Normaunds Melee Cavalry

Norman Knights

The Normans were one of the most successful and long-lived political and military cultures ever founded by the Vikings. Through military prowess and political manoeuvring in the ninth century, the Danish war leader Hrolf managed to secure a roughly autonomous region for his raiding army within the Frankish kingdom. Later going by the Frankish name Rollo, the Dane was given the status of Duke, a position carried down his bloodline that ruled Normandy and subsequently conquered Norman lands. Their legendary expansionist successes were the result of a unique military structure within their fiefdoms, organised around a new type of warrior elite – the feudal knights. Supported by infantry, heavily armoured mounted lords would form fearsome cavalry blocks of around thirty men charging knee-to-knee, a psychologically imposing sight that often caused battle lines to break at their mere advance.

Using their system of infantry-supported knights, the Normans were incredibly effective in battle. Their use of spears from horseback had been seen in a similar form around Britain before, with the Roman use of lance-bearing cavalry regiments. Advancements in horse training techniques and more significantly, the adoption of the stirrup into Western Europe, meant that horses were no longer primarily just a means to get to the battlefield. Mounted warriors previously ran a considerable risk of being unhorsed by the slightest impacts, nor could they carry out any significant blows without becoming unbalanced and vulnerable. Stirrups ensured stability, so that what had formerly been impossible on horseback in the cut and thrust of battle then became easy.

Unit Name Norman Knights

Main Unit Key nor_knights

Land Unit Key nor_knights

Naval Unit Key vik_skeid

Soldiers 60

Category Cavalry

Class Melee Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost 900

Recruitment Cost 900

Upkeep Cost 225

Melee Skill 41

Melee Damage 32

├ Melee Weapon vik_spear_cav

├ Melee Base Damage 22

├ Armour-piercing Damage 10

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 15

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 41

Melee Defence 81

├ Base Defence 41

├ Shield vik_large

└ Shield 40

Armour 32

├ Armour vik_mail_heavy

├ Armour Defence 32

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 150

├ Man Entity vik_inf_heavy

├ Man Health 100

├ Bonus Hit Points 0

├ Mount vik_horse_spear_very_heavy

├ Mount Entity vik_horse_very_heavy

└ Mount Health 50

Morale 49

Abilities

• Wedge
  "Let's break their line!"

Attributes

• [[col:yellow]]Disciplined[[/col]]
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses

Faction Availability
Thrones of Britannia	Normaunds