MP Some easy Captains mode fixes to make Javalin + Cav units useful

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TL;DR at bottom

Currently as it stands, captains mode is unbalanced and normally devolves into a infantry blob meta, whilst the outcome generally seems to be random.

I think the main cause to this is the lack of certain unit types playing a role in order to counter another. For example cavalry and skirmishers seem to be underused for several reasons. Also due to the fact that each player only controls a small portion of troops, thus severely limiting their potential to affect the match.

Firstly I suggest doubling the amount of troops a player controls, whilst reducing the players to 5v5 to compensate. This would help with reducing the game mode feeling like you have no control over the outcome unless all of your teammates work together more than the other.

Individual players will feel like they have more agency over the battle, whilst still requiring teamwork and tactics to win. It'd also reduce players using single units such as cav to "snipe" your units.

Now for unit balance/roles:

Cavalry-
In their current form, due to low numbers and terrible AI they feel like wet noodles most of the time. They struggle to even kill lone archers due to the fact the direct counter to them is simply to hold fire and "blob" the cavalry. This is even worse with infantry, where cavalry get "stuck" inside units and each other during a charge.

To fix this I suggest that cavalry knockdown troops during a charge. This would give space to retreat or charge though. Other games like total war and blood of steel do this well. This would also encourage the use of spears/pikes, as currently u can just f1 f3 and all the charging cav will get stuck and die, even against spread out archers and peasants.

Another idea is to increase the unit count to match infantry units when using melee perks, eg light cav have same unit count as light infantry and heavy same as heavy. Then when the melee perk such as axes are selected, change the AI so that they act more like infantry in melee and fight it out in formation.

Skirmishers-
These guys are in a terrible state, they are currently like having archers with only 5 arrows each. Their javelins are useless against anything with a shield and in melee they lose to most units, even when outnumbering.

My suggestion is, as they historically were used is to give them all a bonus to shield damage. If their javelins could break shields to open up enemy infantry to ranged units they'd actually have a use. In exchange they should be weak against cavalry charges and other heavy infantry, just like archers are when in loose formation.
This would also give reason for people to actually use the stronger shield perk.

Ultimately it'd be nice to see an AI improvement to the level of the realistic battle mod, so that troops fight in formations and less like killer robots but the above fixes would be a much faster "fix" to improve the enjoyment of Captains Mode.

TL;DR - Make cavalry charges knockdown troops during charges to reduce cavalry getting stuck + make melee perk cavalry fight like infantry on horses in formation instead of moving around individually to get stuck.

With Javs make them break shields to counter the infantry blob meta.
 
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