what are the differences between Heavy and Light infantry/cavalry?

[piranha45]

I know Light moves faster. Are there any other practical differences? Some Light units have better stats and higher cost than Heavy units! So what further differentiates these two groups, aside from movement speed?

[czePowerslave]

I think that overally heavy units are the stronger ones, like try ROman Light cavalry and some Roman heavy cavalry no ups, straight clash.

Also heavy infantry is usually the armored one, with various bodyplates, shields and stuff, while light inf is fast, shock-hitting I guess.

[Selifator]

I divide cavalry (both heavy and light) in several classes.
Light:
- Horse Archers. Example: Scythian Horse Archers.
Swift, difficult to counter and strong in combination with spearmen or heavy cavalry to counter enemy light cavalry. Horse archers can draw units out of formation, attack vulnerable units and stay safe due to their mobility. A skilled player can be very dangerous using these in both single player and multi player.

- Light combat cavalry.
Example: Round shield cavalry.
Mostly used for chasing routers, attacking archers, artillery crew and other light vulnerable units, drawing out enemy units or acting as a diversion while other units move into position. They can't stand up to heavy cavalry and are usually not fast enough to chase down missile cavalry or horse archers. Some light cavalry come with spears, e.g. equites. They have a higher charge bonus than sword armed cavalry.
They are however cheap and expendable.

-Missile/militia cavalry.
Light cavalry armed with javelins. Very cheap, not reliable. These are only useful in chasing down routers and attacking light units that are already shaken or wavering. Outside of combat they can piss off heavy cavalry with their javelins or weaken units with multiple hp.

Heavy cavalry.
- Combat heavy cavalry.
Almost all heavy cavalry have spears, shields and swords. These units are strong enough to instantly break light infantry and charge down heavier units. They can be used against other cavalry but aren't as effective as they are against infantry. Do not use them against missile cavalry, horse archers or pikemen/hoplites. They won't break through a spearwall and can't catch other light cavalry.
- Super heavy cavalry.
Cataphracts. Heavily armoured and armed with a spear and mace. Some have shields but lack maces. These come in several types but I kick them all in one group because of one thing. These guys can survive. I have deployed them, outnumbered against other heavy cavalry and they came out on top.
Qualities: Don't die easily, have maces to break through armour, are heavily armoured so arrows aren't effective. Can break through anything.
Problems: They aren't fast, tire easily and can be led on a merry dance by horse archers. They will never catch other cavalry if they are of the same fatigue level.
Use these only against combat units. Don't chase routers, don't attack archers or wavering units. These guys are sledgehammers with four legs.
YOu must use them carefully however. They can be swamped and if your enemy has armour piercing units, they can die easily since their defence skill isn't outstanding.
Still these guys can do the job.
- Generals.
Strong, fast, spears, good in combat against anything (except fresh pikes)
Also give fighting bonusses from command rating to other units. Your faction leader and heir can be destroyers. I have had faction leaders that had retinues bigger than normal cavalry units.
They can chew through all other cavalry (except upgraded cataphracts and missile cavalry/horse archers), but won't catch light cavalry.
First target in enemy army. They always have more hp than normal cavalry so rain down arrows to weaken them.
- Heavy horse archers.
Examples, Scythian Noble Archers and Cataphract Archers. These guys are slower than normal horse archers but can also go into combat and they can survive more than normal HA's.
- Camels.
Camels have the added bonus that they 'scare' horses. I never really deploy them since they aren't as fast as horses. And I can say boo if I want to scare my enemy. Cataphract camels are an exception however. These guys are always slow and because they survive longer they can affect morale better.

Hope that this gave you some usefull information.

[MedievalDragoon]

I divide cavalry (both heavy and light) in several classes.
Light:
- Horse Archers. Example: Scythian Horse Archers.
Swift, difficult to counter and strong in combination with spearmen or heavy cavalry to counter enemy light cavalry. Horse archers can draw units out of formation, attack vulnerable units and stay safe due to their mobility. A skilled player can be very dangerous using these in both single player and multi player.

