Swedish Reiter

	Swedish Reiter
	Basic data Type regular cavalry Statistics Hit points 350 Attack Sword: 11 Defense Sword: 1 Pike: 2 Bullet: 4 Arrow: 1 Cannon: 3 Grapeshot: 115 Requirements Built at Stable Cost Food: 150 Iron: 20

Swedish Reiter is a regular cavalry unit in Cossacks 3.

Background

As a result of the development of military science, knighthood was replaced by cavalry. Individual fighters gave way to tactical squadrons made up of riders - heavy cavalrymen. Protected by heavy armour, they excelled in hand-to-hand combat. The number of armour plates they wore decreased, but the weight and thickness became greater. All these changes were intended to defend them against the rapidly developing firearms. Only a point-blank pistol shot or a musket shot from less than 50 steps away could pierce an armour. A sword or a sabre was virtually helpless against a plate armour, unless it happened to hit a joint. Cavalrymen were armed with quite expensive wheel lock pistols (2-6). In close combat they wielded swords, daggers, halberds and occasionally long lances (depending on tactics). A cavalryman was quite heavy - his armour weighed about 35 kg (77 lbs) and consisted of a steel helm, a cuirass, bracers and knee-length leg-guards. Riders wore jackboots. Their horses were strong but not very manoeuvrable.

A rider's attack was initiated at a slow pace. Only in close vicinity to an enemy cavalryman did their horses fall into a faster trot. Heavy cavalry tactics varied and depended mainly on the level of battle training. Well-trained cavalrymen - e.g. Austrian or Swedish riders (in Gustaf Adolf's army) - wielded cold steel weapons. Poorly trained riders charged an enemy with pistols.

Characteristics

• Heavy horseman armed with a sword.
• ↑ Wear armor protecting from bullets and shrapnel.
• ↑ Effective against both infantry and light cavalry.

Strategies

Units Infantry Melee infantry Basic Pikeman, 17th century Polish Pikeman, 17th century Ottoman Pikeman Spearman Light Infantryman Roundshier Advanced Pikeman, 18th century Swedish Pikeman, 18th century Mercenaries Light Infantryman (mercenary) Roundshier (mercenary) Ranged infantry Basic Strelets Musketeer, 17th century Austrian Musketeer, 17th century Polish Musketeer, 17th century Spanish Musketeer, 17th century Serdiuk Janissary Algerian Archer Advanced Musketeer, 18th century Prussian Musketeer, 18th century Grenadier Chasseur Highlander Pandur Mercenaries Grenadier (mercenary) Algerian Archer (mercenary) Support infantry Workers German Peasant Ukrainian Peasant Turkish Peasant Serf Poland Peasant Mediterranean Peasant Western Peasant Military officers Commander Officer, 17th century Turkish Officer Officer, 18th century Military musicians Russian Drummer, 17th century Drummer, 17th century Turkish Drummer, 17th century Drummer, 18th century Bagpiper Healers Priest Pope Mullah Cavalry Fast cavalry Basic Croat Winged Hussar Sich Cossack Advanced Hussar Prussian Hussar Mercenary Sich Cossack (mercenary) Regular cavalry Basic Reiter Swedish Reiter Light Reiter Hetman Don Cossack Vityaz Register Cossack Spakh Mameluke Advanced Cuirassier Ranged cavalry Basic King's Musketeer Tatar Dragoon, 17th century Advanced Dragoon, 18th century French Dragoon, 18th century Mercenary Dragoon, 18th century (mercenary) Artillery Cannon Howitzer Bombard Multi-barrelled Cannon Ships Boat Yacht Turkish Yacht Galley Frigate Ship of the Line Ferry Xebec