<?xml version="1.0" ?><?encoding UTF-16?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../xsl/unit.xsl"?><unit><full_name>steppe missile cavalry aursa baexdzhyntae</full_name><dictionary>steppe_missile_cavalry_aursa_baexdzhyntae</dictionary><category>cavalry</category><class>missile</class><voice_type>General_1</voice_type><soldier><name>steppe_cavalry_aorsiriders_scythianlightcavalry</name><soldiers>25</soldiers><extras>0</extras><mass>1</mass></soldier><officers><officer1>ebofficer_dracones</officer1></officers><mount>light horse</mount><mount_effect>chariot +3</mount_effect><attributes>sea_faring, hide_forest, very_hardy, cantabrian_circle</attributes><formation><side_spacing>3</side_spacing><front_spacing>4</front_spacing><loose_side_spacing>6</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>27</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>2</attack><charge>27</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>2</armour><def_skill>8</def_skill><shield>1</shield><sound>leather</sound></stat_pri_armour><stat_sec_armour><armour>0</armour><def_skill>0</def_skill><sound>flesh</sound></stat_sec_armour><stat_heat>1</stat_heat><stat_ground><scrub>0</scrub><sand>0</sand><forest>-3</forest><snow>0</snow></stat_ground><stat_mental><morale>9</morale><discipline>normal</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>1146</cost><upkeep>287</upkeep><upgrade_weapon>60</upgrade_weapon><upgrade_armour>90</upgrade_armour><custom_battle>1146</custom_battle></stat_cost><ownership>carthage, romans_scipii, romans_brutii, gauls, britons, scythia, dacia, germans, spain, parthia, armenia, pontus, slave, seleucid, saba, egypt, numidia, romans_julii, greek_cities, macedon, thrace</ownership><description><name>Aursa Baexdzhyntae (Aorsi Riders)</name><short>Aursa Baexdzhyntae are first and foremost horse archers but, due to their spears and leather armour, they can give a better account of themselves in hand to hand combat than other horse archers.</short><long>Very Hardy
Can Form Cantabrian Circle

The Aursa Baexdzhyntae (Aorsi Riders) are the base of the armies fielded by the Aorsi, one of several major Sarmatian groups. Aorsi Riders are first and foremost horse archers, but, on average, Aorsi tribesmen are somewhat better equipped than their counterparts from other, earlier Sarmatian tribes. Thus, they often wear a measure of simple armor and tend to carry spears in addition to their bows. Hence, they can give a slightly better account of themselves if they find themselves engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Not that they will actively seek it, however. At least not against enemies whom archery fire, feigned retreats and sudden false charges have not thrown yet into utter confusion and demoralization.

Historically, the Aorsi were one of the most powerful Sarmatian confederacies. Though almost certainly a major exaggeration, Strabo credited the smaller of their two subdivisions with the capability of fielding an army of 200,000 riders. Also, graves ascribed to the Aorsi by the archaeologists attest to a certain prosperity and tend to be relatively well-equipped. In any case, their dominions extended east as far as the Caspian, or, probably, even the Aral Sea. In the west, they occupied the steppe between the Volga and Don rivers for a long time. Eventually, they moved west beyond the Don, pushed perhaps by the emergence of the Alans who might have absorbed or conquered many of them.</long></description></unit>