Cavalry Fundamentals
By BCGaius
What follows here is my humble attempt at a multiplayer guide in the vein of the excellent Archer and Infantry guides posted here, the latter of which is highly recommended due to its explanation of many of the basic combat mechanics referenced in this guide. I do not profess to be a supreme expert at all things Mount & Blade, nor will this guide make you one. What it can do is offer some pointers and a starting point for those who like to play cavalry classes.
Primarily, this guide is aimed at heavy cavalry, such as Swadian men-at-arms, though many of the concepts at work can also be applied to lighter cavalry such as Khergits. Furthermore, the focus here is on using melee weapons effectively from horseback and only briefly touches upon horse archery. The Archery guide has more to offer those looking to shoot from horseback.
Team Role and Strategy
Since most game modes are team-based, it is first important to understand the cavalryman's role on a team. Much of this depends upon whether you consider yourself heavy or light cavalry, where your skills lie, and the type of match being played.
Heavy Cavalry
As a heavy cavalryman (a "knight"), you are probably a Swadian Man-at-Arms, Vaegir or Rhodok Horseman, or Sarranid Mamluke, though other factions can manage it with the right gear. You concentrate on heavy armor, powerful horses, and most commonly have a lance, shield, and an arming sword (whether or not it is actually the "Arming Sword" item is up to you!).
In Battle and Team Deathmatch, it is your job to slam into the enemy at full power, break up the enemy team's cohesion and generally rampage around causing damage. In practice, however, you will often have to contend with enemy knights. Be careful that you don't let them distract you too much -- although you should not ignore them, if they pull you away from the main battle then you've left your infantry unsupported! You are the tank advancing in front of the infantry, not a lone wolf.
In Siege, you are of limited usefulness -- consider trying a light cavalry role or, as I often do, scrap your horse (right-click it in your equipment load-out to save yourself some money!) and fight as a swordsman. I find the latter method especially useful as Rhodoks, whose infantry lack the swords I prefer. As both defender and attacker, spending money on a powerful lance and warhorse is generally a waste. The exception is if the gates are open -- if you can, try to charge in through the gates as an attacker to help your infantry secure the central flag. People do not expect powerful cavalry to be a problem during a Siege game, so the sudden appearance of a knight wreaking havoc in the bailey around the flag can cause a lot of problems for the enemy!
Light Cavalry
Light cavalry tend to be more versatile than knights. Nords, for example, start with free javelins which can allow you to harass enemies by forcing them to keep their shields up and pay attention to you (and not your allies!) or by unhorsing other cavalry. Your armor tends to be a little lighter and your weapons less suited to protracted melee, so focus on using fast, nimble horses such as the Courser which will help you carry out hit-and-run attacks on the enemy.
In Battle and TDM, your goal is support your team on the fringes of the fight. While the heavy cavalry slam directly into the enemy, you are better off skirting around the edges. By luring enemy heavy cavalry to go after you, you give your infantry some breathing room -- few things are more problematic to an infantryman than getting hammered by random cavalry in a 360 degree arc.
You are also in a good position to go after enemy archers. Archers tend to be rather oblivious to their surroundings and lightly armored to boot, so all it takes is one good pass and you can score a quick kill.
However, you need to be aware of your limitations. Your horse is relatively squishy and you probably don't have a lot of armor yourself. Don't try to get in a fight with enemy pikemen! Your job is to focus on softer targets.
In Siege, there are some interesting things you can do. Like heavy cavalry above, you can help charge into the courtyard if the gates are open. In most cases, however, it may help to think of yourself as simply mounted infantry -- with your horse, you can quickly ride to lightly-guarded postern doors or hard-to-get-to ladders in the rear of the castle. You're an ideal infiltrator, and many a match has been won because an enterprising cavalryman has snuck in the rear and "ninja-capped" the central flag or opened the gates for his team.
Weapons
Most cavalry classes come with a default assortment of weapons that usually includes a one-handed sword, a shield, and a lance. While you can mix and match a number of different options to your heart's content, that weapon setup is usually all you need. Of course, you should upgrade to higher-quality weapons when you can. Personally, I prefer to max-out my sword first -- Arming Sword, Nordic War Sword, and Sarranid Cavalry Sword are what I usually go for. Your shield is also a big priority, especially if you are not a good manual blocker.
