Shock cavalry is ideal for attacking flanks and the rear of enemies
Mounted Lancer Militia is an early game shock cavalry unit in Total War: Three Kingdoms. They are a Fire class retinue unit that should preferably be recruited by Vanguard heroes (also Fire class) due to the bonuses provided.
Proper Use[]
Shock cavalry can turn the tide of any tightly contested battle when used well. They are capable of routing units with a single well-timed charge on an exposed flank or rear and are especially effective at "hammer & anvil" attacks. (If you're not familiar, view @22:24 in the video linked for a TW3K in-game demonstration by an excellent player.)
In the campaign it is inevitable (especially on high difficulty levels) that you will engage in battles where you are either outnumbered or outgunned overall. This is when you have to have powerful units to attack or counterattack at key points in the battle. Shock cavalry is a potentially excellent retinue type to have around in such cases, considering it is possible to rout 3 enemy units in 3 consecutive charges in the span a minute or two. Cycle-charging (@22:24 again) is the optimal use for most cavalry, especially this type since they have not only low melee stats but also very little armor.
Weaknesses[]
It is always best to avoid frontal charges on enemy spear units as they will decimate these mounted units. In addition, archer fire will take a heavy toll on these lightly armored, unshielded units. Finally, keep in mind that cavalry units are much fewer in number than infantry units, so once their charge bonus has been used, they should not be left in prolonged melee. Keep them moving, or they will be badly damaged or routed by sheer numbers of enemy infantry nearby.
Recruiting[]
Vanguard characters always provide higher standard recruiting discounts and boost melee damage more than other hero types because they have the highest Instinct Attributes of all hero types. They also have access to a Skill Tree that greatly benefits their own retinues of cavalry units. Key skills include Intensity, Fury and Passion which increase charge speed, charge damage, and melee damage for cavalry, respectively. These are the principle incentives to recruit these Fire class units in Vanguard Retinues whenever possible.
- Type: Light Halberd (Ji) Calvary
- Base cost to recruit: 1100
- Base unit upkeep: 145
Description[]
In game (vanilla units)
With ji polearms thrust ahead, these cavalry troops break enemy lines with a headlong charge. While the best armour is reserved for the most skilled warriors, these highly mobile conscripts are competent enough with the powerful ji to scare the wits out of enemy militia troops when charging from the flanks and rear.
| Total War: Three Kingdoms Units | |
|---|---|
| Earth | Bandit Warriors・Chen Peacekeepers・Dao Swordguard Cavalry・Handmaid Guard・Imperial Household Cavalry・Jaizi Raiders・Jian Cavalry Captain・Jian Sword Guard Cavalry (Total War: Three Kingdoms)・Messengers of Heaven・Mounted Sabre Defectors・Mounted Sabre Militia・Northern Sabre Cavalry・Northern Sabre Cavalry Captain・Northern Veteran Sabre Cavalry・Qiang Raiders・Sabre Cavalry・Tiger Cubs・Virtuous Noblemen・White Wave Horsemen・Xiongnu Noble Cavalry・Yellow Dragons・Yellow Turban Horsemen |
