Oitobelgion Eporedoi (Belgic Medium Cavalry)

Oitobelgion Eporedoi
Belgic Medium Cavalry
Primary Weapon	Type: Spear Attack: 6 Charge: 15
Secondary Weapon	Type: Sword Attack: 10 Charge: 5
Defence	Armour: 2 Shield: 3 Skill: 6
Recruitment	Soldiers: 40 Cost: 1531 Upkeep: 287 Turns: 1
Mental	Morale: 3 Discipline: impetous Training: untrained
Climate Fatigue	Hot climate : 2
Ground bonuses/Penalties to attack	Scrub: -1 Sand: -2 Forest: 0 Snow: 0
Other	Hit Points: 1 Mass: 1 Attributes: Can board ships, Improved hiding in forests, Hardy Formation: Square Side/Back spacing: 1.8/3.7 Mount effects: elephant -3 Ownership: Aedui, Arverni

The Oitobelgion Eporedoi are Belgic medium cavalry. Well-armed and sufficiently well-trained, they are a mainstay of any Belgic leader seeking to defend his lands or seize new ones.

Description

By the banks of the Samara pink tongues lap at flax green waters, as nostrils smell the air and lips clip the flat fields of Eturomina. But soon the waters of the Samara will become froth around the bit, the nostrils will snort steam like a furnace and the lips shall grimace as these daughters of Epona charge forth. For these steeds are not simple farmyard nags, they are the mounts of the Oitobelgion Eporedoi. What the hound is to the farm, these men are to the Belgae: swift defenders of flocks and homes. Like a well-bred hound they are fierce, loyal and well-armed, yet not so heavy that they cannot run down their quarry, or so weighed down that they tire before the chase is run. Like the spears they brandish, they are well balanced. When danger beckons across the flax green fields, it is these men who ride to the rescue, who rout the foe and run him down.

Historically, the people of northern Gaul made extensive use of horses, for both warfare and agricultural purposes. Archaeological evidence for horses is widespread. The most abundant evidence for horses in northern Gaul occurs on the various types of gold coinage which were minted from the 3rd century BC onward. At some sites in the Belgic homeland of Picardy, such as the third century BC site of Chevrières "La Plaine du Marais" they appear to have been one of the most numerous species (second only pigs in this instance). Archaeozoological studies suggest that around 10% of animals present at rural sites were horses. Nevertheless, horses never appear in graves in Picardy, whilst horse riding equipment is likewise rare: restricted to seven graves with chariot equipment between the fifth and early second centuries BC, and five graves with horse riding equipment dated between the mid second and first centuries BC. Weaponry which can be associated with horse riding declines from the fifth to the early second century BC, but then increases to the point that it is found in 25% of graves in the first. This first century BC increase in weaponry in graves coincides with the numerous descriptions Caesar provides of Belgic cavalry corps, such as those of the great rebel leader Kommios.