Cataphract thread

Personally I'd go for mace.

I've always had a megaboner for cataphracts ever since seeing this picture of them in an Osprey book as a kid

I only have the big, stompy, cannon-toting cataphracts. Is that OK?

Everything that resembles a cataphract or is called a cataphract is okay in my book.
The maces make it look a lot more iconic aswell. I can only approve of your boner.

Pic related might be one of the finest additions of my cataphract galery. Something about the camel gives it an exquisite exotic vibe, although we're straying from the byzantine archetype.

I feel like we're out of Veeky Forums territory... Any fa/tg/uy feels like telling us about their favorite heavy cavalry ? I've never seen cataphracts in any fantasy universe and it's a damn shame, what if I were to include some in the setting of my RPG ? I'm thinking either going with the Sarmatian vibe with heavily armored raiders from the borders of civilization or making them the spearhead of a once powerful ancient militaristic society, now being the stuff of myths and legends.

>shitskin sandniggers
Nah

>camelphracts

notsureifwant.png

Cataphracts are just knights, there's plenty of that in fantasy games.

Knights serve petty feudal lords, while Cataphracts are noble warriors of the empire.

Heavy destier for realistic games. Monstrous creatures (Drake, Demigryphs, Etc.) for more fantastical games. Magic touched creatures (Horses that walk on water, or glide with aerokinesis) also are awesome.

Also

You sir are my greatest nigga. I love the Cataphract, it doesn't get enough attention.

Central asian nomads actually. Many speak languages related to persian tho.

go camels go!

Cataphracts were armored cavalry. Knight were too for a long time. But knights are associated with certain ethos.
That's about it.

However you'd be correct for the early frankish knights.

Have a (you). Now neck yourself.

We're talking fluff and aesthetics here, of course knights are also basically heavy cavalry but it's associated with feudalism and a code of conduct, also sometimes a religion, as pointed out.
Not to mention, knight is a title for a social rank whereas cataphracts are a type of unit with a specific purpose on the battlefield and their own strengths and weaknesses.

>Battalion of waterwalking, coral-plated horsemen riding a tidal wave and charging into an armada of ships.

Your post inspired me, thanks user.
Also

>Coral-plated seahorse heavy cavalry trained by undines and merfolks
>inb4 user complains about scaleniggers or something

Two thoughts:

1. Belisarius' Bucellarii we're the GOAT cavalry force. Not all necessarily cataphracts, but all used bow, lance, sword and darts to ridiculous effect. Procopius pretty much lays the success of the defence of Rome on their frequent sallies. Justinian had a bitchfit and divvied them up among other generals because they needed nerfing.

2. Centaur-cataphracts make the odd appearance in a setting I've used. They're a good fantasy twist.

Not exactly, cataphracts were also capable of horse archery, were better disciplined, and employed more complex tactics.

Cataphract and roman-style armouring on monstrous/superheavy cavalry is something I've only seen a couple of times, but it's always cool

So is the whole concept that the mount has that type of armor?

Well etymologically, yes.

I'm pretty sure that the term refers to the heavy protection of the rider, not the mount. In the original context a fully armored horsemen would have been very much the exception and as can be seen from many of the pictures in this thread "completely enclosed" barding was far from the rule.

While not the whole point, it is true that a substantial amount of barding is characteristic of cataphract-style cavalry. Even only metal barding on the front of the horse makes them significantly heavier and more protected compared to most other types of cavalry. The actual type of armor used could vary, but scale or lamellar designs were very common, and felt could be layered underneath or used to protect areas otherwise exposed from arrows.

That would be the Sarmatians, not the Sassanids. Imagined connections to King Arthur aside, the Sarmatians or at least a fictionalised version of them were a pillar of Polish national identity and noble culture during the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Sarmatism included an invented analogue to chivalry that the Poles attributed to these ancient horselords.

Cataphract camels and cataphract elephants are cool too you guys

Also Roman kataphractoi are the best

Beat me to it you bastard.