The Absolutely Best Heavy Cavalry in EB...

[MerlinusCDXX]

I use Pontos Early, Hayasdan Early, Baktrian late, and Saka late...and oops I forgot to use the hayasdan late BG ...

Ah, that's why Pontic BG did so well against Hayasdan. Their early BGs are actually the same unit (Khuveshavagan-Shah, or something like it, that's what he says when you select him in battle ). I though you tested the late BGs, as per the elite Cataphract BG discussion (they are all late model), which is why I was confused as to why the Pontic BGs did so well.

[Obelics]

Testing Bodyguards duel with their secondary weapons (with human (me and my friend) using double right click and pressing alt, done in multiplayer with a desktop PC and a Laptop) all formed into 2 men deep formations, and charge frontally each other) - using their highest stats bodyguards... (not highest price)

Pontos vs Hayasdan (11 vs 11)
1. Pontos win by luck (survive 2 men, hayasdan rout with 3 men (general dies))
2. Hayasdan win sightly (survive 2 men, pontos all killed)
3. Pontos win sightly (survive 3 men, hayasdan rout with 2 men (general dies))

Pontos vs Baktrian (11 vs 11)
1. Baktrian win (survive 5 men, pontos all killed)
2. Baktrian win (survive 7 men, pontos rout with 1 men (general dies))

Baktrian vs Hayasdan (11 vs 11)
1. Baktrian win (survive 7 men, hayasdan rout with 1 men (the general))

Saka vs Baktrian
1. Baktrian win sightly (survive 3 men, saka all killed)
2. Saka win by luck (survive 3 men, baktrian rout with 4 men (general dies))
3. Baktrian win in unbelievable state (only the general - the last fight was general vs general)
4. Baktrian win sightly (survive 2 men, saka all killed)

Conclusion : Hetairoi Kataphraktoi is the best...

have you tryed the Pahlava Grinpanvar Vs the Baktrian Bodyguards? that would be interesting, im curious on the match of 0.225 lethality of the Pahlavans vs the AP of the Baktrians.
Also i would test it in 2 different ways, one with 0 Experience both, and one with 3 experience, that multiplayer test is a great idea! (but i know is very difficult to arrange)

[artavazd]

you should be testing the four "elite" ones. Late Armenian BG, Late Parthian BG, Late Baktrian Bg, and Late Saka BG. My hunch is that the Late Saka BG will be the best because of their heavier armor and AP pick axe.

[Cute Wolf]

Testing Saka Late, Phalava Late, Baktria Late, and Hayasdan Late (0 exp 0 upgrade, same unit size as before) ...

Saka Late vs Baktria Late
1. Baktria win (survive 4, saka all dies)
2. Baktria win sightly (survive 2, saka all dies)
3. Saka win by luck (survive 3, Baktrian rout with 5 men (general dies in the first charge T.T))
4. Baktria win (survive 5, saka rout with 3 men (general dies))

Saka Late vs Phalava Late
1. Saka win sightly (survive 2, Phalavan all dies)
2. Saka win sightly (survive 3, Phalavan rout with 1 men (general dies))
3. Saka win sightly (survive 3, Phalavan rout with 3 men (general dies))
4. Phalavans win sightly (survive 2, saka rout with 1 men (the general))

Baktria Late vs Hayasdan Late
1. Baktrian win sightly (survive 3 (general dies), Hayasdan all dies)
2. Baktrian win (survive 4 men, Hayasdan all dies)

Baktria Late vs Phalava Late (try to switch laptop and desktop control in turns 6&7)
1. Phalavan win (survive 4 men, Baktria all dies)
2. Phalavan win (survive 5 men, Baktria rout with 3 men (general dies))
3. Phalavan win sightly (survive 2 men, Baktria all dies)
4. Phalavan win (survive 3 men, Baktria rout with 1 men (the general))
5. Phalavan win sightly (survive 2 men, Baktria all dies)
6. Phalavan win by luck (survive 3 men, Baktria rout with 5 men (general dies in the first charge T.T))
7. Phalavan win sightly (survive 2 men, Baktria all dies)

I certainly disbelief my own tests results, especially the phalavans and baktrians... Baktrians are better than saka, saka pawned Phalavans, but why Phalavans pawned Baktrians?

[LordCurlyton]

You've still got Baktria vs Saka and Pahlava vs Hayasdan to test. As for the results, I'm not surprised. I've found that many times the stats that you see rarely tell the whole story of a unit's effectiveness. I maintain that the speed of the attack and/or the animation has a very large effect on combat results, or at least larger than anticipated. If the stats are wildly disproportionate (elite cav vs skirmishers, say) then it won't really affect the result but for units of similar quality it can really influence things. Also, as I'm sure many have noticed, the denseness of the formation is a big factor as well. I know the Pahalva FMs are in a very tight formation but I'm not sure about the others. Personally I see no need to give the Pahlava FMs an AP weapon since their big sword is a fast attacker. Also, if the FMs are in human hands they generally will have many chevrons. I know my campaigning FMs had something like 45 armor all told after heavy xp gains, which for all intents and purposes made my guys invulnerable. i think concentrated slinger fire was the only thing that inflicted undue casualties on them (in 1.1). Since slinger stats have been reduced for 1.2 I'm not sure even that would dent them.

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

I certainly disbelief my own tests results, especially the phalavans and baktrians... Baktrians are better than saka, saka pawned Phalavans, but why Phalavans pawned Baktrians?

It's rock, paper, scissors in action, of course.

[NeoSpartan]

DON'T test with generals in ur units!!

have ur general be some crappy unit and put him ALL the way at the end of the map (have ur buddy do the same).