- "We are the first line of defence against the hordes of Chaos, much as the Tzarina would like to forget it."
A swift Ungol Horse Archer.
Ungol Horse Archers are masters of the bow and saddle, celebrated as some of the finest light cavalry within Kislev's military and perhaps that of the entire Old World.
Overview
The Ungols' skills with scimitar, spear, and horse-bow are expertly honed hunting Kyazak (meaning northern raiders) on the Endless Steppes, a land they constantly patrol at the order of the Tzarina. Among the embattled Ungol of the Troll Country, all able-bodied individuals are required to fight, especially when Chaos Marauders attack. Thus, it is common to find women among rotas of northern Horse Archers, a tradition southern Kislevites sometimes find difficult to accept.[1a]
Within their military hierarchy, these mounted warriors are auxiliaries drafted in from the savage northern tribes of Kislev. They are fierce warriors, but lack the discipline of the regular army. They delight in running rings around their opponents, peppering them with arrows and dodging away before the enemy can retaliate. What they lack in proper equipment and numbers, they make up for greatly in speed and their mastery as archers.[1a]
Ungol Customs
An Ungol patrolling the lands of the Northern Wastes.
Ungol women are prohibited from switching clans by way of marriage, which means that Ungol men must often leave their stanitsas to find eligible wives. Horse Archers are especially inclined to marry women from other clans because their patrols bring them into frequent contact with neighbours. When a Horse Archer marries into another clan, his original clan is paid a dowry for the loss of a valuable warrior.[2a]
Because Horse Archers hold such prominent status on the steppes, they are accustomed to receiving warm hospitality wherever they go. This sense of entitlement can make Horse Archers appear arrogant, but if welcomed they are genuinely helpful and appreciative guests. The Ungol codes of hospitality are taken very seriously, even in lands where they arenāt enforced by law. Horse Archers often have difficulty adapting to non-Ungol cultures, so usually emigrants resettle to the Kislevite ghettos of foreign cities.[2a]
Horse Archers who emigrate south remain faithful to their gods Ursun, Dazh and Tor. Those who fight alongside men of the Empire may also pay respects to Taal or Ulric. Kislevites are generally wary of discussing their beliefs with superstitious foreigners, for the difference between spirits and daemons is often misunderstood. Ancestor spirits are revered openly, however. For a culture without a written tradition, oral history is the only means of preserving its greatest legends.[2a]
Miniatures
Sources
- 1 Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Edition: Realm of the Ice Queen
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Career Compendium
- 2a: pg. 106
