Best Evony Mounted Generals: Top Cavalry Picks & Pairings

Mounted troops are the dominant attacking force in Evony: The King’s Return. A well-built cavalry army led by the right general can demolish enemies in seconds. The problem is that most players don’t know which generals to prioritise or how to pair them for maximum effect.

This guide covers the best mounted generals available in Evony, ranked by accessibility and combat impact. We also cover the most effective sub general pairings and what buffs you’re stacking when you combine them. For the full breakdown of why mounted troops are so powerful, see our Troop Types Guide.

How Mounted Generals Work

Every general has specialty skills providing percentage-based buffs to combat. For mounted troop generals you want:

• Mounted troop attack — the single most important stat for killing power
• Mounted troop HP — how many hits your cavalry absorbs before dying
• Mounted troop defence — reduces damage taken per hit
• Mounted troop march speed — critical in SVS for arriving before enemies shield
• Wounded rate reduction — fewer troops to the hospital after each battle

Main General vs Sub General

Every march has two slots. The main general leads the army and their equipment matters most. The sub general provides their own specialty buffs on top, stacking with the main general. The goal: pair a main general with heavy mounted attack buffs with a sub general that covers gaps usually HP, march speed, or a non-overlapping attack bonus.

Mounted Generals Tier Overview

Tier	General	How to Get	Key Buffs
S	Scipio Africanus	Events	Mounted attack ★★★, March speed ★★★
S	Cnut the Great	Garden Events	Mounted HP ★★★★, Mounted attack ★★★
A	Martinus	Events (F2P)	Mounted attack ★★★, Mounted HP ★★
A	Harald Sigurdsson	Tavern 25+	Mounted HP ★★★, Mounted attack ★★
A	Yodo-dono	Lucky Wheel	Mounted attack ★★★, Additional buffs
B	Baibars	Tavern 30	Mounted attack ★★, Speed ★★
B	Queen Jindeok	Tavern 30	Support buffs ★★, Good sub general

S-Tier: Premium Cavalry Generals

Scipio Africanus

Scipio Africanus is widely considered the strongest mounted general in the game for PvP and SVS. His specialty skills at full development provide exceptional mounted troop attack and march speed the combination that makes cavalry lethal in Server vs Server combat.

• Very high mounted troop attack bonus at 4-star specialty
• Significant march speed bonus — critical for SVS, enemies can’t shield before you arrive
• Strong in both open-field battles and rallies

Scipio is primarily available through Events (Viking, Gold, Wheel events) not the standard Tavern. This makes him a target for moderate to heavy spenders. Equipment priority: full mounted attack set using high-level boss drop materials. Pair with Witch or Ares equipment at higher tiers.

Best sub for Scipio: Cnut the Great. Cnut’s HP bonus perfectly complements Scipio’s attack/speed focus.

Cnut the Great

Cnut the Great is one of the most coveted sub generals in the game and also a strong main general. His specialty buffs at full development include some of the highest mounted HP in the game, plus strong attack bonuses.

• Among the highest mounted HP buffs available keeps cavalry alive longer
• Strong mounted attack bonus at full specialty development
• Works exceptionally as both main and sub general
• Many serious cavalry players target 2-4 copies of Cnut

How to obtain: Garden Events and certain seasonal events. Running Cnut as sub under Scipio Africanus is one of the strongest cavalry setups in the game.

A-Tier: Strong & Accessible

Martinus

Martinus is the best F2P-accessible mounted general in Evony. Obtainable through Events particularly Viking events without requiring large spending. He’s the go-to cavalry general for free-to-play and budget players.

• Solid mounted troop attack bonus at full 4-star specialty
• Good mounted HP bonus
• Accessible through regular event cycle no heavy spending required
• Appears consistently in Viking Events; patient F2P players can fully develop him over several cycles

Realistic note: Martinus at 4 stars with good equipment will beat Scipio at 1 star every time. Max what you have before chasing what you want. Best sub for Martinus: Harald Sigurdsson or Yodo-dono.

Harald Sigurdsson

Harald Sigurdsson is a Tavern general acquirable through rolling once you reach Tavern Level 25+. He provides strong mounted HP and attack buffs and is one of the most accessible A-tier cavalry generals in the game.

• Available through Tavern rolls — no spending required beyond in-game gold
• Strong mounted HP bonus — fills the gap most attack-focused mains leave open
• Excellent dedicated sub general for Martinus or Scipio

How to obtain: Roll consistently at Tavern 25+. Harald appears in the general rotation. Achievable F2P with patience. Aim for 4-5 copies to reach full star development.

Yodo-dono

Yodo-dono is a strong event general with mounted attack and additional combat buffs. Works well as both main and sub general. Available through Lucky Wheel events and certain spending events.

• Good mounted attack bonus at full development
• Additional combat buffs beyond basic mounted stats
• Alternative sub general when Harald isn’t available

B-Tier: Mid-Game Generals

Baibars

Available once your Tavern reaches Level 30, Baibars is specifically recommended as one of the first Tavern generals to target at the K30 milestone. He provides mounted attack and speed buffs and is completely accessible without events or spending once you reach Keep 30.

