Light Cavalry (Age of Empires II)

"Stronger than Scout Cavalry. Fast with extensive line of sight."

- Age of Empires II description

The Light Cavalry is a light cavalry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Stable once the Castle Age is reached. It is a fast unit with resistance to conversion that excels at taking down enemy archers, Monks, and siege weapons. Its combat abilities against other melee units such as other cavalry units or infantry is severely limited, though.

Light Cavalry cost only food to create, making them a viable alternative if the player is low on other resources. Despite their in-game description, they do not actually possess a greater Line of Sight than the Scout Cavalry. In fact the entire Scout Cavalry line have the same LOS. They all receive a +2 bonus to their Line of Sight upon every Age advance, for a total of 10 LOS in the Imperial Age.

Light Cavalry are available to all civilizations except for the Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, and Teutons.

Tactics
The Light Cavalry have an exceptionally high Line of Sight and moderately better combat skills in comparison to Scout Cavalry. Against groups of siege weapons or archers, they have the speed and attack needed to run down and kill groups, though combat with other more armored melee units should be avoided. As stated in the manual, a group of Light Cavalry will make an ample replacement in any cavalry division, but the Knight and Camel far exceed their attacking abilities.

It is better used in conjunction with other cavalry units and Cavalry Archers. As Light Cavalry has an innate conversion resistance and attack bonus against Monks, it should be used for countering enemy Monks that are a lot more expensive to create. Light Cavalry may often kill two Monks before being converted, even more with Faith researched.

Since Light Cavalry only costs food it is considered a "trash unit" and when gold is running low it takes the place of the cavalry in "trash wars" at the late game.

Civilization Bonuses

 * Berbers Light Cavalry are cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Celts: Light Cavalry can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
 * Chinese: Technologies that benefit Light Cavalry are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Franks: Light Cavalry have +20% HP. With Chivalry researched, researching Husbandry is 40% faster.
 * Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free. Light Cavalry are 10% cheaper.
 * Mongols: Light Cavalry have +30% HP.
 * Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Light Cavalry don't cost gold.
 * Turks: The Hussar upgrade is free.

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, researching Conscription is 25% faster.
 * A team containing Huns: Light Cavalry are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Bloodlines and Husbandry is 20% faster.
 * A team containing Mongols: Light Cavalry have +2 LOS.
 * A team containing Teutons: Light Cavalry are more resistant to conversion.

The Conquerors

 * Light Cavalry receive an attack bonus of +10 against Monks.
 * Heresy introduced.
 * Bloodlines introduced.

The Forgotten

 * Franks: Chivalry introduced.

The African Kingdoms

 * Berbers: Initially, Light Cavalry were 20% cheaper from the Castle Age on. With patch 4.8, that bonus was staggered to 15%/20% in the Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Franks: Light Cavalry now benefit from the civilization bonus and have +20% HP.

History
"As Middle Age armies grew larger and campaigned farther afield, the importance of scouting grew. Many civilizations developed light cavalry, an improvement on scout cavalry, for this role. Light cavalry were better trained and better equipped for fighting. In battle they could be used to harass or charge enemy infantry or support their own knights in a charge. Light cavalry wore only partial armor and a shield and fought most commonly with a spear. Civilizations that could not afford extensive armor for warriors, such as barbarian groups from the East, put large contingents of light cavalry into the field.