Were camels ever used as a cavalry force on a large scale? What were the benefits of riding a camel compared to riding a horse?
Also cavalry thread.
>>396902
Check the guy's mount mate. You're limited to light cavalry duties, which are highly strategic but not the grog-charge shit you're on about.
>>396902
>What were the benefits of riding a camel compared to riding a horse?
Lasts longer in deserts and dry mountainous regions.
>>396902
>What were the benefits of riding a camel compared to riding a horse?
For a horse to survive in the desert you need 10 camels to carry its water.
>>396902
camels can carry more weight and raise the rider to a more elevated position. that's about it.
even in the desert Arabian horses are faster and significantly more maneuverable
>>396902
>yfw when China will conquer the world with horse riflemen
Obviously camels are mandatory instead of horses in desert regions.
Outside of deserts camels can rarely provide a strategical advantage but probably not worth it.
>>396938
Why are horses such majestic creatures?
Why are cavalry soldiers sexy as fuck?
Is it my subconscious reptilian brain instinct telling me these horses make good transports?
>>396948
Nigga I don't even know...
>>396948
you didn't notice it but your brain did
>>396902
From the minimal reading on the subject that I've done, it seems that camels were more of an auxiliary component to the armies that used them, and they never fully replaced regular cavalry. Their high mounts generally made them better suited for light cavalry duties like the one anon said, and apparently they did cause horses to freak out on occasion.
They did have their niche, though. Camel gunners were a thing for a while, where a gun heavier than what normally could be practically used was mounted directly to the saddle. In effect, it's like having miniature horse-mobile artillery.
They were used by the Persians during the deciding Battle of Thymbra of the Persian-Lydian war.
They were a improvised unit which had the purpose to be infront of the Persians own cavalry and disrupt the Lydian cavalry.
Because Lydian horses werent used to the smell of camels and it made their cavalry break ranks and become easy targets for the Persians cavalry.
>>396902
How come every historical RTS gives Arabian factions some kind of camel cavalry as their unique unit? Didn't they mostly fight on horses, with camels being used in war by only the poorest tribes in the deepest part of the desert?
>>397120
Horses are for war, camels are for transporting goods and long-distance travelling.
>>396902
I've read somewhere that camels had a peculiar smell that caused fear to horses. not sure if this is true or just meme history though.
>>397120
basically. Games give Arabs camels because they are unique and stereotypical
>>397176
Yeah, that's just folklore bullshit
>>397183
How would you know? Are you a camel?
>>397183
ehh I could see it spooking horses that aren't accustomed to camels. But the impact of it is likely overblown.
>>397195
>ehh I could see it spooking horses
Its easily possible, horses are stupid, really really stupid.
>>397176
Aren't there stories about Romans using pigs to scare enemy Elephants? Something about their squeals scaring the fuck out of them.
>>397248
Probably burning pigs. Timur used burning camels to frighten Delhi sultanate's elephants in late 1300s.
>>396902
>Horses are afraid of them (just like they are afraid of anything bigger)
>Does not require as much maintenance than a horse
>Can carry more weight
>>396995
That's rad as hell.
>>396995
It gets even worse...
The Afgans mounted swivel guns on camels. It's how they beat the Maratha army at the 3rd Battle of Panipat.
>>398636
That's fucking awesome. It's like an early armoured car.
>>397194
Yeah.
>>397183
No it's not it's a they have a stench and horses don't fear it but they they don't like it as the rider
>>398636
>>399674
c-10 camel warthog
>>397120
Because every historical RTS game bases a lot of it's material in memes. Even if it's well researched, it's still nice to have stereotypical units because thats what your players expect.
arab = camel
>>398636
No, Anon. It gets better.
