Pontic Cavalry

[WinsingtonIII]

Yes, I would argue Scythian Nobles are better than Kinsmen. 800 mnai cheaper. Same morale (13), discipline, and training. Almost as much armor (12 instead of 15), which they make up for with a shield of 3, making them better against missiles as well. They also have a high-lethality longsword as a secondary, which is better than the AP mace of the Kinsmen. Their only downside is a slightly weaker charge, but their upsides make up for it.

They're the most cost-effective heavy cavalry on the Pontic roster (other than bodyguards of course), the only problem with them is their AOR, as shipping across the Black Sea can be annoying.

Also, don't completely write off Cappadocian medium cavalry. Don't use them as shock cavalry, they don't have the charge for that, but they're pretty fast and quite good in prolonged melees against other cavalry because they are well armoured and carry an axe. I like to use them to distract and tire out enemy heavy cavalry, and then once I pin the enemy heavies with my own heavy cavalry, the Cappadocians can easily outmaneuver and take them down with their axes. I think they are a bit overpriced for what you get though, as they are more expensive than Scythian Nobles.

Plus, you need something you run down routers, and by the end of a battle Royal Kinsmen are about as fast as heavy infantry...