• Available at Tavern 30 no events or spending required
• Mounted attack and speed buffs
• Excellent mid-game stepping stone while you build toward event generals

Limitation: Baibars is eventually surpassed by higher-tier event generals, but serves well through mid-game. Most guides recommend rolling Baibars x5 as your first Tavern 30 target.

Queen Jindeok

The second main Tavern 30 recommendation alongside Baibars. She provides support buffs and works well as a sub general in mid-game cavalry setups.

• Available at Tavern 30
• Good sub general in Baibars pairing
• Roll Queen Jindeok x5 after completing Baibars x5

Most Effective Mounted General Pairings

Main General	Sub General	Best For	Notes
Scipio Africanus	Cnut the Great	Premium PvP	Best overall attack + speed + HP
Martinus	Harald Sigurdsson	Best F2P	Both obtainable without spending
Baibars	Queen Jindeok	Mid-game K30	Both unlock at Tavern 30 natural pairing
Martinus	Yodo-dono	Mixed	Good if you have Yodo but not Harald
Martinus	Cnut the Great	Upgrade path	Pre-Scipio option once you have Cnut

Best Overall Pairing (Premium): Scipio + Cnut

Scipio brings attack and march speed. Cnut brings the HP to keep the army alive. The combination covers all the major mounted combat stats fast, hard-hitting, survivable. Both generals fully developed with Scipio equipped in a mounted attack gear set is the meta cavalry setup.

Best F2P Pairing: Martinus + Harald Sigurdsson

Both obtainable without spending. Martinus provides primary attack buffs. Harald adds HP and secondary attack bonuses. This setup won’t match premium pairings in raw power but punches well above its cost and is achievable for free-to-play players.

Mid-Game Pairing (K30 milestone): Baibars + Queen Jindeok

The natural progression for players who just hit Keep 30 and unlocked Tavern 30. Both generals become available simultaneously at this milestone. A solid functional cavalry army for mid-game PvP and SVS while you develop Martinus or event generals.

How to Develop Your Mounted Generals

Stars and Specialty Skills

Every general can be starred up by sacrificing duplicate copies. More stars means higher base stats and more powerful specialty skills. The final specialty skill (unlocked at 4 stars) typically provides the largest single buff in their kit. Never judge a general by their 1-star performance always evaluate their full 4-star potential.

• 1 star: First specialty skill unlocks
• 2 stars: Second specialty skill unlocks
• 3 stars: Third specialty skill unlocks
• 4 stars: Final specialty skill unlocks often the biggest single buff

For event generals like Scipio and Martinus, you typically need 2-5 copies for full development. This is why events featuring your target general are worth prioritising.

Equipment

Equipment is the largest single multiplier on your general’s effectiveness. A general with full high-quality equipment can be 3-5x more effective than the same general with none. For mounted generals, prioritise sets that buff mounted attack, HP, and march speed. Work through green → blue → purple → gold quality sets in sequence. See our General Equipment Guide for the full crafting progression.

5 Mistakes When Building a Mounted General Setup

• Developing too many generals. Resources spread across five generals means none reach full potential. Pick your pairing and develop those two exclusively first.
• Ignoring sub general development. A fully developed sub general adds 20-40% more combat effectiveness. Harald at 4 stars is dramatically better than Harald at 1 star.
• Using the wrong equipment. Mounted generals need mounted equipment not generic sets. Gear that buffs ground attack on a cavalry general wastes resources.
• Not checking specialty skill buffs before investing. If buffs overlap with your main general, you’re wasting potential. Always plan your pairing before you start developing.
• Chasing premium generals before maxing accessible ones. Martinus at 4 stars with good equipment beats Scipio at 1 star with no equipment every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best mounted general in Evony overall?

Scipio Africanus is widely considered the strongest for PvP and SVS due to his combination of attack and march speed at full development. For F2P players, Martinus is the best accessible alternative.

Is Martinus worth developing for F2P players?

Yes, absolutely. Martinus is the best mounted general available without significant spending and is obtainable through the regular event cycle. A fully developed Martinus with good equipment is competitive well into mid and late game.

Should I roll Baibars or Queen Jindeok first at Tavern 30?

Most guides recommend Baibars x5 first as he provides stronger primary cavalry buffs, then Queen Jindeok x5. At Tavern 30, both appear in the rotation simultaneously roll consistently and you’ll accumulate both over time.

Can I use a non-mounted general as sub for a cavalry army?

Technically yes, but inefficient unless they provide cavalry-specific buffs. Sub generals that buff different troop types add little to a mounted army. Always use a sub whose specialty skills directly buff mounted troops.

How many copies of Martinus do I need?

A minimum of 4 copies to reach 4 stars, but 5 gives you buffer stars and flexibility. Plan your Viking event participation around accumulating 4-5 Martinus copies over several event cycles.

Why is Scipio Africanus better than other mounted generals?

Scipio’s primary advantage is combining very high mounted attack with march speed most other cavalry generals give attack and HP. March speed is particularly valuable in SVS: arriving before enemies can shield or use truce agreements is often the difference between a successful hit and a miss.