The Lance: Couching vs. Stabbing
The lance is by the far the most common cavalry weapon in use. And for good reason, because it can be very effective. 99% of the cavalry players you encounter are likely to use lances and of those, 99% are likely to stab with them. Which brings us to the (not-so-)eternal debate: Couch or Stab?
In Warband, you can couch any lance-type weapon by pressing the alt-fire key as long as you're maintaining a gallop on your horse. This will lower your lance, giving you approximately 4 to 5 seconds to hit a target in front of you and slightly to the left or right. It is important to note that you cannot hit targets directly in front of your horse. Many a lance charge is stopped dead in its tracks because the target was hit dead-on, rather than passing by on the side. You should always try to guide your horse slightly to the side such that you will zoom on by the target even if you miss. Personally, I find passing on the right (and thus aiming the lance to the left) to be easiest, but it's important to be able to do both sides proficiently.
Also note that couching will raise your shield protectively, giving you considerable protection from archers.
Conversely, it is also possible to simply stab with your lance. This is readied and performed much like any other melee attack in Warband. Simply hold the mouse button until you're ready to strike, then release it so the tip of the lance hits whatever you're aiming at, preferably at high velocity. Personally, I dislike this method as I find it to be distasteful and dissatisfying, but it is undeniably effective.
Which method you prefer is up to you. Of the two, stabbing is usually more effective, whereas couching is generally more powerful. A solid couched lance hit will usually one-shot most horses and shields. Lance stabs can be blocked much more easily and with much less damage to the shield. Additionally, couches cannot be weapon-blocked! Finally, in a straight pass between a stabber and a coucher, the coucher will usually (but not always) win. It's been my experience that couching has slightly longer reach than a passing stab, and does not require precise timing to land -- simply point and charge.
When picking a lance, it's a very simple selection of reach and damage. More reach means better chances of hitting your enemy first. There are few tradeoffs and fewer reasons not to upgrade to the best lance you can. The only thing that bears mentioning is the Swadian Great Lance -- it is one of the best lances money can buy for couching, however it is quite slow when used to stab. It also struggles on foot; whereas most lances can double as a spear when wielded two-handed on the ground (a highly-recommended technique for those who also enjoy playing pikemen, as I do), the Great Lance is simply too cumbersome to be effective.
The Arming Sword
By the far the most underrated weapon in any cavalryman's arsenal is his arming sword. Most cavalry players simply ignore it unless they happen to be unhorsed, but this is a mistake. A good cavalry player readily switches between his lance and his sword as the situation dictates. I'd even go so far as to say I prefer the sword to the lance.
The lance is only useful at high velocity. It relies upon charging around at high speed to inflict most of its damage, whether couched or stabbed. At close range, a thrust attack usually does no damage, and a couch won't work at all if you aren't galloping in a mostly-straight line. Enter the sword.
If you find yourself in rough terrain (such as a steep grade), bogged down in melee, otherwise moving slowly, or you just simply need to maneuver rather than zoom forward, your best friend is your sword. It is relatively hard to master fighting with your sword from horseback, but it's a worthwhile investment. You have significantly less reach than with a lance, you can only attack alongside your horse rather than in front of it, and often you just do less damage. On the other hand, it swings fast, it's effective in close-quarters, and it does not rely on speed to do damage. It also requires less precision than the lance. Left and right swings can sweep the areas to either side of your horse -- all you need to do is ensure your vertical aim is correct. In the original M&B, it was easy to swing over the tops of enemies' heads. This is less the case in Warband, in my experience, as the new animations seem to naturally hit a little lower.
If you're getting swamped, your goal is to focus on defensive swings -- keep your shield up and swing at enemies to keep them at bay while you extricate yourself from the melee. Opportunistic swings aren't likely to do much damage, but they force the enemy to block, or wound and stun them, interrupting their attacks against you and your horse. Once you get free of the melee, you can fight on your own terms again.
Your sword can also benefit greatly from a charge. Once you get good at it, few things are more satisfying than charging past an enemy and cutting them down with a single swing of your blade. Passing on the left (and performing a right swing) is usually most effective, but as with lances it pays to be able to work both sides of your horse.
