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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Alani (Empire Divided) / Units / Steppe Cataphract Archers
Steppe Cataphract Archers Alani (Empire Divided)Alani (Empire Divided) Missile Cavalry

Steppe Cataphract Archers

These heavily-armoured, mounted archers can fire from the saddle at pace.

The skill required to fire a bow from a moving horse is phenomenal. Ancient cavalry archers had to keep control of their mounts with their knees whilst using both arms to fire their bows, which took a great deal of practice and physical strength. Often lightly armoured, horse archers were the ideal skirmish troops, as they could quickly reach key areas of the battlefield to harass the enemy, but without getting so close that they were forced into melee. Nomadic tribes, such as the Sarmatians, were renowned for their skilled riders and used horse archers to great effect. The combination of skill and the deadly composite bow, which could puncture straight through armour, made their horsemen the dread of all those they encountered.

Steppe Cataphract Archers

Unit Name

Steppe Cataphract Archers

Main Unit Key

3c_Ala_Steppe_Cataphract_Archers

Land Unit Key

3c_Ala_Steppe_Cataphract_Archers

Naval Unit Key

3c_barbarian_transport

Soldiers

80

Category

Cavalry

Class

Missile Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost

1000

Recruitment Cost

1000

Upkeep Cost

200

Missile Damage

40

├ Missile Weapon

rome_composite_bow_horse

├ Projectile

arrow_composite_horse

├ Missile Damage

36

├ Missile Ap Damage

4

└ Base Reload Time

12

Accuracy

5

Range

125

Reload

33

Shots Per Minute

7

Ammunition

15

Melee Attack

55

Weapon Damage

34

├ Melee Weapon

rome_steppe_sword

├ Melee Damage Base

30

├ Melee Damage Ap

4

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

19

Melee Defence

20

├ Base Defence

20

├ Shield

none

└ Shield Defence

0

Armour

90

├ Armour

cataphract

├ Armour Defence

90

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

95

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_heavy

├ Man Health

40

├ Bonus Hit Points

15

├ Mount

cataphract_half_horse

├ Mount Entity

rome_horse_very_heavy

└ Mount Health

40

Base Morale

70

Abilities

Steppe Cataphract Archers
  • Cantabrian Circle
    The unit fires whilst riding in a circle.
    Harder to hit, reload skill

Attributes

  • Resistant to Fatigue
    Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
  • Hide (forest)
    This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
  • Fire Whilst Moving
    This unit can fire when mounted and moving.
  • Parthian Shot
    This unit can fire all around and not just in-front of itself.
  • Resistant to Cold
    This unit tires less quickly in snow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Steppe Cataphract Archers
  • Long range
  • Fast rate of fire
  • Fast moving
  • Good damage but low armour penetration
  • Very weak in melee
  • Poor morale