[Humakty]

One thing appears ater this discussion :
Never as a weapon been supreme, there have always been efficient maneuvers to counter each tactic.
True military efficacity relies on how you employ what you've got, at a precise momentum... Sun Tzu as explained it all far better than I could do.
What gives a unit its 'elite' status relies maybe more in the way you use it, than on it's intrisic qualities.
ie: an average cavalry force, charging at the right time can turn the odds in the favor of their army, even if they cannot win the battle alone.