Chapter 2: The Mounted SoldierKnights are generally more lightly armored than it is often figured. The cost for thick, heavy plate armament is not easily come by due to the increasing cost of materials and the enchantments required to upkeep them into viable pieces of equipment. As a result, war developed by the introduction of the horseman.
Historical EvolutionPrior to mass trade routes and the selective breeding process of expert handlers, horses were weak. They were free roaming animals that were not trained or bred for desired traits such as strength, endurance, stamina, and speed. As a result, the horse could barely support a rider yet alone a rider wearing full pieces of armor. These weak horses were generally used as transport means by nobles, scouts, messengers and commanding officers rather than viable tools in a skirmish. But the speed of horses forced tacticianers to devise new ways to utilize them. As a result came the birth of the chariot.
The chariot was a two wheeled wagon in which one to four people could stand upon the platform. It was pulled by one to four horses and allowed troops the speed needed for chasing down enemies, breaking lines, and exploiting weak movement by the opposing forces. The chariot however, was inefficient due to the limitations it held. The terrain needed to be generally flat and free of debris or obstacles. The chariot was a powerful turning point in many battles due to the maneuverability of troops and mounting archers upon the platform allowed for sniping and quick assaults with lower risk to personell.
The chariot also allowed for prized fighters and specialists to be transported quickly between locations to carry out vital tasks and missions. It was not uncommon practice to make use of chariots as medical transports or to move elite soldiers into proper positions for quick dismounts.
As time changed and the evolution of the horse occured, the chariot generally speaking faded away. Horses were bred to be larger and stronger. Warhorses were being evolved to carry a soldier wearing armament. With the lack of a chunky chariot, maneuverability and the terrain was no longer an issue for the viability of the horseman. The stronger, more powerful horse allowed for other tactics to be employed such as night raids, wooded attacks, and generally opening the options for the field of battle.
The most effective attack for the mounted soldier is the lance charge. The psychological warfare played often frightened the common foot soldier into costly mistakes.
With the horseman now able to move unrestricted by terrain, the menacing combat of a horseman grew in popularity. A horse not only made a person quicker, but it added the fear factor. A large beast thundering hooves towards you often times broke lines in fear of being trampled. Even if soldiers move out of the way, the impact of blunt weapons became more efficient when used upon horseback. The added momentum and downward swings supplied more devastating blows and fatalities than before. The horseman was feared and respected, and tactics of warfare was changed again to accommodate to defending against cavalry raids and also employing their own cavalry.
Heavy HorsemanWhen thinking of armies and horses, knights or nobles wearing large plates of armor upon themselves and their mounts are thought of. However, the numbers usually seen are not noble or knights at all but are lower social and political status of men making up the numbers.
In the cavalry of heavy horsemen, Knights and Nobles are often the case found and expected, but the lesser on the social hierarchy are also involved. They often lack the fancy equipment and ornate detail, but they pack the same punch as any other. There are two types of non-noble or knightly men and they are the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Men-at-Arms.
Sergeant-at-Arms or SA's, would appear identical to that of a knight or noble with superior equipment. The only difference is their birthright not granting them the title. SA's are often found trying to gain reputation and fame, wearing unique heraldric colors or emblems, to be sure they stick out in a battle in hopes that they are given title of Knight or Noble. Of course, SA's are also a blessing and a curse because they may risk the safety and strategy of the fight to seek that last bit of fame and glory that they personally need to become higher on the social and political realm.
Men-at-Arms or MA's, are lower leveled yet. They can be viewed as the middle class soldier who at least wears armor and has weaponry suitable for a battle in comparison to the peasants and common foot soldier.
It may be worth mentioning that heavy horsemen are important, but the nature of the horsemen's equipment was moreso important than just mass amounts of metal and leather. Oftentimes, the terrain and resources of the region must be considered when designing your heavy cavalry. Certainly, in traditional combat scenarios, the more armor the better; however, rugged terrain wears out horses more quickly and the lighter armor will be necessary. A sacrifice of protection yields more speed and maneuverability. It is a delicate balancing act as a horseman to not 'overdo' their equipment which hinders their movement and speed.
