Cavalry Phalangite?

[Argeus the Paladin]

I was always wondering if it would be technically possible to form a phalanx of heavy cavalry rather than heavy infantry. Super-long lance, march and charge in tight formation, and can be either the hammer or the anvil if need be.

Would it have been possible?

[hellheaven1987]

No, just how you are going to pack hundreds horses into a thick formation and charge in high speed??

[samurai89]

The closest thing to that is the Kataphraktoi, their awesome enough already.

[Argeus the Paladin]

^^ Seems that way.

[Trax]

Polish husaria is perhaps the closest thing, at least as much as super long lances are concerned.

[Orko]

No, it's impossible. You can't put so many horses in such a tight formation, tell them to charge and hope they will keep the formation. besides, horses can't move in very tight formation, let alone gallop in them.

[hellheaven1987]

That actually depends. Muslim observers during Fifth Crusade had remarked that Frankish knights were highly disciplined that they could march in tight formation even under fire, without breaking the formation until the order came down.

Either way, I remember read somewhere that Thracian cavalries under Alexander were used sarrissa as their main weapon...

[Lysimachus]

That actually depends. Muslim observers during Fifth Crusade had remarked that Frankish knights were highly disciplined that they could march in tight formation even under fire, without breaking the formation until the order came down.

Either way, I remember read somewhere that Thracian cavalries under Alexander were used sarrissa as their main weapon...

Well there's a unit in RTR called Sarissophoroi, so i'm guessing long cavalry spears were used - just not like what seems to be asked in the thread; a big bulky phalanx of them.