a quick guide to using cavalry..

[Aemilius Paulus]

To tell you the truth, I never use actual cavalry. Only general's bodyguards, which are usually Hellenistic Mercenary Generals or sometimes Italic Generals. I use them all the time and if I had normal cavalry, I would have to retrain the cavalry units after every second or even first battle in order to keep their numbers above 25 men. During my Romani campaign I usually build a type 4 government, which automatically produces a client ruler general and then take that general to battle. It is a whole lot cheaper than training a mercenary general, for which you need level 5 regional MIC and plus 3,500 mnai to train the general's unit. I only use these generals for fighting an never for governing or commanding armies. For that I have real Roman generals. However, I did have one guy who started out as an Italic general that I recruited in Arpi and went on to conquer Southern Gaul and all of Iberia. He now has 10 influence, 10 management, and 6 command (not to mention, one gold chevron). BTW, he was not a client ruler.

The reason why I do not use normal cavalry is as I have stated before is because you have to retrain them. In order to retrain cavalry when you are away from your homeland you need to recruit regional cavalry that can be replaced much more easily. However in order to train regional cavalry you haved to build regional MICs, which cost money and some time to build. General's bodyguards regenerate men and have higher stats than any regional cavalry that you can recruit as Romani. Generals are also much easier to level up in experience. After a tough battle, my fighting generals (not the commander ones) are down to about 25 men from the original of about 54. After one season they will be back to 40 men and after two seasons they will be at full strength. For free.

[QuintusSertorius]

Why do you need to continually retrain*? The increase in experience tends to offset minor losses, and unless you're using cavalry extremely badly, you don't tend to lose that many anyway.

Furthermore, if you're playing as Rome, money is never an issue past the conquest of Italy.

*I guess I should note, I don't retrain at all.

[satalexton]

^^;; it's not really possible to retrain when your army's all teh way in asia is it? i just ship a constant stream of extraordinari from italy, merging them as needed. under strength legions are merged together and a new one would be raised in italy >_> Rome is fun, there's so many creative and historical ways to make one's life difficult deliberatly.

so back on topic, how often u use the eqvites extraordinarii QS? i find them very handy after getting up to silver chevs. (no retraining, merge only. yes thats A LOT of battles, and with relatively few losses)

[QuintusSertorius]

Hardly used them at all. As before, cheaper, lighter cavalry is just more versatile, and IMO durable.

[Fondor_Yards]

How many people use cavalry who's main weapon is an overhand spear? *IE Hippies, Medians, Cappadocians, etc* Ibrahim's post said they are popular with players, but I for one avoid them like the plaque. The only time I really use them is as Pontus, since you don't get anything better then the Cappadocians for a while. I find most/all other medium/heavy cavalry is better for charging, and for fighting other cavalry, leaving these guys with no roll on the battlefield. 2 handed lancers and shield+underhand spear guys seem to be much better.

Also where do most people draw the line between medium and heavy cavalry? For me Prodromoi types end of medium-Thessalian types start of heavies, with the various others on one side or another.

To Aemilius Paulus: Make sure you pull your cavalry out of meele right after the charge. Your guys shouldn't be taking 50% losses from a single battle, continuously. I'd recommand using cavalry units, if nothing else because cavalry seems to have sweeter skins then infantry on average.

[QuintusSertorius]

I try to use only those with AP lances. Spears are alright in melee, but cavalry shouldn't be hanging around long enough to get into melee. That's also why sword-cavalry are useless, unless it's a backup for use against other cavalry.

[Aemilius Paulus]

To Aemilius Paulus: Make sure you pull your cavalry out of meele right after the charge. Your guys shouldn't be taking 50% losses from a single battle, continuously. I'd recommand using cavalry units, if nothing else because cavalry seems to have sweeter skins then infantry on average.

I know how to use cavalry and I do pull the cavalry out of melee right after the charge, but even charging from the takes its toll. I use the generals very much and generally consider them expendable (the individual horsemen, not THE general). They soak up majority of my losses and I usually have low casualties (usually about 40-70) men on large unit scale on 1:1 strength ratio. Early in my Romani campaign I trained light cavalry in emergency situations when I was facing large armies with nothing but infantry, just to pursue the routers. I also did mention that I get 50% casualties after a tough battle.

I am an infantry and missile general; usually I have a Roman general and two Hellenistic Merc. Generals
for cavalry. Some of my legions have HA units, which are real killers. Missiles that double as light cavalry to pursue routers and charge wavering units in the rear. My favourite are the Scythian Riders, which I recruit in Kallatis (Western shore of the Black Sea). With 6 missile attack and AP lances they are more versatile than Curepos (there are much more arrows than javelins).

[Ibrahim]

now that I've checked the thread:

@fonder:

1-I was refering to generalized cavalry, not overhand. its coincidence that equites/ overhanders were in this demo..

2-at the time this was written, they were popular with the guys I knew (long since gone). if tastes change, its the reader's problem..

3-this is a quick guide to using cavalry..its a basic manual on non-missile cavalry, not a detailed discussion. if you want that, write it yourself. i only wrote this because new members had no clue as to the use of cavalry, at the time this was written (esp. heavies). this is not meant for vets like you...

4-all me divisions were by necessity arbitrary...besides, if you were really reading, you'd see i've explained the reasons I made these divisions..

@ all others: I was hoping poeple wouldn't argue out of topic BTW., so if ye have nothing good to say, don't post. next one who does otherwise, ya welo, so the arab phrase goes. again, this is a manual for novices, not a debate on how cavalry is used, or a ground for veterens to nitpick on.. 3ayyileen...