Sipahis (ETW Unit)
Sipahis are superb horsemen and their ornate lances are deadly when brought to bear at the charge.
Overview
They are unswervingly faithful and proudly deserving of their elite status. Mounted on the finest horseflesh, they carry ornate lances into battle which are deadly when brought to bear at the charge. When delivered in the flanks or rear of an enemy formation, such a charge often proves decisive to the course of a battle.
As fief-holders, Sipahis are granted the income from a parcel of land in exchange for their military service, and they are also expected to supply a number of armed men. Highly disciplined and enjoying the high status common to many cavalry corps, Sipahis see themselves as superior to the sometimes unruly Janissaries, with whom they maintain a simmering rivalry. A contributing factor to this is that Sipahis are all ethnic Turks, whereas the Janissaries are of mixed stock, recruited as children from provincial Christian families and converted to the Islamic faith. Regardless of these petty concerns, Sipahis represent the best horsemen available to the Sublime Porte.