Horsemen in Calradia can be a terrifying force as they trample the enemy. Polearms are particularly effective in their hands. And,, they retreat quickly to strike when the moment is right.

But what are the best cavalry troops for your army? Read on to find out!

10. Khuzait Heavy Horse Archer

Lances and horses make infantry quiver in their boots.

These guys have “heavy” in their name for a reason. With clunky but effective armor, they’re good enough mounted troops to get you through a battle. Their bow skills are decent, and since their one-handed score is also solid, they can fall back on their fine steel sabre if they run out of arrows.

Still, there are better cavalry choices, even for cavalry archers. Try some of the other guys on this list if you can.

What Makes Khuzait Heavy Horse Archer Great

• Low wage for a cavalry troop
• Solid at both archery and riding
• Can still fight when they run out of arrows

Khuzait Heavy Horse Archer details:

• Wage: 12 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 130
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 80
• Bow: 130
• Crossbow: 20: 
• Throwing: 60
• Riding: 130
• Athletics: 80
• Armor (typical): 134, weight 25.2

9. Sturgian Druzhinik

Mounted bowman are great for hit and run tactics, even against other beefy cavalry.

The main reason to have Sturgian Druzhinik in your party is as a holdover until they upgrade to the champion version.. Still, they can hold their own with solid polearm and one-handed skills in the meantime. 

What Makes Sturgian Druzhinik Great

• They grow up to be proper Champions
• Good at polearms for serious charge damage
• Even if their horse falls, a decent athletics score keeps them in play

Sturgian Druzhinik details:

• Wage: 17 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 130
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 140
• Bow: 60
• Crossbow: 20
• Throwing: 60
• Riding: 120
• Athletics: 100

8. Imperial Cataphract

The downside of heavy horses? They can get stuck. And you don't want to be stuck on horseback!

All hail the true Calradian empire! Although the Khuzait, Aserai, and Vlandians generally outclass the Empire, the Imperial Cataphract is a decent option.

As the cheapest troop on this list, they’ll save you some much-needed denars. And with a polearm score of 160, they can lead a decent  charge.

What Makes Imperial Cataphract Great

• Excellent polearm skill for a high chance of one-shot kills
• Solid riding
• The cheapest option on this list, and money is power!

Imperial Cataphract details:

• Wage: 11 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 130
• Two Handed: 50
• Polearm: 160
• Bow: 60
• Crossbow: 20
• Throwing: 60
• Riding: 130
• Athletics: 80

7. Aserai Veteran Faris

This variety of cavalry soldiers is not only strong, but they sure do look good.

Like the Imperial Cataphract, this Aserai troop is a polearm master, , but it edges out the competition with better riding skill. They’re also worth keeping around for their upgraded form, which you’ll find further down this list.

What Makes Aserai Veteran Faris Great

• Excellent riding skill
• Polearms are great for cavalry
• Relatively cheap upkeep

Aserai Veteran Faris details:

• Wage: 12 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 130
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 130
• Bow: 50
• Crossbow: 20
• Throwing: 80
• Riding: 160
• Athletics: 80

6. Vlandian Champion

Somehow this guy is the last one standing. Must be the power of the horse!

Like so many others on this list, the best part about Vlandian Champions is what they turn into—Vlandian Banner Knights. So think of keeping them on your payroll as a stepping stone. 

Even then, they can hold their own with solid polearm and riding skills, two standouts you’ll want for any of your mounted troops. They can lead the charge and wipe out your enemy’s first line of defense.

What Makes Vlandian Champion Great

• No terribly expensive, which saves your denars for that tasty upgrade
• Excellent polearm skills, especially for their cost
• Good riding skills—an important trait for riders!

Vlandian Champion details:

• Wage: 12 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 130
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 160
• Bow: 20
• Crossbow: 50
• Throwing: 80
• Riding: 130
• Athletics: 80

5. Aserai Vanguard Faris

Horses are pretty fast. I guess four legs are better than two?

Another tier up from the previous entries on this list, these guys are expensive but worth the cost. With light but powerful armor and excellent polearm skills, they can charge fearlessly into battle. Those extra few denars go a long way.

What Makes Aserai Vanguard Faris Great

• Better athletics than many the previous entries
• Strong polearm skill for good initial charge damage
• Solid riding skill, so they can follow up for multiple charges

Aserai Vanguard Faris details:

• Wage: 17 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 170
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 200
• Bow: 65
• Crossbow: 20
• Throwing: 140
• Riding: 170
• Athletics: 90
• Armor (typical): 180, weight 22.7

4. Sturgian Druzhinik Champion

One good charger is all it takes to knock down opposing infantry like bowling pins.

You see that armor and athletics? These guys might be mounted when the battle begins, but they’ll do just as well among your infantry troops. While not as potent at riding or polearming as the later entries on this list, their versatility almost makes up for it.

What Makes Sturgian Druzhinik Champion Great

• Solid riding and polearm skills for mounted power
• The best athletics on this list, so they aren’t useless on foot
• Excellent armor which also helps them survive on foot

Sturgian Druzhinik Champion details:

• Wage: 17 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 200
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 170
• Bow: 65
• Crossbow: 20
• Throwing: 90
• Riding: 170
• Athletics: 140
• Armor (typical): 196, weight 36

3. Khuzait Khan's Guard

If you have enough mounted followers, you can just ride alongside and enjoy the battle from a safe distance!

If range is your thing, these guys have you covered. Their world-class Bow skill and excellent Riding skill combine to make a terrifyingly fast sniper. Any enemy will fall quickly to their storm of hooves and hail of arrows.

The only downside is they’re quite expensive. But as they say, you get what you pay for.

What Makes Khuzait Khan's Guard Great

• Masters of the bow
• Top-tier riding skill
• Relatively high armor, especially for a ranged troop

Khuzait Khan's Guard details:

• Wage: 21 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 60
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 220
• Bow: 260
• Crossbow: 25
• Throwing: 30
• Riding: 200
• Athletics: 60
• Armor (typical): 173, weight 22.4

2. Vlandian Banner Knight

That one dude is so dead. Should've brought a horse.

Vlandian Banner Knights charge in at top speed with the best riding skill available from a standard troop. Then they split an opposing rider in two with massive polearm damage and keep fighting with excellent armor. Although not the absolute best cavalry choice, they’re a very close second.

What Makes Vlandian Banner Knight Great

• Excellent riding skill
• Top polearm skill among mounted troops
• Good armor to keep them in the fight

Vlandian Banner Knight details:

• Wage: 14 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 220
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 260
• Bow: 25
• Crossbow: 60
• Throwing: 30
• Riding: 200
• Athletics: 60
• Armor (typical): 180, weight 32.6

1. Imperial Elite Cataphract

Leading the charge is a great idea if you have a nice long pointy stick!

Although something can be said about these being more expensive than the similar Vlandian Banner Knight, the Imperial Elite Cataphract wins in our book. Their skills are mostly comparable to the alternative, but they offer significantly more armor at a lighter weight.

What Makes Imperial Elite Cataphract Great

• Fantastic one-handed and polearm skills
• Highest riding skill available in standard troops
• Best armor among all cavalry troops, on average

Imperial Elite Cataphract details:

• Wage: 17 denars/day
• Ohe Handed: 200
• Two Handed: 60
• Polearm: 260
• Bow: 60
• Crossbow: 25
• Throwing: 45
• Riding: 200
• Athletics: 60
• Armor (typical): 207, weight 23.6

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