Cavalry/Infantry differences

[Eric]

I've been playing for about an hour and I see I can level up some of my unit to either Cavalry or Infantry. I'm not really sure what the differences between the two are. I looked it up and I seem to get some explanation that one is better than the other for storming a castle or something like that. Anyone care to shed some light on this for me?

[Androzin]

Well one has horses the other runs on foot and obviously you cant use horses to storm a castle so they dismount and walk like infantry

[Eric]

Originally posted by Ghost Nappa:

Well one has horses the other runs on foot and obviously you cant use horses to storm a castle so they dismount and walk like infantry

Oh damn, I upgraded them into infantry but cavalry sounds like the much better option. I should have gone with that. Can I change their class?

[Androzin]

Originally posted by Eric:

Originally posted by Ghost Nappa:

Well one has horses the other runs on foot and obviously you cant use horses to storm a castle so they dismount and walk like infantry

Oh damn, I upgraded them into infantry but cavalry sounds like the much better option. I should have gone with that. Can I change their class?

No you can only get some more troops and get them to cavalry

[ForevaNoob Wonemorturn]

Keep the infantry. I'm sure you're going to find a good use for it at some point...

[Gorebane44]

Infantry are made for being well infantry.. They move much faster on foot than a dehorsed cavalry unit as they are meant to ride horses.

Infantry= Great for castle sieges/defense

Cavalry= Great for obliterating anything on battlefields with no thinking needed just charge. If your feeling really strategic split them in half and make them come at both sides of enemy.

[Eric]

Originally posted by gorebane44:

If your feeling really strategic split them in half and make them come at both sides of enemy.

Haha I'm kinda having trouble with that. After just coming back from Baldurs Gate I'm finding it kinda hard to issue commands quickly without a pause button.

[Gorebane44]

just go 100% swadian cavalry barons then no commands needed just charge instant win 100% of the time cept in mountain terrain cause they slow as all hell on foot/horse in mountains.(low athletics)

[Miiiiiiiiiiiiike]

Cavalry are typically more expensive to train, and more expensive in upkeep/wages.

Typically cavalry are better, but good infantry are very handy to have as well.

Good to have a mix of troops.

Of course some factions like the Rhodoks don't have any cavalry and virtually all Khergit troops are mounted. Other factions like the Sarranids don't have particuarly good elite infantry. Arguably the worst in the game, but someone has to be there afterall.

[BlueManX]

Infantry are for castle/town assaults, cavalry rule the open field.

[Gorebane44]

I use an all infantry force and destory cavalry units even the c7s no problem. Shieldwall stops them in their tracks then the nords just tear them to pieces. I currently use Vaegris archers to snipe but I am thinking of switching to rhodok archers as they are much tankier. (for when cavalry units act smart and run around my shieldwall.

[DROPbear]

not entirely true. I have lost countless of battles due to Calvary spam typically khergits lancers. I mean 40+ rhodoks v. spearman + 30 rhodoks crossbow at tight formation still fail to stop the 70 lancers pushing into the lines. it might stop the first row of lancer but the rest will start pushing thru. and considering lancer cost 28 dr

trust me on it, Calvary is far supperior.

[ForevaNoob Wonemorturn]

Isn't the game called Mount & Blade?
So Mount it is...

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It's good to have at least some cavalry just to keep the enemy cavalry busy, so they can't just weave in an out of your foot troops. That's really annoying. Also, with all that infantry, put them at the top of a hill, or in a forest, to make the enemy cavalry much less effective.

[Asphe]

Why are the choices either/or? Why not both? Also looking at the OP's character level, he's unintentionally messing up his potential renown rewards recruiting such a large army so soon.

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Best cavalry for keeping other cavalry occupied are vKHAs. Stopped cavalry = sitting soon dead duck.

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Cavalry charging up a slope can sometimes slow down too much to use couched lances.

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Good infantry WITH good shields (i.e. no Huscarls) in formation will beat a like number of Cavalry. Even the Mamluke (yes, even the ones using Blunts) types. If you can't, you're not doing it right.

Take a like number of Swadian knights and charge them versus Sea Raiders (bandits, so they likewise charge too), you'll need to be near Wuss or on Wuss difficulty to win 'economically'.

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The main reason for getting the more expensive, the less effective than infantry in formation, the far less flexible cavalry. They make you go vroom vroom on the big map. You CAN have 'infantry' (mamlukes), 'fast cavalry' (lancers or heavier Swadians) and even 'archers' (KHAs) to create a 100% mounted warband.

[General Butt Naked]

Originally posted by gorebane44:

Infantry are made for being well infantry.. They move much faster on foot than a dehorsed cavalry unit as they are meant to ride horses.

Infantry= Great for castle sieges/defense

Cavalry= Great for obliterating anything on battlefields with no thinking needed just charge. If your feeling really strategic split them in half and make them come at both sides of enemy.

I disagree entirely. Cavalry is for flanking. Infantry can vary from pike men, to legionnaire types (ie huscarls), to skirmirshers. For instance the last battle I fought was 40 huscarls backed by 20 swadian knights, supported by veegir archers facing around 250 heavy swadian forces, knights, men at arms, and crossbowmen mainly. They charge at the shieldwall, go out and disrupt them with your cavalry, get them to chase you and when theyre in a bad spot have your infantry charge. Using this tactic you can sustain 1-5 deaths and squash foes 2-3 times your size. I lost 6 knights and a huscarl. Slaughtered around 200 enemies....Use your cavalries mobility to outmaneuver your enemy. Generally real medieval strategy is going to work in this game.