User blog:El Alamein/Byzantine Cataphract vs. Polish Winged Hussar



It's a battle of the front-line cavalry, shock troops who inspired awe and terror against their infatry foes! The Polish Winged Hussar, mobile slayers who terrified enemies with the bone-chilling hiss of their wings and the stream of their banners, against the Byzantine Cataphract, the tried-and-true heavy cavalry that would plow through any defensive formation and kept Byzantium alive for over one thousand years! When it came to the ancient world's blitzkriegs, cavalry was the armored tank of its day and these two horsemen will clash to decide who is the deadliest warrior!

Cataphract
The origins for the Kataphraktoi can be traced back to Median and Persian times, where the native inhabitants of Central Asia were famous for their superior horsemanship. Later on, Byzantium took the concept of the Cataphract and upgraded them to make them proficient in every arena; Toxton bows and slings to compete with horse archers, lances to fulfill their role as shock calvary, swords and daggers to allow them to be capable at melee combat along with other more specialized weapons. Often these forces were led directly by the Emperor, and their devastating charges were skill feared in both Christian Europe and the Muslim Middle East. They were the most feared heavy cavalry of their time, superbly armored from the top of their head with an iron or steel helmet to their feet with chainmail leggings. They were thrown right into the weakest sectors of enemy infantry, often resulting in early routs and complete, annihilating victories. Unfortunately as the Byzantine Empire declined so did the fortunes of the Cataphract, as these heavily armored units became too costly to afford.

Winged Hussar
The Winged Hussar was the main type of cavalry used in the Polish army. The Hussars were adopted in the 16th Century and acted as light cavalry who carried the war-banners. The riders later took on the role of heavy infantry men who sported specialized armor and lances. Their main primary tactic was to lead the charge and crush standard foot soldiers. They continued to crash into the enemy formation until it broke. The exact reason why the Winged Hussars attached wings to their backs was because while riding they would make a horrible rattling noise that unnerved the enemy. The Winged Hussar was considered the elite and primary heavy cavalry used by the Polish until the 1770s. Although the Hussars made prominent use of early black-powder weapons, their primary function in battle was close combat and as such they favored bladed weapons over firearms.

Battle
1-on-1

To be written

Expert's Opinion
To be determined