Were Scythed Chariots really that effective against cavalry?

[WildthingJr]

I believe chariots were not commonly used anymore during the timeframe of EB. I've read in some places that Gaugamela was the last battle in which they were used as an independent unit, and they failed. Alexander's phalanxes opened gaps in their lines through which the chariots drove and lost momentum, then slaughtered them in melee.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

I believe chariots were not commonly used anymore during the timeframe of EB. I've read in some places that Gaugamela was the last battle in which they were used as an independent unit, and they failed. Alexander's phalanxes opened gaps in their lines through which the chariots drove and lost momentum, then slaughtered them in melee.

They were used at Magnesia with disastrous effects for the Seleucids who deployed them. In fact, their misuse might have caused the defeat of the Seleucids in that battle as they were driven back by missiles right into a camel corps which then fled through Antiochus' left flank completely disrupting the heavy cavalry stationed there and allowing Eumenes to rout them off the field easily.

I think Pontus also used them ineffectually against the Romans, perhaps at Chaeronea? I'm not sure atm.

[Moros]

Some good information on scythed chariots can be found here: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/...dchariots.html.

[Lazy O]

Lance armed cavalry kill all chariots quite easily.

[moonburn]

somehow i doubt it a charriot after gaining momentum is very hard to tackle down while the horseman of those days where probably mounting unsatled horses and had no sitrrups so a simple push and you could probably knockdown one of them from the horse

also horses where smalled then nowadays so 2 horses pulling 1 man would have been far more effective even if less manouverable (but hey scytched chariots where to be used against infantry and not cavlary)

good link also about the uses and missuses of the schytched chariot (altough why where they called schyted if they weren´t scythians ? )

[rickinator9]

I think because of the scythes on the wheels of the chariot?

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Lazy's referring to ingame rather than real life. If cavalry get off a charge head on against chariots they will insta-kill the first line and probably rout the unit. If the cavalry don't lower their spears successfully though, its game over for them. Chariots really only offer amazing success or devestating failure in that regard.