I have just finished the new DLC Steppe Khanate, and I am writing a comparison of arms while the iron is hot. It is pure data analysis and no metaphysics. Let's make some armor first: This game really doesn't sell values, strategy is the key, but the price-performance ratio of different types of troops is very different, and you can easily go to jail if you choose the wrong one in the early and mid-term.
I first pulled a set of basic data (test environment: no technology bonus, barracks of the same level, standard map difficulty):
Hoplite: cost 40 iron + 30 grain, base HP 450, attack power 55, movement speed 1.2 blocks/second, damage reduction by 25% when the skill "Iron Wall" is triggered. According to actual tests, a fully equipped team with heavy steps can withstand three waves of monster vanguard charges without losing the connection, but the damage output is too slow. It takes 8 rounds to kill the ant queen, during which 30% of the blood is lost by AOE. It's suitable for defending cities or as a human shield at stuck intersections. Don't expect it to push down towers.
Archer: The cost is 25 wood + 20 grain, the HP is only 180, the attack power is 70, the range is 3 blocks, and the movement speed is 1.5 blocks/second. Armor-piercing ignores 15% of defense, and is highly effective against lightly armored monsters (such as wolves and bats). One arrow kills a child. But if a cavalryman touches the face, it will evaporate in two seconds. Without front row protection, it is equivalent to death. I have tested the classic combination of archers + shield wall, and the battle loss ratio against a raiding camp is 1:4, which is a good deal.
Cavalry: cost 50 iron + 40 grain + 15 gold, HP 300, attack power 90, movement speed 2.6 blocks/second. The first hit of the "Charge" skill causes an additional 40% damage, a magical skill that harvests remaining blood. Its mobility overwhelms other units, and is suitable for sneaking around to steal catapults or demolishing magic crystal towers. But the cost is really expensive, and if it encounters a spear formation (a new restrained unit in the DLC), the damage will be reduced by 20%, and it will collapse directly if it is counterattacked.
Next, we will focus on the archers in the new DLC, which is also the most controversial unit. The official description is that "cavalry archers have both the long-range capabilities of bows and the maneuverability of cavalry." Many people think they are invincible suture monsters, and they just don't think so. I made detailed data: the cost of the archer is 60 iron + 30 wood + 25 gold, the HP is 250, the attack power is 80, the range is 2.5 blocks, and the movement speed is 2.2 blocks/second. There is no charge skill, but "Wandering Shot" can move and attack simultaneously (reducing attack speed by 20%). Compared with traditional cavalry, cavalry archers lack the burst of charge and cannot fight hard against heavy infantry. Compared with archers, their range is half a square shorter and they cannot penetrate armor. The only bright spot is that kiting lightly armored units (such as wolves) will cause no harm, but when encountering monster spear throwers (long-range piercing damage), they will be counter-kiteed and lose 10% of their blood.
The data is calculated: with the same resources, the total output expectation of two teams of cavalry (a total consumption of 120 iron, 60 wood and 50 gold) is about 2800 points (taking into account the survival time), while the total output expectation of two teams of cavalry + one team of archers (consuming close to the same) is about 3700 points. The overall income of cavalry archers only begins to equalize after the "All People Are Soldiers" technology takes effect in the mid-to-late period - because this technology reduces the occupation of cavalry archers buildings by half, allowing more barracks to be built. So if you don't click on this technology within 10 turns, it's a waste of money to force the Archers in the early stage.
Let's talk about the “all the people are soldiers” mechanism: every time the lord upgrades to a level, he can recruit an additional group of militia (the value is cut in half but free). Coupled with the "horseshoe" talent of the Steppe Khanate (cavalry movement speed +15%), the actual mobility of the cavalry will change from 2.2 to 2.53, barely catching up with the speed of the patrol. But these are late-stage styles, suitable for harassing the Liver Emperor. Mengxin recommends that you stick to the two lines of basic troops.
To sum up, I would like to give three conclusions to the Zero Krypton Party who are downloading:
1. The main force in the early stage: a 1:1 mix of archers + heavy infantry, capable of carrying and fighting. Don't touch the cavalry. If you don't have enough gold mines, your technology will be stuck.
2. Reinforcement in the mid-term: There is no need to rush to build the DLC horse archers. Wait until "All the People Are Soldiers" reaches the second level, otherwise it will be just a show.
3. Later final round: four teams of horse archers + two groups of spearmen + one group of cannons. Before the monster comes, use the horse archers to circle the back and lock the catapult. Use the spearmen to stab the front twice and it will break. In the actual test, I won 15 consecutive games. If I lose, I will be killed.
Finally, to be honest, there is no absolute strongest unit in this game, only the stupidest placement. For example, if an archer is placed one square on the city wall, he will be smashed by the troll, and if he is placed one square behind the city wall, he will be killed for nothing. After talking, I went to catch up on my sleep😴