Winged Lancers
The Winged Lancers are a cavalry unit from Kislev who act as the main forces in defending the country from invasion and attack. They're essentially a mix between the real world Polish Winged Hussars and Kievan Rus Druzhinas, with most of their traditions and fluff being based on the winged hussars and their armour being 13th century Ukrainian and Russian armour with wings on their backs and Polish face plates on their helmets. Their artwork has been pretty fluid and inconstant with how they look, with them ranging in how Polish or Kievan Rus they look but since the way they are depicted above is what their models and their modern artwork for The Old World presents them, that for now is their most accurate representation.
Overview[edit | edit source]
Every spring Gospadar villages and towns throughout Kislev muster a garrison of Winged Lancers to fight in Kislevs armies, which consist primarily either young men and grizzled veterans who became Lancers and liked the job. A fair few Winged Lancers are the sons of Boyars who are using the Lancers as a means to give them a start in politicking and actual battle, but being a noble or son of one is not a requirement to join the Lancers. Being part of the Winged Lancers is considered an honour and their is a deep sense of national pride with joining them as they are considered the defenders of Kislev and a symbol of the countries resilience. The rite to become a Winged Lancer is more ritualistic than a test of how good of a Lancer you would make as initiates are given five days to hunt and kill an eagle with nothing but a bow, five arrows and a knife. The feathers of this eagle are then used to make the famous wings that the Lancers wear. However it has been known for some boyar sons to be helped by professional hunters when finding and hunting the eagle and accusations and investigations of this can end Winged Lancers careers in shame.
Gryphon Legion[edit | edit source]
The Gryphon Legion is the most badass regiment (and company) in all of Kislev, comprised solely of experienced Winged Lancers. It was founded by Tzar Gospodar IV in 1810 IC as bodyguard regiment, until during an expedition into Worlds Edge Mountains their leader Vladic Dostov single-handedly slayed a Griffon. After that they gained enough independency to leave the court and turn into mercenaries. However they are still loyal to their country and the Tzars and Tzarinas and will return there every time there is a huge Chaos invasion. Their history of independence doesn't sit well with Tzarina Katarin who has been slowly trying to bring the Legion more directly under her command but the current commander of the legion, Tordimir Lubovasyn has been fighting this every step of the way as while he is loyal to the Tzarina he does not believe that she best understands how to use and supply the Gryphon Legion to make the best use off it.
In the End Times some of the Gryphon Legion survived long enough to be among the defenders of Middenheim, though they had a new grand master, Nicolai Dostov, by that point as Lubovasyn had been killed by the thing that shall not be named which burst out of his steed Seraphrima's neck stump after Mordrek killed it. All survivors fell in the battle.
