--- "Horn, John" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Recently, in a fantasy RPG, our GM introduced a > warrior race that I > found very interesting. They were expert horsemen, > human and > somewhat similar to the Mongols or the Huns. What > was unique about > them was that they road small horses, almost ponies, > and had spears attached to their saddles. > > The GM said they were from a book he had read > sometime back. > Unfortunately, he couldn't remember the name of the > book (and/or > series). To make matters worse, this particular GM > is terrible at > pronouncing words (you should see how he mangles > some of the names > in LOTR) and even worse at spelling. He called them > "Katians" but > couldn't remember if that was exactly right or how > to spell it. > > I'm hoping this just might ring a bell with someone > on the list who > can point me in the right direction!
I don't recall such a book, but there have been many cultures with mounted warriors over the centuries. Horses 2500+ years ago were generally much smaller than those of today - look at Assyrian bas-reliefs, and note the diminutive stature of their chariot horses: http://jade.ccccd.edu/Andrade/WorldLitI2332/Meso/warhorse.gif http://jade.ccccd.edu/Andrade/WorldLitI2332/Meso/menleading.jpg This site is actually about re-creating mounted combat, and has some errors, but the second article below is fairly detailed and has pictures/drawings: http://www.classicalfencing.com/mountedintro.shtml " The history of Mounted Combat can be traced at least as far back as the ancient Assyrians in 750 BC. It continued through the Eastern horse cultures of the Scythians, Sarmatians, Magyars, and Avars..." http://www.classicalfencing.com/articles/shock.shtml "...Our lances for practice and the joust were blunted, or rounded off at the tip, without a sharpened metal spear head. The "field of engagement" for the couched lance is approximately 20 to 30 degrees on either side of the horse's head. Or as I describe in my book, between eleven and one o'clock on the overhead clock, with the horse's head at twelve. Impact beyond this angle results in a severe twisting, torquing action likely to cause the lance to slip or skip off the target and "clothesline" either or both riders...At some point in the history of mounted combat, (a moment shrouded in antiquity) a man on horseback was fighting with a spear..."Shock Combat" then, as I will define it for this article, is the utilization of the horse's motive power to increase the force behind a spear or lance held in a couched position..." He details various saddles, saddletree and stirrup usage WRT mounted combat. The Scythians were horse-archers in combat: http://www.brama.com/news/press/001022scythian_history.html Maps and quotes from Herodotus: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/scythian.shtml This history of the horse in culture is from the Kentucky Horse Park: http://www.imh.org/imh/kyhpl1b.html#xtocid2243625 This is a wargaming site, with "Jennites" as mounted warriors (I like the magic antler mask to put on your horse so it can leap like a stag!): http://dnd.starflung.com/jennite.html "...Apart from the animals identified in the Hollow World books, there are several rarer monsters and animals present...Two of the more important critters are the cheval and the werehorse. The chevalls (described in B10) live among the horses of the Jennites, ensuring that they are protected from dangers or the EXTREMELY rare Jennite who mistreats their steed. They consider the Jennites by far the most civilised peoples and fight alongside them..." Well, it was fun to look up this stuff, even if it doesn't answer your question! Debbi Lead Mare Maru U U ;) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
