Having trouble using javelin cavalry

[Zim]

Does anyone else find javelin cavalry (without underhand spears as secondary weapons) hard to use? I'm playing a KH as Sicily game where I've gotten around to conquering southern Italy. I really want to Tarantine Cavalry (and also tend to keep at least one unit of the low tier Greek Javelin cavalry around for realism) but I've never had much luck with them againt anything but elephants.

Maybe I'm missing something. I usually run them around the enemy's flanks to pepper them with javelins, but don't get many kills. Obviously charging with them is out, except int he most dire of circumstances. I've never had much luck using them against opposing cavalry, but that may be more a matter of my doing something wrong...

[anubis88]

The kill ratio of javelins is indeed very low, so even if you attack the unarmoured back of some units you won't get many kills. In such cases akonistai would be better then the Tarentines, since they have 140 + men in their unit, so javalin cavalry could be almost uselles against infantry, especially infantry with decent armour.
Of course they are very usefull against elephants, chariots and other cavalry... I don't know why you don't have luck with the Tarantines against cavalry. They usually massacer anything that is less armoured then them

[lionhard]

iv found the key with missile cav is to get their experience up then they are actually useful, their missiles last longer and do more damage and even in hand to hand combat they can do some damage but till then they r only really good for running down fleeing enemies.

[seienchin]

iv found the key with missile cav is to get their experience up then they are actually useful, their missiles last longer and do more damage and even in hand to hand combat they can do some damage but till then they r only really good for running down fleeing enemies.

Mmh...
Their missiles do not last longer...
They are not connectet to experience. Anyway missile cavallery isnt useless at all, they just dont kill anybody in normal melee.
Even with low charging values charge them in the back of the enemy. Esspecially two or more units simultaneously rout anybody and the best part is that these kind of cavs really kill routing enemies really quick.
In huge battles they are really usefull, but dont expect them to do anything by themselves.
I once fought with a allied italian general with 63 men against the romans and he couldnt even kill the enemy general with 30 men... An allied Steppe general would have killed the whole enemy army...

[Duguntz]

Javelin Cav are useless. Point to the line. they have no charge value, no melee use (appart from those with Over hand spear... but even then it's a very poor last resort unit) and even as missile, Archer cav are waaaaay better. and as for the javelin vs elephants thing, foot javelners are better as they have more units

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

Javelin Cav are useless. Point to the line. they have no charge value, no melee use (appart from those with Over hand spear... but even then it's a very poor last resort unit) and even as missile, Archer cav are waaaaay better. and as for the javelin vs elephants thing, foot javelners are better as they have more units

The numerical superiority and low cost of skirmisher infantry does make them, imo, more cost effective than their mounted counterparts when it comes to attacking with javelins, however skirmisher cavalry should not be relegated to the bowels of archaism.

The skirmisher cavalry, depending on the weapon used, is best against unarmored targets and attacks from the rear. Cavalry archers can absolutely decimate lightly/un-armored unit from huge range, as can javelin cavalry albeit from a reduced range. The real key to using them is to choose your targets wisely.

Granted, not all battles will be fought against cloth wearing or naked soldiers, and not all armies will have those units conveniently on the flanks, but that is where the added mobility of the skirmisher cavalry bears fruit. Even if you can just run them around the end and force a couple line units to sit back and block a charge - you've just reduced the number of men your own line will be fighting at the same time. Additionally, as was done in history, you can sucker in heavy cavalry to the point of exhaustion with feints, or draw them into your phalanxes/general infantry to hack to pieces in prolonged melee.

Sadly, skirmisher cavalry can not always be the deciding devastating force that we expect from heavy cavalry, however their role is crucial to many battles, albeit often as a secondary or supporting force. Personally, I gain as much satisfaction being tactical and sneaky by using these units to harass and otherwise disrupt the enemy just as much as I enjoy a good solid cavalry charge completely obliterating a unit, sending men flying in the air, and causing an instantaneous rout.

[seienchin]

Javelin Cav are useless. Point to the line. they have no charge value, no melee use (appart from those with Over hand spear... but even then it's a very poor last resort unit) and even as missile, Archer cav are waaaaay better. and as for the javelin vs elephants thing, foot javelners are better as they have more units

I respect your opinion, but dont forget that skirmisher cavallery is best at killing routing enemies. I find them usefull otherwise too, but you cant argue their value at pursuing enemies.
Still I cant understand why the numidians are so weak in EB although they were so famous in the ancient times.