Favourite Cavalry Units

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Originally Posted by Tom0

I like my cav to be able to keep up with other cav, I also like them to own other cav of the same speed. Possibly SB or Companion. Companion seeing as though they haven't got any voters yet.

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Cavalry is usually either speedy and low powered, or slow and high powered - there are a few exceptions though.

This is a fairly well thought out balance - if heavy cavalry could run as fast as horse archers then the horse archer unit would be pathetically worthless. Likewise if fast cavalry was also the most powerful then lower class cavalry units would not be able to stand a chance against them.

I prefer my cavalry units to be more on the powerful and armoured side than fast in all honesty. The majority of the lighter ranged units may struggle to cause a significant level of damage to armoured units. This often results in a minimal level of losses. The powerful unit then can then cause as much damage as possible when ammunition has run out. Other light cavalry units which are not ranged simply charge in and get slaughtered.

~:)

I prefer cavalry units that is, if not super-fast like barbarian cavalry or horse archers, at least fast enough like Long Shields or Roman cavalry. To me, armour and fighting ability is secondary to maneuverability, as IMO that's the whole point of cavalry. If I want some heavily armoured shock troop, legionaries are just fine for me.

Also, light cavalry are normally easily retrained. ~:)

I find Macedonian Light Lancers surprisingly good, they're the type of troop that could turn the tide of battle early on in the campaign. clump them toghter and charge. i usually have 4 units of them charging stimutioues at a single unit and the results were always positive(except spearmen). their charge is incredible, their attack is also not too bad, but their defence ensures that they can't stay in melee for too long.

I voted Cataphracts, but Praetorian are fantastic too with upgrades. But what the hell, I love Sarmatians too if you are a faction that can't recruit Praetorian or Cataphract.
I don't really deal in HA, archers take care of them. The way I play, the horseytanks take care of the enemy infantry, cavalry, skirmishers and HA that come too close too (AI obviously).
I sound like a HeavyCav fanatic but I'm not, I prefer infantry complemented by heavy cav.
:turtle: :turtle: :turtle: but boy ... do they hit hard!

I'd choose for sacred Band Cav, not the best stats, not the best cav, BUT one of the most efficient cav, he has a good price for his stats and can turn the tide of battle, even war!
I have had MANY victories only beceause of The Sacred Band Units (inf and cav)
And the numidian cav helped me out soo many times too,

Once i fought a battle with: 3 units of Iberian infantry, 10 Units Sacred Band Infantry, 6 Units Sacred Band Cavalry, 10 Units of peasants, 3 units of numidian cavalry, and 5 units of elephants

My losses: 3 units of iberian infantry, just blown away, 1 unit elephants and 6 units of peasants, the rest could stand, if i had other kind of infantry and cav, i would have lost battle


i don't like cataphracts .... too slow:turtle:
sacred band cav is better (not in power, but in speed and effectiveness) :charge:

Sacred band is more than an reasonable choice. Cataphracts' speed is an real let down.:shame:

Though doesn't the Sacred Band require a prohibitively high tier to build? Since melee cav sustains plenty of casualties, I'd say that it's a bother, at least for me.

The infrustracture required for most of the top cavalry are all either large or huge cities, which gives long shield cavalry the edge. but what about Roman cavalry, you only need a large town to train one of these.

Yeah, I find Roman cavalry to be a decent cavalry unit, if not the best. Sure beats the equites-- what I've never been able to understand was that the equites were supposed to be rich people, yet they ride to war in light, unadorned tunics and a crappy-looking helmet. Surely they should have been more..... decorated. They look like levy cavalry, like maybe Ligurians or something.

Equites were like the first cavalry of Rome dated back to Romulus. At that time you'd be rich if you could afford to keep a horse. by the time the game starts they were all like bankers and merchants. Equite is an just an title. It's like Knights, back in the mid ages they fought in wars and were called sir. Lancelot and all that, but nowadays you got bussiness men and rock star as Knights, no one expects sir.Elton John or Sir. Alex Ferguson to be fighting on horsebacks. before the Marian reform I think the Romans mainly used Auxilia Cavalry borrowed from it's Latin neighbours. also cavalry from it's allies (Numidian cavalry at Zama, Heavy Greek cavalry at Magnesia).

Gah them Romans always borrowing.

Heh...... well, everyone always borrows from somewhere.