Horses - speed over armor?

[Mangano]

Dear fellows,

After many and many battles using a heavy war horse, I started thinking about the usability of heavy horses. Firstly, I’d play as a “charger-crazy-axe-knight”, in other words, I like going to the crowd and hitting as much “coconuts” as I can but not by using lances (crouched damage) – just me, my heavy armor and shield swinging my axe.

The thing is – I have a good company of swadian and vaegir knights (I believe most players invest in a good cavalry as myself)… by the time we reach the enemy, the field gets quickly filled with corpses… but with too many horsemen in the initial charge you get few space to maneuver your horse, so I, personally, don’t kill as many enemies as I could… just because the battle is overcrowded with my cavalry… so by the end of the initial charge, most of what’s left of the enemy are annoying horseman (especially light cavalry as kerghit MTFs!) so it’s time for the unbearably tedious ‘run and catch’ game in which heavy horses do no good… With this said, there’s another issue: no matter how strong is your horse (I believe the champion charger would be the most armored horse in the game – correct me if I’m wrong), a fast charge with couched damage (don’t even need to be a swadian knight) will kill it…

So I was thinking that maybe, I could benefit more of a lighter/faster horse… Don’t really appreciate their looks but, after many battles using a heavy horse, it is somehow reliving to use a fast horse and being able to chase those annoying light horseman… Based on all that – what do you think? Heavy horses are disposable (even for players that like charging in the middle of the crowd)? The great problem is that there are no ‘intermediate’ horses… well… there are but they are mostly disposable… like a steppe charger for example – it is a just a bad charger… not a faster one (if compared to charger)… so I pretty much see no options instead charger (for heavy/armored) and courser (for light/faster)… What do you think?

 

[zajuts149]

I always have a range of horses in my inventory to switch when it is convenient. The trick is anticipating what horse you need. I use heavy armoured horses in fights against Swadian, Nord and Rhodok troops. If I'm fighting in a village, I prefer a manoeuvrable horse like that steppe charger, that still has armour. In open battle against Vaegir and Sarranids, a medium Horse like the Hunter or the Sarranid Horse is good. In plains against the Khergits, I prefer the fast Courser.
Using a fast, but light horse can be tricky against a mass of Khergits charging you. I often try to lance one of the lead ones before I veer to the left. That makes them break off and charge after me, right before my heavier cav reaches them and charges in their flank.

 

[Prince_of_Prussia]

First of all, if you're on a horse, and I'm assuming you're leading the army, you must get in front of your troops, or go around the enemy, and then charge. Otherwise you'll barely get kills, and usually it's you who has the most killing power out of anyone in your army. Fast horses like the courser can be good for this, however, their lack of armour makes them very easy to kill. I prefer to use a spirited heavy charger, they're expensive though, I got one by pure luck from deserters. They're not too fast, but definitely not slow, and have good manueverability, they shine in charge and armour. You can probably charge at a 4 ranks deep formation and still get through with that horse, so I'd go for that. If you can't afford him you're probably not yet ready for this kind of warfare anyway. NOTE: If you're battlefield is overcrowded just take less troops. It's cheaper AND better in that case.

 

[Occam]

I like going to the crowd and hitting as much “coconuts” as I can but not by using lances (crouched damage) – just me, my heavy armor and shield swinging my axe.

Coursers are good for skirmishing around the edges of the fight but they aren't very good for going into the crowd, they get stopped when they run into troops that an armored horse pushes thru. Then they get killed and you are on foot.

A heavy hunter would probably be better for the kind of fighting you describe. They will survive the crowds a little better while still being faster than armored horses.

Extra point in riding skill will make you faster too.

 

[kuwhar]

A hunter horse may suit you, it doesn't have armor but it does have higher HP and armor than other non-armored horses.

A steppe charger is another option, it has high maneuver which mean great acceleration so when you ahev to chase you can (hopefully) gain on them.

Another option would be to have your cavalry follow you until you get close and then tell them to charge, so you'll still be part of that intitial charge.

 

[Tahu]

What I usually do is have them follow me so they aren't in one giant ball when they're spread out start charging forward and have them charge shortly after. When you're almost to the enemy take a hard right or left and the head of the enemy column will turn to go with you and then be smashed by your line of horses. This leaves you open to circle back get some stragglers and then start picking off survivors.

 

[Stevebob]

Due to the fact that I fight a lot with Khergit I’ve always like the spirited courser.  This is the fastest horse in the game (if I’m not mistaken) giving an edge over lancers. Their one weakness is that they are very easy to kill but I never had a problem being on foot anyway. I prefer to use a balanced light lance or heavy iron war axe. Because of their fragility I try to keep about three at any given time.

 

[annallia]

Personally once I get past the beginning stage of the game and become a lord or whatever its Courser or bust.

I tend to prefer the Heavy over the spirited though, those few extra HP help a bit and the speed difference isn't all that much.

 

[Northcott]

Depends on my character, really, and their fighting style. For my current play through, where my character switches between cavalry sabre & shield, and a nomad bow, I use a Sarranid horse. They're fast as hunters, tougher than coursers, and as agile as steppe horses. With a high riding you can keep coursers from overwhelming you as you nearly match their speed, and your mount's agility is far better... so swerve and cut, swerve and cut, ad infinitum. Periodically shoot someone with the bow (if they don't have a shield).

Previously I did a very traditional knightly play-through, with sword, shield, lance, and dagger.  In that case; the tougher the horse, the better.  Another time with a Nord stalwart -- no horse. Got a two-handed military cleaver, maxed out power strike, and cut the damned things down!