| Fire | Bandit Raiders・Cataphracts・Destroyers of Treachery・Heavy Cataphracts・Heavy Tiger and Leopard Cavalry・Heavy Xiliang Cavalry・Imperial Lancer Cavalry・Jade Dragons・Lance Cavalry Captain・Lancer Cavalry・Mercenary Cavalry・Mercenary Cavalry Captain・Mounted Lancer Defectors・Mounted Lancer Militia・Northern Lancer Cavalry・Northern Lancer Cavalry Captain・Northern Veteran Lancers・Peasant Raiders・Qiang Marauders・Raider Cavalry・Righteous Vanguards・Southern Elephants・Tiger and Leopard Cavalry・Tyrant Slayers・War Elephants・Xianbei Riders・Xiliang Cavalry・Xiongnu Cataphracts・Xiongnu Cavalry |
| Metal | Arm of the Supreme Peace・Axe Band・Axe Throwers・Bandit Warriors・Black Mountain Marauders・Bringers of Peace・Camp Crushers・Chanters・Chosen of the Eight Immortals・Chu Infantry・Dao Swordguard Captain・Dao Swordguards・Exemplars of the Tao・Fists of the Bandit Queen・Followers of the Flame・Hidden Axes・Huanglao's Paragons・Imperial Guard Captain・Imperial Guards・Imperial Sword Guard・Jian Infantry Captain・Jian Sword Guards・Liyang Daring Infantry・Mercenary Infantry・Mercenary Infantry Captain・Might of the Valley・Nanman Warriors・Nanman Warriors Captain・Nanzhong Champions・Northern Sabre Infantry・Northern Sabre Infantry Captain・Northern Veteran Sabre Infantry・Pearl Dragons・Peasant Volunteers・Peasant Warriors・People's Warband・Qiang Warriors・Qingzhou Assault Infantry・Rapid Tiger Infantry・Ravine Warriors・Redeemed Outlaws・Sabre Defectors・Sabre Infantry・Sabre Militia・Scholar-Warriors・Tiger Warriors・Valley Tribesmen・Venerable Wu・Warriors of Xu・Warriors of the Left・White Tiger Warriors・White Wave Veterans・Wuguo Axe Throwers・Wuling Fighters・Xu Raiders・Yellow Sky Heralds・Yellow Turban Warriors・Yellow Turban Warriors Captain・Youxia・Yue Remnant Warriors・Zhanmajian Infantry |
| Water | Archer Captain・Archer Defectors・Archer Gang・Archer Militia・Archers・Archers of Jing・Archery Masters・Bandit Hunters・Black Mountain Hunters・Chen Royal Guard・Crossbowmen・Defenders of Earth・Dongzhoubing Marksmen・Fire Archers・Fury of Beihai・Heavy Crossbowmen・Heavy Mounted Archers・Heavy Repeating Crossbowmen・Hidden Vipers・Horseback Huntsmen・Imperial Palace Cavalry・Imperial Palace Crossbowmen・Javelin Throwers・Juggernaut・Men of the Forest・Mercenary Archers・Mercenary Archers Captain・Mounted Crossbows・Mounted Marksmen・Multiple Bolt Crossbow・Nanman Slingers・Nanzhong Elephants・Northern Mounted Archers・Northern Mounted Raiders・Onyx Dragons・Peasant Archers・Poachers・Qi Crossbowmen・Qiang Archers・Qiang Hunters・Repeating Crossbowmen・Sanjiang Poison Darts・Territorial Archers・The Land's Chosen・Thunder of Jian'an・Tiger Slingers・Trebuchet・Watchmen of the Peace・White Horse Fellows・White Horse Raiders・White Tiger Raiders・Wuling Slingers・Xianbei Horse Archers・Yaoguai Hunters・Ye Vanguard Crossbows・Yellow Turban Archers・Yellow Turban Archers Captain・Yi Archers・Yi Marksmen |
| Wood | Azure Dragons・Bandit Gang・Black Mountain Outlaws・Bringers of Righteousness・Chu Spearmen・Defenders of Hebei・Defenders of the Empire・Dongzhoubing Defenders・Fervent Defenders・Gallants of the People・Guardians of the Land・Heavy Ji Infantry・Heavy Spear Guards・Imperial Defenders・Imperial Gate Guards・Infantry of Jing・Javelin Spear Guards・Javelin Spearmen・Ji Defectors・Ji Infantry・Ji Infantry Captain・Ji Militia・Militia of Virtue・Nanman Spearmen・Northern Ji Infantry・Northern Ji Infantry Captain・Northern Spear Guard Captain・Northern Spear Guards・Northern Veteran Ji Infantry・Northern Veteran Spears・Peasant Band・Peasant Spearmen・Protectors of Heaven・Qi Guardsmen・Qiang Polearms・Qingzhou Halberds・Qingzhou Spears・Reclaimers・Sanjiang Poison Spears・Shields of the South・Spear Guards・Spear Warriors・Spearmen Gang・Stalwart Shields・Territorial Spearmen・Tiger Guard・Warriors of Ye・Wolf Pack・Ye Vanguard Spearmen・Yellow Turban Spearmen・Yellow Turban Spearmen Captain・Yue Tribesmen・Zealots of the Way |