OCTOBER RELEASE 𐍈 13th century Mounted Teutonic Knights, Teutonic Crossbowmen and Lithuanian Warriors

Hi all, the October release is here!

It includes: 

• 13th century mounted Teutonic Knights modular kit: 

      10 separate Horses

      10 separate Riders

      3 separate Shields

      1 separate Lance

In the 13th century, horses held a position of paramount importance  for knights across Europe. These warriors relied on their steeds for a  multitude of critical roles in their military and social lives. From the  perspective of the Teutonic Knights, cavalry played a pivotal role in  their military campaigns, as these mounted warriors were the backbone of  the Teutonic Order's military force. On the battlefield, horses  provided knights with the mobility, speed and strenght necessary to  engage in decisive cavalry charges and swift tactical movements. Beyond  the battlefield, horses were an essential means of transportation,  allowing knights to traverse long distances and reach remote regions  quickly, but were also symbols of prestige and social standing, as the  ownership of well-bred and well-maintained horses demonstrated the  knight's wealth and influence. 

In the Baltic regions, however, the  advantage and importance of cavalry lost its relevance. During the  Crusade, in fact, most of the combat consisted of skirmishes and raids  that took place within a region characterized by deciduous forests,  heathland, and marshes. This type of terrain hindered the mobility of  cavalry, and in fact many times heavy horses became an impediment to the  knights, that were often forced to dismount and fight on foot through  the rough terrain.

The most typical body armour used by the Teutonic knights in the 13th  century was the mail hauberk, usually with each ring having five others  passed through it and riveted closed. The rising importance of cavalry  and their greater need for protection led to significant changes in  armour, including mail hauberks that reached to mid-thigh and with  wrist-length sleeves; thereafter, mail mittens were added to protect the  hands. A subsequent development was mail leggings, supported by a belt  or strapped around the rear of the legs. Another development was the  mail coif or hooded extension of the hauberk, replacing the earlier mail  avential that was sometimes attached to the rims of helmets. The mail  hood then developed into a separate piece of armour. The final item of  armour was the aketon, meant to absorb the blunt impacts and shocks of  blows. The teutonic brothers were ordered to dress somberly and to avoid  excess, so here they are depicted with long sleeved surcoats to cover  their armor, and white mantles that were a sign of knighthood, as  dictaded form the order's code.

• 13th century Teutonic Crossbowmen

       7 Teutonic Crossbowmen

The crossbow's importance in the Baltic crusades can be seen from its  early appearance, and from the large numbers of crossbow bolts that are  almost routinely found at fortifications and battle sites. In fact the  crossbow became the weapon of choice for common soldiers, alongside the  spear. The first recorded use of the crossbow in the baltic region dates  from 1170 during the Danish crusade against the Estonians, and its  popularity increased steadily thereafter. It was considerably easier to  use than a hand bow, and required far less practice to achieve an  acceptable level of skill. It shot bolts at greater speed than a bow,  resulting in greater damage to the target and being more effective  against armour.

The 13th century saw further adoption of the crossbow, which  proved to be especially effective siege warfare, most notably from  behind cover inside fortifications. As a consequence the crossbow became  an indispensable asset in the hands of Baltic Crusaders, including the  Teutonic Order. In some respects the simple or early form of crossbow  was actually easier to manufacture than a good quality handbow, its  bolts or shafts certainly being a lot less sophisticated than a good  arrow. The armour-penetrating points used on crossbow bolts remained  very similar to those normally used with the hand bow. The most  widespread type was a solid bodkin point that could easily puncture  mail. The Teutonic crossbowmen were often stationed on the front lines,  and provided crucial support to the heavily armored cavalry, creating an  optimal synergy between long range and close quarters.

• 13th century Lithuanian Warriors

       6 separate Warriors

       3 separate Shields

In the 13th century, Lithuania was a loose federation of Baltic  tribes and clans that were in the process of forming a more centralized  state, that would eventually become the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The  societal structure was composed by a number of dukes and princes  presiding over various fiefdoms and tribes, and they relied on a warrior  class that included both nobles and commoners. These warriors played a  significant role in both defending their territory and expanding their  influence in Eastern Europe. They were skilled in guerrilla warfare and  mounted combat, making them formidable opponents for various invading  forces, including the Teutonic Knights and the Tatars.

Although their 13th century equipment varied little from those used  in Western Europe, it still experienced influences from the East and  the Eurasian steppe. The mail hauberk was still the standard for body  armor, but the helmets had a distinctive local or eastern style,  including those in which the top narrowed into a point. The examples  here are from western and south-western Russian archeological finds,  dating from the late 12th to early 14th century. The swords are based on  the one from the tomb of Lithuanian Prince Daumantas, dating to  the mid-13th century.

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DOWNLOAD HERE (IMPORTANT: Download the .RAR files one by one , DON'T right click on the whole "Black Knight Miniatures Release" folder and   hit download, otherwise Google Drive could mess up the files)

Everything comes, as always, both Pre-Supported and Unsupported in 28mm scale.

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Hope you enjoy this month's release! I've worked hard on it both for the models and the research that went into them and the texts, but it paid off as It's probably my favorite I've done in quite a while. I also gave the MyMiniFactory store a new coat of paint, so be sure to check that out as well!

We'll be having a new poll soon, to decide the next release, so watch out for that!

Have a good week