Light HorsemanSimilar to their heavy armored brethren, they hold vital functions of an army or militia as well. Though they cannot take or give the heavy damage like a heavy horseman, their focus is on speed. Naturally, since their focus is that of speed and maneuverability, they are key as scouts, messengers, transports, and as mobile archers. Without a strong light cavalry of horsemen, information of the countryside and enemy statistics could never be obtained.
Light cavalry generally consists of tribal allies and peasants. The requirement for little heavy equipment makes for cheap forces and easily expendable.
Not only were they the scouts, but they often held other key missions. Light horsemen were able to conduct small scale raids on villages or minor battallions of camped men due to their speed and light weaponry. Pillaging the spoils and resources from an enemy camp brings not only valueable supplies and removes some of the enemy troops, information can be obtained and the enemy morale will suffer as a result.
Light horsemen also served as temporary reinforcements to the heavy cavalry should there be a need for a bit more of a push. Their light mobility allows for wide range of tactics and uses on the field, but they are often neglected by more prominent Nobles or Warlords.
EquipmentThe most basic of equipment used by the mounted soldier was : horse, sidearm (sword, mace, etc), shield, spear/lance, and as much armament the soldier could afford and the horse could carry. Of course, the more money the soldier has, the more elaborate the equipment is as well as the quality. Given that in most battles, the more experienced soldier carried more impressive equipment given the payout of the targets they defeat on the field.
Many horsemen were mercenaries, as it is incredibly costly to care for a horse. Not many armies could afford, let alone house, an entire herd of horses. As a result, mercenaries began to spring up with a horse. Nobles generally paid these mercenaries well for their services, given the magnitude of the damage a mount brings to any battle. With many horsemen being mercenaries however, they often lacked military discipline and only targeted after the large payoffs such as disregarding minor military like footsoldiers and had a tendency to charge attacking leader and other nobles. They sought more money and reputation or fame. Mercenary horseman were both a blessing and a curse.
Connical shaped helmets became widely used as a result of the horseman. The cone head allows for more deflection from weapons swung from above by those on mounts.
A mercenary in your army was in it for the money. They are a blessing because they need not be equipped with costly equipment, fed and sheltered unless it was part of the contract. This saves nobles vasts amounts of money during peaceful times. However, because of Nobles frugal ways, mercenaries also lack discipline and cannot maintain focus on targets. They have a tendency to have their own agenda, and that is to aquire more money and gain the fame required to charge more for their next service.
ArmorThe type of mounted soldier and the money available often drives the type of armor encountered upon these soldiers. From studded leather to full plate, the armor arrangements are found cross categorical. The light cavalry units tended to naturally wear studded leathers and chain mail given the nature of their duty; being fast and specialized functions. The heavy cavalry tends to wear splint to plate armors do to a slower, more formidable attack power. The increased defensive qualities of metal covering is required for the tasks needed to be achieved by heavy horsemen.
HelmetsHelmets changed due to the nature of the mounted soldier as well. Simplistic skull caps and coifs are often favored by the light cavalry while full helms featuring visors and complete facial coverings are favored by the heavy cavalry for the added protection. The problem often encounted by the heavy horseman is that the lowered visor drastically decreases the visibility and mobility to survey the battle at hand. The location of other comrades and assessing of the situation is often hindered by heavy great helms. There is a fine balancing act required to be met by a mounted soldier to determine the helmet type. The nature of the attack pattern, the function of the unit, the need for visibility versus protection, amongst other things all must be calculated when selecting a proper helmet. Many however, have opted for the hinged visor or removable visor to satisfy their needs of flexibility.
ShieldsShields are a strong support to wield as a mounted soldier. The shield not only is utilized for added protection, it also is an identifying marker in the chaos of a battlefield. Distinct colors and patterns often will allow men to know who is fighting and for which side; however, it has been also done more than once that this marking has been played to cause turmoil by falsifying banners to get closer to the enemy until it is too late.
WeaponryOf course, weapons were vital to the success of a mounted soldier. As such, there has been a large range of weapons and tactics associated with the mounted soldier. Weapons are often associated with the type of armament that the opposing force is utilizing and drives the type of weaponry often carried by the mounted soldier. Some of the weapons often found associated with a mounted warrior is as follows:
Spear and LanceGiven that in classic warfare, the mounted soldier utilizes one handed weapons that can strike from a safe distance. As a mounted warrior, the spear and lance have been developed to give a long range of attack which delivers a crushing blow to the opponent without sacrificing the defensive aspects required of a mounted soldier.
