Beating Cataphracts

[Arvedui01]

Hey guys, just wondering how Im supposed to beat these units.

Playing as the Brutii, I find incredible difficulty beating the Armenian cataphracts; both the archer and normal types. Ordinary calvary is useless against them, archers do little from a distance, and even my Praetorian and Urban cohorts get into tight spots with them.

Suggestions on how to beat Armenian armies?

I've heard that Praetorian calvary is my best shot, however my access to these units remains incredibly limited. Only one settlement has a Circus Maximus capable of producing mounted Praetorians. As far as my normal army composition goes, I think I'm doing the right thing. A typical army of mine at full strength consists of four Praetorian Cohorts, two or three Urban cohorts, maybe five legionary cohorts or more. Calvary typically consists of 4 units of Roman calvary, which remains the best at my disposal. I also have two to three units of Roman archers. When possible, I alot two generals (and their bodyguards) to each army.

Please respond ASAP!

[|Sith|Galvanized Iron]

There are a few things you can do:

1) Get some Mercenary Hoplites
2) Shoot them with Repeating Ballistas
3) Aim your legionaries pila at the cataphracts, pila are armor piercing and will do a lot of damage to cataphracts.

[Jumpin Jack Flash]

There are a few things you can do:

1) Get some Mercenary Hoplites
2) Shoot them with Repeating Ballistas
3) Aim your legionaries pila at the cataphracts, pila are armor piercing and will do a lot of damage to cataphracts.

For a second, this post sounded really stupid to me because I read it as steps rather than separate methods.

[Brusilov]

The best way to beat cataphracts is to tire them out and they can then be slaughtered. You can use light missile armed cavalry to do this, the idea is to keep them away from a melee with the cataphracts until they are tired.

You may want to consider mercenrary cavlary for the role.

With pila/javelins do you have access to missile units (velites) in vanilla RTW? They should have more pila/javelins than legionaries and you can keep them safe behind your front line ready to counter the cataphracts.

[|Sith| Max]

if you think thats bad you should see replays of my parthian rush army from my novice days in 2007. not even chariots could stop that thing... can you imagine 2 GG cata camels and 6 gg cata bearing in on you in wedge formation? that rush army wiped out an entire roman army 10 seconds after first melee contact once. thats a record and that aint no lie.

The fact of the matter is that in campaign, the AI rarely uses their secondary armor piercing weapon so consider yourself lucky. they can be twice as deadly.
I do not advise hoplites. GG cataphracts can beat up GG Sacred bans from the front.

there are only two units that are effective anti cata units: Chariots, and Head hunting maidens.

[Arvedui01]

Im going to go try it with repeating ballistas now.

The best way to beat cataphracts is to tire them out and they can then be slaughtered. You can use light missile armed cavalry to do this, the idea is to keep them away from a melee with the cataphracts until they are tired.

What about the archer cataphracts? If anyone's getting tired in that case its going to be the Urban cohorts I send to chase them down.

You may want to consider mercenrary cavlary for the role.

I'll consider that, thanks.

The fact of the matter is that in campaign, the AI rarely uses their secondary armor piercing weapon so consider yourself lucky. they can be twice as deadly.
I do not advise hoplites. GG cataphracts can beat up GG Sacred bans from the front.

That I believe; the militia hoplites I had were routed when faced by the frontal assault of one Cataphract unit. The hoplites were at full strength and nothing was attacking their rear.

there are only two units that are effective anti cata units: Chariots, and Head hunting maidens.

Neither of which are at the Brutii' disposal

Any other suggestions guys?

Thanks for the answers so far

[|Sith| Max]

Im going to go try it with repeating ballistas now.


What about the archer cataphracts? If anyone's getting tired in that case its going to be the Urban cohorts I send to chase them down.

I'll consider that, thanks.






That I believe; the militia hoplites I had were routed when faced by the frontal assault of one Cataphract unit. The hoplites were at full strength and nothing was attacking their rear.



Neither of which are at the Brutii' disposal

Any other suggestions guys?

Thanks for the answers so far

Militia hoplites? no chance. these things fulfill the same role as the Neotank in Advance Wars 2. it is why i suggested that someone make a cata skin featuring the grim reaper on a burning horse as the current armour is far from accurate.

[Punic Hoplite]

Well another tactic I use to some effect is just to swamp them in your heavy infantry. If they're attacking you, just have a crap load of testudo legionaries really close together, then when they charge, the added defensive bonus will help ward off the charge bonus, and then when the turtles 'pop' they are immediately surrounded.

[nhinhonhinho]

Cataphract can charge headlong to levy phalanx (or event phalanx pikeman if they have more exp,armor) and slaughter them

To fight them i suggest:

1.Found some elephant,hoplite mercenery,chariot or cataphract on your own
2.Use your heavy infantry as the shield while your archer auxilia or light auxilia shoot them
3.Bring more general
4.Swarm them with spear auxilia.With cataphract archer use loose formation to chase them and hope you can catch them and beat them
5.Use war machine

[Hopit]

how you have militia hoplites, wiht brutii? how did you do that?

