Comprehensive Cavalry Guide - BF1

I have come to thoroughly enjoy the cavalry class in BF1 and have written this guide in an effort to stop horses being wasted, under-utilised or used as a transport only ‘vehicle’. I really don’t like seeing this class wasted as they can be very effective in a harassing role I plan to share my thought processes in different situations and the strategy differences when targeting enemy armour and infantry. Furthermore I will also include some tips on dealing with enemy cavalry as when they know what they are doing they can be annoying to deal with. If this guide can benefit even just one person I will be happy. If any aspect is condescending in any way I apologise. I am trying to aim this guide at all players and thus must cover the basics and assume that some people have little experience with the cavalry class. Furthermore there are likely players who have more experience than me with this class so I don’t claim to be an expert or anything like that whose opinion can never be wrong. If anyone disagrees with anything in this ‘guide’ please feel free to post below as I have a predisposition to remain mounted if possible. I do realise that the dismounted cavalry class can be highly effective when it comes to PTFOing and capping flags etc. Please excuse the wall of text for each section (it’s just the way I write). I’ll include a TLDR after each main section for those who can’t be bothered reading all my gibberish. I've also included a number of clips that have been converted to GIFs to demonstrate tactics which I explain below.

General Tips (Mounted Cavalry vs Infantry)

• Never charge in a straight line (especially if they are facing you and see you coming). Use a serpentine pattern almost constantly while riding around as it makes you a much harder target for snipers and tanks etc. • Furthermore always flank your targets – don’t charge straight into positions. • Avoid over-engaging i.e. don’t get stuck in situations where there is too much to handle at one time e.g. don’t charge straight into a group of 4-5 guys who also have a tank close by. • As mounted cavalry you want to primarily use hit and run skirmishing tactics i.e. dart in while sprinting, kill 1-2 guys, throw your grenades at clumped infantry, back off and heal up if need be, then re-engage from a different angle/direction.

http://imgur.com/gZPAyZ1 - skirmish hit and run tactics

• The side of the horse you swing your horse is directly related to the camera angle at the time of your swing (as far as I can tell). E.g. normally you will swipe right (like the average male tinder user) but you can also swipe on the left side either by readjusting the camera angle or by using the switch feature introduced after the beta. By pressing B (Xbox One) you switch the camera angle position allowing for you to quickly swap sides. (Not sure what the corresponding switch button is for PS4 and PC sorry). • While mounted the cavalry can use the 2 light anti-tank grenades to flush infantry out of buildings or finish off prone opponents if there is no armoured targets around. I will lob these grenades pretty much every time I engage a new set of enemies. These 2 grenades constantly replenish without you having to do anything – takes approximately 20 seconds or so (might not be the exact time). • The sword cannot reach enemy infantry who are prone – best way to deal with this is to just roadkill them. However to achieve this you must be travelling at sprinting speed or close to it (not sure on exact roadkill speed threshold). As the horse had a massive roadkill range in the beta it was significantly reduced for the final release. As a result I have found the best place to aim when going for roadkills is the upper torso-neck. If you do miss a roadkill attempt just throw your 2 grenades at the prone person – will force them to get up and move allowing you to circle around and finish them off.

http://imgur.com/kceV9xJ - roadkill while mounted sentry

• When mounted you have 2 HP bars – 1 for the horse and 1 for your own cavalry rider. Generally as a rule of thumb if either of these gets below ~50% I will back off and disengage, then go and find a safe place to heal (preferably with vertical cover e.g. buildings or sand dunes on Suez/Fao Fortress. If you over-engage you likely won’t have the HP needed to successfully back off to heal (as you retreat enemies will usually take pot shots and take off another ~15-20% HP. • The HP of the horse will gradually recover over time – no way to speed this up to my knowledge (repair tool???). However as the cavalry class is classified as an elite class its HP will not regenerate on its own – you will need to utilise the medical pouch that the cavalry class has. Some people prefer to dismount off the horse to heal up using the pouches however I have found this makes you a massive target for tanks and snipers due to the time it takes to get back on the horse. • Best way I have found to heal quickly is to drop a medical pouch while sprinting then quickly wheel the horse around and move straight over the pouch while still mounted. It takes significantly less time as opposed to dismounting and remounting to heal while simultaneously making you a much harder target to hit. The speed at which you pass over it does not seem to affect the pickup rate therefore making sprinting over it the best option. • Don’t be selfish with the horse – help your teammates as much as you can. You have both medical and ammo pouches available so spam these out whenever you are capping or defending flags and also when you are just running past friendly infantry. • In conquest (possibly rush too if available) use the horse to get behind the enemy team e.g. on their home flag. Then when you are there, dismount and allow your squad mates to spawn on you (squad bomb). This can really help your team break out and cap a few flags as it forces the enemy team to fall back and re-cap their points.

