Teutonic Turcopole Light Horse

[peteratjet]

The Teutonic Knights auxilliary Turcopoles are described in the army lists as locally recruited levies and mercenaries. On the face of it, they should probably be similar to the Early Lithuanians or Samogitians or possibly Wendish, Prussian or Estonians.

The Light Horse option for Turcopoles are Light Spear + Javelin, while their undomesticated cousins are Light Spear/Sword + Javelin. I wondered what the thinking was. It's not a totally disinterested question.

[gozerius]

Perhaps the thinking was that as conscripted troops, they would be more reluctant to risk themselves in combat than their cousins fighting for their freedom. They were decidedly second class in the eyes of their Teutonic masters.