Game Info
Unique unit of the Polish civilization. Replaces the Lancer. Requires Horses.
Not to be confused with the Hussar, which is a unique unit of Austria.
- Common traits:
- Can move after attacking
- No defensive terrain bonuses
- Combat penalty vs cities (-33%)
- Special traits:
- Formation I promotion
- Shock I promotion
- Heavy charge - forces the enemy to withdraw if it receives more damage
- Extra strength
- Combat penalty on defense
Strategy
The Winged Hussar is faster and more powerful than the Lancer, which it replaces. It is capable of forcing defenders to retreat when it inflicts more damage than it receives. A defender who cannot retreat instead takes extra damage. Needless to say, this can be a very powerful ability when used correctly. Try to surround enemy units, then attack with the Winged Hussar and eliminate them quickly!
This unique ability may force Barbarians out of their encampments, leaving the Winged Hussar on the encampment tile. This will capture the encampment even if the Barbarian did not die.
Historical Info
The "winged" type of hussar was introduced into the Polish-Lithuanian military by King Stephen Bathory in the 1570s. Winged hussars generally carried a number of secondary weapons, usually a warhammer, a szabla saber, and one or two wheellock (later flintlock) pistols in saddle holsters. But their most distinctive accoutrement was the huge "wings," wooden frames attached to either the saddle or the rider's shoulders, covered with eagle, swan, goose or ostrich feathers. The purpose of the wings has never been definitely determined, but theories range from defense against enemy attacks from behind to making their own horse deaf to battle sounds, to intimidating enemy foot soldiers by making the hussars appear larger than normal men.
Trivia
The most probable purpose of the wings was to make a loud, clattering noise which made it seem like the cavalry was much larger than in reality and frightened the enemy's horses. Other possibilities included the wings being made to defend the backs of the men against swords and lassos, or that they were worn to make their own horses deaf to the wooden noise-makers used by the Ottoman and the Crimean Tatars.
