Description
Cassius Dio (Historiarum Romanorum quae Supersunt LXXI.xvi.2) records that 5,500 Sarmatian cavalry were posted to Britain under the terms of the treaty of AD175. These men would very likely have been split into eleven Cavalry Alae of quingenaria strength (i.e. 500 troopers), or may have been used to provide a cavalry contingent for around twenty-odd under-strength infantry units, thus forming cohors equitatae, or indeed, any combination. It is very unlikely that any were formed into a large cavalry ala milliaria, as these are very rare, there being generally only a single example in any one province, and the only one recorded in Britain was housed in the Stanwix fort on Hadrian's Wall, the Ala Petriana. These cavalry troopers must have been housed in forts scattered throughout northern Britain and Wales; some of which were apparently formed into the Ala Sarmatarum and stationed at the Ribchester fort. The unit is attested only on two undated inscriptions.
Stats
| Rank in roster | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men per unit | 30 | █········· 8% |
| Attack | 14 | ███████··· 65% |
| Charge bonus | 38 | ██████████ 98% |
| Defence | 36 | ██████···· 61% |
| · armour | 20 | ██████████ 99% |
| · defence skill | 16 | ███······· 28% |
| · shield | 0 | █········· 0% |
| Morale | 14 | ████████·· 79% |
| Discipline | Normal | |
| Training | Highly trained | |
| Recruitment cost | 3,870 dn | █████████· 91% |
| Upkeep per turn | 1,558 dn | ██████████ 99% |
| Turns to recruit | 16 |
Weapons
Its secondary attack is the stronger one: 15 against 14.
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | 14 | 15 | Charge bonus | 38 | 28 | Type | melee · blade | melee · blade | Damage | piercing | slashing |
Defence
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 36 | — | Armour | 20 | — | Defence skill | 16 | — | Shield | 0 | — |
Condition and terrain
| Hit points | 1 | Mount | horse cataphract | Ground: scrub / sand / forest / snow | -7 / -1 / -8 / -1 | Charge distance | 40 |
| Formations | Square · Wedge |
Technical stats
| Time between blows (primary / secondary) | 2.5 s / 2.5 s | Extra fatigue in hot climates | 5 | Spacing between men: close / loose | 2 × 4.8 m / 3 × 7.2 m | Default ranks | 5 |
In battle: Good stamina · Powerful charge
Who can recruit it
This unit cannot be recruited from any building.