Units

Archer

Sauromatian Archer

These are all you should believe in. Fuck everything else. Best ranged units in EA.
As Sauromatia, you have the luxury of having absolutely no recruitable chaff.
Ergo, place all of your archers on the frontlines and watch them die.
Archers are best on Fire and Keep Distance. They will meet the enemy like the chaff they are,
but will attempt to disengage and let longdead fill the front lines, lowering archer attrition.

Androphag Archer

Why would you pay more for chaff? Fucking useless.
Their arrows deal poison damage if they hit.
I have yet to find a case where normal archers arent better.

Infantry

Sauromatian Amazon

Absolutely horrible line infranty. You are better just recruiting cataphrekt or lancers.
They get beaten by raiders in almost every aspect.

Charge Cavalry

Lancer

Will rekt indies. Combine with Sauromatian Archers for expansion if youære running nobless.

Sauromatian Cataphract

Best cavalry of the age.
I hear of tactics where you line them infront of a row of soothsayers casting Body Ethereal to inflict some heavy damage.
They are rather strong even without buffs and make excellent arrow catchers and flankers throughout the game.

Sacred Cavalry

Oiorpata

Very good cavalry, but tends to cost more than it’s uses without a bless.
Generally you should opt for the less gold hungry Cataphracts and spend more gold into building forts.

Androphag

70 gold for a lance is not worth it.
Take an Oiorpata instead.

Horse Archers

Sauromatian Raider

A cheap blocker that can shoot arrows.
Raiders are foreign rec, like chieftains. Combined with their MM3 they are easy to recruit and move from any province you own.

Sauromatian Raider

An expensive Raider, you won't use this one much at all.

Sauromatian Lancer

If you look closely you will see that the only difference between these and Sauromatian Raiders are their Light Lance.
These are marginally better if you have high prod and more fort turns than you know what to do with, but the difference is minimal.

Beasts

Theoretically beasts against ELVES as the poison aura dispels glamour.

Hydra Hatchling

Hydra