08-08-2013, 01:14 PM
Just to try & keep to topic as requested I have a question to ask.
How do we define heavy cavalry in an ancient context?
1. Heavily protected
2. Heavily armed
3. Both of above which would entail bigger & more expensive horses as well as armour & weapons which only a few could afford so in ancient times there were probably fewer heavy cavalry & more medium & light cavalry in armies.
4. Shock troops
Archer Jones in his book “the Art of War in the Western World" although covering early medieval warfare has a general chart covering the “tactical weapons systems" of the 4 main arms of ancient & medieval armies light infantry, heavy infantry, light cavalry & heavy cavalry & the advantages each arm has over the other 3 arms on flat ground in a battle situation which I thought might interest some. Going by this chart heavy cavalry doesn't fare well against either light cavalry or heavy infantry but good against light infantry.
[attachment=7760]image_2013-08-08.jpg[/attachment]
Regards
Michael Kerr
How do we define heavy cavalry in an ancient context?
1. Heavily protected
2. Heavily armed
3. Both of above which would entail bigger & more expensive horses as well as armour & weapons which only a few could afford so in ancient times there were probably fewer heavy cavalry & more medium & light cavalry in armies.
4. Shock troops
Archer Jones in his book “the Art of War in the Western World" although covering early medieval warfare has a general chart covering the “tactical weapons systems" of the 4 main arms of ancient & medieval armies light infantry, heavy infantry, light cavalry & heavy cavalry & the advantages each arm has over the other 3 arms on flat ground in a battle situation which I thought might interest some. Going by this chart heavy cavalry doesn't fare well against either light cavalry or heavy infantry but good against light infantry.
[attachment=7760]image_2013-08-08.jpg[/attachment]
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"