Cataphract Usage

I'm pretty deep into a Baktrian campaign at the moment and I'm loving it.
I will be making an AAR out of it soon (once I reunite Alexandros's conquests) and I want to play as realistically as possible.

I love Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi and so I usually try and field a large contingent of them in each army, but I don't know how to use them to their greatest effect. Should I use them in conjunction with lighter cavalry? Should I flank the enemy phalanxes with them all at once and use them as a hammer against my anvil or should I use them as individual units?

Any advice at all is welcome, even if you don't answer these questions.

They work wonders for a hammer, and you can use the to kill Seleucid generals. Use lighter cavalry to pin the generals, then charge their rear with Kataphraktoi.

Hammer!!!
Definitely hammer!
As individual units they can do a good job flanking or striking from the rear, but my experience shows that this may not be enough. However a massed cavalry charge, especially by such a heavy cavalry even from the front will break a phalanx in many cases. A front assault of course is not advisable, but can break easily the light troops and then you can maneuver around the phalanx as you please and flank them which WILL break them.

You can also do a greek version of the Pahlavan HA army... 9 units Baktrioi Hippotoxotai and 1 unit Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi. You could have 2-3 stacks of them to be their Hunter Killer armies.

Baktrians were the most "nomad" influenced of all of the Hellenic factions. The armies they fielded at Arreios river were solely cavalry. That is not to say that they didn't have infantry or that they couldn't or wouldn't use it. I think they just picked the best of both worlds.

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Originally Posted by keravnos

You can also do a greek version of the Pahlavan HA army... 9 units Baktrioi Hippotoxotai and 1 unit Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi. You could have 2-3 stacks of them to be their Hunter Killer armies.

Baktrians were the most "nomad" influenced of all of the Hellenic factions. The armies they fielded at Arreios river were solely cavalry. That is not to say that they didn't have infantry or that they couldn't or wouldn't use it. I think they just picked the best of both worlds.

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Trust me, these armies are fun.

did someone know how long a cataphract-horse can ride with the such a weight on it? they must have sweat profusely...
i listend that a medieval knight normally used 3 or 4 horses. one or two for battle, one for supply and one for normal riding and travelling.

I usually make use of 1 single unit og Kataphraktoi. I mostly keep them in reserve, as they are quite valuable to me (AOR in not that wide, especially if you are fighting in the West or South). I mostly use them to counter heavy cavalry, pinning FM's, then flanking them with lighter cavalry or infantry. I als use them as a hammer or side-sweeper when I'm absolutely sure here is no way my enemy will be able to disturb them.

If you chose to field a nomad-style army, I suppose their usages differ. Maybe use them when you arows are spent or something like that. I don't really have any experience with any other army type except greek ones :P

Maion

I LOVE using heavy cavalry, and cataphracts are some of the best.

If my cataphracts are just facing infantry that doesn't use long spears (usually anything NOT a phalanx) then they are heavy and powerful enough that if you give them room to get a charge going and lower their lances they can do devastating damage even from the front. Against, say, hellenic spearmen, a frontal charge could quite possibly route them. Against heavier enemies it will still do quite a bit of damage, and they can last in melee long enough against most foes that you can charge a second cataphract into the rear of whatever you charged into frontally. In this way you can field all cavalry armies and go up against most any opponent, especially if you throw in a few units of horse archers.

Of course, they can also just be used as a really big, really badass hammer, to smash anything your infantry engages.

Basically, however you use them, make sure you give them enough room to sound the charge and lower their lances, otherwise you are only getting a small part of their usefulness from them.

edit: don't be afraid of doing multiple charges either. your horses will of course get tired when doing multiple charges, but they will still be very effective. i often finds it's even easier to get them to lower their lances in the charge once they are a little tired.

I know that in game the most effective tactic is surely use them as an hammer just like hetairoi but is this historically correct?

AFAIK they didn't have the stamina to flank opponent, they were a reserve of elite super-heavy cavalry, relying on infantry/lighter cavalry to engage enemies waiting a good chance to smash enemies with one frontal powerful charge...
...
Can someone summon TPC??:clown:
:laugh4:

not enough mana D=

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aper

I know that in game the most effective tactic is surely use them as an hammer just like hetairoi but is this historically correct?

AFAIK they didn't have the stamina to flank opponent, they were a reserve of elite super-heavy cavalry, relying on infantry/lighter cavalry to engage enemies waiting a good chance to smash enemies with one frontal powerful charge...
...
Can someone summon TPC??:clown:
:laugh4:

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I don't have specific instances to quote or anything, but I am sure they were used in both ways. If you want them to charge from the rear, in real life, you wouldn't have them standing near your army, then run them in a circle neatly around the engaged opponent. You would most likely have them positioned far enough away that on signal, they can make one powerful decisive charge. The other option would be to have your infantry engage, holding your cataphracts in reserve, then retreat your infantry once the lines have become tangled. If the enemy infantry chases, you can charge into their unformed lines. If they retreat you can charge their rear. One of the strengths of cavalry, historically or in game, is their flexibility and maneuverability.

At Magnesia they were used as frontal chargers, routing whatever they had in front of them...

I sent my cataphracts around to flank to enemy like any other heavy cavalry, never disappointed me yet.