Medieval Combat (Civ3)/The Middle Ages/Civilopedia

After the collapse of the Roman Empire in Europe and the subsequent loss of the Legions, local nobles realized that the
ordered tactics of the Romans were something better than the disorganized style of warfare of the Celts and other tribes
that had preceded them and set about ways of emulating them. Since the bonds of kinship and local loyalty were more important
to the average European than the bonds of nation-state, most medieval combat units were made up of people from one locality,
under the command of a local noble. These local units were important to the areas they came from in that they could keep the
incessant bandit raids that accompanied the collapse of the Empire, but could also be called up by a more powerful noble to
operate in an army if one was needed. These units were trained in various combat maneuvers and operated with discipline that,
while not up to Legionary standards, was still a far cry from the wild screaming charge that was the hallmark of ancient warfare
in Europe, and the addition of heavy armor to common infantry troops, until this period unthinkable in Europe, was a dramatic
leap forward for unit survivability. This step in military organization led to a non-noble warrior culture in Europe and paved
the way for standing professional armies.