Kush Melee Cavalry

Armoured Desert Cavalry

Armour is hard to use in the desert heat, but it makes spear hits more manageable.

Although conditions were harsh along the African and Arabian desert frontier, numerous tribes and kingdoms thrived in the relative safety of those desolate regions. They used horses not only for battle, but also for transportation and agriculture, which had a great impact on local trade and produce. Camels proved to be the better beast for such an arid setting, but they were used predominantly in trade caravans, as they can travel further without water, are harder to breed and have a notoriously bad temper. Of all the desert peoples, the Namibians fielded the finest cavalry, described by the Roman historian Livy as "by far the best horsemen in Africa”. The Nubians too had formidable cavalry units, allegedly used as mercenaries by Carthaginians and Romans. The tribes of the Arabian Peninsula were very good riders also, using mounts to cover great distances in the heat and travelling from pasture to pasture developing a nomadic lifestyle centred around livestock.

Abilities

Armoured Desert Cavalry

• Flying Wedge
  The unit moves into a flying wedge-shaped attack formation.
  Charge bonus, melee attack
  Acceleration, melee defence

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport

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

Armoured Desert Cavalry

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

Kush Units
General (4)
1.African War Elephants
2.Kushite Royal Guard
3.Royal Kushite Archers
4.Scythed Chariots
Melee Infantry (6)
5.Swordsmen
6.Armoured Shotel Warriors
7.Disciples of Apedemak
8.Kushite Slave Infantry
9.Shotel Warriors
10.Slave Infantry
Missile Infantry (6)
11.Archers
12.Tribesmen
13.Nubian Bowmen
14.Kushite Archers
15.Royal Kushite Archers
16.Slave Slingers
Pike Infantry (1)
17.Kushite Pikes
Spear Infantry (3)
18.Nubian Spearmen
19.Kushite Slave Spearmen
20.Leopard Warriors
Melee Cavalry (4)
21.Aethiopian Cavalry
22.Armoured Desert Cavalry
23.Desert Cavalry
24.Kushite Royal Guard
Chariot (2)
25.Desert Chariots
26.Scythed Chariots
Elephant (2)
27.African Elephants
28.African War Elephants
Fixed Artillery (3)
29.African Giant Ballista
30.African Bastion Scorpion
31.African Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
32.African Bastion Ballista
33.African Ballista
34.African Scorpion
35.African Heavy Onager
36.African Bastion Onager
37.African Onager
Admiral (3)
38.Assault Hexeres - Swordsmen
39.Tower Penteres - Royal Kushite Archers
40.Scorpion Trieres - Archers
Melee Ship (3)
41.Assault Hexeres - Swordsmen
42.Fire Pot Dieres - Nubian Spearmen
43.Assault Dieres - Nubian Spearmen
Missile Ship (6)
44.Tower Penteres - Royal Kushite Archers
45.Missile Penteres - Kushite Archers
46.Scorpion Trieres - Archers
47.Missile Trieres - Archers
48.Raiding Hemiolia - Slave Slingers
49.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Slave Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
50.Light Artillery Penteres - African Ballista (Ship)
51.Artillery Penteres - African Onager (Ship)