Kettle Black said:
Of course the Rhodok infantry line can be useful, you just haven't figured out how yet.
Don't be so mysterious, tell us, how are they useful
And the main reason Rhodoks sucked prior to the latest the patch was that The Creators had forgotten to give the returning Vet Spearmen proper armor
No, the main reason was that they do zero damage because AI can't use spears properly.
and forget about thinking 1:1 odds is good, they're not
Teeheehee
The Rhodok spearmen has one purpose - to keep the enemy from their crossbowmen.
Using more crossbowmen to keep enemy from other crossbowmen is better than using spearmen.
Ok, say, cavalry is charging. They are about to hit your ranks. Almost there. Your spearmen line prepares to thrust their pikes and ... here they go.. thrusting... no hold on! They are not thrusting anything. Cavalry clashes into your spearmen and now battle begins. Mamluke horse armor of 100 vs spearmen point blank spear damage of zero. A tough battle rages on, spearmen are getting slaughtered while few Mamlukes die of boredom and old age.
Meanwhile, if you have a lot of spearmen compared to crossbowmen, you're overall less effective, and if you have few spearmen compared to xbowmen you can't make a thick wall so Mamlukes penetrate further and xbowmen have to switch to melee weapons. You're about to be annihilated but lo and behold! Crossbowmen take out military hammers and kill the cavalry.
Unfortunately by that time enemy infantry and ranged units have already arrived and slash poor xbowmen who now have -10 body armor in newest patch.
Meanwhile, ingenious general Yoshi leads his all-sharpshooter army to Sarranid desert to fight the most challenging enemy - Mamlukes. To win without a fight is best, recalls he the wise worlds of his Asian fellow. When enemy lord scouts him, this tactical master, this Yoshi, feints retreat and heads for that mountain on the border of a desert, with enemy lord following him. Reaching the highest peak he turns around and attacks the infidels. The battle starts. Hill is his castle, steep cliff his cannon fodder. Sharpshooters rain bolts on Mamlukes and decimate the enemy without a single wounded or killed man.
waggywags said:
Or you can always get the spearmen to charge
Exactly, you can always keep daydreaming about charging spearmen teehee and how spearmen are good against cavalry teehee. I mean, why let harsh reality stop you?
Onward my mental spearmen!