Quote Originally Posted by Sinner
The lack of stirrups is not the great limitation so commonly assumed. Go check this thread which includes a link to the experiences of modern full contact jousting reenactors. In short, stirrups have little effect on a charge - one reenactor notes that he could knock down a 200 pound target without using stirrups - instead it's the size & strength of the rider plus a built-up saddle that allows for effective charges.
Agreed -- which is why Roman-time cavalry was armed with spears and why its charge was so devastating.

However my point was that the lack of stirrups prevented effective sword fighting (or mace/morningstar fighting) on horseback a lot of which youl see in medieval European wars. Without stirrups a rider is not stable enough for this.

Thus, as correctly modeled in RTW, as long as Roman-times cavalry is charging, it's fine. Once it finds itself bogged down in melee combat and not moving much, it's very vulnerable.

Fey