For other terms related to Cossacks, see Cossacks.
Cossack Cavalry are a type of lancer cavalry in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
Cossacks are a free warrior people, fine horsemen and terrible foes.
Cossacks are cavalrymen without peer, as might be expected of steppe folk. There are few soldiers that can withstand their terrifying charge, making them excellent shock troops. As is often the case, their courage and eagerness to enter battle betrays a certain wildness; their undisciplined nature can find them plunging blindly into trouble, making them particularly vulnerable in melee.
Historically, Russians and other Eastern Europeans had an ambiguous relationship with the Cossacks. There was admiration for their warrior culture and freewheeling ways, yet a certain wariness of their wild nature. They lacked the discipline of other troops and had a certain fondness for drink, but it was their constant harassment that helped destroy Napoleon’s Grand Armee. Their reputation inspired fear in their enemies and won many a fight even before the Cossacks voiced their deafening war cries.
General Information[]
Cossack cavalry are distinctive for being much cheaper (and somewhat worse) than most lancer cavalry. Despite their generally poorer stats, Cossack cavalry still possess a devastating charge bonus that aren't significantly worse than other lancer cavalry. If used carefully they can still perform their roles well and be very cost-effective: for comparison, Russian Ulans cost about 25% more but are only barely better in each category.
One disadvantage of Cossack cavalry are that they may only be recruited in traditionally southern Russian regions. This means that they cannot be easily replaced or replenished outside of their home regions, unlike Ulans. Cossack cavalry are best used when Russia is in tight financial straits and defending/attacking near southern Russia.
Like all Russian units, Cossack cavalry are resistant to cold fatigue, making them immune to the effects of winter attrition and giving them a stamina advantage on snowy maps. This latter advantage compounds with their "good stamina" bonus, making them particularly fleet relative to most other units.
Crimean Cossacks hold the distinction for being the only non-Russian units in Napoleon: Total War that are resistant to cold fatigue.