Tharlarion Cavalry "Lancers"

I am looking to recruit warriors for the newly formed Tharlarion Cavalry. I will be organizing riding sessions and hunts once we have enough riders. We do not have stables at the moment but once/if we do I imagine we will need some Tharlarion Keepers. The only battle metered Tharlarion that I have found is made by House Rau (1000L$). They have a red one and brownish/green one. I found the brown one blends in better with the forest trees. The red will make you stick out like a sore thumb. Also be aware that if you get the Toran Tharlarion it is not metered for battle.

/me has a thought... Lances..... Shouldn't be too hard to script....

Markos wrote:

/me has a thought... Lances..... Shouldn't be too hard to script....

Good idea! I will start looking into it.

anyone know if lances were used from tharlarions in the books? any quotes, before we go all king arthur on the place?

Markos wrote:

anyone know if lances were used from tharlarions in the books? any quotes, before we go all king arthur on the place?

Tharlarion Cavalry

"The teeth of the tharlarion," said he, "are swift, Warrior." ---Raiders of Gor, p.24

Tharlarion, bipedal and quadrupedal, are used as cavalry within the military of various cities, especially in those cities that do not possess tarnsmen, such as Vonda. The most commonly used weapon by these cavalrymen is the tharlarion lance, and thus they are sometimes known as thalarion lancers. The tharlarion lance is a longer and heavier lance than the kaiila lance. Because of its greater size and weight, it is often used with a lance rest or saddle boot. The scimitarus, a two-handed scimitar, can also be used while mounted on a tharlarion and is effective against other cavalry units. The Alars also use the spatha, a long cutting sword, from tharlarion back.

A charging unit of tharlarion lancers is an awesome sight, and a very dangerous foe. "There was nothing living on Gor I knew that could take the impact of a tharlarion charge." (Nomads of Gor, p.114) To effectively defend against such lancers, adequate defensive preparations are generally needed. "Massed men, I knew, could not stand against the charge of tharlarion, not without a defense of ditches or pointed stakes." (Rogue of Gor, p.11) Without such preparation, warriors must often use less effective means. "The common Gorean defense against tharlarion attack, if it must be met on open ground, is the stationary, defensive square, defended by braced spears." (Mercenaries of Gor, p.33) The famed mercenary captain, Dietrich of Tarnburg, has invented other means to defeat tharlarion cavalary. "It was Dietrich of Tarnburg who had first introduced the "harrow" to positional warfare on Gor, that formation named for the large rakelike agricultural instrument, used for such tasks as the further leveling of ground after plowing and, sometimes, on the great farms, for the covering of seed. In this formation spikes of archers, protected by iron-shod stakes and sleen pits, project beyond the forward lines of the heavily armed warriors and their reserves. This formation, if approached head-on by tharlarion ground cavalry, is extremely effective. It constitutes, in effect. A set of corridors of death through which the cavalry must ride, in which it is commonly decimated before it can reach the main lines of the defenders. When the cavalry is disorganized, shattered and torn by missile fire, and turns about to retreat, the defenders, fresh and eager, initiate their own attack." (Mercenaries of Gor, p.32)

The books do provide details of one military encounter, between tharlarion from Vonda and forces from Ar. "There has been a major engagement, one long awaited," said the man next to me, "south of Vonda. More than four thousand men were involved. Fighting was fierce. The mobility of our squares was crucial in the early phases, separating to permit the entrance of charging tharlarion into our lines, then isolating the beasts." Massed men, I knew, could not stand against the charge of tharlarion, not without a defense of ditches or pointed stakes. "But then," said the man, "their phalanx swept down upon us. Then did the day seem lost and retreat was sounded, but the withdrawal was prearranged to creviced ground, to rocky slopes and cragged, outjutting formations. Our generals had chosen their ground well." I knew, too, that no fixed military formation could meet the phalanx on its own terms and survive. Different length spears are held by different ranks, the longer spears by the more rearward ranks. It charges on the run. It is like an avalanche, thundering, screaming, bristling with steel. Its momentum is incredible. It can shatter walls. When two such formations meet in a field the clash can be heard for pasangs. One does not meet the phalanx unless it be with another phalanx. One avoids it, one outmaneuvers it. "Our auxilaries then drove the tharlarion, maddened and hissing, back into the phalanx. In the skies our tarnsmen turned aside the mercenaries of Artemidorous. They then rained arrows upon the shattered phalanx. While the spearmen lifted their shields to protect themselves from the sky our squares swept down the slopes upon them." (Rogue of Gor, p.11) Ar won this battle.

