
The perfect anti-archer unit in the early game.
Mounted Sabre Militia is a light melee cavalry unit in Total War: Three Kingdoms. They are best when recruited in Commander and Vanguard retinues and will provide exceptional (and essential) front-of-the-line missile defense for troops to their rear.
Proper Use[]
In army engagements it is essential to draw enemy Archer fire away from your own vulnerable units, especially those with weak ranged blocking abilities, without shields or without substantial armour. Mounted Sabre Militia are the perfect counter units to Archers since they have a very high ranged block chance as well as excellent ranged damage resistance. Damage resistance means that even if hit by an arrow they may not be seriously damaged. Keep these units facing directly toward archer fire in loose formation and they will soak up arrows with minimal losses. Once the enemy archers have depleted their arrows, press on with your attack or counterattack.
It is always best to avoid frontal charges on enemy spear units as they are they will decimate these mounted units.
Commander characters with the Nobility Skill will automatically buff Mounted Sabre Militia units' already excellent Ranged Block Chance (85%) and shield stats (+5% armour) by +20% Ranged Block Chance. This is a principle reason to recruit these earth class units in Commander Retinues whenever possible.
- Type: Light Sword (Melee) Cavalry
- Base cost to recruit: 550
- Base unit upkeep: 130
Description[]

In-game (vanilla units)
As with other militia units, Mounted Sabre Militia are typically raised for short campaigns or emergency defense. As a result, they receive less weapon training than units specifically intended for heavy and continued use on the battlefield. As militia, they also lack thick and highly protective amour, and are outfitted in partial-leather garments paired with cheap, but durable, lightweight rattan or wicker shields.
These Mounted Sabre units carry Zhibeidao swords: reliable, long, straight-bladed weapons that are easily mastered. These weapons are highly effective at wounding or killing enemies by swiping and slicing at enemies below, especially those that are lightly armored. They lack the powerful charge of lance-wielding shock cavalry but are sufficiently protected to briefly engage in melee attacks on archers and other non-spear wielding troops.
Total War: Three Kingdoms Units | |
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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 |