| Kataphraktoi (Hellenistic Super Heavy Cavalry) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Unit type | Heavy shock cavalry |
| Base cost | 160  Food, 220  Wealth, 180  Metal
|
| Ramping cost | 11 Wealth
|
| Creation time | 48 seconds (720s) |
| Hit points | 350 |
| Line of sight | 6 |
| Movement speed | 34 |
| Attack strength | 55 (35t) |
| Attack range | 0-1 |
| Armour | 30 |
| Population cost | 
|
| Created at | 
|
| Prerequisites |  [2]
|
| Upgrades from | Hippeis Xystophoroi; Hetairoi; Farasin Khabarin; Aeldary Aembaltae |
| Upgrades to | none |
| Available to |    
|
Kataphraktoi are Hellenistic-style cataphract cavalry, barded all over in a combination of bronze and iron mail, and armed with the keavy kontos lance. These units form the heaviest cavalry units (and clearly the most prestigious) in Greek armies, and are used in many ways the same way as most shock cavalry units are employed — in demolishing light infantry formations and defending their own from light cavalry attacks. They are still weak against the usual bunch of cavalry-killing units (as well as javelin-armed units), so you are best advised to use these units to wipe out only light infantry, or help defend against cavalry attacks aimed at your forces.
See also[]
Background[]
To deal with the Parthians, the Seleucids used many cavalry units ranging from light horse archers to heavy cataphract lancers and eventually armoured horse archers. Most of them were raised from the local nobility, well-trained and used in perfect coordination with lancers. However, the Seleucids never raised enough of these cavalrymen to put up genuine resistance against Parthian encroachment, and were frequently overrun. Some surviving units were eventually integrated in the newly created Bactrian kingdom.