Golden Cataphracts

* Portrait
* Standard
* Upgraded

### Requires

Easterling Garrison Lvl 3, He Is Gathering All Evil To Him has been used. (Mordor)
Horsemaster's Campground Lvl 2 (Adventure: Rhûn)

### Upgrades

Banners of the Red Eye, Cruel Blades, Jagged Steel Armour

### Attack Type

Melee

"The Khân-kâtaphranax were made up of nobles high and lesser. These heavily-armoured steeds charging forth, shaking the earth, thundering across the plain, was a force few armies could withstand."
—Age of the Ring Team

Easterlings are amongst the most fanatical followers of the Dark Lord and the best equipped of all the warriors at his command. Unlike the rabble of Orcs that spew forth from the Black Gate, the armies of the East are well-trained and disciplined warriors that will fight fiercely for Sauron, who they view as a vengeful deity. As children they are schooled in the art of war, and their womenfolk fight alongside the men as equals - in Rhûn all are prepared to fight for the Dark Lord.

In Age of the Ring, Khân-kâtaphranax are Mordor's only permanent, non-heroic cavalry unit; they can be recruited from a level 3 Easterling Garrison once the spell book power He is Gathering All Evil to Him has been used. They are highly elite and fully upgradable and so are effective mid-late game units for Mordor.

They are also available to the Adventure: Rhûn subfaction as well. There, they are recruitable from a level 2 Horsemaster's Campground.

## Abilities and Formations

**Level 3: Serrated Armour** - A small percentage of received damage is redirected to the attacker (Passive ability).

## Upgrades

**Jagged Steel Armor (T)** - When equipped, significantly reduces the amount of damage taken. Research upgrade at Gorgoroth Foundry to enable this upgrade. Cost: 250

**Cruel Blades (C)** - When equipped, increases damage dealt by melee weapons. Research upgrade at Gorgoroth Foundry to enable this upgrade. Cost: 250

**Banners of the Red Eye (V)** - When equipped, increases this battalion to level 2. Research upgrade at Gorgoroth Foundry to enable this equipment. Cost: 100

## Strategy

Golden Cataphracts are some of the most elite cavalry units in the game and so are a worthy investment in the mid-late game, once the requirements for their recruitment have been met. They are exceptionally deadly when used to flank archers that are unprotected with pikemen - as with any cavalry unit, Cataphracts are vulnerable to pikes and so players must micromanage them to prevent costly charges into pikemen. Once at level 3, the Easterlings can act as an anti-spam unit, dealing additional damage to all those who are attacking them. If the enemy is not careful, they will suffer heavy losses from just engaging the Easterlings. The Easterlings can be supported by Gothmog and his Into the Fray ability, which can boost their speed and damage further. In addition, they can be paired with mounted Nazgûl and Morgul Vanguard that can keep up with them and weaken enemy forces.

The Golden Cataphracts are also available to the Adventure: Rhûn subfaction. They serve the same role as their Mordor counterparts, although they are more accessible since they no longer require a 10 PP power to recruit and have a lower CP requirement.