10-05-2013, 12:54 PM
Quote:Actually momentum equals mass times velocity, although if this was enough on its own to determine the effect of charging cavalry, then I guess that chariots would have ruled all battlefields because of their increased mass...
And unlike simply moving objects of mass - horses (indeed elephants and camels) have brains.
We do have (deliberate reference) many examples of cavalry being ineffective/losing against formed and steady infantry in later periods when information is more available and I have no worries in projecting that backwards to 'our' times.
Cavalry to: scout; harass; threaten; skirmish; move rapidly; exploit; and run down routers - absolutely fine. But not charge into formed and certainly prepared infantry - especially when they are holding nice pointy spears. Horses are too intelligent for that. Spears, Pikes and Bayonets - all good for that, whatever the period.
Cavalry has now, did earlier and probably did then (nobles & rich people (equites) are the ones able to afford horses) always have a certain cachet - they are also the ones who tend to write history too.