Light Dragoons (ETW Unit)
Overview
Their horses are for mobility, not for any shock value in battle and are often little better than nags and ponies, rather than decent warhorses. In battle, this is unimportant as light dragoons dismount and form a skirmish line to harass an enemy and screen the main body of their own army.
The main weapon carried is a shortened musket, originally termed a “dragon” or dragoon (like “rifle”, the term came to be applied to the man carrying the gun). This is not an accurate weapon, but is no worse than any other smooth-bore.
Light dragoons are also useful in suppressing riotous and rebellious civilians. Their horses give them strategic mobility, allowing them to police large areas effectively and come to the aid of the local authorities.
Historically, dragoons lost their role as mounted infantry over the course of the 18th Century, and became another kind of light cavalry, although they retained the name. The officers and men welcomed the change to a role that had a higher social status (and usually better