One of the most neglected uses for the sword, however, is against enemy cavalry. Your instinct may be to get in a lance-war, but so is your opponent's. If you're unable to connect with your lance on the first one or two passes, switch to your sword and slow your horse to maneuver. Your opponent will usually expect you to keep trying to lance, thinking he can win with his own lance-stabbing skills. Surprise him with a quick slash to the face! By slowing down, you can out-maneuver him and get in close, where his lance is ineffective and your sword has every advantage. Furthermore, your sword is also ideal for hacking the enemy's horse to piece, unhorsing him and leaving him vulnerable. Simply aim a few slashes at the horse's head if you don't think you can risk getting lance-stabbed, and your opponent will be out of action in short order.
When picking a sword, you want maximum reach -- there is considerably more distance to negotiate between you and your target when you are mounted, whether you're attacking infantry or cavalry. Arming swords, cavalry swords, and bastard swords are ideal.
Other Weapons
Of course, there are always other weapons to consider. Nords get a lot of throwing weapon choices, which can be excellent for harassing enemies and unhorsing opponents. Many choose polearms such as bardiches and glaives, although in my experience these are not very effective against another skilled cavalryman.
Your Steed
Of course, a cavalryman wouldn't amount to much without his trusty steed. I find that in multiplayer the difference between horses is not that great, however. Upgrading your horse can be useful if you have money to burn, but it is usually one of the last things I buy. A warhorse can still be killed relatively easily, and a courser is not much nimbler than a basic saddle horse.
A heavy cavalryman should look at the hunter and warhorses for their armor and power. A light cavalryman will be more interested in the courser, however, both can function quite well with the saddle horse. Remember: Your horse, even the basic one, always costs gold. This makes cavalry classes more expensive to play by default. You can free up that gold by right-clicking the horse slot, which will spawn you on foot when you do not need to waste money on a horse. This is helpful when you're playing an infantry map or a Siege game, or you just want to use a different selection of gear than the standard infantryman.
Control
I frequently encounter cavalry players who clearly have no business riding a horse anywhere, much less fighting from it! The key to becoming a good cavalry player is to become a good horseman. There is limited advice I can give here save practice, practice, practice. Maneuvering your horse should be second-nature to you. You can think of it as sort of like a tank in various FPS games -- you "drive" the horse with one hand, and aim and fire your weapons with the other. It is essential to be able to do both not only at the same time, but in perfect harmony with one another.
Avoid situations which will cause your horse to rear up. Hitting another horse, an obstacle, or so much as looking at a pike funny will stop you dead in your tracks. Similarly, be mindful of your horse's power. A saddle horse will grind to a halt if it hits someone, whereas the aptly-named charger will simply plow through the poor sod like he's not even there. Water and steep hills are your enemy -- they will slow you down severely. Sometimes, you can zig-zag to move more fluidly along a hill; simply experiment and see how the horse moves.
Wooded areas or anywhere with large objects can pose a hazard to you. It limits your speed, mobility, and ability to attack. Infantry will often use obstacles to protect themselves from you, only to strike at you while you're attempting to get back up to speed. Try to avoid becoming bogged down in such situations and resist the temptation to go after a single enemy playing cat and mouse with you. Simply move on to a better target if possible.
Dismounting
Like the arming sword, the mark of a good cavalryman is knowing when to dismount. In many situations, it's simply foolish to remain mounted when your horse becomes more of a liability than an advantage.
Pikes in particular are the number one killer of novice cavalrymen. A properly-used spear or pike is instant death to a charging horse and often its rider as well. If you see a pikeman reading his spear against you, especially if it's two-handed, do not try to engage him -- YOU WILL LOSE. You need to assess the battlefield conditions to determine whether to simply ignore him and move on, or dismount and fight him on foot. A pikeman loses most of his advantage once you ditch your horse, and if he doesn't quick switch to another weapon you can get inside his range and hack him to bits in short order.
Other situations may arise where it is beneficial to dismount. Steep hills, cluttered areas, close-quarters fighting, and generally rough terrain mean your horse is a hindrance more than a help. Dismount and deal with the situation on foot before returning to your horse.
Conclusion
This is only a brief overview of the fundamentals of effective cavalry play. There are many nuances to it which simply require experimentation and experience, which no guide can hope to replace. Furthermore, I am not an expert -- there are many players out there better than I, and there may be things I haven't thought of, or opposing perspectives to the recommendations I have given here.
Once again, I must recommend the Infantry Primer posted in this forum. In addition to explaining a number of key concepts, it is very useful to the good cavalryman to also be a good infantryman. Many of the skills go hand-in-hand and complement each other.
Finally, I welcome any criticisms or suggestions. I plan to add a few more sections to this guide in due time.