[|Sith| Max]

Spear aux, generals and aux arch wont kill them. I would bet on minding em with flaming arrows, flanking and fear of number of enemies effect. One on one, no roman units can match catas.

[Ruprecht]

Spear aux, generals and aux arch wont kill them. I would bet on minding em with flaming arrows, flanking and fear of number of enemies effect. One on one, no roman units can match catas.

Thats right, Cataphracts are very deadly, the only way to beat them is with sheer numbers. I had a similar problem fighting Parthia, they decimated my General units. I found the best way is to use 2 units of Spear Auxilia and charge them from the rear with a General's unit, repeatedly! lol

You will take casualties BUT only Auxilia which are cheap dispensable units, better than loosing elite infantry and General's.

[... where did it run?]

I guess spartans have more chaces against catas, since most of their defence comes from defence skill rather than armor which can be pierced.

Anyway, how to deafeat catas.. they are nearly unbeatable. In history roman army were afraid of cataphracts to death. In the game.. heh its funny to see how they kill everything, bet get slaughtered by a unit of desert cavalary. Best way against Ai would be charge catas first before they do it to you, then charge them from the rear with cavalry. Repeat. Ye it will cost a lot, but it's better than nothing.

[HanatielHawk]

I guess spartans have more chaces against catas, since most of their defence comes from defence skill rather than armor which can be pierced.

Anyway, how to deafeat catas.. they are nearly unbeatable. In history roman army were afraid of cataphracts to death. In the game.. heh its funny to see how they kill everything, bet get slaughtered by a unit of desert cavalary. Best way against Ai would be charge catas first before they do it to you, then charge them from the rear with cavalry. Repeat. Ye it will cost a lot, but it's better than nothing.

The romans weren't really afraid of the cataphracts they were just very surprised because they strongly underestimated the Parthian empire. Oh and indeed if you want to defeat cataphracts you can always use camels to demoralise them and then hunt them down with archers or pila-throwing cavalery

[|Sith|Galvanized Iron]

I forgot alternative number 4) Hire Mercenary Elephants, they are very effective against Cataphracts and are probably the best alternative actually.

I guess spartans have more chaces against catas, since most of their defence comes from defence skill rather than armor which can be pierced.

Anyway, how to deafeat catas.. they are nearly unbeatable. In history roman army were afraid of cataphracts to death. In the game.. heh its funny to see how they kill everything, bet get slaughtered by a unit of desert cavalary. Best way against Ai would be charge catas first before they do it to you, then charge them from the rear with cavalry. Repeat. Ye it will cost a lot, but it's better than nothing.

Spartans, Sacred Bands, Royal Pikemen gets the job done, one must just remember to re-phalanx if the Cataphracts infiltrate the phalanx, becuase they only got the +16 attack against cavalry with their primary weapon.

[|Sith| Max]

Yes but campare militia hoplites with royal pikemen or spartans and it's a complete difference.

only spartans can take them on 1on1 and win.

I forgot alternative number 4) Hire Mercenary Elephants, they are very effective against Cataphracts and are probably the best alternative actually.


Spartans, Sacred Bands, Royal Pikemen gets the job done, one must just remember to re-phalanx if the Cataphracts infiltrate the phalanx, becuase they only got the +16 attack against cavalry with their primary weapon.

SB and royals dont do the trick

[Turtle Hammer]

Javelin cavalry, I'm certain Rome still has these even after Marian reforms right? Also, Auxilia. Parthia and Armenia have mediocore infantry and excellent cavalry. Even your mid-level infantry's more than enough to wipe the floor with them, so load up with more spearmen instead.

[|Sith| Max]

Javelin cavalry, I'm certain Rome still has these even after Marian reforms right? Also, Auxilia. Parthia and Armenia have mediocore infantry and excellent cavalry. Even your mid-level infantry's more than enough to wipe the floor with them, so load up with more spearmen instead.

if the cata are fighting with secondary they'll wipe the floor with aux spears...
he can just keep spamming full stacks and hope for a win or he can try to convince em to run away.

Also why havent you considered bribing them yet?

[HanatielHawk]

Light Cavalery to tire them out and try to run on a hill. If the cataphractarmy is very tired and you're uphill, charge them down. They should rout then and then you can kill them. Spears are always effective, such as archers. But if you're using cohorts make a double line. One line to absorb the attack and the second to fire pila and help the frontline. Cohorts, archers and Cavalery are the things you need. If possible get some artillery too

[Ryou]

hehe, here's where light cav. comes in handy, use them to run aound and round and round, letting the catas chase u rond&round, while ur archers or pilas kill them from a statioary postion.