Let's talk about cavalry

[QuintusSertorius]

Has anyone had any experience with the Roman auxiliary cavalry?

I was having a look at the RV to see where Germanic auxiliaries can be recruited, and was impressed to see both the Gallic provinces bordering on the Rhine can recruit them. Though presumably you need factional barracks (and a type II government) to do that?

[General Appo]

I´ve used them a tiny bit, yes, mostly to fight rebels and brigands, but yes, I´ve used them. The Gallic ones are quite good for flanking and charging, and I mostly treat them as heavy cavalry. I once staged an invasion of the entire north of the Black Sea, 1 FM, 10 Marian Legionaries and 9 Gallic Auxiliary cavalry from Galatia. Worked like a charm, the HA didn´t stand a chance. In the last battle I faced two full stacks of HA and foot archers. Put the Legionaries in front in Testudo formation and let them shot of all their arrows. When the finally charged the Legionaries the Gauls circled around and slaughtered them from behind.

The Germanic auxiliary cavalry is more like very strong Hippakontistai, or the Tarantinoi. Good skirmishing cavalry, but that packs quite a punch in melee. Not so good at charging, but can certainly take out some enemy missile and light infantry units, and against enemy cavalry they´re great, at least against the relatively weak ones I´ve meet (germanic light cavalry, Leuce Epos, Belgae cavalry, etc.).

The Spanish ones I havn´t used much, but my limited experience shows them as a very good unit. Nice skirmishers, not so good chargers, but very good at melee. Havn´t really meet any heavy infantry or cavalry with them, so can´t say anything there.

The Thracians ones are quite good as well, pretty much the same as the Spanish ones. Very good against HA´s though, fast and quick killers, with a little micro-management a few of these can catch up with any HA´s and make short work of them.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Gallic ones look like better-armoured-Curepos (or a cross with Brihentin). Lances and javelins with good stamina. Is that the case?

[General Appo]

It has been some time since I last used them, but yes, I believe that to be the case.

[Ibrahim]

I've used the Auxiliary cavalry in custom battle= of them them suck..nuff said (they aren't really as good as their prices suggest).

the Ala imperatoria isn't much better really.
solution: Brihentin!!

[Fish-got-a-Sniper]

In my Carthaginian campaign, I've been shipping the occasional iberian and numidian unit into Sicily to fight the Romans and I've found the Spanish heavy cavalry (the one's armored similarly to cataphracts) to be a very effective flanking unit, on par with the Hetaroi from the Hellenic factions IMO.

[QuintusSertorius]

I've used the Auxiliary cavalry in custom battle= of them them suck..nuff said (they aren't really as good as their prices suggest).

the Ala imperatoria isn't much better really.
solution: Brihentin!!

Custom battles are a poor reflection of campaign battles, since your units won't have the morale and defensive boost that their general gives them.

In my experience Brihentin aren't all that special.

[Ibrahim]

Custom battles are a poor reflection of campaign battles, since your units won't have the morale and defensive boost that their general gives them.

In my experience Brihentin aren't all that special.

that was with 3 bronze chevrons and bronze sword and shield (the average for a late campaign). the main problem is simply that they lack the stats of similar catagories of troops (morale is fine though), with the same ups (like the brihentin). even with the general's guidance, I doubt that will help much, as the morale is not the problem.
then again, everyone has their opinion