Fast cavalry (sometimes called light cavalry) are riders of exceptional prowess, trained in lightning-fast manoeuvres and flank attacks. They are more lightly armed and armoured than other cavalry, but make up for this with their flexibility. In battle, they act as scouts and outriders for the army, and harry the flanks of enemy formations.
Source: Warhammer Armies Project: Unofficial 9th Edition (v2.2)
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Vanguard
Fast Cavalry are inevitably at the forefront of any advance – Fast Cavalry automatically have the Vanguard deployment special rule (described later in this chapter).
Free Reform
Unless it charges, a Fast Cavalry unit is allowed to reform twice during its move without losing any Movement; once before they move, and at the end of their move. The unit may do this even if it marches, provided that no model ends up moving a number of inches higher than double its Movement value.
Fire & Flee
A unit of Fast Cavalry armed with missile weapons that chooses Flee! as a charge reaction can choose to fire their weapons first. If it chooses to do so, the unit will first fire upon the target following the rules for Stand & Shoot (this also counts as moving and shooting). After this, the unit makes a flee move. However, it may not use its Swiftstride special rule (explained later in this chapter) if it does so.
Feigned Flight
A unit of Fast Cavalry that chooses Flee or Fire & Flee as a charge reaction does not cause Panic from fleeing through friendly units and may re-roll failed rally tests in its next Compulsory Movement Phase (unless it is forced to Flee again from another source). In addition, it is then also free to move during the remaining moves part of the Movement phase. The unit is also free to shoot as normal (but always counts as having moved). Note that if the flee move of the Fast Cavalry does not take them beyond the charge reach of their enemies, the unit suffers casualties as normal.
Fire on the March
Fast Cavalry armed with missile weapons are experts at shooting from horseback and can therefore shoot during a turn in which they marched or reformed (providing their weapon doesn't have the Move or Fire special rule). However, the normal -1 To Hit penalty for moving and shooting still applies.
Characters
A character model that joins a unit of Fast Cavalry gains the Fast Cavalry special rule as long as they stay with the unit. Characters may only join Fast Cavalry with the same Troop Type (explained in the Troop Types chapter) as them.
Armour Saves
Units containing one or more models with an unmodified close combat armour save better than 4+ cannot use the Fast Cavalry special rule.