The problems (compared to Italian Arbalesters) are slow production, since they require a Castle and a disadvantage of 1 range.
Genoese Crossbowman, despite their bonus attack against cavalry being absorbed by the Cataphract, still do a good job against them, thanks to their high-enough pierce attack. Even Elite Skirmishers deal 2 damage and can be used when gold is scarce.
30 Arbalesters are needed to kill a fully upgraded Elite Cataphract in one arrow volley - half of the resistance of an ordinary Paladin, which is 60 shots. Groups of Arbalesters, Heavy Scorpions, Heavy Cavalry Archers, or other unique archer units usually kill Cataphracts without too many casualties when they are properly managed. As a logical consequence, they take high damage from archer units and defensive structures. The Cataphract is among the weakest non-ranged cavalry unit when it comes to pierce armor. Naturally, the other unique heavy cavalry units, War Elephants, Leitis, Coustilliers, and Boyars, as well as Battle Elephants, do not have too much trouble facing Cataphracts, though Cataphracts can easily run away from any Elephant units. Even fully upgraded Cavaliers (such as the ones of the Berbers, Chinese, or Turks) defeat Cataphracts in one-on-one battle, but lose in mass battles due to the trample damage. Fully upgraded Paladins have 18 attack and 180 HP against 14 attack and 150 HP on the Cataphract's side. Even though Cataphracts deal trample damage, the Paladins are superior even in mass battles. Since the Byzantines do not have Blast Furnace and Bloodlines for their Cataphracts, Paladins can tackle a Cataphract army and even go on the offensive without too much trouble. This is probably one of the best tactics to engage Cataphracts, if enough food and gold is available. Viking and Bohemian Pikemen do much better than regular Pikemen, but in no way substitute the Halberdier. The Kamayuk's stacking potential works against them, since Cataphracts with Logistica have blast attack, and devastate them. Even in mass battles, despite being able to use their range, Kamayuks do not stand a chance. In one-on-one combat, the Cataphract wins with 136 hit points left. Kamayuks fare poorly against Cataphracts, dealing only 7 damage per hit and losing even more distinctly. That means, in one-on-one combat, a fully upgraded Cataphract survives with 129/150 hit points left. While dueling, each hit of a Cataphract deals a damage of as much as 29 HP to a Halberdier if both units are fully upgraded, which is very fortunate for the Halberdiers, since it allows them to survive the second hit with 2 HP and strike a second time themselves.Ĭivilizations that lack Plate Mail Armor (like the Goths), however, struggle even more against Cataphracts, since they have one less armor and die with the second hit already. The groups of Halberdiers should be managed carefully since sending them into battle sporadically and sparsely will lead to little or no effect. It is always advisable to send large groups of Halberdiers, since Cataphracts have a very high damage bonus against all kinds of infantry and will easily win in one on one combat. Though Halberdiers do not deal as much bonus damage to Cataphracts as they do to other cavalry, they are still a moderately good choice to counter Cataphracts. Players should do their utmost to avoid unnecessary casualties with Cataphracts, as they are expensive to produce and their upgrades are extremely costly as well. Since they also do trample damage and attack very fast, they can even compete with heavy cavalry in mass battles, although that should be avoided.
Care must be taken against Mamelukes, because even if the latter's attack bonus is negated, it possesses enough speed and range to hit-and-run Cataphracts.Įven a fully upgraded Cataphract only has moderate attack (14), not even more than a Malian Light Cavalry, but their +18 attack bonus against infantry and resistance against bonus damage make it a very potent combatant. Halberdiers, however, are still a threat to them and much more cost effective, even though their immense attack bonus of 32 against cavalry is halved. The attack bonus of Mamelukes (9, 12 for Elite) is nullified, as well as the one of Camel Riders (9), only Heavy and Imperial Camel Riders (18) are left with a small bonus. Particularly Elite Cataphracts are effective against almost all units which have an attack bonus against mounted units, such as Camel Riders or Mamelukes, since they have an innate resistance (+12/+16 (Elite) armor) to anti-cavalry attack bonuses. Due to its trample damage, overall good statistics, and attack bonus against infantry, the Cataphract is probably the unit with the fewest weaknesses.