5. Tiger and Leopard Cavalry
Unique to the faction of Cao Cao, Tiger and Leopard Cavalry are expensive shock cavalry units, which is their main weakness, really. During the early game, they simply are not as cost-effective as Lancer Militia Cavalry. However, you don’t need to enact any late reforms to unlock Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. You just need a general with a rank of three or higher. They also have a shield, a rarity among shock cavalry units in the game. Combined with their heavy armor, this also makes them resistant to missile fire. Once your faction starts to show economic stability and growth, Tiger and Leopard Cavalry is a great option to upgrade your LMCs to.
Strengths
- Readily available and can be recruited by generals in Cao Cao’s faction, provided they’re at least level 3.
- Solid shock cavalry unit, can be upgraded from Lancer Militia Cavalry in midgame to go toe-to-toe with other cavalry units.
- Possesses a shield, granting them protection from missile fire, shock cavalry’s biggest weakness in TW: 3K.
Stats
Disciplined | Immune to scare | Role: all-rounder | Missile defense | Low damage
- Health Points: 67,200
- Morale: 38
- Melee Attack Rate: 20
- Melee Charge Bonus: 247
- Melee Damage - Base: 7
- Melee Damage - Armor-piercing: 24
- Bonus vs. Large Cavalry: 7
- Bonus vs. Large: 0
- Bonus vs. Infantry: 0
- Melee Evasion - Base: 15%
- Melee Evasion - Shield: 25%
- Ranged Block Change: 45%
- Armor Base: 26
- Shield Armor: 12
Abilities
- Diamond
- The unit forms into a hard-edged diamond, good for both offense and defense but limiting maneuverability.
- Loose
- The unit spreads apart, making it more difficult for arrows to hit them.
- Wedge
- The unit forms into a spear-tip, best for driving directly through enemy lines.
4. Chen Peacekeepers
Chen Peacekeepers are melee cavalry unique to Liu Chong’s faction. They are among the most versatile cavalry units in the game. Not only are they strong against enemy archers as melee cavalry, they also possess crossbows with high armor-piercing damage, allowing them to harass armored infantry on the field. They are also highly armored and possess a shield, giving them protection against archers and allowing them to hold their own in melee. Overall, they’re a very versatile and solid unit and can be relied upon in almost every situation. A must-have in your armies, if you’re playing Liu Chong!
Strengths
- Strong, versatile unit, excelling in every cavalry role on the battlefield.
Stats
Role: anti-missile | Encourages allies | Good armor
- Health Points: 67,200
- Morale: 60
- Melee Attack Rate: 24
- Melee Charge Bonus: 165
- Melee Damage - Base: 28
- Melee Damage - Armor-piercing: 21
- Bonus vs. Large Cavalry: 0
- Bonus vs. Large: 0
- Bonus vs. Infantry: 0
- Melee Evasion - Base: 35%
- Melee Evasion - Shield: 15%
- Ranged Block Change: 60%
- Armor Base: 53
- Shield Armor: 27
- Ranged Damage - Base: 18
- Ranged Damage - Armor-piercing: 42
- Range: 220
- Base Reload Time: 15
- Ranged Attack Rate: 4
- Ammunition: 17
Abilities
- Diamond
- The unit forms into a hard-edged diamond, good for both offense and defense but limiting maneuverability.
- Loose
- The unit spreads apart, making it more difficult for arrows to hit them.
- Wedge
- The unit forms into a spear-tip, best for driving directly through enemy lines.
3. Qiang Marauders
Unique to Ma Teng’s faction, Qiang Marauders are one of the most capable shock cavalry units in the game for a simple reason; immunity to fatigue. Fatigue is one of the biggest hurdles that cavalry units face in the game, as it stunts their greatest strength; charge bonus. With immunity to fatigue, Qiang Marauders do not have to worry about that at all, making them almost without weakness. This, coupled with their already strong stats, makes them a real force to be reckoned with.
Strengths
- They are immune to fatigue, removing one of the shock cavalry’s key weaknesses in TW: 3K.
