Using Cavalry in Warhammer Total War: A Guide

In this post I'm going to give you all of the tools you need to become a cavalry commander that even Alexander the Great would have appreciated!

Cavalry units are some of the most dynamic units in Total War: Warhammer III due to their speed and mobility. This means that they can be incredibly impactful if marshalled intelligently.

But there's more to cavalry than just running around looking pretty. To be a truly imperious cavalry commander you need to understand the different types of cavalry, the different roles they play, and how you can use them to win glory on the battlefield.

Explanatory note: I'm not going to talk about flying cavalry units in this post, so when I use the term 'Cavalry' I am speaking exclusively of ground cavalry units. A later blog post will address Flying Cavalry.

Let's start by taking a look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of cavalry units.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths:

⦁ Speed - The increased mobility of cavalry units allows you to move them around the battlefield almost at will, choosing your engagements and avoiding unfavourable matchups.

⦁ Increased mass - This allows you to charge into smaller units i.e. infantry and call damage due to the increased mass of each individual model within the unit i.e. horse big, man small.

⦁ Versatility - I think the biggest advantage that cavalry units have over less mobile units is their versatility. Cavalry units can perform many different functions within a battle. Let's examine some of the more common uses of mounted units:

1. ⦁ Shock assault troops - Due to their high speed and increased mass they are ideal shock troops for heavy impact charges. This is especially true if charged into the sides and rear of enemy units as this multiplies their already elevated charge bonus stats.
2. ⦁ Ideal for chasing down isolated enemy ranged units or routing units.
3. ⦁ They can provide a good flanking defence from enemy cavalry units.
4. ⦁ Neutralise the enemy's artillery as the battle progresses.
5. ⦁ Their increased speed makes them the ideal 'fire-fighting' units e.g. reinforcing weak points in your battle line or helping out an outmatched allied unit.

Weaknesses:

⦁ Their size makes them vulnerable to ranged and anti-large troops e.g. spearmen or halberdiers 

⦁ Not very effective in restricted terrain e.g. narrow streets in towns or heavily forested battlefields.

⦁ Usually more expensive.

Types of Cavalry

Cavalry units come in various forms:

1 - Ranged cavalry

2a - Standard melee cavalry 

2b - Shock melee cavalry 

3 - Monstrous cavalry

1 - Ranged Cavalry

Ranged cavalry units are designed to harass enemy infantry units or slower enemy cavalry units while inflicting damage at a distance. To this end, ranged cavalry are usually lightly armoured, very fast, and have a ranged weapon e.g. a bow and arrow or a gunpowder weapon. 

Ideally, they will avoid entering melee combat with the enemy unless matched up against the very weakest enemy units i.e. lightly armoured missile infantry. 

They are best used to harass the flanks of an enemy battle line or any unit which cannot return fire or give chase effectively, such as a melee infantry unit or a heavy cavalry unit.

It is usually to avoid engaging in a ranged duel with the enemy's ranged infantry units as the lower model number in ranged cavalry units means you will usually be out-gunned. Add to this ranged cavalry's typically low amour level and increased model size and you have the perfect storm of a large, soft target for enemy ranged units. 

If you find your ranged cavalry unit matched up with an isolated ranged enemy infantry unit, your best options are either to withdraw out of range or switch to melee mode and charge the enemy unit. The best course of action depends on the relative strengths of both units.

Example units:

Ellyrian Reaver Archers - High Elves

Glade Riders - Wood Elves

Pistoliers - The Empire

Mounted Yeomen Archers - Bretonnia

2 - Melee Cavalry

In general, melee cavalry is slower and more heavily armoured than ranged cavalry and has better melee stats e.g. melee attack, melee defence, etc.

But different types of melee cavalry have different uses.

Let's examine this a bit further. 

2a - Standard Melee Cavalry

Standard melee cavalry units are usually heavily armoured with short weapons e.g. swords and shields. These units are designed to engage the enemy and slug it out over a prolonged engagement. 

They typically have a high melee defence and lower charge bonus than shock cavalry, which means they don't hit as hard on initial impact but they have more staying power over a prolonged engagement.

Example units:

Questing Knights - Bretonnia

Nehekhara Horsemen - Tomb Kings

Chaos Knights of Slaanesh - Slaanesh

Wild Riders - Wood Elves

2b - Shock Melee Cavalry

Shock melee cavalry units are usually heavily armoured with a longer weapon e.g. a lance. These units are designed to 'cycle charge' i.e. charge into an enemy unit then quickly withdraw before charging again. 

They typically have a lower melee defence and a higher charge bonus than melee cavalry, meaning their initial impact is huge but they won't survive in a protracted fight, so it's best not to leave them hanging around.

The key to effectively using these units is to charge into an enemy unit, then withdraw after about 10 seconds, then charge in again, withdraw again, and rinse and repeat.

Example units:

Knights Errant - Bretonnia

Winged Lancers - Kislev

Orc Boar Boyz - Greenskins

Blood Knights - Vampire Counts

3 - Monstrous Cavalry

Compared to normal-size melee cavalry, monstrous cavalry units have higher health points, and so can absorb more damage, as well as higher mass and usually more damage output. With monstrous cavalry, it isn't only the rider who deals damage but also the mount. 

