best way to use cav

[littlebktruck]

I'm truly terrible at army management, and my cavalry usually suffer most from it. I fought a battle tonight that was an extreme example. I couldn't find a good defensive position, so I took the best I could get, and, when I clicked the begin battle button, I moved my army to better (but previously out of range) ground. However, the enemy started quite close to me and I had to break some units off to dispose of the units attacking my front. In the meantime, the rest of the enemy army went around the bottom of a hill and went up to my right flank. They were attacking before my army was set, and I had to send in my knights to fend their entire army off. I got other units (FMAA, Feudal Sergeants) over as quickly as I could, and I did manage to send them fleeing eventually, but all of one of my knights units was killed, another went down to 4, and the third probably had no more than 15. While that was an extreme example, I usually have a problem keeping the enemy in front of me, and it falls to my cavalry, with their speed, to correct my mistakes.

[ichi]

Heavy cav is GOOD at fighting, and will kick the ass of any sword-wielding infantry, especially if they get a nice charge...

I respectfully disagree. There's too many variables, like the morale of the cav and swords, the terrain, their fatigue. Cav can hurt a good swords unit, but the 60 vs 40 factor and the stats play too big a role to say that HC can beat any sword unit. Put the swords on Hold Form and 3-4 ranks deep and they'll hold an equal florin cav then start to beat it.

ichi

[Odin]

I respectfully disagree. There's too many variables, like the morale of the cav and swords, the terrain, their fatigue. Cav can hurt a good swords unit, but the 60 vs 40 factor and the stats play too big a role to say that HC can beat any sword unit. Put the swords on Hold Form and 3-4 ranks deep and they'll hold an equal florin cav then start to beat it.

ichi

While I agree with your statement, I lean toward Del Arroyo's point more only because he does specify

especially if they get a nice charge

Thats the single biggest factor in the equation (specificly toe to toe with swordsmen). The charge tips the balance to the calvary IMHO.

As to the original poster, Cavalry units have one distinct feature that foot units (of any kind) dont, and that is speed. Granted they get tired fast when armored, but speed is the key element for Cavalry use IMHO.

Many times I have charged a lonely spear unit into a group of knights and flanked the skirmish and charged the rear to rout the enemy. IMHO thats the best way to use horse units. Unless they are heavy Chiv knights or Lancers, then charge !

[Del Arroyo]

Quite right, ichi-san, as far as the equal florins goes, but as I've so far played only SP, that happens pretty rarely All I can comment on is what I've seen on the battlefield, which is Heavy Cav bowling over sword infantry more often than not, but getting stuck on low-cost spears.

DA

[ichi]

Quite right, ichi-san, as far as the equal florins goes, but as I've so far played only SP, that happens pretty rarely All I can comment on is what I've seen on the battlefield, which is Heavy Cav bowling over sword infantry more often than not, but getting stuck on low-cost spears.

DA

Which is fair, you've prolly worked hard to pump up your cav, maybe built some Master Breeders, an armory or metalsmith, then placed the cav under a 6-star gen. The AI has a tendency to throw V0 FMAA, so you're gonna bowl them over.

A 40 horse V0 Chiv Knight at 675 florins will have a tough fight with a 60 man V3 FMAA (859?), headon.

Regardless, I go back to my original reply. I don't slam horses into the pointy end; first pin the unit with inf then slam it in the flank/rear with ponies, all the while shooting arrows into em

ichi

[Mujalumbo]

Speaking of pumped-up cav, who was that had a 30-valour Byzantine prince once? And how in the heck did that person get him up to 30v?!

I was playing BKB's mod, and one of my Armenian princes had 12 valour. That damned prince scared me, and he was on MY side! I fought a bridge battle, nothing special, some spears, archers, enemy cav on the other side. Just for the heck of it, I charged 'im in, just to see what he could do.

Well, what he could do is charge through a hail of arrows, rout some enemy spears, defeat the enemy general in open combat and send the entire enemy army fleeing for their lives. Single-handedly.

I don't even wanna think about what a 30 valour unit of Kataphraktoi could do.

[antisocialmunky]

I have to agree with ichi. Heavy cavalry is REALLY not great for beating it out with infantry in a fair fight. I don't like having to replace 2/3s of my cavalry after every single fight.