Like with massed tarns, drums and flags are used to help organize and command tharlarion cavalry. "As soon as the hundreds of ponderous tharlarion had been marshaled into an order, a lance, carrying a fluttering pennon, dipped and there was a sudden signal on the tharlarion drums. Immediately the lances of the lines lowered and the hundreds of tharlarion, hissing and grunting, their riders shouting, the drums beating, began to bound rapidly towards us." (Nomads of Gor, p.114) Interestingly enough, a tharlarion that loses its rider can react in different ways. "The riderless tharlarion or kaiila, like the riderless horse in battles of Earth, can sometimes be seen whirling about, obeying the trumpet calls for charging, and retreating, and such, just as though his master were still in the saddle. Too, sometimes such animals may be found calmly standing about, or grazing, while the fiercest of fighting surges about them." (Renegades of Gor, p.284)

The nomadic Alars are well known for being very proficient tharlarion cavalry, and some cities even use them in their armies. "Their most common mount is the medium-weight saddle tharlarion, a beast smaller and less powerful, but swifter and more agile, than the common high tharlarion. Their saddles, however, have stirrups, and thus make possible the use of the couched shock lance." (Mercenaries of Gor, p.45) The city of Turia is also known to have tharlarion cavalry. "On long lines of tharlarion I could see warriors of Turia approaching in procession the Plains of a Thousand Stakes. The morning sun flashed from their helmets, their long tharlarion lances, the metal embossments on their oval shields,…" (Nomads of Gor, p.113) The city of Ko-ro-ba does not apparently possess tharlarion.

/me is really glad he formed this group! This will be really excellent RP. *smiles*

Yeah, I even have called the calvary of the group "Tharlarion Lancer".. that's what they were called in the books. And Markos we would love it if you could make something like that for us!

BTW, Star Wars fans, do the tharlarions remind you of Empire Strikes Back or what? Can't not love that, yo!

gavinK wrote:

/me is really glad he formed this group! This will be really excellent RP. *smiles*

Yeah, I even have called the calvary of the group "Tharlarion Lancer".. that's what they were called in the books. And Markos we would love it if you could make something like that for us!

BTW, Star Wars fans, do the tharlarions remind you of Empire Strikes Back or what? Can't not love that, yo!

Yeah kinda like the Tauntauns on Hoth.

SsaniAnsaldo wrote:

gavinK wrote:

/me is really glad he formed this group! This will be really excellent RP. *smiles*

Yeah, I even have called the calvary of the group "Tharlarion Lancer".. that's what they were called in the books. And Markos we would love it if you could make something like that for us!

BTW, Star Wars fans, do the tharlarions remind you of Empire Strikes Back or what? Can't not love that, yo!

Yeah kinda like the Tauntauns on Hoth.

Yeah, exactly! HAHAHA

https://www.gentlegiantltd.com/images/product/12/146/HanSoloTauntaun/productDetail.png

/me starts thinking of ways to adapt a Tharlarion lance to a Tarn

Quote :

starts thinking of ways to adapt a Tharlarion lance to a Tarn

Suddenly has memories of spending many quarters playing Joust in the arcade. Flap you stupid ostrich, flap!

Markos wrote:

Quote :

starts thinking of ways to adapt a Tharlarion lance to a Tarn

Suddenly has memories of spending many quarters playing Joust in the arcade. Flap you stupid ostrich, flap!

ROFLMAO OMG I remember Joust, one of my favorite arcade games, that and .. um.. one I'm blanking on the name right now.. played my song though...

Wonders just how many of the young'uns in here remember Joust

Remembers Jourt...remembers the bbc micro....

Oh and Ill stick to a kailla...

I arrived back in town on Sat. If you see me around you can inquire about becoming a "Lancer".

Yes, please - we need more in this group. We could kick some panther ASS if we get a few of us heading in on our tharlarions!! They are easy to drive, are legal in the NW, and are fun to use!

Sign UP!!!!!