Infantry vs Cavalry

[Adam_Taylor]

So, apart from being cheaper, is there any reason to go for Infantry over Cavalry?
Do they have any sort of bonus?

Because I'm not really noticing any advantages to them.
Cavalry seem just as capable during sieges.

In games like Europa, you could see unit stats. In this, there's just the two units, and it doesn't tell us much.

 

[Nefaro]

Cavalry work just as well during sieges, but not during an assault.

Assaults are only supposed to use your Ashigaru soldiers against the castle's defenders who are left. I'm not sure if samurai are counted in the levies when castle defenders are calculated, on the other side of the coin, however.

 

[unmerged(212811)]

So, apart from being cheaper, is there any reason to go for Infantry over Cavalry?
Do they have any sort of bonus?

Because I'm not really noticing any advantages to them.
Cavalry seem just as capable during sieges.

Cavalry can't assault. This is why I generally use a ratio of about 3:1 ashigaru:cavalry, at least in the early game, for my retinue.

In games like Europa, you could see unit stats. In this, there's just the two units, and it doesn't tell us much.

It tells you shock and fire stats for your cavalry and infantry on the military screen, in the same area that displays your arquebus stockpile. I think cavalry have the higher base shock, though both have equal base fire. These stats can be increased (but only for your retinue, as levies always use the base) by building the appropriate guild buildings; note that the bonus is divided by the number of applicable units (i.e. spear manufactory gives +2.00 infantry shock, but if you have 8 units of ashigaru in your retinue the effective bonus is only +0.25). The maximum possible bonus is +0.50, so no, you can't mass produce spear manufactories to give your infantry god-like stats. You can probably change a value in a file somewhere to allow yourself to do this, though.

Cavalry work just as well during sieges, but not during an assault.

Assaults are only supposed to use your Ashigaru soldiers against the castle's defenders who are left. I'm not sure if samurai are counted in the levies when castle defenders are calculated, on the other side of the coin, however.

Assaults actually use both ashigaru and arquebusiers, and I'm pretty sure that samurai levies are counted among castle defenders; I've never checked the math, but from glancing at the numbers it certainly seems that way.

 

[feelotraveller]

Assaults actually use both ashigaru and arquebusiers, and I'm pretty sure that samurai levies are counted among castle defenders; I've never checked the math, but from glancing at the numbers it certainly seems that way.

Cavalry are definitely counted amongst castle occupants under siege - have noted the math.

Have no idea how you would tell if they actually fight when the castle is assaulted. One might guess that they do defend, but only at ashigaru strength, seeing as there is only one icon (and it's an ashigaru one). One could also be totally wrong on both or either of these defending issues.

 

[Nefaro]

Assaults actually use both ashigaru and arquebusiers, and I'm pretty sure that samurai levies are counted among castle defenders; I've never checked the math, but from glancing at the numbers it certainly seems that way.

Yes, I shortened both of those up by saying "ashigaru" as that's what the gunners were, too, technically. I should've further clarified.

 

[Captain Gars]

The whole levy, including the cavalry, will assist when defending a castle.

 

[feelotraveller]

Do they assist against assaults at cavalry strength?

 

[oddible]

Don't cavalry also provide additional flanking capabilities in terms of battle line?

 

[Nefaro]

Don't cavalry also provide additional flanking capabilities in terms of battle line?

If it's similar to EU3 and others, having two cavalry units on the end of each line is optimal if you outnumber the enemy. IIRC, Infantry can only attack the space in front of them or one over from it, while cavalry can attack up to two over. So, yeah, in that case you can squeeze in some extra attackers.