Stats
Role: assault | Fatigue immunity | Good charge
- Health Points: 67,200
- Morale: 31
- Melee Attack Rate: 20
- Melee Charge Bonus: 297
- Melee Damage - Base: 9
- Melee Damage - Armor-piercing: 36
- Bonus vs. Large Cavalry: 10
- Bonus vs. Large: 0
- Bonus vs. Infantry: 0
- Melee Evasion - Base: 10%
- Melee Evasion - Shield: 0%
- Ranged Block Change: 0%
- Armor Base: 26
- Shield Armor: 0
Abilities
- Diamond
- The unit forms into a hard-edged diamond, good for both offense and defense but limiting maneuverability.
- Loose
- The unit spreads apart, making it more difficult for arrows to hit them.
- Wedge
- The unit forms into a spear-tip, best for driving directly through enemy lines.
2. White Horse Fellows
White Horse Fellows are capable mounted archers, unique to Gongsun Zan’s faction. Like Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, they require no reforms to unlock, and are readily available when you start the campaign. Their solid stats and high range make them strong bow cavalry units, able to outrange and out skirmish several units on the battlefield, and easily kite cavalry and infantry. They are also decent melee/shock cavalry, and are capable of filling these roles when necessary. This makes them a strong, reliable all-rounder unit for Gongsun Zan’s generals to rely on during battles.
Strengths
- Capable all-rounder units, very strong mounted archers, while being able to perform as melee cavalry when necessary.
Stats
Scare | Fire whilst moving | Fire backwards | Immune to scare | Role: skirmishers | Mobility | Good in melee
- Health Points: 67,200
- Morale: 45
- Melee Attack Rate: 30
- Melee Charge Bonus: 233
- Melee Damage - Base: 25
- Melee Damage - Armor-piercing: 8
- Bonus vs. Large Cavalry: 0
- Bonus vs. Large: 0
- Bonus vs. Infantry: 0
- Melee Evasion - Base: 48%
- Melee Evasion - Shield: 0%
- Ranged Block Change: 0%
- Armor Base: 25
- Shield Armor: 0
- Ranged Damage - Base: 48
- Ranged Damage - Armor-piercing: 9
- Range: 250
- Base Reload Time: 7
- Ranged Attack Rate: 8.6
- Ammunition: 48
Abilities
- Diamond
- The unit forms into a hard-edged diamond, good for both offense and defense but limiting maneuverability.
- Loose
- The unit spreads apart, making it more difficult for arrows to hit them.
- Wedge
- The unit forms into a spear-tip, best for driving directly through enemy lines.
1. Qiang Hunters
Unique to Ma Teng’s faction, Qiang Hunters are considered to be one of the most capable cavalry units in the game for a simple reason; immunity to fatigue. Fatigue is one of the biggest hurdles that cavalry units face in the game, as it stunts their greatest strength; charge bonus. With immunity to fatigue, Qiang Hunters do not have to worry about that at all, making them almost without weakness. This, coupled with their strong stats as mounted archers or melee cavalry, makes them suited to most situations on the battlefield. Capable, immune to fatigue and versatile; there’s an argument for them being the strongest cavalry unit in the game!
Strengths
- They are immune to fatigue, removing one of the shock cavalry’s key weaknesses in TW: 3K.
- They have a versatile role in combat, able to switch between melee cavalry and mounted archers.
Stats
Fire whilst moving | Fire backwards | Role: skirmishers | Good in melee | Fatigue immunity
- Health Points: 67,200
- Morale: 31
- Melee Attack Rate: 24
- Melee Charge Bonus: 120
- Melee Damage - Base: 37
- Melee Damage - Armor-piercing: 16
- Bonus vs. Large Cavalry: 3
- Bonus vs. Large: 0
- Bonus vs. Infantry: 0
- Melee Evasion - Base: 32%
- Melee Evasion - Shield: 0%
- Ranged Block Change: 0%
- Armor Base: 26
- Shield Armor: 0
- Ranged Damage - Base: 48
- Ranged Damage - Armor-piercing: 9
- Range: 250
- Base Reload Time: 7
- Ranged Attack Rate: 8.6
- Ammunition: 50
Abilities
- Loose
- The unit spreads apart, making it more difficult for arrows to hit them.
