"And so did Gilles and his glorious Grail Companions ready themselves for battle behind the Banner of the Lady. They did line up on the field of battle, colours and heraldry flying proudly as they faced the enemy that did threaten the lands of fair Couronne. Undaunted were the Companions, outnumbered a thousand to one, for the Lady was with them. As trumpet sounded, the chivalrous knights did spur their faithful steeds onwards, and they did charge over the field to smite the foe. Hooves pounded up the turf, sounding like a roar in the heavens. As they drew near, the knights arrayed themselves into the formation of the Lance, the most powerful knightly charge the land has ever seen. Plunging deep into the heart of the enemy army, they fought without peer, Landuin, Gilles and Thierulf at their fore, cutting left and right, and smashing the foe wherever they stood. None could stand up to their charge, and the evil ones fled into the forests, scattered and broken."
- —Battle XI of the Uniter. Extract from, "Le Morte de Gilles."[2]
The flower of knighthood charges into the fray.[2]
The Lance Formation is a devastating fighting formation utilised by the Knights of Bretonnia.
Overview[]
"Forming a wedge before the charge enables mounted Knights to smash through enemy lines, causing great disarray among their ranks."
- —The Lance Formation.[6]
Of all the warriors of the World, only the Bretonnian Knights know how to fight and manoeuvre in the Lance Formation.[1]
The Lance is a formation of Bretonnian Knights, consisting of a single valiant knight at the front, with two knights behind him, three behind him and so on, forming a pointed wedge. The Lance enables the Knights of Bretonnia to penetrate deep into enemy ranks, angled as to maximise the number of attacking knights. At full charge the Lance can burst an enemy formation apart and send foes scattering from the field in rout.[1][2]
The sight of Bretonnia's heavily armoured knights thundering across the battlefield atop massive horses while carrying iron-tipped lances can cause even the most jaded hearts to quail. Indeed, men across the Old World fear the charge of the Knights of Bretonnia.[3][4]
Bretonnian knights have become so skilful with the lance, that they can hit a target the size of a Damsel's bracelet while charging at full tilt. When utilising the wedge-shaped Lance Formation, they are capable of breaking apart even the legendary battle lines of the Dwarfs.[5]