Re: Blackhorse numbers

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_...> <ian_hammond_cooper_at_...>
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 09:44:51 -0000

Don't forget that a lot of experimental archeaology suggests that the shape of the four-horned Roman saddle made for an effective fighting platform without stirrups.

There is a pretty good site on the Four-horned saddle and its uses here (check the icons to the left for additional information on weapons and tactics)

http://www.trajan20.freeserve.co.uk/page7.html

Here is a good article on the myth of stirrups and the charge with couched lance:

http://www.classicalfencing.com/articles/shock.shtml

Stirrups are perhaps a better technology thatn the four-horned saddle but be careful what we assume is or is not possible without them.

As for stirrups in Glorantha: If the Pentans have them, which seems plausible, the Empire might well have adopted them during Sheng Seleris's occupation. Even if they were rejected later by traditionalists I find it hard to imagine the inclusive Lunars not trying to adopt them if they had met them. I suppose that might give rise to some traditionalist Heartland units with four-horned saddles and some progressive Lunar units with stirrups. Choose based on MGF and YGMV.