This thread is entirely dedicated to discussing about cavalry archers in AoFE.
I'd say, overall, there were two line of units that were boosted the most in AoFE: the cavalry archer line, and the fire ship line.
In the past, cavalry archers have always had a long history of atrociousness. In AoE2, they costed was more than X-bows, but were overall worse than X-bows. Too weak, too easy to counter, and hit & run back in the days was a no-no because the farm queue wasn't there. In AoC, they were boosted significantly, but unless you're the Huns, X-bows are still the main choice. In fact, in AoC the only cavalry archers that are being used are the Hunnic cavalry archer, the Elite Mangudai, the Elite War Wagon, and the conquistador in castle age. If you're using any other cavalry archer then you're probably a noob.
In AoFE the price reduction is probably one of the most important changes that they got. The problem wasn't that CA's were too weak - they actually kill X-bows 1 vs 1. The problem was that for such a mediocre unit, they costed roughly as much as knights. Now what do you think - would we see more cavalry archers being used in castle age in AoFE? I can definitely see Mongols and Turks using cavalry archers more commonly in castle age (the latter receiving a new UT) and maybe the Saracens too.
But what about imperial? Elite Mangudai and Hunnic HCA's are no longer the kings anymore - now we have 8-range Magyar HCA's, Turk's 100 HP HCA's, and Saracen's HCA's that raze buildings very fast, all of which now cost 5 less gold, as well as UU's like Elephant Archers and boosted War Wagons.
How do you think cavalry archers will fare overall in AoFE?
I'd say, overall, there were two line of units that were boosted the most in AoFE: the cavalry archer line, and the fire ship line.
In the past, cavalry archers have always had a long history of atrociousness. In AoE2, they costed was more than X-bows, but were overall worse than X-bows. Too weak, too easy to counter, and hit & run back in the days was a no-no because the farm queue wasn't there. In AoC, they were boosted significantly, but unless you're the Huns, X-bows are still the main choice. In fact, in AoC the only cavalry archers that are being used are the Hunnic cavalry archer, the Elite Mangudai, the Elite War Wagon, and the conquistador in castle age. If you're using any other cavalry archer then you're probably a noob.
In AoFE the price reduction is probably one of the most important changes that they got. The problem wasn't that CA's were too weak - they actually kill X-bows 1 vs 1. The problem was that for such a mediocre unit, they costed roughly as much as knights. Now what do you think - would we see more cavalry archers being used in castle age in AoFE? I can definitely see Mongols and Turks using cavalry archers more commonly in castle age (the latter receiving a new UT) and maybe the Saracens too.
But what about imperial? Elite Mangudai and Hunnic HCA's are no longer the kings anymore - now we have 8-range Magyar HCA's, Turk's 100 HP HCA's, and Saracen's HCA's that raze buildings very fast, all of which now cost 5 less gold, as well as UU's like Elephant Archers and boosted War Wagons.
How do you think cavalry archers will fare overall in AoFE?