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An enemy who could suddenly strike and retreat using guerilla warfare tactics was a serious problem for the heavy cavalry. It was therefore important to have enough light cavalry to support the heavier mounted units. As mentioned earlier, heavy cavalry with lances were always supported by ranged combat units.
Ottoman Sipahi heavy cavalry, c. 1550 Early 16th-century French gendarmes, with complete plate armour and heavy lances Spanish Heavy Cavalry – Royal Armoury of Madrid, Spain. Heavy cavalry was a class of cavalry intended to deliver a battlefield charge and also to act as a tactical reserve; they are also often termed shock cavalry. [1]
The use of cavalry for flanking manoeuvres became more useful, although some interpretations of the knightly ideal often led to reckless, undisciplined charges. Cavalry could still charge dense heavy infantry formations head-on if the cavalrymen had a combination of certain traits. They had a high chance of success if they were in a formation ...
The early hussars were light cavalry units of exiled Serbian warriors who came to Poland from Hungary as mercenaries in the early 16th century. Following the reforms of King Stephen Báthory (r. 1576–1586), the Polish military officially adopted the unit and transformed it into heavy shock cavalry, with troops recruited from the Polish nobility.
Before Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus' in the 13th century, a Rus' prince would be accompanied by his druzhina, a small retinue of heavy cavalry, [1] who would often fight dismounted (eq. Battle on the Ice). Massively heavy armor was used, mostly Scandinavian-style. [2]
Heavy cavalry were all cavalry units that mounted large horses and were used to deliver a physical shock to either enemy cavalry or infantry. They were so called from the 18th century belief that they were the deciders of the battle, always kept as a final reserve to be used to break the enemy ranks.
Instead, Phokas revised existing tactics by combining them with his own experience and observations. Many of the infantry tactics from Praecepta Militaria were likely based on those found in Syntaxis Armatorum Quadrata (ca. 950). Even more influential was the Sylloge Tacticorum (compiled ca. 950), which was a collection of tactics and strategems.
The Grivpanvar (literally: neck-guard wearer) were an elite late Parthian and Sasanian division who fought as heavy cataphract cavalry. According to Roman sources, the Grivpanvar had the ability to impale two men on the long, heavy spears that they carried.