Example units:

Ogre Kingdoms - Morngfangs

The Empire - Demigryph knights

Tomb Kings - Necropolis Knights

Khorne - Bloodcrushers of Khorne

Cavalry Tactics

Now that we've examined the different types of cavalry units available to use in the game, let's take a look at some ways to use them.

Tactic 1 - Flank defence

Ideal units: Cavalry units with an amour-piercing anti-large attack bonus e.g. Demigryph Knights (The Empire) or Blood Knights (Vampire Counts)

This is a defensive tactic for cavalry units. It is best used to reduce the risk of being outflanked when facing an enemy army with cavalry superiority.

The basic principle is to position your cavalry on your flanks and use them to defend the edges and rear of your battle formation, knowing that your nearby units (ideally spearmen or other anti-large units) are close enough to be able to support your outmatched cavalry. 

Once your flanks are defended and the enemy cavalry has been neutralised, your now superior cavalry force can go on the offensive.

'Where absolute superiority is not attainable, you must produce a relative one at the decisive point by making skilful use of what you have' - Carl von Clausewitz

Tactic 2 - Hammer & Anvil 

Ideal units: Shock melee cavalry

This tactic is incredibly effective at crippling the enemy's front line.

To perform the hammer & anvil tactic:

1. Fix the enemy front line in place against your own. 

2. Once they are locked in battle, flank your cavalry around the side of their formation.

3. Cycle charge the enemy infantry from the rear.

Due to huge moral and damage penalties from being charged in the rear, the hammer & anvil can crush an enemy line incredibly quickly.

I recommend you initially target the units on the sides of the enemy's line, then once you have routed those enemy units, you can turn your free infantry inwards and roll up the enemy line piece by piece. 

Tactic 3 - False charge

Ideal units: A combination of two units, ideally one 360° firing ranged unit and one shock melee unit

The false charge takes a bit of micro-management to pull off, but if done effectively it can be an absolutely devastating tactic.

This tactic allows you to manipulate enemy units, making isolated infantry units more vulnerable.

It is best used on the edges of the battle or on isolated units which you don't want to tackle head-on with cavalry e.g. spearmen.

This tactic is performed in a few stages:

1. Move your heavier shock cavalry to within a realistic charging distance of your target.

2. Charge your quicker, ideally ranged cavalry unit straight at the enemy unit.

3. Divert your charging unit away before impact. This will cause the enemy unit to turn, face, and brace. 360° firing ranged cavalry units are ideal for this because even as they retreat they will be able to attack the enemy.

4. As your ranged cavalry unit is retreating, charge the enemy with your heavy cavalry unit, hitting them from the side or ideally in the rear.

Tactic 4 - Feigned retreat

Ideal units: 360° Ranged cavalry e.g. Glade Riders (Wood Elves) or Horse Archers (Kislev)

Send your cavalry unit in close to the enemy to grab their attention. then pull your unit back. As the enemy tries to chase you, keep pulling back slowly, keeping the enemy interested in the chase. This will lure them away from the rest of their army, isolating them and making them more vulnerable to the false charge tactics, as well as leaving a hole in the enemy formation which can be exploited by other, maybe heavier cavalry.

The feigned retreat tactic can be done by any cavalry, provided that they are faster than the unit they are targeting. However, this tactic is most effective when used by ranged cavalry that can fire in a 360° circle as this allows you to hit them even while you are withdrawing i.e. the Parthian shot.

'You wound, like Parthians, while you fly,

And kill with a retreating eye.' 

- Samuel Butler

Tactic 5 - Be water, my friend

Ideal units: Appropriate for all types

Essentially, this is the approach of having no fixed tactic, but adapting to the battle and the enemy manoeuvres. This is often useful if you're allowing the enemy to take the initiative with the intention of fighting a reactionary battle.

Keep your cavalry constantly on the move, changing shape and adapting to the changing conditions, just as water does. 

You can either spread your cavalry units wide to threaten the enemy army from various different angles, or combine them in a massive concentration of force. Be fluid and adaptable. 

'In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity' - Sun Tzu

Cavalry Formations

Cavalry units are less reliant on formational structures than more static troops and often act outside of the structure of the main army. However, there are still some ways they can be structured to maximise their effectiveness.

The Echelon Formation - Ranged cavalry

 

This formation is effective for range cavalry units, especially units which can fire 360 degrees. The echelon structure keeps them out of each other's way when manoeuvring and keeps the range of fire less obstructed, resulting in increased mobility and increased shot effectiveness.

You'll want to angle the Echelon so that the most advanced unit is the furthest away from your centre.

The Wedge Formation - Heavy cavalry

 

The wedge formation is a good option when going around the enemy isn't viable. 

This formation is designed to punch through the enemy's line with an overwhelming frontal charge.

To use this formation effectively, find the weakest point in the enemy battle line (i.e. not a spear or halberd unit), and charge headlong into it.

If possible, put a mounted hero and a shock melee cavalry unit at the tip of the wedge to increase the charge's 'punching' effectiveness. 

And there you have it my fellow Warhammer warriors, all you need to set you on the path to becoming a cavalry commander par excellence.

Happy Hunting!