Troop types

Knights

In combat a Knight is any titled member of the nobility. On the battlefield they are usually well equipped, mounted on the best destrier horses, and bring an entourage of armed followers. Knights are usually easily identified by their heraldry. Knights are traditionally classed as heavy Cavalry and use the full charge as their main offensive tactic. Due to the low numbers of fighting Knights available in Norland however such charges usually require support from well equipped Cavalry.

Esquires

An Esquire is a gentleman of means, often the son of a knight or a wealthy commoner. On the battlefield, an Esquire dresses and acts as a Knight though often with less pomp and without a retinue, for although Yeomen are expected to raise Men-at-Arms, Esquires are not as Esquires are not necesarily land owners. A Yeoman can however also be classed as an Esquire, though in that case he is still expected to raise Men-at-Arms. Nobles who have taken to the battlefield but who bear no title are always considerd to be Esquires reardless of how they fight. There are obscure orders of precedence involved, but these seldom have any practical application on the battlefield. Esquires in skirmish combat fall into the standard element types. Most will be Knights when mounted, and soldiers when on foot.


Men-at-Arms.

Men-at-Arms is a general term used (in the game) to describe any fighting man who is not a member of a standing militia. This includes the Overmore castle guards and any armed retinue belonging to the landed knights and yeomanry, mounted or otherwise. In terms of pay, or fighting ability, there is no real difference between a man-at-arms and a militia guard.


Cavalry

Cavalry are generally held to be the best troops in the field as they combine mobility with brute force, are cheaper and more numerous than Knights and often operate together. Cavalry are usually fielded with full armour making them very expensive. They usually ride destrier or courser horses and some cavalry units are as heavily armoured as knights (these units are also classed as Knights in the OVZ Skirmish Rules). Other Cavalry types include Hobelars and Turcopoles.

Hobelars

Hobelars are light Cavalry, or mounted Infantry, depending on unit. Generally they are considered ineffective in battle and are used for scouting, fast reinforcement or carrying messages. Non fighting units of a Knights retinue are usually also classed as Hobelars.
Hobelars can be any type of Infantry when dismounted, except Pikemen. They ride small fast horses known as hobbies, from which they take their name.


Turcopoles.

These are light horse skirmishers, capable of harrasing an enemy from a safe distance. They specialise in hit and run tactics and usually employ mounted archers firing small composite bows. Some few wear armour but most do not as they seldom come into direct contact with the enemy. They ride small fast horses, hobbies or rouncey's. Turcopoles are quite rare.






Infantry

Men-at-Arms come in a broad variety of quality and ability. Some are full time, highly proffessional soldiers and others are poorly equipped skirmishers who are summoned once or twice a year for training in the eventuality of war. Since Men-at-Arms is a generic term they are usually classed as Soldiers, Pikemen or Skirmishers in the OVZ skirmish rules, depending on which unit they belong to and which arms they are using.

Soldiers are heavy infantry troops usually wearing full or partial armour and employing various hand weapons. Knights when dismounted are usually classed as Soldiers. Men-at-Arms in full armour are very expensive.

Pikemen are trained to fight against cavalry. Typically they form dense formations to bring as many weapons to bear as possible. Usually the heavier armoured pikemen stand at the front and are supported from behind by the lighter troops.

Skirmishers are light troops designed to harass any enemy formations, ideally from a distance with inferior missile weapons, such as stones and javellins. They are very cheap, and are usually unarmoured.



Archers

There are two general types of Archers. Longbowmen and Arbalestiers.

Longbowmen are usually deployed in massed ranks in the field to provide cover for other troop types. They are expensive to train as the long bow requires a great deal of skill to use effectvely, but once fielded are light and fast as Longbowmen do not generally wear armour.

Arbalestiers use crossbows and are usually used in and around fortifications. They tend to be armoured and are sometimes used to support shock troops. Crossbows are easier to use than long bows and require less traiing, yet Arbelstiers tend to cost more due to the nature of their employment. Arbalestiers are often favoured as retinue guards.


Artillery

There are three main types of artillery, and these are made in a variety of ways since there is no standardization to be found any where. Engineers build those engines they know of, in the manner they were taught as apprentices and innovation is rare.

Ballistae are torsion powered weapons, usually taking the form of a large crossbow though sometimes also as a catapult. They come in three general sizes, small, medium and large and are the most common form of artillery. They can fire either stones or large bolts. A medium sized ballista can fire a foot long bolt about 300 metres.

Catapulta (sometimes refered to as an 'Onager') are usually larger than a medium ballistae, catapulta are operated by means of a single torsion cable powering an overhead arm. They are a classic artillery piece, and due to the difficulties of their construction and operation have been largely replaced by the trebuchet. Medium sized catapulta can lob a 10kg rock roughly 200 metres.

Trebuchet also come in a wide variety of types, with some smaller models (known simply as stone throwers) being powered by a crew all heaving together on ropes. Most are medium sized and expensive. Trebuchet fire stones. The largest and most sought after weapon is the Grand Trebuchet. Sometimes standing as high as ten metres, these weapons operate by means of a counter weight which powers an arm and a sling that can propel a 10 kg rock over 800 metres. Medium sized trebuchet have an effective range of 300 metres.

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