<?xml version="1.0" ?><?encoding UTF-16?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../xsl/unit.xsl"?><unit><full_name>steppe missile cavalry ragon sauromatae uaezdaettae</full_name><dictionary>steppe_missile_cavalry_ragon_sauromatae_uaezdaettae</dictionary><category>cavalry</category><class>missile</class><voice_type>General_1</voice_type><soldier><name>steppe_cavalry_early_sarmatian_yuezhi_nobles_saka_ktistai</name><soldiers>25</soldiers><extras>0</extras><mass>1</mass></soldier><officers><officer1>ebofficer_dracones</officer1></officers><mount>half armoured horse</mount><mount_effect>chariot +3</mount_effect><attributes>sea_faring, hide_forest, hardy</attributes><formation><side_spacing>2</side_spacing><front_spacing>4</front_spacing><loose_side_spacing>4</loose_side_spacing><loose_front_spacing>6</loose_front_spacing><ranks>5</ranks><formations>square</formations></formation><stat_health><hit_points>1</hit_points><animal_hit_points>2</animal_hit_points></stat_health><stat_pri><attack>5</attack><charge>33</charge><missile_type>arrow</missile_type><range>187</range><ammo>40</ammo><weapon_type>missile</weapon_type><tech_type>archery</tech_type><dammage_type>piercing</dammage_type><sound>none</sound><min_delay>15</min_delay><lethality>1</lethality></stat_pri><stat_pri_attr>no</stat_pri_attr><stat_sec><attack>4</attack><charge>33</charge><missile_type>no</missile_type><range>0</range><ammo>0</ammo><weapon_type>melee</weapon_type><tech_type>simple</tech_type><dammage_type>piercing</dammage_type><sound>spear</sound><min_delay>160</min_delay><lethality>0.33</lethality></stat_sec><stat_sec_attr>ap</stat_sec_attr><stat_pri_armour><armour>10</armour><def_skill>11</def_skill><shield>0</shield><sound>metal</sound></stat_pri_armour><stat_sec_armour><armour>0</armour><def_skill>0</def_skill><sound>leather</sound></stat_sec_armour><stat_heat>4</stat_heat><stat_ground><scrub>0</scrub><sand>0</sand><forest>-3</forest><snow>0</snow></stat_ground><stat_mental><morale>13</morale><discipline>disciplined</discipline><training>trained</training></stat_mental><stat_fire_delay>0</stat_fire_delay><stat_food>60, 300</stat_food><stat_cost><turns>1</turns><cost>2508</cost><upkeep>627</upkeep><upgrade_weapon>80</upgrade_weapon><upgrade_armour>100</upgrade_armour><custom_battle>2508</custom_battle></stat_cost><ownership>armenia, romans_scipii, gauls, britons, scythia, parthia, slave, spain, germans, egypt, saba, carthage, romans_brutii, numidia, romans_julii, thrace, greek_cities, macedon, seleucid</ownership><description><name>Ragon Sauromatae Uaezdaettae (Sarmatian Noble Horse-Archers)</name><short>These noble warriors though capable of shock action, should concentrate on using their speed and agility to weaken an opponent through archery before closing in for the kill.</short><long>Superior
Disciplined
Hardy
Can Form Cantabrian Circle

Sarmatian nobles are among the few in their society that can actually afford the very high costs of reasonably good defensive gear and of the larger horses which are able to carry a rider wearing such heavy equipment. Those expenses pay off by conferring them the ability to engage in hand-to-hand combat with some guaranties and, not to be forgotten, better looks than their less wealthy fellows. Nonetheless, in the early stages of the Sarmatian culture, even nobles carry only limited amounts of armour and are better thought of as medium or even light cavalry. Fortunately, they can still rely on their archery skills, in no way inferior to those of any other Sarmatian warrior and, although modest, the improvement in their equipment does allow them to carry out certain special tasks. Thus, they can fight enemy light cavalry with good prospects of victory. They can deal with enemy horse archers by either winning archery duels with them (thanks to their better armor) or by chasing them and beating them in melee (if they manage to catch them). They can also accelerate the collapse of enemy infantry still in relatively good shape through rear or flank charges and take good care of foot skirmishers. However, they are not prepared to frontally charge any decent close order infantry.

Historically, the noble elite of the steppe nomads was able to afford better equipment for war and, thus, provided their armies with a core of heavier cavalry capable of hand-to-hand combat. How many of the nomads could afford the better gear and its amount and quality, depended on the wealth and access to resources such as mineral ore of each nomad group. Consequently, it varied substantially in space and time. In the particular case of the Ancient Sarmatian Culture, archaeological and literary sources suggest than metal armour was quite rare.</long></description></unit>