Rome (Samnite Wars) Melee Cavalry

Legionary Cavalry

Developing throughout the Republic, from to the recruitment of allied horsemen from Iberia, Gaul, Numidia and Thrace, Roman legionary cavalry adapted to meet changing needs and resources. The cavalry of each Legion originally included 300 Equites and 600-900 Socii, giving a typical consular army of two Legions around 1,800-2,400 cavalry. During the Samnite, Pyrrhic, Punic and Jugurthine Wars, and with the demands of a growing empire, there was a gradual move away to using allied cavalry. As the equites became legionary officers and then the Socii became citizens, cavalry recruits from Italy became scarce: by the time of Caesar’s Gallic campaigns the Legions relied almost exclusively on allied cavalry. Equipment changed little during this period. The spear and chainmail adopted by the equites, probably influenced by the Celts, came full-circle with the recruitment of later Gallic cavalry. Helmet and shield styles did change and the small round shield of the equites became the versatile thureos.

Unit Name Legionary Cavalry

Main Unit Key Rom_Legionary_Cav

Land Unit Key Rom_Legionary_Cav

Naval Unit Key roman_transport

Soldiers 90

Category Cavalry

Class Melee Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost 610

Recruitment Cost 610

Upkeep Cost 85

Melee Attack 24

Weapon Damage 29

├ Melee Weapon rome_spear_cav

├ Melee Damage Base 19

├ Melee Damage Ap 10

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 10

├ Bonus vs Elephants 12

└ Bonus vs Infantry 10

Charge Bonus 26

Melee Defence 69

├ Base Defence 34

├ Shield cavalry

└ Shield Defence 35

Armour 87

├ Armour mail

├ Armour Defence 57

└ Shield Armour 30

Health 110

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_heavy

├ Man Health 55

├ Bonus Hit Points 15

├ Mount rome_horse_spear_shield_m

├ Mount Entity rome_horse_medium

└ Mount Health 40

Base Morale 45

Abilities

• Draco
  Reduces the effectiveness against mounted units of any nearby enemies for an extended time.
  Bonus vs cavalry, bonus vs elephants, bracing
• Cavalry Testudo
  The unit raises their shields and turns towards the aggressor.
  Protection against missiles
  Can't move
• Flying Wedge
  The unit moves into a flying wedge-shaped attack formation.
  Charge bonus, melee attack
  Acceleration, melee defence

Attributes

• Disciplined
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Very poor hull strength
• Very slow speed
• Weak ramming

• Good attack
• Average defence
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Average morale

Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Cost 300 Upgrade From

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Rome Senate loyalists Slaves
Samnite Wars	Lucania (Samnite Wars) Rome (Samnite Wars) Rome (Samnite Wars)