Loving Light Cavalry

[albiedamned]

I am finding the light cavalry line to be the most versatile and useful in the pre-Gunpowder game, and I was wondering if anyone else thinks this way. The game says they're strong against light infantry and ranged cavalry, but I also find them to be very effective against foot archers. They are by far the fastest unit available at the time, with a speed of 41 compared to 30 for heavy cav, ranged cav, and light infantry (at the elite jav upgrade level). They are weak against heavy infantry, but their speed should let them escape the slow heavy inf pretty easily. They also won't be effective against heavy cav, due to having lower attack and armor, but again they can outrun the threat.

So far I generally like to build an early army of half heavy inf, half light cav. The light cav can quickly respond to any invasion, unless it's by heavy inf or heavy cav, in which case I send in my own heavy inf. I haven't been attacking much early, since I like to wait and build up a bunch of seige weapons first. When I do attack, I'll add archers or gunpowder inf to the heavy inf, but I still like to keep the light cav around to respond to any unexpected threats. Their speed is great for this role. And I still find them incredibly useful for the same purpose - quick response - when they turn into armored cars.

By the way, please no bestiality jokes about my subject.

[VitalyB]

How do you use heavy cavalaery then?

So far I just prefered using heavy cavalery to tackle both light infantry and archers.

While we're on the subject, do you bother building light infantry at all? After all, you can counter the archers with cavalery and it works much better too.

[albiedamned]

I almost never build heavy cavalry in the early game, nor light infantry. There's nothing these units can do that light cavalry can't also do, plus the light cavalry is faster. Granted the heavy cavalry is stronger (more attack, more hit points, more armor). However since this is mainly an early game strategy for me, the resource requirements of heavy cavalry make light cavalry more appealing. Since heavy infantry already require metal, and metal is hard to get early, it's hard to build heavy cavalry which also require metal. Light cavalry only require food and wood, which are the most abundant early in the game.

Later in the game, my army will be composed of a mix of heavy infantry and gunpowder/modern infantry, plus a whole ton of tanks and armored cars and of course artillery. But in the early game, I've settled into a pattern of just heavy infantry and light cavalry. I guess I'll keep playing this way until I get my butt kicked, then I'll try something else!

[Leaper]

a -

Yep. My favorite early game unit also. And, since I like playing the Russians, I like them even more.

I would also like to learn the Mongols at some point, because of their excellent cavalry line all-around.

- L.

[Signa]

While on the subject: albiedamned, what nation are you using with your HInf and LCav strategies?

[albiedamned]

Well so far I've only been playing the demo, although I grabbed the retail at lunch today and I'll be playing that tonight! I've played all 4 in the demo, but I like Egyptians and Germans the most. And of course Egyptians have unique light cav units while Germans have uniqe heavy inf units. But honestly, I like them more for the bonuses than their units.

[SirOsis]

Egypt is a tough one to be up against. Especially with wonder victory. They can really crank them out. Unfortunately I was too late to realize they were going to win with a wonder victory. I was ahead in tech and nuked a couple wonders but they had taken over another civ and had 15 wonder points.

Being able to build 2 wonders / city is pretty damn nice.

[Bridger]

Originally posted by albiedamned
I almost never build heavy cavalry in the early game, nor light infantry. There's nothing these units can do that light cavalry can't also do, plus the light cavalry is faster.

5 heavy cav can last a lot longer than 5 light cav in a battle. Your simply trading speed for efficency. I LOVE to use heavy cav as a flanking attack. Even 5 heavy cav that i send running around a mountain to hit the enemy from behind, wow, they tear apart **** with that 100% attack bonus!

[albiedamned]

Actually the 100% bonus is when attacking from the side - I forget the number but it's actually less from behind. But anyway, it's more than just taking speed over efficiency. It's also less resources, since heavy cav are more expensive than light, and furthermore, the resources they cost (gold and metal) are much harder to come by then what light cav cost (food and wood).

[MahoTsukai]

no its 100% from rear, and 50% from side, pretty sure of that.

[Benned]

It is 100% from the side and 50% from the rear, im 100% sure of that

[TheRuler]

Don't know if you want to hear but i rarly use cavalry

i attack with infantry/artillery combinations and so far i'm very sucsesfull with this straegy.

[dearmad]

Only units I've been finding mostly useless are airplanes... until stealth tech. AA is just too cheap and easy in this game. At least in my experience.

Ships suck too- they always suck in these games. I seem to always end up playing only land maps just to forgo ships.

[Bridger]

Originally posted by albiedamned
Actually the 100% bonus is when attacking from the side - I forget the number but it's actually less from behind.

No, 100% from behind, 50% from side. Why would it be the other way around? That makes no sense.

[Bridger]

Originally posted by dearmad
Only units I've been finding mostly useless are airplanes... until stealth tech. AA is just too cheap and easy in this game. At least in my experience.

Ships suck too- they always suck in these games. I seem to always end up playing only land maps just to forgo ships.

Try sticking a commando around the enemy town you want to attack, all AA is disabled within his radius