Broken lances are well trained and experienced professional soldiers, protected by plate mail, armed with swords.
In medieval Italy, a lance meant a man at arms supported by some lighter soldiers. The term broken lance, or 'lanze spezzate' refers to men at arms who have been separated from their supporting soldiers, and hired separately. They are well disciplined professional soldiers who can fight on horseback, but often fight on foot. They are armoured with the finest Italian plate, and armed with a sword.