[Teaser] Winged Lancers of Kislev

As an extension of our "Unit of History" series I've decided to explore the famed units of other settings including one of my personal favorites, Warhammer Fantasy. In this upcoming episode we will cover the Winged Lancers of Kislev who draw obvious inspiration from the Polish Winged Hussars.

Here is an excerpt from the script:

The Winged Lancers hail from the realm of Kislev, mankind's northernmost defense against the Hordes of Chaos. It is a land of transition, stretching from the temperate forests of the Empire in the south to the frostbitten steppes of the Troll Country to the north, from the misty expanse of the Sea of Claws in the West, to the towering peaks of the World’s Edge Mountains in the east.

While there may be cause for division across the various elements of Kislev, all are bonded by the hardships of the realm. This is especially true when it comes to enduring the incursions from Norsca or the dreaded Chaos wastes. Facing such existential threats, the men and women of the north put aside their differences and find common cause in repelling the outsiders. They sacrifice much in these wars with little appreciation given to them by the nations to their south. 

Another shared bond among the northerners is their proud cavalry tradition which hails back to the days when their ancestors mastered the great eastern steppe. This horseman’s blood ran deep in the warrior-tzar Alexandr the 1st who was said to have augmented the dreadful charge of his steed with winged banners. Their howls proved so fierce that even chaos worshippers turned to flight. Having won countless victories and forged the first alliance with the Empire in the early 17th century, he would set an example that countless Kislevites would seek to follow. From then on, its elite riders would also choose to adorn their horses with elaborate winged banners. 

Soon these units came to form an essential part of the Kislevite military as powerful shock cavalry forces. By the early 19th century, regiments of Winged Lancers not only filled the bulk of the army’s cavalry wings but also served as bodyguards to the Tzar’s themselves. In 1810, Gospodor the 4th would send one such unit on an expedition to the World’s Edge Mountains where their leader slew a Griffon, adding its plumage to his banner. For this act and his men’s upstanding bravery, the unit became known as the Gryphon Legion. To this day they stand as the best of the best when it comes to the Winged Lancers of Kislev.