Cataphract — Counters, Stats & Civ Bonuses

Cataphract — Counters, Stats & Civ Bonuses

The Cataphract is countered by Monk, Mameluke and Crossbowman. It is a Cavalry / Unique unit, available to the Byzantines, and it wins against Long Swordsman and Pikeman.

Class

Cavalry / Unique

Available to

Byzantines

Elite upgrade

Elite Cataphract

Cost

70 75

The Cataphract Line

• Cataphract
• Elite Cataphract

Cataphract stats

The Elite Cataphract upgrade changes the values marked with an arrow. Everything else — cost, class and the civilization bonuses that apply — stays the same.

Hit points

110 →150

Melee attack

9 / 1.8s →12 / 1.7s

Pierce attack

0

Range

0

Melee armour

2

Pierce armour

1

Speed

1.35

Line of sight

4 →5

Training time

20s

What counters the Cataphract?

Hard counters beat the Cataphract decisively and win even at a cost disadvantage — usually through bonus damage, area damage, conversion or a speed advantage it cannot escape. Soft counters win the fight too, but only with good numbers and positioning.

• Monk hard Conversion is most effective vs. Cataphracts
• Mameluke UU hard UU (Saracens) – Ranged anti-cavalry
• Crossbowman soft Pierce damage (Cataphracts have good melee armor)
• Obuch UU soft UU (Poles) – Reduces armor
• Samurai UU soft Attack bonus vs. unique units (+12)
• Elite Skirmisher soft Pierce damage when Cataphracts are isolated

What does the Cataphract counter?

One representative per unit line — the whole line behaves the same way in this matchup.

• Long Swordsman hard UU (Byzantines) – Attack bonus vs. infantry
• Pikeman hard UU (Byzantines) – Bonus vs. infantry and anti-cav

Units the Cataphract has a damage bonus against

Bonus damage says how hard the Cataphract hits these units, not that it wins every fight — some of them still beat it by outranging or outrunning it.

• Eagle Scout hard Eagle Line
• Eagle Warrior hard Eagle Line
• Elite Eagle Warrior hard Eagle Line

Civilizations that improve the Cataphract

One civilization has a bonus or unique technology that affects this unit.

For the strategy behind these matchups — when to build counters, how to mix them and which civs do it best — see the Unique Unit Counters guide.