-shot infantry. Therefore he lost.

Anyway, you have also other battles won by Polish and Lithuanian armies.

Originally posted by axeman Your comments lead to conclusion that finally it was the western system which had better "art of war". Avoiding enemy, using own strengths (defense) and exploiting enemy weaknesses like not being able to take fortifications due to the lack of infantry is also an art of war.

 

Why western? This tactic was used everywhere. The same tactic was used for example by Cossacks (long time before Swedes did it in Poland) or by Japanese. 

And why do you write 'finally it was the western system which had better "art of war"'? I have written about the period until 1620. In that period any Western army didn't win neither a war nor even a single battle with Polish army. 

As far as the war with Sweden in 1620's is concerned. It wasn't any final war. It was only one phase of a long conflict. After this war Polish army reformed and the effect of this reform you can see in 1635, when Sweden resigned its captures in Prussia without a single shot.

 

Originally posted by axeman It would be interesting to see Polish army in 30ty years war taking side of Catholic Union. Btw did Commonwealth ever considered to get involved into 30ty years war? Though I guess that wasn't likely to happen because of wars with Muscovy, Tatars, Ottomans.

 

Well, Poland participated in the early phase of this war. Zygmunt III Waza sent lisowczyks to help emparor. Their defeated Hungarian army in the battle of Humienne 1619 (it was so called the first rescue of Vienna).

But it is true that after this episode, Poland was involved in the serie of other wars and it couldn't (and didn't want) to participate in TYW.