- Light combat cavalry.
Example: Round shield cavalry.
Mostly used for chasing routers, attacking archers, artillery crew and other light vulnerable units, drawing out enemy units or acting as a diversion while other units move into position. They can't stand up to heavy cavalry and are usually not fast enough to chase down missile cavalry or horse archers. Some light cavalry come with spears, e.g. equites. They have a higher charge bonus than sword armed cavalry.
They are however cheap and expendable.

-Missile/militia cavalry.
Light cavalry armed with javelins. Very cheap, not reliable. These are only useful in chasing down routers and attacking light units that are already shaken or wavering. Outside of combat they can piss off heavy cavalry with their javelins or weaken units with multiple hp.

Heavy cavalry.
- Combat heavy cavalry.
Almost all heavy cavalry have spears, shields and swords. These units are strong enough to instantly break light infantry and charge down heavier units. They can be used against other cavalry but aren't as effective as they are against infantry. Do not use them against missile cavalry, horse archers or pikemen/hoplites. They won't break through a spearwall and can't catch other light cavalry.
- Super heavy cavalry.
Cataphracts. Heavily armoured and armed with a spear and mace. Some have shields but lack maces. These come in several types but I kick them all in one group because of one thing. These guys can survive. I have deployed them, outnumbered against other heavy cavalry and they came out on top.
Qualities: Don't die easily, have maces to break through armour, are heavily armoured so arrows aren't effective. Can break through anything.
Problems: They aren't fast, tire easily and can be led on a merry dance by horse archers. They will never catch other cavalry if they are of the same fatigue level.
Use these only against combat units. Don't chase routers, don't attack archers or wavering units. These guys are sledgehammers with four legs.
YOu must use them carefully however. They can be swamped and if your enemy has armour piercing units, they can die easily since their defence skill isn't outstanding.
Still these guys can do the job.
- Generals.
Strong, fast, spears, good in combat against anything (except fresh pikes)
Also give fighting bonusses from command rating to other units. Your faction leader and heir can be destroyers. I have had faction leaders that had retinues bigger than normal cavalry units.
They can chew through all other cavalry (except upgraded cataphracts and missile cavalry/horse archers), but won't catch light cavalry.
First target in enemy army. They always have more hp than normal cavalry so rain down arrows to weaken them.
- Heavy horse archers.
Examples, Scythian Noble Archers and Cataphract Archers. These guys are slower than normal horse archers but can also go into combat and they can survive more than normal HA's.
- Camels.
Camels have the added bonus that they 'scare' horses. I never really deploy them since they aren't as fast as horses. And I can say boo if I want to scare my enemy. Cataphract camels are an exception however. These guys are always slow and because they survive longer they can affect morale better.

Hope that this gave you some usefull information.

What about chariets?

[Roman14]

all i can say is +rep

[General_Zavier]

@ Selifator - Where would you classify cavalry such as Head Hunting maidens or Nubian cavalry? With their anti armor weapons, they can stand up to super heavy cavalry and still come out victorious.

[Selifator]

I think those would be medium. They are strong in combat, I have used them myself, but still vulnerable to archers, if those are well defended, and vulnerable to horse archers.

[Sidus Preclarum]

one interesting thing, afaik: the lighter the troops, the less efficient Elephants are against them... Elephant whill crush Triarii, beat princeps easily, have some difficulties against hastati and will be killed by velites...

[Selifator]

Velites also have more space between each individual trooper. Perhaps that that also works against elephants.

[Dr. Croccer]

Well the main differences between infantry are:

Light Archers
Example: Roman Archers.
Fast, sucky defence and long range. At a distance deadly but can get owned by even Horse Archers in melee. Missiles are good against most opponents except Heavy ones, notably Generals, Elephants, Chariots and Phalanxes.