By BCGaius
What follows here is my humble attempt at a multiplayer guide in the vein of the excellent Archer and Infantry guides posted here, the latter of which is highly recommended due to its explanation of many of the basic combat mechanics referenced in this guide. I do not profess to be a supreme expert at all things Mount & Blade, nor will this guide make you one. What it can do is offer some pointers and a starting point for those who like to play cavalry classes.
Primarily, this guide is aimed at heavy cavalry, such as Swadian men-at-arms, though many of the concepts at work can also be applied to lighter cavalry such as Khergits. Furthermore, the focus here is on using melee weapons effectively from horseback and only briefly touches upon horse archery. The Archery guide has more to offer those looking to shoot from horseback.
Team Role and Strategy
Since most game modes are team-based, it is first important to understand the cavalryman's role on a team. Much of this depends upon whether you consider yourself heavy or light cavalry, where your skills lie, and the type of match being played.
Heavy Cavalry
As a heavy cavalryman (a "knight"), you are probably a Swadian Man-at-Arms, Vaegir or Rhodok Horseman, or Sarranid Mamluke, though other factions can manage it with the right gear. You concentrate on heavy armor, powerful horses, and most commonly have a lance, shield, and an arming sword (whether or not it is actually the "Arming Sword" item is up to you!).
In Battle and Team Deathmatch, it is your job to slam into the enemy at full power, break up the enemy team's cohesion and generally rampage around causing damage. In practice, however, you will often have to contend with enemy knights. Be careful that you don't let them distract you too much -- although you should not ignore them, if they pull you away from the main battle then you've left your infantry unsupported! You are the tank advancing in front of the infantry, not a lone wolf.
In Siege, you are of limited usefulness -- consider trying a light cavalry role or, as I often do, scrap your horse (right-click it in your equipment load-out to save yourself some money!) and fight as a swordsman. I find the latter method especially useful as Rhodoks, whose infantry lack the swords I prefer. As both defender and attacker, spending money on a powerful lance and warhorse is generally a waste. The exception is if the gates are open -- if you can, try to charge in through the gates as an attacker to help your infantry secure the central flag. People do not expect powerful cavalry to be a problem during a Siege game, so the sudden appearance of a knight wreaking havoc in the bailey around the flag can cause a lot of problems for the enemy!
Light Cavalry
Light cavalry tend to be more versatile than knights. Nords, for example, start with free javelins which can allow you to harass enemies by forcing them to keep their shields up and pay attention to you (and not your allies!) or by unhorsing other cavalry. Your armor tends to be a little lighter and your weapons less suited to protracted melee, so focus on using fast, nimble horses such as the Courser which will help you carry out hit-and-run attacks on the enemy.
In Battle and TDM, your goal is support your team on the fringes of the fight. While the heavy cavalry slam directly into the enemy, you are better off skirting around the edges. By luring enemy heavy cavalry to go after you, you give your infantry some breathing room -- few things are more problematic to an infantryman than getting hammered by random cavalry in a 360 degree arc.
You are also in a good position to go after enemy archers. Archers tend to be rather oblivious to their surroundings and lightly armored to boot, so all it takes is one good pass and you can score a quick kill.
However, you need to be aware of your limitations. Your horse is relatively squishy and you probably don't have a lot of armor yourself. Don't try to get in a fight with enemy pikemen! Your job is to focus on softer targets.
In Siege, there are some interesting things you can do. Like heavy cavalry above, you can help charge into the courtyard if the gates are open. In most cases, however, it may help to think of yourself as simply mounted infantry -- with your horse, you can quickly ride to lightly-guarded postern doors or hard-to-get-to ladders in the rear of the castle. You're an ideal infiltrator, and many a match has been won because an enterprising cavalryman has snuck in the rear and "ninja-capped" the central flag or opened the gates for his team.
Weapons
Most cavalry classes come with a default assortment of weapons that usually includes a one-handed sword, a shield, and a lance. While you can mix and match a number of different options to your heart's content, that weapon setup is usually all you need. Of course, you should upgrade to higher-quality weapons when you can. Personally, I prefer to max-out my sword first -- Arming Sword, Nordic War Sword, and Sarranid Cavalry Sword are what I usually go for. Your shield is also a big priority, especially if you are not a good manual blocker.
