Horseback Riding

Contents
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Overview

Movement guide
Cavalry is about timing the pass, not sitting in the middle of a fight.
A horse gives you speed, reach, and pressure. It also makes you a large target. Use movement to choose fights, hit from the flank, and leave before infantry can surround you.
Best roleFlank, disrupt, chase, and punish exposed infantry.
Worst habitStopping inside enemy melee range.
Related pagesCavalry, Melee, Shooting, Defences.

Movement

Horse movement is built around gait, momentum, and turn control. The faster you go, the harder it is to make tight corrections.

Action PC Controller Notes
Build speed Hold W Left Stick Up Moves through slower gaits toward gallop.
Sprint / full gallop Shift Press Left Stick Fastest movement, but limits fine control.
Slow / reverse Hold S Left Stick Down Slows the horse, then backs up at low speed.
Strafe mode Z D-Pad Down Useful for dressing lines and small position adjustments.
Jump Space A / Cross Clears fences, logs, and some low obstacles.
Emergency halt / rear Hold F B / Circle Stops quickly but leaves you exposed.
About face S + Space Left Stick Down + A / Cross Quick 180-degree turn from a slow reverse.

Later 2.x updates added an indicator when entering strafing mode. Use it; accidentally strafing when you mean to turn is a quick way to get stuck.

Mounting & Dismounting

Most cavalry classes spawn mounted. Some classes with the horseback riding ability can mount riderless horses, depending on current rules and server configuration.

  • Dismount only when safe. Slow down first, then interact.
  • Keep the horse nearby. If you plan to remount, do not leave it in front of artillery or enemy infantry.
  • Do not assume every class can ride. Standard infantry should not expect a mount prompt.
  • Infantry Officer rules can vary by server or event. Do not assume Officers can mount unless the server allows it.

Mounted Combat

Mounted combat comes in two broad forms: sword passes and carbine or pistol harassment.

Cavalry
Hussars, Cuirassiers, and Dragoons each lean into different mounted combat strengths.
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Melee
Directional attacks, blocks, drags, and close-range timing.
File:Shooting-Mechanics.webp
Shooting
Carbines and pistols behave differently from full muskets and rifles.
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Defences
Stakes, chevaux de frise, and barbed wire can decide whether a charge survives.

Practical tips:

  • Sword passes: Begin the windup before you reach the target and release as you pass.
  • Do not overstay: If the first pass fails, ride through and reset.
  • Carbines: The 5.x balance pass made carbines shorter ranged with faster reloads, pushing them toward medium-range work.
  • Pistols: Pistol range is very short, but point-blank damage is more reliable after the 5.x changes.
  • Reloading mounted: Expect your horse to slow while you reload.

Counters & Hazards

Good infantry can beat bad cavalry. Respect the things that stop a charge.

Hazard What It Does
Chevaux De Frise (L) Anti-cavalry obstacle that can kill horses.
Chevaux De Frise (S) Can disrupt cavalry and infantry.
Tight infantry groups Harder to isolate, especially if bayonets are ready.
Artillery and firearms Large target, predictable path, brutal punishment.
Terrain and clutter Fences, rocks, props, and friendly builds can trap a horse.

Version 5.20 fixed an exception related to being trampled by a horse. Earlier releases also adjusted horse hitboxes, horse-to-horse collision, gallop speed, maneuverability, and mounted melee reach.

Recent Changes

Key cavalry and horseback changes:

  • 0.40: Cavalry launched with Hussar, Cuirassier, and Dragoon roles, full horseback movement, mounted swordsmanship, mounted marksmanship, trampling, swimming, strafe mode, and mount/dismount flow.
  • 1.x: Cavalry movement was redesigned, trampling was rebalanced, horse collision and hitboxes were adjusted, and multiple mounted combat bugs were fixed.
  • 2.x: Strafe indicators, cavalry kill-log icon fixes, pistol animation improvements, and additional collision changes landed.
  • 3.x-4.x: Several map and cavalry out-of-bounds fixes were made.
  • 5.x: Carbine and pistol balance changed, and a trampling exception was fixed.
Last edited by Xarkanoth on 19:03, 7 July 2026Version History