A spear or lance is generally couched under the arm allowing for supreme control given that the rider is equipped with stirrups. Of course, lances and spears also have been effective as not only a head on charge type of weaponry, but also can be utilized as a side thrusting device and may also even be thrown.
Long SwordThe long sword was as much as a status symbol as it was a formidable weapon. Being able to afford such a quality weapon that would not shatter or bend however, often led to the sword as being an expensive weapon on the battlefield. In terms of the sword being utilized by a mounted soldier, the blades tended to hold a lot of weight on the blade end making them a bit awkward to utilize. The introduction of the pommel helped in the counterbalancing of the sword, however the sword was generally still heavy to the blade end due to the added power it provided in downward cuts. The impact of a heavy long sword, even if blunted by repeated attacks, could still crush an opponent's armor and break limbs forcing the opponent into submission even if the blade never penetrated the armament of the individual.
Cavalry SwordThese weapons are often referred to as cavalry swords, sabres, and scimitars. They were created for slicing an opponent and when utilized on the horse, it allows to fast movement and slashing down foes on either side of the mount. The curvature of these blades and a lone single edge allowed for more control over the weapon and increasing slashing action. Given that the intention of the blade is simply to be lowered and allow the mount to drive forward, the weapon would naturally slash through an opponent's exposed body further adding a longer and deeper cut upon the opponent creating an often fatal wound.
Though the primarily function of these weapons is for slashing, they are equipped with pointed ends similar to that of the long sword and other edged weapons. This allows for the versatility of it also being utilized as a thrusting weapon.
HammersHammers become popular when the opponent's armor is considered to be heavy and well crafted with durable metals. A hammer consists of a double headed weapon with one end being the blunted hammer and the other having a pick. The hammer enabled the user to choose between a powerful impact and the penetrating effect of the pick.
MacesMaces were popular choices by a mounted soldier do to the the size of the weapon. They were often disappointingly small in size, but they delivered deadly blows all the same. Maces are excellent against armor and have a tendency of shattering bones or stun opponents even without penetrating their armor. Dented armor sometimes was as problematic as the actual body being injured due to the fact that dented breast plates tended to yield laboring or hardships in breathing and limiting mobility. For these reasons, the blunt force of a mace is a compacted weapon but yields heavy damage.
FlailsOften named the morning star, flails have become developed out of necessity of the increase of large, heavy shields. With the business end often consisting of one to four spiked balls on a chain, the weapon's natural ability to "bend" over a shield was a shoe in for the purpose needed. Even if an opponent hid behind a shield, the bending of the chain still let the heavy balls to reach around the shield and strike the intended target.
AxesA deadly weapon, it combined the leverage of a long haft with a heavy, sharp blade. Used primarily for hacking through shields and armor, they had a tendency of being very awkward. By awkward, it forces the wielder to make commited attacks. If the wielder missed or the axe was deflected by the opponent, the wielder would become vulnerable to attack until they could recover from the attack.
Tactical StrategyOne of the most common tactics employed by the mounted soldier is the charge. Described earlier, the charge is best executed with a line of heavy cavalry weilding lances and spears. The formation tended to be in that of a wedge, causing the enemy force to split much like the wedge of an axe striking into a log. The charge is one of the strongest military pieces utilized as it causes great morale and destruction to the opposing enemy.
Though the charge is vital and usable, counters to them are often held close by an enemy. Though they are not always effective, knowing that they are counting on such a tactic to occur can be utilized as an advantage. There mere presence of heavy cavalry facing the enemy is a psychological factor that keeps enemies on their toes and expending energy to try and prevent a charge from happening. This opens up the field for false or feigned attacks by cavalry units which many times opens up exploits in the enemy force. A strong leader can employ these sort of tactics and strike swiftly when the enemy is forced to deal with a current threat. This has been executed numerous times and forcing an enemy to deal with multiple threats at a time is often the cause for mass break down and heavy casualties.