Light Skirmishers
Example: Velites.
Light and fast. Have medium range. Their missiles are better than arrows against Heavy opponents and should be used in that way. Like Archers, they can't really defend themselves. Javelins are good against all opponents

Slingers
Like above^. However, they have a shorter range and CANNOT FIRE UBER TROOPS. Their missiles are powerful and can easily take out most Light troops, they don't work so well against Phalanxes and uberinfantry, like Urbanites.

Heavy Arches
Example: Chosen Archers
A lot like Archers only well-armoured. They can outlast most fire-fights and can even defend themselves against Light Swordsmen. Dunno if their speed is affected though.

Heavy Skirmishers
Example: Illyrian Mercenaries
Like Skirmishers, only way better at defending themselves. The large shield helps and they can win against most lighter troops in a hit-and-run fight.

Light Spearmen
Example: Town Militia
Like most Light units, sucky but fast and cheap. The Light Spearmen do have the advantage of what I like to call the ''Bounce-Effect'', most notable in BI with the Shield Wall. This means that most cavalry that run into them from the front (giving that the LS have the time to defend themselves) don't run over them but instead bounce back to Earth and have to fight by hacking and stabbing. This is a massive advantage, especially if you have a horde of these guys ready to surround and kill enemy cavalry.

Light Swordsmen
Example: Iberian Infantry
Extremely bad in defence, since most of the time they only have a shield the size of a dish to defend themselves. Better in attack though, since swords are better than spears against other infantry in most cases. Still, they are easy prey for cavalry and should be used en masse.

Heavy Spearmen
Example: Triarii
Pretty powerful. Their main power lies in defence and offence against cavalry. They aren't so good against infantry though (I believe a guy once lost against two units of BarbPeasants with one unit of Triarii.)

Heavy Swordsmen
Example: Legionary
Heavy Swordsmen are ownage overall. They have good defence and offence against other infantry and are reasonable against cavalry. Their only drawback is that they often have heavy armour and are fairly slow.

Phalanx
Example: SPARTANS!!!!
Phalanxes are like bills: Big, annoying and you have to face them eventually no matter how hard you try not to. Attacking them from the front is suicide, unless you are fighting against a light Phalanx. Attacking heavy ones is hard. Harder than trying to crack a diamond with a Jelly Bean. Possible solutions are to bombard them with artillery fire, hit them with Scythed Chariots or hold them busy with a unit you can waste and hit them in the flanks with another one. Phalanxes are slow as hell but smart guys/AI will often disable the Phalanx when running from enemy fire.

[Selifator]

Every single time I used Triarii they failed. And I mean EVERY TIME! These guys suck so bad, Town Watch are better at taking out cavalry...

[Dr. Croccer]

Every single time I used Triarii they failed. And I mean EVERY TIME! These guys suck so bad, Town Watch are better at taking out cavalry...

You've got to use them by using the Manipular system methinks. (Hastati first, withdraw them, Principes come, withdraw them when tired and finally Triarii) but I rarely play as Rome anymore.

[Strategist]

Light cavalry is used to kill missile units while heavy is to beat light cavalry and melle infantry . Also light infantry beats peasants while heavy crush light infantry. Ofcorse it beats weakest enemies but it is better to use it agains not so much weaker before they get tired so they can crush the weakest enemies . I think most fun is Parthia with Horse Archers spam ))))))) =) . ;D xD And maybe some melle horses and generals.

[Scutarii]

Chariots are anti-cav weapons, or serve the same purpose as HA's, and can also be used to charge through and disorganize infantry formations. They're a bit of a specialty unit like elephants.

[Kratos]

Chariots are anti-cav weapons, or serve the same purpose as HA's, and can also be used to charge through and disorganize infantry formations. They're a bit of a specialty unit like elephants.

And perhaps most importantly, they scare enemy infantry. Few early units will stand after taking some losses.