The collectors of pre-war composite figures may have noticed the large number of German mounted soldiers and horse drawn vehicles. The major German manufacturers Hausser and Lineol together offered over thirty different models of cavalry soldiers in 1939. This is related to the fact that most of the figures were created and designed before the war and so actually refer to World War I. But also, the Wehrmacht was not as mechanised as the German propaganda during the war and later the Hollywood movies were eager to show.

The cavalry corps always had a special prestige within the German armed forces. During the French-German war of 1870/1871, the cavalry played a decisive role. While the French army already had a modernised arsenal of effective artillery pieces, strong fortifications and well trained infantry units, the Germans still relied on their huge traditional cavalry. In August 1870, the Germans were able to stop the withdraw of the French North-Army to Metz with mounted attacks at Vionville and Mars-la-Tours August, 16^th and Gravelotte at August, 18^th.

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