Mamelukes (ETW Unit)
Mamelukes are fearless light horsemen, deadly when deployed against a broken or unsupported enemy.
Overview
Mounted on tireless light horses and armed with scimitars, they are commonly employed to harass an enemy force, restricting its space to maneuver easily. Once battle is fully joined, they will often time their charges to coincide with those of a supporting infantry unit, seeking to break the enemy quickly then wreaking havoc amongst them as they flee.
Mameluke were traditionally slave soldiers of the various caliphs and sultans of the Middle Ages, captured as children and raised in the Islamic faith to provide their master with a force of men unconnected to any other part of the hierarchy. Over time, the Mamelukes accrued power of their own and even went as far as seizing control of Egypt; they founded a Mameluke Sultanate in 1250. Though the Mameluke strength enabled the Sultanate to repel several invasions by Christian crusaders and Mongols, it was eventually overpowered by the Ottoman Empire in 1517. The Mamelukes so came into the service of the Sublime Porte.
Details
Mameluke are the quintessential light horsemen, they are best used to harass the enemy and to strike from the rear or to hunt down routing enemy units. As light horsemen they are also useful in disabling enemy cavalry.