Light Horse Archer Question

[Onomarchos]

Hello, I was wondering what the advantage is of Light Horse with Bow over Light Horse with Bow*. The Bow armed light horse costs one more point per stand, but I can't find any advantage for them over the Bow* equipped light horse.

Thanks, Mark

[rbodleyscott]

Hello, I was wondering what the advantage is of Light Horse with Bow over Light Horse with Bow*. The Bow armed light horse costs one more point per stand, but I can't find any advantage for them over the Bow* equipped light horse.

This is an easy one. There are no LH with Bow*.

[Onomarchos]

Hello, I was wondering what the advantage is of Light Horse with Bow over Light Horse with Bow*. The Bow armed light horse costs one more point per stand, but I can't find any advantage for them over the Bow* equipped light horse.

This is an easy one. There are no LH with Bow*.

Thanks for the quick reply. I was using the point system from the rule book to build some lists for forces that don't have a companion book yet. So, after looking at the definitions for Bow and Bow*, I should have always cost Horse Archers as Bow.

[rbodleyscott]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was using the point system from the rule book to build some lists for forces that don't have a companion book yet. So, after looking at the definitions for Bow and Bow*, I should have always cost Horse Archers as Bow.

Mostly yes. However some Cavalry that only used bow as a secondary weapon (e.g. Lithuanians) get graded as Light Spear, Bow*, Swordsmen. Their light horse gets graded as Light Spear, Bow, Swordsmen because, as you have pointed out, grading them as Bow* would have no effect (except to make them cheaper).

Some Cavalry that fought in shallow mixed formations of lancers and archers (e.g. Byzantine Tagmatic cavalry) get graded as Lancers, Bow*, Swordsmen. There is no Light Horse equivalent.

As a general guide most steppe nomad "light cavalry" get the option to be graded as
LH Unprotected, Bow, Swordsmen
or
Cavalry Unprotected, Bow, Swordsmen
or
Cavalry Protected, Bow, Swordsmen

(Player's choice, and you can have different BGs graded different ways in the same army)..

Settled light cavalry horse archers (e.g. Parthians) are usually
LH, Bow, - as they are assumed to be less fierce and less capable in close combat.