The Lance: Couching vs. Stabbing
The lance is by the far the most common cavalry weapon in use. And for good reason, because it can be very effective. 99% of the cavalry players you encounter are likely to use lances and of those, 99% are likely to stab with them. Which brings us to the (not-so-)eternal debate: Couch or Stab?
In Warband, you can couch any lance-type weapon by pressing the alt-fire key as long as you're maintaining a gallop on your horse. This will lower your lance, giving you approximately 4 to 5 seconds to hit a target in front of you and slightly to the left or right. It is important to note that you cannot hit targets directly in front of your horse. Many a lance charge is stopped dead in its tracks because the target was hit dead-on, rather than passing by on the side. You should always try to guide your horse slightly to the side such that you will zoom on by the target even if you miss. Personally, I find passing on the right (and thus aiming the lance to the left) to be easiest, but it's important to be able to do both sides proficiently.
Also note that couching will raise your shield protectively, giving you considerable protection from archers.
Conversely, it is also possible to simply stab with your lance. This is readied and performed much like any other melee attack in Warband. Simply hold the mouse button until you're ready to strike, then release it so the tip of the lance hits whatever you're aiming at, preferably at high velocity. Personally, I dislike this method as I find it to be distasteful and dissatisfying, but it is undeniably effective.
Which method you prefer is up to you. Of the two, stabbing is usually more effective, whereas couching is generally more powerful. A solid couched lance hit will usually one-shot most horses and shields. Lance stabs can be blocked much more easily and with much less damage to the shield. Additionally, couches cannot be weapon-blocked! Finally, in a straight pass between a stabber and a coucher, the coucher will usually (but not always) win. It's been my experience that couching has slightly longer reach than a passing stab, and does not require precise timing to land -- simply point and charge.
When picking a lance, it's a very simple selection of reach and damage. More reach means better chances of hitting your enemy first. There are few tradeoffs and fewer reasons not to upgrade to the best lance you can. The only thing that bears mentioning is the Swadian Great Lance -- it is one of the best lances money can buy for couching, however it is quite slow when used to stab. It also struggles on foot; whereas most lances can double as a spear when wielded two-handed on the ground (a highly-recommended technique for those who also enjoy playing pikemen, as I do), the Great Lance is simply too cumbersome to be effective.
The Arming Sword
By the far the most underrated weapon in any cavalryman's arsenal is his arming sword. Most cavalry players simply ignore it unless they happen to be unhorsed, but this is a mistake. A good cavalry player readily switches between his lance and his sword as the situation dictates. I'd even go so far as to say I prefer the sword to the lance.
The lance is only useful at high velocity. It relies upon charging around at high speed to inflict most of its damage, whether couched or stabbed. At close range, a thrust attack usually does no damage, and a couch won't work at all if you aren't galloping in a mostly-straight line. Enter the sword.
If you find yourself in rough terrain (such as a steep grade), bogged down in melee, otherwise moving slowly, or you just simply need to maneuver rather than zoom forward, your best friend is your sword. It is relatively hard to master fighting with your sword from horseback, but it's a worthwhile investment. You have significantly less reach than with a lance, you can only attack alongside your horse rather than in front of it, and often you just do less damage. On the other hand, it swings fast, it's effective in close-quarters, and it does not rely on speed to do damage. It also requires less precision than the lance. Left and right swings can sweep the areas to either side of your horse -- all you need to do is ensure your vertical aim is correct. In the original M&B, it was easy to swing over the tops of enemies' heads. This is less the case in Warband, in my experience, as the new animations seem to naturally hit a little lower.
If you're getting swamped, your goal is to focus on defensive swings -- keep your shield up and swing at enemies to keep them at bay while you extricate yourself from the melee. Opportunistic swings aren't likely to do much damage, but they force the enemy to block, or wound and stun them, interrupting their attacks against you and your horse. Once you get free of the melee, you can fight on your own terms again.
Your sword can also benefit greatly from a charge. Once you get good at it, few things are more satisfying than charging past an enemy and cutting them down with a single swing of your blade. Passing on the left (and performing a right swing) is usually most effective, but as with lances it pays to be able to work both sides of your horse.
