Lancer

At the Battle of Waterloo, French lances were "nearly 3 metres (9.8 ft) long, weighed around 3 kilograms (6.6 lb), and had a steel point on a wooden staff," according to historian Alessandro Barbero.

Commander of the French 1st Corps, 4th Division General Durutte, who saw the battle from the high ground in front of Papelotte, would write later, "I had never before realized the great superiority of the lance over the sword.

"[2] Although having substantial impact in the charge, lancers could be more vulnerable to other cavalry units in close quarters combat, where the lance proved to be a clumsy and easily deflected weapon when employed against sabres in a mêlée.

In 1914, lances were still being carried by regiments in the British, Indian, French, Prussian, Italian,[4] Chilean, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, Ottoman, Belgian, Argentine, Russian, and Siamese armies, among others.

Almost all German cavalry branches (cuirassiers, hussars, dragoons, and uhlans) retained steel tube lances (stahlrohrlanze) 3.2 meters (10 ft) in length, as their primary weapon.

[10] Prior to the outbreak of World War I, there had been controversy as to whether lances or sabres were the more effective armes blanche (i.e. mêlée weapons) for cavalry, but neither proved a match for modern firearms and/or artillery.

The Portuguese National Republican Guard horse squadrons carry lances on mounted parades, as do many cavalry regiments in South America such as Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.