Polish History Quiz

Malte279 · **Reply #20 on:** June 06, 2009, 06:53:00 PM

Nope, the equipment we are talking about was a bit more peculiar and special than chainmail.

Noname · **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2009, 07:36:17 PM

Would the unit be the Hussars?

Malte279 · **Reply #22 on:** June 07, 2009, 07:32:38 AM

A kind of Hussars, but the Polish Hussars of that kind had a unique piece of equipment which contributed to their name. What was that equipment, what was their name, and what was the use of that equipment (there are in fact several uses of it).

Noname · **Reply #23 on:** June 07, 2009, 08:32:47 PM

Would that be their ceremonial wings?

Malte279 · **Reply #24 on:** June 08, 2009, 09:29:46 AM

We are talking of the "Winged Hussars", but their wings were by no means ceremonial only but were worn in battle too and had several concrete purposes.

Myrkin · **Reply #25 on:** June 08, 2009, 02:07:57 PM

It is said that the sound made by these wings (when rider was moving) was supposed to scare enemy's horses. Another theory is that these wings helped the rider to keep his balance during the charge.

Malte279 · **Reply #26 on:** June 08, 2009, 03:57:20 PM

Aye, I guess first it must have been an intimidating sight to have all those riders "enhanced" by their wings coming at you (crest and plumes found in military dress all around the world basically serve that purpose (it would frighten not only the horses of the enemy). The effect is of course much more pronounced if it is a mass of people with that dress rather than an individual), then there is that whistling noise which those wings gave. Furthermore the poles of the wings worked as a kind of protection of the riders back against slashes (most of them wore armour but mostly on their front, often a cuirass which however did not offer much protection to the back), finally the wings also worked as a protection against the lassos which were sometimes used by Tatars to unhorse and / or strangle their opponents.

Your turn Myrkin.

Myrkin · **Reply #27 on:** June 08, 2009, 07:16:09 PM

Right. What was the tactic usualy used by winged hussars against infantry (armed with muskets and pikes) and why it was so efficient?

Malte279 · **Reply #28 on:** January 19, 2010, 07:35:07 AM

Approaching the enemy formations slowly and spread out far but picking up speed and closing ranks while approaching the enemy? Their heavy armor provided good protection even in the early modern period and by massing the attackers only very late at the spot where the main weight of the attack was to fell they didn't allow the enemy infantry (spread out to meet the initially spread out line of approaching cavalry) to mass at the critical point in time. This way such an attack had a good chance of breaking the lines of the infantry and send them in a rout (the most dangerous state for infantry to be in against cavalry).