Overhand spear cavalry

**Cullhwch** · 10-03-2008, 22:41

Do the cavalry with overhand spears have any sort of advantages over those that use underhand spears/lances? I know that in real life it's probably easier to extract a spear by pulling up than by pulling back, but in EB most of these guys seem nigh useless thanks to their lethality. If they can't be used as shock cavalry, what can I use them for?

**Foot** · 10-03-2008, 23:00

They certainly aren't shock cav, but their spear is generally higher attack rate than most other weapons. Their best used for running down skirmishers because they can attack at a pretty good rate.

Foot

**Cullhwch** · 10-03-2008, 23:23

In that role, then, do they (as in hippeis-equites type cavalry) offer any sort of advantages over the sword-armed skirmisher cavalry from the Hippakontistai to the Celto-Germans? I know that they have a higher lethality than the kopis cavalry, but the rare longsword horsemen will have an edge in both throwing javelins into the backs of the skirmishers and in killing them in the ensuing melee. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to use hippeis effectively. Are they only useful if nothing else is available?

**Olaf The Great** · 10-04-2008, 00:47

Originally Posted by Cullhwch

In that role, then, do they (as in hippeis-equites type cavalry) offer any sort of advantages over the sword-armed skirmisher cavalry from the Hippakontistai to the Celto-Germans? I know that they have a higher lethality than the kopis cavalry, but the rare longsword horsemen will have an edge in both throwing javelins into the backs of the skirmishers and in killing them in the ensuing melee. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to use hippeis effectively. Are they only useful if nothing else is available?

I use the Sword armed cavalry against other cavalry...but from my experience the over-hand cavalry are pretty bad.

**MerlinusCDXX** · 10-04-2008, 08:17

I only use 'em myself if they have the AP axe as a secondary (Mada Asabara, Katpatuka Asabara), otherwise... (they svck)

**xzGAB** · 10-04-2008, 12:49

Let me see if i understood. Horsemen with large spears are not shock cavalry and atack many times in small time?

**Foot** · 10-04-2008, 12:55

No, cavalry with short spears who hold them overhand are not shock cavalry and have a fast attack speed. Cavalry with large spears who hold them underarm are shock cavalry and their spears are poor in closecombat because they are slow to attack with.

Foot

**Ludens** · 10-04-2008, 13:48

Originally Posted by Foot

No, cavalry with short spears who hold them overhand are not shock cavalry and have a fast attack speed. Cavalry with large spears who hold them underarm are shock cavalry and their spears are poor in closecombat because they are slow to attack with.

But cavalry with large spears always* carry an side-arm that is effective in close combat. They can be ordered to use with[alt]-right click: this will order them to charge with their spears and fight in close-combat with their side-arm.

* The exception being lance-armed horse archers.

**Foot** · 10-04-2008, 13:49

Yes, that is true. However I was oonly clearing up the issue with spears as there are shock cav units that do not have melee sidearms.

Foot

**Olaf The Great** · 10-04-2008, 14:34

Originally Posted by Ludens

But cavalry with large spears always* carry an side-arm that is effective in close combat. They can be ordered to use with[alt]-right click: this will order them to charge with their spears and fight in close-combat with their side-arm.

* The exception being lance-armed horse archers.

Javelin armed ones with the overhand spears are an exception too.

In this case, they are "Jack of all Trades" type of cavalry, with a spear that can charge decently, and melee decently.

However, sword Cavalry will still trump them, but at the same time Sword cavalry can't charge very well.

**Ca Putt** · 10-04-2008, 16:18

Originally Posted by Ludens

But cavalry with large spears always* carry an side-arm that is effective in close combat. They can be ordered to use with[alt]-right click: this will order them to charge with their spears and fight in close-combat with their side-arm.

* The exception being lance-armed horse archers.

so if i order lets say greek noble cav to charge pressing [alt] they will switch to swords once they hit the enemy? that sounds great! thx

what i used overhand spear cav so far was to come after the lancers and hold the foe in melee while the lancers can retreat and ready for a second charge from an other side. it worked so far. what are your opinions on this use of the overhand spear cav?