Caledonian Cataphracts?

[w_michael]

I just reached Young Tribal Confederation (L3) as Picts & Caledonii in my solitaire Successors game. I went to my national capitol region to see if there were any new units available to recruit. I was astonished to find Cataphracts, available once I built a Castrum Cataphractae. Neither Picts nor Caledonians ever had heavy cavalry like this. I'm not even sure that they had Medium Cavalry until well after 190 AD. There are no Cataphracts available in the Pictish or Caledonian army lists in FOG2. I can see it in FOGE possibly as fanciful mercenaries, but not as regular troops.

While I'm at it, Tacitus mentions the Caledonians using chariots at the battle of Mons Graupius, and FOG2 army lists for Pictish and Caledonian both have Celtic Chariots as an option. They are missing in FOGE, and I was wondering why.

[Hetairoi]

I would be surprised too to see Cataphract in a distant corner of the world like Caledonia. Historically, the only Cataphract-like cavalry in the western Mediterranean in time of FOGE is Iberian lancers who served under Hannibal in 2nd Punic War. They easily overwhelmed Roman counterpart at the battle of Cannae.

[rbodleyscott]

I would be surprised too to see Cataphract in a distant corner of the world like Caledonia. Historically, the only Cataphract-like cavalry in the western Mediterranean in time of FOGE is Iberian lancers who served under Hannibal in 2nd Punic War. They easily overwhelmed Roman counterpart at the battle of Cannae.

I am not aware of any evidence whatsoever that Hannibal's Iberian cavalry were lancers - in game terms. They were probably of higher quality than the Roman cavalry, and outnumbered the opposing Roman cavalry 2:1 on the Carthaginian left. They hardly needed any advantage in weaponry, and there is no evidence they had any. They certainly weren't in any sense cataphract-like.

Beware of translations of Ancient texts using the word lance - non-military classical scholars have been fairly indiscriminate in their use of such terms. Also, "lance" simply means "spear" in French, whereas it has a different more specific meaning in English and in the game. Also, in Latin, the "lancea" was in fact a light throwing/thrusting spear, certainly not a lance (which would be called a "contus" in Latin).

The heavier Spanish cavalry were called "long shield" cavalry, which precludes the use of a contus, which was normally used two-handed.

[w_michael]

OK, I now realize that Camelot and King Arthur were in Scotland, so it makes perfect sense.

[Surt]

OK, I now realize that Camelot and King Arthur were in Scotland, so it makes perfect sense.

Wasn't that near Cornwall?

[rbodleyscott]

OK, I now realize that Camelot and King Arthur were in Scotland, so it makes perfect sense.

Wasn't that near Cornwall?

Depends on who you believe. It was also in Scotland, and Wales...