Horses & Mounts: A Complete Guide

Horses are the engine of war in Calradia. They carry your loot, speed up your army, and trample your enemies. But managing them can be tricky. This guide breaks down the types of horses and how to manage your herd.

Trading horses is lucrative, but owning the right ones wins wars.

Types of Horses

Not all horses are the same. You cannot upgrade a Knight with a mule.

1. Pack Animals

• Examples: Mule, Sumpter Horse, Pack Camel, Old Work Horse.

• Purpose: Carrying inventory. Each animal adds +100 capacity.

• Warning: You cannot ride these (effectively) in battle, and they cannot be used to upgrade troops.

2. Mounts (Riding Horses)

• Examples: Desert Horse, Steppe Horse, Saddle Horse.

• Purpose:

  • Player/Companion riding (Tier 1).

  • Upgrading Troops: Required to upgrade infantry to light cavalry.

  • Footmen on Horses: Having these in your inventory speeds up your infantry on the world map.

3. War Mounts

• Examples: Imperial Charger, Vlandian Courser, Aserai Horse.

• Purpose:

  • Player/Companion riding (Tier 2+).

  • Upgrading Troops: Required to upgrade light cavalry to heavy cavalry (e.g., Banner Knights).

  • Cost: Much more expensive (500-1000+ Denars).

4. Noble Mounts

• Examples: Wadar Hotblood, Asaligat, Royal Destrier.

• Purpose: The absolute best stats. usually won in tournaments or found very rarely.

The Herd Penalty

One of the most confusing mechanics for new players is the "Herd" speed penalty.

Too many animals = Slower movement.

Your soldiers can only manage so many animals.

• Ratio: Roughly 2 animals per soldier. (1 to ride + 1 pack animal).

• If you have 50 troops and 200 horses, your speed will crawl because your troops are busy herding the extra 100 animals.

• Solution: Sell excess pack animals or recruit more troops.

Breeding

While you can't create a stud farm, you can passively breed horses.

• Perks: Check the Steward and Riding trees for perks that say "Small chance for animals to reproduce daily."

• Over a long campaign, this can provide a steady trickle of free mounts.

Where to Buy?

• Khuzait & Aserai Lands: Horses are dirt cheap here.

• Specialized Villages: Look for villages with a "Horse" icon above them on the map. They sell horses at a fraction of town prices.

For a detailed look at stats and combat bonuses, check Horses, Camels & Mount Bonuses.