Medieval Europe
During the Middle Ages, the arrival of stirrups, the development of the high-backed saddle and the couched lance gave rise to a further development in horseback fighting. Performing shock charges became increasingly common, superceding the use of shorter spears in underarm or overarm grips. This style of combat involved holding the lance rigid under the armpit, allowing the full weight of horse and rider to be brought to bear upon the target. Obviously a blow delivered in this fashion could be devastating: in the d20 system, a lance used from the back of a charging mount deals double damage. A critical hit from a lance used on horseback deals sextuple damage!
If divested of his lance, or if there were enemies inside the lance's effective fighting distance, the knight fell back on his trusty sword. Around this time the sword was between three and four feet in length, double-edged, heavy-pommelled and used for cutting and thrusting: a pretty basic longsword, in other words. Towards the fourteenth century the sword grew longer again, as did its grip, allowing one- or two-handed use, evolving into the bastard sword loved by d20 system fighters everywhere.
As heavier armour came into use, the heavy cavalry beloved of popular fantasy fiction evolved. Heavy cavalrymen were a force to be reckoned with: highly trained, well protected: a cavalry charge at the flanks of a force of infantrymen could rout them without too much trouble. Despite that, they were not without their disadvantages: they had limited endurance, as the horses had to carry rider, arms, armour and their own barding as well. This made a gallop difficult to sustain; and heavy cavalry could hardly be expected to give chase to a routed infantry unit. Furthermore, a charge needs to take place over open and relatively even land in order to be effective. Heavy cavalry could only be used at specific stages of the battle because they could only stand to be used in short bursts.
Needless to say, the cost of buying, rearing and equipping horses strong enough for this kind of action – to say nothing of arming and supplying the knights riding them! – was prohibitively expensive, and thus only the landed, wealthy and titled could afford to equip warriors of this kind. As the Middle Ages progressed, heavier armour became available and full armour for horses became more common. Because of the speed with which these horses could tire, a knight often had two with him, leaving the spare in the care of one of his squires. In order to cut down on the load he needed to carry, the knight traditionally had two squires – one to mind his spare horse, the other to carry his lance. An exception to this tradition evolved in England, where two knights shared a squire, ordering him to mind their horses while they fought on foot. The squire detailed below is particularly well-equipped, as befits a warrior in training of noble birth.
Knight (14th Century), male human Ari2/War4: CR 5; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 6d8; hp 27; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 20 ft. (armour); AC 21 (+1 Dex, +8 armour, +2 shield), touch 10, flat-footed 20; Base Atk +5; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d10+2/19-20, masterwork bastard sword) or +9 melee (1d8+2/×3, lance) or +7 ranged (1d4+2/19-20, dagger); Full Atk +8 melee (1d10+2/19-20, masterwork bastard sword) or +9 melee (1d8+2/×3, lance) or +7 ranged (1d4+2/19-20, dagger); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. w/ lance); AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Languages: French, Latin.
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +5, Perform (dance, sing) +1, Ride +11, Speak Language (Latin); Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Mounted Combat, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (lance).
Possessions: Masterwork bastard sword, masterwork lance, masterwork dagger, masterwork full plate, masterwork heavy wooden shield, jewellery (100 gp), noble's outfit (75 gp), silver holy symbol (25 gp), signet ring (5 gp), 2 backpacks, 2 tents, 3 bedrolls, 3 winter blankets, 3 waterskins, iron pot, hooded lantern, 2 flasks of lamp oil, flint and steel, 3 whetstones, 6 traveller's outfits, 3 weeks' trail rations, artisan's tools, healer's kit (most carried by the knight's squires), 50 gp.
Squire (14th Century), male human Ari1/War1 (2): CR 1; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 2d8; hp 9; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 20 ft. (armour); AC 17 (+1 Dex, +5 armour, +1 shield), touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +3; Atk +4 melee (1d8+1/19-20, longsword) or +3 ranged (1d4+1/19-20, dagger); Full Atk +4 melee (1d8+1/19-20, longsword) or +3 ranged (1d4+2/19-20, dagger); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Languages: French.
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +3, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +0, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +4, Perform (dance, sing) +1, Ride +7; Mounted Combat, Spirited Charge.
Possessions: Masterwork longsword, dagger, masterwork chain mail, light wooden shield, wooden holy symbol, jewellery (50 gp), courtier's outfit (30 gp).
Warhorse, Heavy (2): CR 2; Large Animal; HD 4d8+12; hp 30; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 50 ft.; AC 16 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural, +2 armour), touch 10, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +11; Atk +6 melee (1d6+4, hoof); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+4, 2 hooves), +1 melee (1d4+2, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SQ Low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6.
Skills and Feats: Listen +5, Spot +4; Endurance, Run.
Possessions: Masterwork leather barding, bit and bridle, military saddle, saddlebags.
Total Equipment Cost: 4,300 gp for the knight and horses. 900 gp per squire.