Circassians or Georgians, 15-18th centuries

Extremely fierce horsemen of the Caucasus, resisting Persian encroachment and preying on the Russians. Their horsemen began as archers but they shot their way into contact rather than holding off to shower their foes with arrows. Later they enthusiastically adopted the pistol, although retaining archery equipment as well. For a while both types of shooting existed side by side. A small number of heroes used light lances. Skirmishing/outflanking horse archery had been provided by remnant Cuman tribes in earlier periods, but by the 17th century, which this range focuses on, was provided by tribes of Nogai Tartars who had settled in the Caucasus. Infantry, largely Dagestani mountain men, were fast-charging warriors with swords and spears, some with shields but many not, and clouds of deadly skirmishers with accurate long firearms. Circassia was only subjugated by Russia after an extreme national effort, and such was the impression these furious, superb horsemen had on the Cossacks that many elements of Cossack dress in the later 19th and 20th centuries were adopted from the Circassians, as was their famous trick riding (riding on the side of the horse, or standing on it as they rode). Warriors of Christian Georgia looked very similar to Circassians. The horsemen are two part, but instead of the usual arrangement of man and horse, they are horse plus lower body, and a separate torso, as this permits more dynamic poses, and some swivelability at the waist gives more pose variation. The command set also provides two upper torsos with lances, for the occasional hero in the bow or pistol heavy cavalry. Some sets have extra torsos for optional unit command figures -- these are free add-ons.

Code	Contents	Price (US$)	Order/Progress
circassian-hc-bow	15mm Circassian noble cavalry with bows (x12 horses and lower bodies, x14 upper torsos -- 12 with bows, 2 command)	$17.99
circassian-hc-pistol	15mm Circassian noble cavalry with pistols (x12 horses and lower bodies, x14 upper torsos -- 12 with pistols, 2 command)	$17.99
circassian-nogai-tartars	15mm Circassian Nogai Tartars (x12, 12 horse archers torsos and one chieftain torso with sword)	$17.99
circassian-comm-person	15mm Circassian Command and Personalities (one prince, one standardbearer, two trick riders, ,and two upper torsos with lances to add to the heavy cavalry sets)	$7.49
circassian-spear-inf	15mm Circassian Foot Warriors with Spears, half with shields (x12)	$7.99
circassian-sword-inf	15mm Circassian Foot Warriors with Swords, half with shields (x12)	$7.99
circassian-musket-inf	15mm Circassian Foot Warriors with Muskets (x12)	$7.99