TLDR:

• Never charge in straight lines – use serpentine fashion to make yourself a harder target.
• Primarily use the sabre while mounted – much more consistent one hit kill potential.
• Spam the light anti-tank grenades at clumped/prone infantry or to flush them out of buildings if there are no armoured targets available.
• Use skirmishing hit and run tactics against all targets – don’t get stuck in shitty situations i.e. bits off more than you can chew.
• Learn which pieces of cover and walls you can jump over and what speed you need to be travelling at to do so – this knowledge comes from experience/practice.
• Back out of engagements when Cavalry or Horse HP gets below 50% or so – heal up while in cover (horse regenerates by itself but medical pouches only way to heal rider – possible to do while mounted).
• Roadkill prone opponents – aim for torso/neck region for more consistency.

General Tips (Cavalry vs Cavalry)

• Enemy cavalry is a major threat while you are playing as mounted cavalry due to the OHK potential from sabres. • Basically engaging enemy cavalry is very risky as the sword range and hit zone is frankly quite weird when cavalry square off in a duel. Often it will result in kill trades or you being picked off by enemy infantry/armour while you circle the enemy cavalry. • The best way I have found to deal with enemy cavalry is to avoid the endless circling which often happens in a duel and try to bait them into following you. Once they are doing so lure them into friendly tanks or where they can be whittled down by your team. • I don’t recommend using the Russian 1895 in a cavalry duel as it lacks the burst damage potential for an easy kill unless they are already severely injured (15-20% HP left). Furthermore you have to stop sprinting to fire which gives the enemy a chance to sprint up to you with the sabre. This recommendation is borne from my experience on console (difficulty spike in aiming the R1895 while mounted and moving). PC players may find this easier to pull off with a mouse and keyboard. Furthermore when the enemy is using the R1895 it is easy to punish through the use of sprinting and the sabre (see below clip).

http://imgur.com/07JZ3nR - cavalry vs cavalry switch sides

• Alternatively if you want to carve them up with your sabre there are a few tactics which you can use though none are entirely risk free and can be countered by experienced players or those who know the capabilities of the cavalry. • A fair number of players won’t expect you to swipe left when passing them on a horse. Try and bait the enemy cavalry into charging you then charge straight back. Maintain the serpentine movement pattern then when you get close move to the right side and quickly switch the camera angle to allow you to swipe left. This will usually only work the first time as if you miss they will expect it and counter it resulting in a most likely kill trade.

TLDR:

• Use the cavalry sword primarily – less risky and more consistent than the Russian 1895.
• Use both sides of the horse with the sabre to surprise opponents – bait them into charging and then switch sides at last minute.
• Avoid endless circling and use the 2 grenades to break away from bad scenarios.
• Bait enemy cavalry into following you and lure them into the path of friendly tanks and infantry.

General Tips (Cavalry vs Armoured Targets e.g. Tanks and Cars)

• A lot of people don’t realise the anti-tank potential the cavalry possesses. The 2 light anti-tank grenades you have while mounted are quite effective and have the major benefit of being constantly replenished over time (every 20 secs or so – not sure on exact time it takes) without you having to do anything to get them back. • These grenades can be lobbed from a significant distance away and over cover if you know the arc they follow. They will deal 16 damage EACH to heavy tanks and landships (32 if both connect), with 22 EACH to light tanks (44 if both connect). If both grenades connect on the same side of a tank (especially the heavy tank) it will usually disable that sides guns (except the front main cannon obviously) or a track. For armoured cars if both grenades connect you will get a minimum of a vehicle disable with a very good chance at a kill. • As tanks are a major threat to cavalry make sure to stay out of their line of sight (especially heavy tanks and artillery trucks) so you don’t cop a shell in the face. This is why it is important to reengage enemies (especially armour) from different angles and then back off and come again from a different side or direction. Obviously don’t leave too long of a period between damaging armour if you have no infantry support as the tank driver will be able to get a repair off, thus mitigating your attempt to inflict damage.

http://imgur.com/P5MGZvp - horse vs heavy tank

• There is a tactic you can use to maximise your burst damage to armoured targets though it does require you to dismount – thus only use it when the target has been disabled (close to death). Throw your 2 anti-tank grenades while mounted (32 total damage to heavy tanks) then quickly dismount. The game counts your grenade count separate between when you are mounted and on foot – this allows you to throw an additional anti-tank grenade (16 damage to heavy tanks for a total of 48 possible damage to heavy tanks if 3 grenades are thrown in a very short time frame).

http://imgur.com/joCZ4S4 - 3 grenades clip burst damage

• The only negative about this tactic is that it requires you to dismount – makes you a prime target for the tank you’re trying to kill and any infantry that are around it. • Also as a piece of advice don’t try and jump enemy tanks and trucks while mounted – more often than not you end up as a bug on their metaphorical windscreen.

