Intimidation plays an important part in conflict, as do teamwork and skill. The most fearsome military units in history combined these three traits, as well as ferocity, to defeat armies that were often much bigger than them. The following list shows exactly why the majority of soldiers never wanted to meet these groups in battle.
Winged Hussars
The Winged Hussars fought for Poland and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for approximately 200 years, though this fearsome military unit formally disbanded in 1776. The cavalry, which began as a force primarily made up of exiled Balkan warriors, was known for the wide variety of weapons they had in their arsenal (pistols, lances, maces, etc.) and their deadly war tactics.
Named for their large rear wings, the Winged Hussars fought against Russian, Swedish and Ottoman forces with shock tactics. The group’s most famed battle was the Siege of Vienna in 1683, during the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars. They, alongside troops from the Holy Roman Empire, led the largest cavalry charge in history against 150,000 Ottoman soldiers. Despite their significantly lower numbers, the charge was successful, and the Hussars repelled the enemy troops.
This was similarly seen during the Battle of Hodów in 1694, when 100 Winged Hussars and 300 Towarzysz pancerny took on 40,000 Tatar soldiers. Over the course of six hours, the Polish forces fought off repeated attacks from the Tatars, ignoring calls to surrender. In the end, the Tatars retreated, giving the Hussars an incredible victory.
