Wait a second.
Code:
LIGHT_CAVALRY_PHASE_SKIRMISH_ATTACK = 1,
LIGHT_CAVALRY_PHASE_MELEE_ATTACK = 3,
LIGHT_CAVALRY_PHASE_PURSUE_ATTACK = 10,
Code:
KNIGHTS_PHASE_SKIRMISH_ATTACK = 0.5,
KNIGHTS_PHASE_MELEE_ATTACK = 10,
KNIGHTS_PHASE_PURSUE_ATTACK = 8,
So let's see. Light Cav Melee attack is 3, 60% that makes it 4.8. The only melee phase LC-boosting tactic available to Iberians is Raid, which is a 240% bonus, which brings it to 11.52
Knight's Melee attack is 10. List cultures get a 60% boost to attack, bringing Knights to 16. Byzantines get a 30% boost, making it 13. Couched Lance Charge is a 420% attack bonus, making List-culture knights attacking at
67.2. The Byzantines with Emboleon Charge are attacking at a rather sedate 31.2 by comparisons.
Arab Light Cav gets a unique tactic, but they have a defensive culture bonus and it only works in the Desert. Iberian cultures and Hungarian get no unique tactic.
Now, you say "But Light Cav have a better Skirmish Attack". This is certainly true. However, with the best attack tactic, with the culture boost, it brings you to 4.8 - Less than the base skirmish attack of Archers, and less than Horse Archers with a boosting tactic.
None of this should be construed to say that Light Cav are useless - they're certainly competent allrounders, and fairly easy to obtain, but they're worse allrounders than Horse Archers, and lack the utterly crushing melee power of Knights.
As for how you obtain retinues, switch to the retinue tab of your military screen. Realm Manpower gives you a number of "Retinue Points" based on your average Military Organization score. Each soldier in a retinue costs a certain number of points. Early on if you're a one-province count, odds are good you won't have enough retinue points for even one retinue.
