Note: This proposal doesn’t remove any existing playstyle. It simply lets Bloodlines support Heavy Cavalry Archers while Ordo Cavalry (Ordo) continues to define the melee cavalry path. It’s just one possible way to improve the interaction between Ordo and Bloodlines. The goal isn’t simply to make Heavy Cavalry Archers stronger, but to let the Khitans regain a mounted archer identity that matches their historical image, since for a civilization famous for mounted archery, Early Heavy Cavalry Archers alone aren’t enough.
Summary
The whole idea can be summed up in one sentence:
Keep Bloodlines, but let Ordo override its effect only for Ordo Cavalry.
Instead of completely removing Bloodlines from Khitans, Ordo could have a more targeted interaction with Bloodlines:
- Bloodlines remains available.
- Cavalry units not affected by Ordo Cavalry, including Cavalry Archers, can still benefit from Bloodlines.
- Ordo Cavalry don’t receive the Bloodlines bonus, because it represents a different cavalry doctrine.
The idea is to change the concept from:
“Khitans don’t have Bloodlines.”
to:
“Khitans can choose between traditional cavalry and the Ordo system.”
Currently, Khitans lose Bloodlines because of balance concerns. This is understandable, since their other civilization bonuses are already strong.
However, removing an entire technology may create unnecessary restrictions. Bloodlines is not only a cavalry technology for one specific unit line; it also affects other possible strategies, such as Cavalry Archer compositions.
A possible alternative is to let Ordo replace the traditional cavalry endurance provided by Bloodlines only for the units affected by Ordo Cavalry.
In this design:
- Traditional cavalry can still follow the Bloodlines path.
- Ordo Cavalry follows its own specialized system.
- Cavalry Archer compositions remain possible with Bloodlines.
This isn’t a suggestion to simply buff Khitans. Their other bonuses may still require balance adjustments.
The main idea is to replace a global technology removal with a more targeted interaction, allowing more strategic choices while preserving civilization identity.
This is only one possible design direction. The exact numbers and balance would still require testing and iteration.