Best Cavalry Unit in a Cavalry vs Cavalry Battle

**Hannibal Burca** · April 22, 2008, 02:05 AM

I did some test battles to find out which is the best cavalry unit in a cavalry vs cavalry fight.

Hare are the contestants:
1. Praetorian Cavalry
2. Companion Cavalry
3. Cataphracts
4. Cataphract Camels
5. Capadocian Cavalry

And it turned out to be,

5th place: Companion Cavalry
4th place: Capadocian Cavalry
3rd place: Praetorian Cavalry
2nd place: Cataphracts
1st place: Cataphract Camels

Cataphract camels can surrond the other cavalry units because of their looser formation. This gives them a huge advantage.

And the other interesting fact is Praetorians have lousy moral. When half their numbers are killed, they usualy rout. Other cavalry waits unitl about 10 cavalrymen are left in their ranks before routing.

**J@mes** · April 22, 2008, 03:13 AM

I love the Cataphracts the Eastern Roman Empire have once i acquire theses i feel unstoppable. coming here makes me want to boot up BI

**Selifator** · April 22, 2008, 06:34 AM

I think the number one should be scythian noble horsemen (the horse archers), armoured horse archers that go faster than camels and have a great missile attack. They can beat all the units you put in there.

**501st Legion** · April 22, 2008, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Hannibal Burca

I did some test battles to find out which is the best cavalry unit in a cavalry vs cavalry fight.

Hare are the contestants:
1. Praetorian Cavalry
2. Companion Cavalry
3. Cataphracts
4. Cataphract Camels
5. Capadocian Cavalry

Apparently you forgotten one catphract unit - Armenian cataphract archers...

**Xavier Dragnesi** · April 22, 2008, 01:13 PM

Yes, though the cataphracts will usually win head on battles, but tactically they are not as good cos of their bad maneuverability and the slow speed compared to most other cavalry. I have to say the Selifator's Scythians are pretty lethal especially against armoured cavalry. Trust me, I've experienced it

**J@mes** · April 22, 2008, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Xavier Dragnesi

Yes, though the cataphracts will usually win head on battles, but tactically they are not as good cos of their bad maneuverability and the slow speed compared to most other cavalry. I have to say the Selifator's Scythians are pretty lethal especially against armoured cavalry. Trust me, I've experienced it

and not mention their upkeep.

**conquestor** · April 22, 2008, 03:46 PM

Capodocian cavalry arranged in wedges can beat cataphracts in a one on one battle.

**Prince_of_Macedon** · April 22, 2008, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by conquestor

Capodocian cavalry arranged in wedges can beat cataphracts in a one on one battle.

That is not true in the least. If the Cataphracts switch to their mace attack, those Cappadocians are going bye-bye.

**General_Zavier** · April 22, 2008, 04:04 PM

Both Head-hunting Maidens and Egyptian Desert Cavalry (I think its desert cavalry? It might be nile cavalry?) can beat cataphracts and most likely cataphract camels because of their armor piercing attack.

**zhangxy** · April 22, 2008, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by General_Zavier

Both Head-hunting Maidens and Egyptian Desert Cavalry (I think its desert cavalry? It might be nile cavalry?) can beat cataphracts and most likely cataphract camels because of their armor piercing attack.

I think the Cataphracts' alternative attack is also armor piercing

.

**General_Zavier** · April 22, 2008, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by zhangxy

I think the Cataphracts' alternative attack is also armor piercing

.

I think it might be, but I seem to remember hearing that in previous patches, before the large size unit for Desert Cav was 54 (I think it was between 60 and 70?), that people would spam desert cav online and the only thing that could beat those armies would be full armies of chariots.

Not sure about this though, maybe someone that's been playing online longer than me could confirm it?

**Scutarii** · April 22, 2008, 07:38 PM

The Desert Cav's size has been reduced to normal in patch 1.5. Cataphract Camels were an easy pick for a 1v1 melee cav battle, with their armour piercing secondary, high stats, high charge, and bonus versus cav (same as cataphracts, but slower, and better vs cav).

**Lord Thesaurian** · January 06, 2009, 05:27 PM

Praetorians really have crappy morale? WOW

every time ive used them theyve kicked @$$

**Roman_Wolf** · January 07, 2009, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Legio_Italica

Praetorians really have crappy morale? WOW

every time ive used them theyve kicked @$$

i second that.
and in all time i played RTW (which is very long), i never had my praetorian cavalry rout until very low numbers. NEVER

and I tried some tests of my own, with praetorian cavalry vs cataphracts, and the result was that whomever i chose won. Apperantly the AI does something horribely wrong

**SonOfAlexander** · January 07, 2009, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Hannibal Burca

I did some test battles to find out which is the best cavalry unit in a cavalry vs cavalry fight.

Hare are the contestants:
1. Praetorian Cavalry
2. Companion Cavalry
3. Cataphracts
4. Cataphract Camels
5. Capadocian Cavalry

And it turned out to be,

5th place: Companion Cavalry
4th place: Capadocian Cavalry
3rd place: Praetorian Cavalry
2nd place: Cataphracts
1st place: Cataphract Camels

Cataphract camels can surrond the other cavalry units because of their looser formation. This gives them a huge advantage.

And the other interesting fact is Praetorians have lousy moral. When half their numbers are killed, they usualy rout. Other cavalry waits unitl about 10 cavalrymen are left in their ranks before routing.

Wow, I thought that the companions would be top with the praetorians and cappadocians are better than that! Anyway, i don't doubt your testing, and those are some v interesting results! I'd love to see some more stats - spartans v berserkers or something