Lance length

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 03, 2011, 01:07 PM

Never really paid attention to it, but Savaran-i-Griva...blahblah have very short lances. The sughdian cav also share this problem (although theirs are a bit longer, so no sure of this). Is this all intentional?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**crlane** · January 03, 2011, 01:23 PM

They look average length to me. Are you saying the savaran cavaly at top should hold a 2-handed lance?

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 03, 2011, 02:06 PM

Have you seen the other units? Like the Pushtigaban in the background in one of the pictures

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 03, 2011, 04:32 PM

*bump*

**julianus heraclius** · January 03, 2011, 04:41 PM

It is intentional. Poetic licence on my part as I wanted these troops to be designed to engage in melee using their maces. But if overwhelming opinion is to have them armed with kontos like the other sassanid savaran, then let me know before I package up the mod.

Cheers

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 03, 2011, 05:31 PM

They can keep the maces, just that the kontos (contus) looks much better on cataphracts. Also, it would give them a bit of an initial advantage when charging, as the longer lance is heavier and also, guess what, longer, achieving somewhat of a "pushover" effect, allowing them to infiltrate infantry lines quicklier.

But who uses the lances in melee anyway? The do almost no damage.

**Jaujon** · January 03, 2011, 06:27 PM

Size does not matter.

**crlane** · January 03, 2011, 06:36 PM

I really think the savaran cavalry were fine, but add a kontos if you feel its better. If there was any unit with a lance too short, though, I think it was the roman Equites Scutarii Palatinae (recruited from Constantinople). When I used then, their melee lances appeared only an arm's length long, considerably shorter than average cavalry lances and making the unit suffer as a result. If its not too much to change that one, I would for the final. Cheers!

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 04, 2011, 03:59 AM

But all heavy cavalry of the sassanids used the contus, so no point in arguing.

**Valentinian Victor** · January 04, 2011, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

But all heavy cavalry of the sassanids used the contus, so no point in arguing.

Have you looked at the various Sasanid rock relief carvings? The spear length in the mod seems to be about the right size based on those reliefs.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 04, 2011, 10:42 AM

Then why do all the other units have much longer lances? Did you even look at the pictures? In the fourth the pushtigaban are visible with ~50% longer spears. Or pikes, or lances. Not much of a difference.

**Valentinian Victor** · January 04, 2011, 11:30 AM

My guess is that those spears are from about 8 feet to no more than 10 feet in length, certainly they do not appear to be as long as the one Alexander and his companions wield in the 'Alexander mosaic'. And that shows 12 feet spears can be thrust one handed if necessary.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · January 04, 2011, 12:27 PM

The point is, the unit mentioned would look much better with the long contus. Also, they would be better off facing enemy cav.

**Valentinian Victor** · January 04, 2011, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

The point is, the unit mentioned would look much better with the long contus. Also, they would be better off facing enemy cav.

What's that old movie quote...'never let reality get in the way of a good story'.

Just because something looks better does not mean that historical accuracy can be tossed out of the door.