This article is about the unit Age of Empires. For other uses of the term, see Heavy cavalry. |
“ | Upgrade of Cavalry. Heavy Cavalry has more attack strength and armor than Cavalry. | ” |
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition |
The Heavy Cavalry is a powerful cavalry unit in Age of Empires that can be trained at the Stable once the Iron Age is reached. As the upgrade of the Cavalry, it is much stronger in attack and bulk. Heavy Cavalry can be upgraded to Cataphracts (before Return of Rome, only once Metallurgy is researched).
Civilizations[]
Available | Unavailable |
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Gameplay[]
Heavy Cavalry deal +6 damage against Light infantry. Their fast speed, good pierce armor, and high hit points let them chase Villagers, foot archers, and Slingers. Thus, it can eliminate ranged units very quickly, but are rather ineffective against Centurions and War Elephants. Despite their bonus against Long Swordsmen, they are not cost effective against them due to being three times more expensive. However, they are quite effective in terms of population space, in particular if the enemy has not researched Logistics yet.
Further statistics[]
Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
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Strong vs. | Foot archers, siege weapons, Chariots |
Weak vs. | Infantry, War Elephants, Camel Riders, Priests |
Upgrades | |
Hit points | Nobility (+15%) |
Attack | Toolworking (+2) Metalworking (+2) Metallurgy (+3) |
Armor | Leather Armor Cavalry (+2/+0) Scale Armor Cavalry (+2/+0) Chain Mail Cavalry (+2/+0) |
Creation speed | Conscription (+25%) |
Upgrades | Cataphract |
Civilization bonuses[]
- Lac Viet: Heavy Cavalry are trained 25% faster.
- Macedonians: Heavy Cavalry have +2 Line of Sight and are four times more resistant to conversion.
- Shang: Heavy Cavalry attack 10% faster.*
- Yamato: Heavy Cavalry cost -15%. Upgrading Heavy Cavalry to Cataphracts costs -30%.*
Team bonuses[]
- Palmyrans: Upgrading to Cataphract and technologies that benefit Heavy Cavalry are researched 30% faster.
- Persians: Heavy Cavalry are created 20% faster.
Changelog[]
Age of Empires[]
- Heavy Cavalry have 1 armor and pierce armor.
- Heavy Cavalry have +5 attack vs infantry.
- Heavy Cavalry can be upgraded to Cataphracts only if Metallurgy is researched.
- Heavy Cavalry are visually identical to Cataphracts.
- Heavy Cavalry have 1.5 reload time.
Definitive Edition[]
- Heavy Cavalry have 2 armor.
- With update 9, Heavy Cavalry have 2 pierce armor.
- With update 38862, Heavy Cavalry have +6 attack vs infantry.
Return of Rome[]
- Researching Metallurgy is no longer required to upgrade Heavy Cavalry to Cataphracts.
- Heavy Cavalry receive a unique model to visually differentiate them from Cataphracts.
- Upon release, Heavy Cavalry had 1.3 reload time. With update 87863, they have 1.5 reload time again.
- Shang: Heavy Cavalry attack 10% faster.
- Yamato: Upgrading Heavy Cavalry to Cataphracts costs -30%.
- Team bonuses added:
- Palmyrans: Technologies benefiting Heavy Cavalry are researched 30% faster.
- Persians: Heavy Cavalry trained 20% faster.
History[]
“ | Heavy cavalry was distinguished from other cavalry by equipment and battlefield role. It was considered heavy because the warriors and horses usually wore some metal armor, including breastplates, helmets, and greaves. The horses were also oversized to more easily carry an armored man and to intimidate foes. While most cavalry acted as skirmishers and scouts on the battlefield, heavy cavalry was a shock weapon, held back for the proper moment to charge into enemy formations and ride them down. Heavy cavalry was rare in antiquity because the saddle and stirrup had not yet been invented. It took an exceptional rider to ride into a shock battle and use a lance effectively. The most famous heavy cavalry of the time was the Companion cavalry of Alexander the Great. These men were horsemen from birth on the plains of Thessaly and Macedon. Part of their devastating success in battle against the Persians may have been due to the novelty of their wedge-shaped charges, unprecedented at that time. | ” |
Gallery[]
Tech tree[]
Barracks |
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Wheel |
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→ |
Units in Age of Empires | |
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Civilian | Villager · Trade Cart |
Other | Priest · Slinger · Artifact |
Civilian ship | Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship Trade Boat · Merchant Ship Light Transport · Heavy Transport |
Infantry | Clubman · Axeman Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legionary Hoplite · Phalangite · Centurion |
Archer | Bowman Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman Chariot Archer Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer Elephant Archer |
Cavalry | Scout Chariot · Scythe Chariot Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract War Elephant · Armored Elephant Camel Rider |
Siege | Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult Ballista · Helepolis |
War Ship | Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme Catapult Trireme · Juggernaut Fire Galley |
Scenario Editor-only units | |
Chieftain · Donkey · Explorer · General · High Priest · Horse · Mercenary (removed) · Penguin · Pharaoh · Raft · War Chest |