One of the most neglected uses for the sword, however, is against enemy cavalry. Your instinct may be to get in a lance-war, but so is your opponent's. If you're unable to connect with your lance on the first one or two passes, switch to your sword and slow your horse to maneuver. Your opponent will usually expect you to keep trying to lance, thinking he can win with his own lance-stabbing skills. Surprise him with a quick slash to the face! By slowing down, you can out-maneuver him and get in close, where his lance is ineffective and your sword has every advantage. Furthermore, your sword is also ideal for hacking the enemy's horse to piece, unhorsing him and leaving him vulnerable. Simply aim a few slashes at the horse's head if you don't think you can risk getting lance-stabbed, and your opponent will be out of action in short order.
When picking a sword, you want maximum reach -- there is considerably more distance to negotiate between you and your target when you are mounted, whether you're attacking infantry or cavalry. Arming swords, cavalry swords, and bastard swords are ideal.
Other Weapons
Of course, there are always other weapons to consider. Nords get a lot of throwing weapon choices, which can be excellent for harassing enemies and unhorsing opponents. Many choose polearms such as bardiches and glaives, although in my experience these are not very effective against another skilled cavalryman.
Your Steed
Of course, a cavalryman wouldn't amount to much without his trusty steed. I find that in multiplayer the difference between horses is not that great, however. Upgrading your horse can be useful if you have money to burn, but it is usually one of the last things I buy. A warhorse can still be killed relatively easily, and a courser is not much nimbler than a basic saddle horse.
A heavy cavalryman should look at the hunter and warhorses for their armor and power. A light cavalryman will be more interested in the courser, however, both can function quite well with the saddle horse. Remember: Your horse, even the basic one, always costs gold. This makes cavalry classes more expensive to play by default. You can free up that gold by right-clicking the horse slot, which will spawn you on foot when you do not need to waste money on a horse. This is helpful when you're playing an infantry map or a Siege game, or you just want to use a different selection of gear than the standard infantryman.
Control
I frequently encounter cavalry players who clearly have no business riding a horse anywhere, much less fighting from it! The key to becoming a good cavalry player is to become a good horseman. There is limited advice I can give here save practice, practice, practice. Maneuvering your horse should be second-nature to you. You can think of it as sort of like a tank in various FPS games -- you "drive" the horse with one hand, and aim and fire your weapons with the other. It is essential to be able to do both not only at the same time, but in perfect harmony with one another.
Avoid situations which will cause your horse to rear up. Hitting another horse, an obstacle, or so much as looking at a pike funny will stop you dead in your tracks. Similarly, be mindful of your horse's power. A saddle horse will grind to a halt if it hits someone, whereas the aptly-named charger will simply plow through the poor sod like he's not even there. Water and steep hills are your enemy -- they will slow you down severely. Sometimes, you can zig-zag to move more fluidly along a hill; simply experiment and see how the horse moves.
Wooded areas or anywhere with large objects can pose a hazard to you. It limits your speed, mobility, and ability to attack. Infantry will often use obstacles to protect themselves from you, only to strike at you while you're attempting to get back up to speed. Try to avoid becoming bogged down in such situations and resist the temptation to go after a single enemy playing cat and mouse with you. Simply move on to a better target if possible.
Dismounting
Like the arming sword, the mark of a good cavalryman is knowing when to dismount. In many situations, it's simply foolish to remain mounted when your horse becomes more of a liability than an advantage.
Pikes in particular are the number one killer of novice cavalrymen. A properly-used spear or pike is instant death to a charging horse and often its rider as well. If you see a pikeman reading his spear against you, especially if it's two-handed, do not try to engage him -- YOU WILL LOSE. You need to assess the battlefield conditions to determine whether to simply ignore him and move on, or dismount and fight him on foot. A pikeman loses most of his advantage once you ditch your horse, and if he doesn't quick switch to another weapon you can get inside his range and hack him to bits in short order.
Other situations may arise where it is beneficial to dismount. Steep hills, cluttered areas, close-quarters fighting, and generally rough terrain mean your horse is a hindrance more than a help. Dismount and deal with the situation on foot before returning to your horse.
Conclusion
This is only a brief overview of the fundamentals of effective cavalry play. There are many nuances to it which simply require experimentation and experience, which no guide can hope to replace. Furthermore, I am not an expert -- there are many players out there better than I, and there may be things I haven't thought of, or opposing perspectives to the recommendations I have given here.
Once again, I must recommend the Infantry Primer posted in this forum. In addition to explaining a number of key concepts, it is very useful to the good cavalryman to also be a good infantryman. Many of the skills go hand-in-hand and complement each other.
Finally, I welcome any criticisms or suggestions. I plan to add a few more sections to this guide in due time.
