How to recruit cavalry after Marian reforms?

[Searry]

So I upgraded all my Campus Martius buildings to Roman Fortress but I cannot build the cavalry Alae which the Fortress' description tells me would be available. An army without cavalry is very useless. The only cavalry I can recruit is the Extraordinarii from Rome, Massilian Lonchoporoi from massilia and the useless Numidian cavalry and Paleoveneti cavalry.

[Battlus Lostus]

You only get the Auxilia cavalry after the Augustan reforms. The reform is triggered by building the Circus Maximus in Rome. But first I would build the Praetorian Guard Training Ground if you haven't done this yet. Otherwise you will not be able to recruit the early Praetorian cohorts. After the reforms you can upgrade to the Castra Praetoria and get the late Praetorians.

[ur-Lord Tedric]

History - post-Marian and pre-Augustan (so pretty much the entirety of the 1st Century BC, which includes a great deal of the pre-Empire expansion and some of Rome's greatest generals) the Romans certainly appear not have used any formed cavalry units on a permanent basis. What they did use were some Celtic cavalry, often (dependent on locale) Numidean cavalry and, when possible, some German cavalry (which dvk' tweaked locations in v2.6 to allow their use at about the right 'time'). The Extraordinarii perhaps shouldn't exist, although they can represent the very odd unit of mounted Romans that possibly appeared. Massilian Lonchoporoi, no, not really.

The vast majority of any cavalry used for that period, indeed the wonderful Paleovenetii are the precursor, are no different to the standard Late Auxilia version (armed and armoured no differently (by design) from the standard auxiliary infantry). They should appear almost everywhere; leavened with Numidean in Africa and Spain certainly. An occasionaly unit of Germans can appear.

Cavalry of the period (the whole period) are not really supposed to charge into troops. They are for scouting, skirmishing and running down the routed enemy. If you think the Paleovenetii & Numideans are "useless" - then you're doing it wrong.......

[Searry]

Cavalry of the period (the whole period) are not really supposed to charge into troops. They are for scouting, skirmishing and running down the routed enemy. If you think the Paleovenetii & Numideans are "useless" - then you're doing it wrong.......

Well, I emptied Massilia from people by recruiting lonchoporoi. I personally think missile troops are quite underpowered in this mod (especially against armored troops) so I never use them. I like to pin the enemy in a formation and charge from the sides and the back. Just think about Dacian cavalry how well they can murder anything by even a frontal charge. The hetairoi are really good as well. Carthage dies easily against the early equites units when you first destroy their light troops with the equites, pin the heavy troops and surround them with the cohorts, then just wait for the morale to weaken a little bit and then just give them a massive cavalry charge.
I really don't think I'm doing it wrong. The only problem with this tactic is against the Dacians who just murder any Roman infantry and cavalry, so this means using disposable troops like auxiliaries and at least 6 missile alae.

[Rushwithoutmercy]

Paleoveneti are formidable.

[phylosopher stoned]

Missile cavalry are a crucial part of any balanced army, they're especially good for taking down pinned heavy cavalry and Generals Bodyguards and when their missiles run out they can be used for chasing down routers. It takes a little time for you learn how to micro-manage them effectively, but once you do they'll be among your most effective killers. One good way to use them is to bring them out around behind the rear of your enemy after the lines are engaged and after your heavy cav has cleared the way for them, then position them behind your enemies best units and let them do their thing, javelins to the back of an engaged unit will make short work of them.

[Searry]

Missile cavalry are a crucial part of any balanced army, they're especially good for taking down pinned heavy cavalry and Generals Bodyguards and when their missiles run out they can be used for chasing down routers. It takes a little time for you learn how to micro-manage them effectively, but once you do they'll be among your most effective killers. One good way to use them is to bring them out around behind the rear of your enemy after the lines are engaged and after your heavy cav has cleared the way for them, then position them behind your enemies best units and let them do their thing, javelins to the back of an engaged unit will make short work of them.

The Thraikan hippeis and the missile Alae are indeed good for this, but I still prefer the good old cavalry charge. It kills enemy cavalry very easily.
So what I mean is that missile cavalry without heavy armor and good weaponry are useless.

[ur-Lord Tedric]

............................
So what I mean is that missile cavalry without heavy armor and good weaponry are useless.

So, throughout history, you're suggesting that everyone, but everyone, got it wrong?

The Parthians (even though most mis-appreciate what and how they were so effective); the Numideans (that were oh, so effective, for hundreds of years); that the Later Romans specifically used light, mostly javelin-armed, cavalry to counter the Sassanid Heavy and Super-Heavy cavalry; and that the classic Native American light cavalry were, basically, crap?

What you want is to use cavalry in the RTW classic hammer and anvil attack - that bears little to no relation to historical accuracy at all.........

[Alavaria]

So, throughout history, you're suggesting that everyone, but everyone, got it wrong?

The Parthians (even though most mis-appreciate what and how they were so effective); the Numideans (that were oh, so effective, for hundreds of years); that the Later Romans specifically used light, mostly javelin-armed, cavalry to counter the Sassanid Heavy and Super-Heavy cavalry; and that the classic Native American light cavalry were, basically, crap?

It certainly seems that the rome total war engine suggests that

[Searry]

So, throughout history, you're suggesting that everyone, but everyone, got it wrong?

The Parthians (even though most mis-appreciate what and how they were so effective); the Numideans (that were oh, so effective, for hundreds of years); that the Later Romans specifically used light, mostly javelin-armed, cavalry to counter the Sassanid Heavy and Super-Heavy cavalry; and that the classic Native American light cavalry were, basically, crap?

What you want is to use cavalry in the RTW classic hammer and anvil attack - that bears little to no relation to historical accuracy at all.........

I personally do not care about the historical aspect. This is a game and I care what works in this game. When I study history, I of course appreciate the Numidian cavalry's effectiveness throughout the centuries, but in games I've never really given a crap.

[ur-Lord Tedric]

It certainly seems that the rome total war engine suggests that

I personally do not care about the historical aspect. This is a game and I care what works in this game. When I study history, I of course appreciate the Numidian cavalry's effectiveness throughout the centuries, but in games I've never really given a crap.

Then it appears that you both completely mis-understand the entire purpose and raison d'etre of this mod. Personally I'd recommend Rome2 for the 'gaming' perspective - that's what it is designed for.

Months and Years of work have gone into research and massive stats-tweaking to make the battles and whole feel of the Mod as close as it's possible to get.

If you don't wish to support that, then don't - but then don't complain or seek to undermine the work that the Team has done. That you have been brought up in a world of simple-minded entertainment to exploit the available market as much as possible; is not reason to denigrate the work that has been done and I was proud to test and help wherever possible.