Dragonriders

We are harbingers of the Black Wings. The Thunder before the Storm. The one warning you'll recieve before Dark Angels above make you attone.

Composition

Manpower

Each unit of Dragonriders stand twentyfive man strong.

Equipment

Dragonriders utilize a light combat armour which make up a half-plate chestpiece on top of a chainmail and gambeson armour, with linen, metal and leather buckled ridingboots and leather gloves. Their tools utilize a bandolier with munitions for easy and a-plenty access to ammo, combined with grenades attached to their sides, half hidden beneath a cape on their backs which function as an indicator for their location.

Weaponry

The Dragonriders use primarely old muskets, flintlocks and grenade launchers, above more modern firearms such as revolvers or lever action rifles. The reason behind this, is that with their wands they are capable of enchanting these less complex guns into firing spells rather than ordinary bullets. While they require to reload quite often, these spells can in many times do far more explosive or elemental damage out on the fields and have a near 100% accuracy due to the blasting zone, which wastes far less ammo than missing plenty of shots on horseback.
For close quarters combat, they also have runeforged rapiers able wo wield the powers of thunder and flame into battle. Unlike most mounted range cavalary though, the little magic and intense training Dragonriders take part of make them highly dangerous up close as well as on a distance.

Vehicles

The Dragonknights naturally have to ride the best of warsteeds. The aptly named Dragonhorse, which actively comes from the ancient lore of this unit, serve as their mighty companions. Perfectly attuned to their steppe, this breed of horse is both fast, acrobatic and courageous. Rarely rearing away in fear and often capable to take a rider out of harms way even when critically injured, to the point they are intelligent enough to bring their neutralized riders to the nearest field medic. Thus ensuring that they are granted minimal casualties.

Structure

Dragonriders have no proper leader in combat. They don't work as a formation based on command and orders, rather basing their lethal tactics on everyone being as skilled as they can on what orders have been granted before combat. Rather, their troops are taught to always look out for one another and trained to play at the best of everyones cohesion. Ensuring that the leader, if anyone, is most often the first rider ahead or whomever first localizes the target or threat. They all take their orders directly from the Warrior-Poet Aegelric Wurmholz.

Tactics

The Dragonriders is an Outrider type of projectile shock cavalary, with a twist. Unlike most Outrider units, the Dragonriders do not just unleash hell from a safe enough range. They directly utilize magic, rapidly changing formations and even stealth techniques to flank, charge and engage close quarters combat with the help of devestating runic rapier slashes, which allows them to spread chaos and carnage through enemy lines. After each charge, they always bolt back to safety, to reload and then repeating these techniques.
Though they are mostly utilized at culling down large amounts of infantery, these Outriders are a perfect counter to other ranged and mounted units, thanks to their accuracy, range and often superior melee combat skills. Their explosives are also great at taking out larger enemies.
Naturally, there is nothing Dragon about the Dragonriders without involving an element of these proud noble reptiles within their arsenal. The Dragonriders main purpose in the start of any battle also involves the destruction of threats towards allied aerial forces. Be they siege weapons such as cannons, ballistae or ranged troops. Once cleared out, they will light up black smoking magnesium torches and throw them into the enemy units. Though these flares wont do much else than blind the opposition, it leads their Black Dragon allies to know exactly where to strike, now that the most critical dangers to their winged beings have been dealt with.

Training
To become a Dragonrider, one must first practice... riding. It's a good idea to know how their royal beasts act and what they require to be well and healthy, as they are the companions which bring them into the heat and out of the fire. The riding courses also combine a lot of mounted fencing practice, ranged target practice and even to speedrun obstacle courses to train the animals for the horrors of battle.
History Though they have adapted through time, the Dragonriders got their names from the Black Dragons which aided the Dyskhari slaves of Morstein to escape into the steppe. Though they once fought with spear and bow, while their winged allies soared above, they have always been so effective that even a thousand year later the only change they did was to upgrade from arrows to guns, thanks to their simpler point and shoot accuracy.

Type

Cavalry

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Decorated/Honored

Used by

• House of Serpents