TLDR:

• You have 2 light anti-tank grenades while mounted and 1 while on foot (these are counted separately – allows use of burst damage tactic.
• Try to stay out of the line of sight of enemy armoured vehicles i.e. flank the enemy.
• Use hit and run tactics – very similar to dealing with infantry.
• Don’t try to jump over enemy tanks and cars while mounted – not going to end well.

General Tips (Best Way to Kill Enemy Cavalry)

INFANTRY

• As mentioned above a good Cavalry player can be a major threat and really damn annoying to deal with - makes you paranoid constantly wondering whether they are flanking you or going to back cap flags etc. Thus I’ll also add some tips for those going up against someone decent. • Similarly to fighting armoured targets the important thing is constant damage to the horse – i.e. try and put as much damage on the horse as they ride by – I find it is better to focus on a singular target (either horse or the rider). Weapons like the Hellriegel, Automatico, most medic rifles and support lmgs are the best for this I find due to the sustained fire/damage output capability. Furthermore as the rider makes their getaway always put a few shots in their direction to delay the healing of the horse/rider. • If you are being charged I find the best way to evade a rider is to either jump to the side as they get close or alternatively go prone as they get close forcing them to make a difficult sharp turn in order to roadkill you (just watch out on the 2 grenades which they are likely to throw at you). • Explosives such as dynamite and mines work wonders on horses (just shoot the mine to trigger it as the horse rides over it – it has a pretty decent AOE). If the cavalry is charging from a distance away try not to telegraph your movements i.e. don’t pull out the dynamite while the horse is ages away as any competent rider will see this and back off – probably lob their grenades at your dynamite in the process killing you. • Grenades work very well assuming the cavalry rider is uncoordinated and gets themselves stuck in a confined area or on a fence that the horse cannot jump – just aim for the horse’s feet. • The AT Rocket Gun will kill a horse or cavalry class if it is a direct hit – same as any other elite class. It also does decent damage if you hit the ground right near the horse. • Gas grenades work well as well – each DOT tick will do 15 damage to both the rider and the horse at the same time (same as normal infantry damage). The rider cannot put a gas mask on when they are mounted. (Not sure if the mask protection continues if they put the gas mask on before they mount the horse). • Any of the field guns on the maps will kill if it is a direct hit – though they are heavily susceptible to the grenades of the cavalry and flanking attempts. • Ultimately the major tool of the cavalry class is flanking unsuspecting targets (Bush Wookie/Rock Spider snipers I’m looking at you) so the major thing you do to reduce the amount of times you get your noggin cleaved open by a rider is to simply listen for the sound of hoof beats and then confirm whether it was a team mate or an enemy.

ARMOUR

• Any of the tank shells will kill a cavalry if it is a direct impact – very effective way to get rid of them. • If the horse is moving erratically/serpentine fashion (as they ideally should be) aim at the ground just below the horse for the splash damage AOE from most shells. • Try and prevent flanking attempts as mobility is the biggest weakness of tanks which can be exploited by cavalry. • Try and lure cavalry into confined areas where it is difficult to flank e.g. courtyards on Ballroom Blitz, conquest flag areas on St Quentin’s Scar etc.

AIRCRAFT

• When you are in a plane you can basically shit on cavalry with impunity – the trench fighter explosive darts will kill in one hit (assuming you land it reasonably accurately). • The grenade bombs of the attack planes work great when the cavalry is somewhat stationary e.g. capping flags mainly due to their substantial AOE combined with the cavalry’s weakness to explosives. • The bomber firestorm works okay but the explosives are by far the better option. Only bad thing about the bomber is the slow speed and not being able to quickly readjust the aim with the bombs. • You don’t have to worry about retaliation from the cavalry very much as the R1895 does garbage damage to aircraft and the grenades are very difficult to hit a plane with (despite my attempts on low flying bombers).

Thank you for taking the time to read this guide/wall of text. I hope it benefits you in some way and assists you in enjoying using the cavalry class as much as I do.