Born in the saddle, the horselord has an almost supernatural bond with their mount, allowing them to accomplish unbelievable feats of horsemanship!
These heroes thunder across open plains and blasted deserts, using the additional speed and manoeuvrability provided by their mount to dominate the ancient battlefield. In games of SPQR, horselords run rings around enemy infantry, peppering them with arrows, before launching a decisive charge to put them into headlong flight!
Buckle the Line
Use: Action (Melee)
The Hero uses the weight of his horse to push forward in combat, forcing the enemy line to waver. The enemy unit must make a Bravery check and, if failed, will suffer a -1 penalty to their Melee checks for this action. If the enemy is using the Phalanx rule, it will lose all benefits of it.
This talent turns your hero into a battering ram, punching a hole in the enemy formation and reducing their effectiveness in close combat. Pair the hero with a cavalry unit and increase their survivability and raise your chances of breaking an enemy phalanx with a single charge!
You have two choices for your next talent: Horsemanship or Cantabrian Circle
Horsemanship
Use: Passive
The Hero and any unit he is leading may double their Move score for one action in every Phase as normal. However, if they pass a Bravery check, they may double their Move score for a second action in the same Phase.
This talent is essential for any self-respecting cavalry commander. With a decent enough bravery bonus, the hero can almost guarantee 24″ of movement in a single turn – allowing his unit to slip past the enemy battle line or set themselves up for a devastating charge. Combined with Buckle the Line, it allows your cavalry unit to menace targets on the other side of the table!
Your next talent along this branch of the tree is Galloping Thunder!
Cantabrian Circle
Use: Special (Shoot)
Organising the unit into a single file circle, the Hero and his horsemen present a moving target for incoming fire while raining their own ranged weapons down on the enemy. Once activated, this Talent allows the Hero and his unit to make two shooting attacks with a single Shoot action. In addition, until the start of the unit’s next Phase, all ranged attacks made against them suffer a -1 penalty to Ranged checks
Perfect for horse archers, this talent provides a significant bonus to a unit’s rate of fire, while also making them harder to hit into the bargain. Combined with some of the Archer of Legend talents, this can turn a unit of humble horse archers into veritable killing machines!
Your next talent along this branch of the tree is Parthian Shot
Galloping Thunder
Use: Passive
Using speed of horse, the Hero rides down the enemy like wheat. If the Hero’s unit gains the benefit of when charging into close combat, the enemy unit being charged suffers a -1 penalty to its Melee checks during this action.
Combined with Buckle the Line, this talent potentially imposes a -2 melee check penalty on an enemy unit – more than enough to cut those pesky Roman legionaries down to size! This reduces the effectiveness of any incoming attacks on the charge, giving your cavalry unit greater survivability – especially when combined with heavy armour.
Parthian Shot
Use: Action (Shoot)
Demonstrating excellent horsemanship, the Hero and his unit wheel their mounts about, shoot their weapons at the enemy approaching them, then ride hard in the opposite direction. When this Talent is activated, the Hero and any unit he is leading perform their Shoot action and can then perform a free Move action
This talent makes horse archers considerably more mobile, allowing them to fire their weapons and then dash off in the opposite direction. If the hero also has the Horsemanship talent, they could use it to move an even greater distance, keeping out of range of any enemy missiles or a potential counter-charge!
Likely Horselords
Practically every warband in SPQR can find a place for a talented horselord, whether they’re a heavily armoured juggernaut or a nimble horse archer. You may wish to have them as your primary hero, leading a unit of big men on bigger horses, or as a supporting character working his way around the flanks with bow-armed horse archers while your main melee units hold the line.
Assemble Your forces
With a lightning-fast and easy to play system, SPQR allows you to build a complete warband capable of scouting out enemy armies, clashing across borders, and conducting raids on farms and villages. This is an ideal starting point for a Gallic or Roman warband, or even to supplement an existing force!
Dan Hewitson
