Horses have no natural predators

[Tears of Destiny]

Ahem? How about them fallen archers, that's a two shot for both my horse and I, 3 if I realize I'm horribly fucked and try and go the other way.

*whistles innocently, hands in pockets and idly scuffs ground with toe*

[Seawied]

It really depends on the map, but unless the map has some really secure spots to shoot from, I typically take out an archer before I go down. They can pack a punch if you are charging right at them, but horses are so maneuverable in c-RPG that often I can just dodge the arrow before it hits me. I'm by no means a super-cav player either. If anything, I'm quite rusty.

[Everkistus]

Ahem? How about them fallen archers, that's a two shot for both my horse and I, 3 if I realize I'm horribly fucked and try and go the other way.

<3

[Casimir]

I see so many long spears and pikes, I myself currently play as a pikeman quite often and i can tell you most clans have at least one or two guys running around with a long spear quite regularly.

Also unless i'm riding a destrier my horse will die from two shots from most bows, ranged is by far what does the most damage to cavalry.

[Keshian]

I see so many long spears and pikes, I myself currently play as a pikeman quite often and i can tell you most clans have at least one or two guys running around with a long spear quite regularly.

Also unless i'm riding a destrier my horse will die from two shots from most bows, ranged is by far what does the most damage to cavalry.

Sumpter??  Almost every courser takes 3-4 shots to die unless its a head shot.  The other unarmored horses (except sumpter) 2-3.  6 powerdraw, MW strong bow, MW arrows.  Add 1 extra shot if its 3x loomed champion horse.  You might just be seeign a lot of longbowmen, which are easier to dodge and kill with their really slow draw speed - you can cross half the map in the time it takes them to draw back 1 arrow.

[Rumblood]

I see so many long spears and pikes, I myself currently play as a pikeman quite often and i can tell you most clans have at least one or two guys running around with a long spear quite regularly.

Also unless i'm riding a destrier my horse will die from two shots from most bows, ranged is by far what does the most damage to cavalry.

Masterwork Warbow PD 6 and only the paper horses will go down in 2 hits, and with the random damage component, that isn't guaranteed. It is far more usual for it to take me 3 shots, Destrier 4 and the armored horses can absorb 6 arrows (or more).

[KaMiKaZe_JoE]

I think we can all agree that horses are very delicate? They die from three to six arrow hits, which isn't alot in cRPG, really.

And I think we can all agree the horses are really fast an maneuverable. Except the plate ones, which just sorta suck.

So we have delicate horses, which are fast and maneuverable; they rely on speed and suprise (they're hard to hear) to get their kills. I find I get the most kills when the infantry gaggle-fuck that is my team has advanced to contact with the enemy's gaggle-fuck. In such a situation, both gaggle-fucks are distracted by eachother, and that inclues both team's archers (which are either dueling eachother, or sniping infantry). A cavalry player need only stab distracted baddies along the flanks and rear of the enemy's gaggle-fuck.

The best way to kill the horse is to counter its speed and sneakiness. Turn up your volume, stay aware of your surroundings, and use the natural horse killing attack: the poke. Any and all ranged attacks counter cavalry, obviously. The horseman is unable to defend himself against projectile weapons, and instead must hide somewhere or maneuver around wildly to avoid getting hit--charging at an archer works, but in the process the horse will get hit at least once (possibly in it's large head). If a cavalry player is caught in the open and is fired upon by multiple archers, his or her ability to suprise their opponents is worth nothing.

[Bonze]

<-----

No natural predator?

Pike?

Long Spear?

Long Bow?

+

Other lancers?

Horse archers?

Upkeep?

HA = easy kill
97% of the  Bow my old friends = easy kill
Pike = ouch!
Jumping 2H = ouch!
Turtels = easy kill
Horse Lancers = easy to ignore   Arabian is to slow , courser not enough maneuver
Xbows = ouch or easy kill

My avatar have only one target day by day , my old friendchhers. My personal kill record was 8 my old friendcchers included 2 ha per round, most of them have tunnel vision and low armor protection , perfect victims . Whoever says  arrows are a problem for cav  ....  l2p  . My  champion cataphract horse laughs when the arrows hit them.

[Malaclypse]

My  champion cataphract horse laughs when the arrows hit them.

As well it should, your main enemy as a cataphract will naturally be, well, being made to rear, so any polearm in the proper hands. Higher tier bows (x3 longbows + x3 bodkins) or xbows may help to add to damage. Arrows are a problem for most cav- not tanks, mind you, but the squisher horses with less armor- at least when they're being launched by people who know how to lead their targets.

[Tears of Destiny]

My avatar have only one target day by day , my old friendchhers. My personal kill record was 8 my old friendcchers included 2 ha per round, most of them have tunnel vision and low armor protection , perfect victims . Whoever says  arrows are a problem for cav  ....  l2p  . My  champion cataphract horse laughs when the arrows hit them.

My personal kill record in a single round against horses was 3 mounted rider kills 7 horse kills and four horse assists... not counting normal kills. Your point?

Terrible/Tunnel-Vision players are everywhere in every class, for ever archer that has tunnel vision, there is a cav fixated on a target. For every archer that can not lead a target and account for drop, there is a cav that can't dodge or predict for crap.

As for your cataphract, considering the stupid high cost of the thing I certainly hope that it does give you a fantastic edge against most opponents, chadz knows you earned it.

Everyone needs to l2p.

[Kafein]

As for your cataphract, considering the stupid high cost of the thing I certainly hope that it does give you a fantastic edge against most opponents, chadz knows you earned it.

This.

A Cataphract Horse is out of the actual balance discussion given it's price. Maybe a weaponless nude guy can ride one and break even but that's not optimal anyway.

[Seawied]

Its not difficult to grinding a bit to get a sizable stash of money to afford expensive gear. Before the market was introduced, it wasn't unusual to hear people talk about how much money they had in millions.

[Diomedes]

Almost every build has some way of damaging non-armoured horses.  It seems to me that with the decrease in pikes post-patch there's been an increase in individual tactical innovation.  Though most players are still pretty bad at the 1h slash, 2h jump, or horse headshot they're at least something to consider now.  Pre-patch it seemed cav could take on almost anyone so long as they didn't have a pointy stick, now they can still challenge most non-pike players but at least it's more of a challenge.


Perhaps some coordinated folks should put together a short video series detailing the various non-pike ways of dealing with enemy cavalry.  A 45 second video of a 2h players jump-stabbing would go a long way towards educating players who're essentially ignorant of how powerful they can be.

[Danath]

I CBF reading this thread but when I'm on horse I am definitely having an easier time thanks to less throwers on the field due to the uber throw nerf

[Seawied]

I CBF reading this thread but when I'm on horse I am definitely having an easier time thanks to less throwers on the field due to the uber throw nerf

agreed. I have the same experience as well.