Dismount Type, How to Dismount?

[Demequis]

Hello,

I'm curious, several cavalry units in the game have a supposed dismount type of soldier that they turn into. How do I get my cavalry to dismount? Can it be done in battle, on the strategic map? I don't believe I've ever had a knight turn into a foot soldier when his horse is killed from beneath him, I think the knight just died. Any help is appreciated

Thanks.

[Phatose]

Knights and cavalary that can dismount are dismounted in battle, but only during the deployment phase - before the battle has actually started, where you select either a formation if you're the attacked, or manually re-arrange as the defender. Right click on their icon to bring up the menu, and select 'dismount'. Note, that not all cavalary can dismount, and some (such as feudal knights) can only dismount during castle assaults.

[Ludens]

If you want to know which cavalry can dismount in what conditions (always or siege only), and what the resulting unit type of this dismounting will be, consult Frogbeastegg's Beginner's Guide to Totalwar (Entrance Hall / Main Hall). For detailed information on the dismounted trooptypes, consult her new Complete Total War Unit Guide (Main Hall).

Unfortunatly the Total War engine is unable to see horse and rider as two different entities, so it is not possible to kill the horse but spare the knight. It would be very impractical anyway, and supposing a knight would fall of his (dead) horse, he was as good as dead anyway.

[Ashen]

Only thing worth dismounting is Druzhina cavalry. I use steppe as russians and rely on Druzhina to be my killer infantry alongside Rus Spearmen (Set them at one side of a bridge and you're talking 400 kills. They're bloody good in late).

Oh, and dismount feudal sergeants if you're facing a cavalry happy opponent I think, but im not sure, that they give standard Feudal sargeants (if less than a standard unit).