Cataphract
CavalryBase values, before Blacksmith upgrades. The Blacksmith raises attack and armour for infantry, cavalry and archers — Blast Furnace, for instance, gives "+2 Attack for infantry & cavalry". Late in a game, the real numbers are higher.
Evolution
Cataphract
Castle Age
Elite Cataphract
Imperial AgeThe coach's briefing
The Cataphract is Byzantine cavalry specialized against infantry. Its +13 anti-infantry bonus and special resistance to anti-cavalry bonus damage let it fight many spear-line units, but ranged fire and Camels remain threats. Logistica grants trample damage once researched.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
Prepare your next matchup
Choose both civilizations for a game plan, key threats and an army composition.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Cataphract is **pike-resistant cavalry**. While other cavalry fear Halberdiers, you hunt them. This unique advantage makes you incredibly flexible in army compositions.
Tactical Playbook
Anti-Pike Cavalry
Your +12 vs anti-cavalry armor means Halberdiers deal 20 damage instead of 33. You win fights that other cavalry lose.
Infantry Slayer
+13 vs Infantry makes you devastating against Champions, Halberdiers, and Eagles alike. You're a melee infantry's nightmare.
Trample Damage
Research Logistica to add trample damage against nearby enemies; it is not innate.
Critical Point
**Archers remain dangerous**. With only 1 pierce armor, massed Crossbowmen or Cavalry Archers will tear through you. Bring Skirmishers or siege support.
Understanding The Stats
The Cataphract is a heavy cavalry with unique defensive properties against anti-cavalry units, trading some raw stats for versatility.
Anti-Pike Armor
Special armor class negates most of Halberdier's +32 bonus. Revolutionary for cavalry.
Infantry Killer
Combined with 9 base attack, this gives 22 damage before target armor.
Good HP Pool
Solid health pool for a Castle Age unique unit. Comparable to Knights.
Fast Speed
Same speed as Knights. Mobile enough for raids and engagements.
Coach's Tip
110 HP and 2 melee armor make you durable. But 1 pierce armor is low - avoid standing under archer fire. Close the gap quickly.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Infantry | +13 |
Armor Classes
Cavalry
Takes heavy bonus damage from Pikemen/Halberdiers and Camels.
Unique Unit
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Feudal Age
Castle Age
Civilizations
* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Cataphract is Byzantine heavy cavalry specialized against infantry. Update 185872 raises its anti-infantry bonus to +13, or +18 for the Elite version. It takes reduced anti-cavalry bonus damage, although Halberdiers and Camels still require attention. Logistica now grants trample damage to both Cataphracts and Varangian Guards; it no longer adds a separate +6 anti-infantry bonus. Choose the engagement and protect these expensive units from ranged fire.
History & balance
The Cataphract has long been considered one of the strongest unique units when fully teched, precisely because it counters the units that are supposed to counter cavalry. The Definitive Edition tuned its bonus-damage resistance and Logistica's effect to keep it powerful but gold-gated. Because Byzantines have no economic bonus, the Cataphract is a deliberate lategame power spike rather than an early threat. Its trample damage interaction with massed infantry has been a consistent design highlight, making the Cataphract the definitive anti-infantry cavalry unit in the game.
In pro play
Cataphracts are a lategame Byzantine win condition, especially against infantry-heavy and Eagle-Warrior civilizations. Pros invest in Logistica and full upgrades, then use the trample damage to delete enemy infantry masses that would beat ordinary Knights. The Cataphract's resistance to anti-cavalry bonus damage means opponents cannot rely on the usual Halberdier answer — they must find archers or Monks instead. Because Byzantines reach Imperial Age cheaply (-33%), they hit the Cataphract power spike efficiently. On closed maps especially, a Cataphract + siege composition is a strong, hard-to-counter endgame.
How to counter it
Do not counter Cataphracts with infantry or even standard anti-cavalry — their infantry bonus and bonus-damage resistance make Halberdiers and Camels far less effective than usual. The real answers are archers (Cataphracts still have cavalry-level pierce armor, so massed Arbalests and Hand Cannoneers work), Monks (conversion ignores all their resistances), and your own heavy cavalry in a straight HP trade. Siege and Mangonels help against masses. Above all, deny their gold: Cataphracts are gold-heavy, so raiding the Byzantine economy starves the unit before it reaches critical mass.