Lance (AEG)

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==Lance==
The term "lance" originally referred to spears wielded by footmen and cavalry. It eventually referred only to cavalry spears.
Lance design varies between cultures and eras. Generally, the lance is a long shaft of tough wood, usually ash, with an iron head in the shape of a laurel or willow leaf, with cutting edges and a sharp point meant to penetrate armor.
Lances are meant to be gripped close to the bottom, putting a great distance between the wielder and his target. As a rule, the lance is aimed diagonally above the horse's neck. The opponents face each other with their left sides oncoming.
Along with almost any variety of sword, the lance is considered the best offensive weapon for mounted soldiers. Some knights carry a small fabric pennant affixed just below the lance head. These pennants are either triangular or square, and carry the colors or symbols of the knight's family or liege.
In parades, lances are held vertically, with the butt set in a stirrup or on the horseman's right thigh. On a march, the lance is held across the shoulder, across the saddlebow, or horizontally alongside the horse.
Through evolution, weaponsmiths sought to increase the damage caused by the lance by making them heavier.
One of the biggest problems with using a lance is the jarring impact on the user. In order to address this problem, a thick leather ring called a graper is fitted to the shaft just behind the wielder's hand. This acts as a stop against the armpit, halting the lance's rearward motion upon impact.
Another important part of a lance is a rest. The rest is a small, sometimes folding bracket fixed to the right side of the knight's breastplate armor. The graper is leaned against this rest when the lance is in use. The rest enables the knight to get the maximum push from his lance, inflicting the most damage.
The difference between the light, medium, and heavy, lances stems from the length (10' for a light, 12' for a medium, and 14' for a heavy), and weight (five pounds, ten pounds, and fifteen pounds for light, medium, and heavy respectively).
Each lance type can be used only if the rider is on a horse of corresponding type or greater. Thus, a knight on a heavy warhorse can use any lance, while the scout on a light warhorse is limited to the light lance.
==Jousting Lance==
Jousting lances, used in "jousts of peace," are the heaviest lances, weighing 20 pounds and measuring at least 13 feet long. These lances are fitted with a three-pronged head in order to prevent armor penetration. The prongs are short, blunt projections that emerge from the headpiece, as opposed to a sharp point. This lance is also known as a "courtesy lance." In a full tilt, a joust of war, the head is blunt and may actually cause fatalities.
Locathah riding on the backs of giant eels use light lances.
: "Light lances can be used as a polearm by adventurers who do not relish combat on horseback, preferring instead to meet the enemy on foot. It can be hard to wield a heavy lance in a forest, so a medium lance may be a good compromise.
: "Lances are best used as a mounted weapon. When used from the back of a charging mount, it inflicts double damage.
: "Nothing is more awe-inspiring than a mounted knight, wielding her lance and charging a dragon. Of such things legends are made, and no mounted warrior worth his salt should be without his lance, especially a paladin. I know I have mine!"
:: — Maura Smallwood, Paladin
The lance's history can be traced to the Middle East, and was widely used by Greco- Roman horsemen.
Though rendered obsolescent in 1600 by the advent of firearms, lances were still used by light cavalry until the 19th century, with many European armies maintaining use of the lance in the Russian Civil War and World War I. Two of the most well-known uses of the lance in the 20th century were the Polish lancers' charges against German armor in 1939, and the Italian charges against the Russians in 1942.