I know it’s a meme but Dravidians lack of stable options is a very big glaring weakness to siege(among other mobility related weaknesses). It isn’t helped by the fact that the opponent almost always out ranges you in siege on siege battles.
I know Dravidians were designed to be slow and methodical by the devs. So if bloodlines and husbandry and armor upgrades are out of the question then maybe allow for Hussar and/or Elite Battle Elephant upgrades to be able to be researched by the Dravidians so they are at least a little bit more tanky and can play at least some of their role as cavalry more competently.
To be clear I am not asking for some drastic redesign here. Just anything which makes the stable units a bit more viable late game(because exploiting Dravidian weaknesses shouldn’t be this easy). If not the above suggestions maybe another unique tech in Imperial which improves the stable units in some way.
Take away their stable and give them Eagles. With no redemption, there is no need to design a Yotol warrior or equivalent.
For a prctical solution, I would extend their 25% faster firing skirms and elephant archers to TCs too.
Skirms, Elephant archers and TCs fire 25% faster
or
I would replace it with 50% cheaper Blacksmith and University upgrades for TC fire. It means flaching, bodkin arrow, Bracer, Ballistics and Chemisty are 50% cheaper. This civ bonus can improve Galley line, Skirms, Archers as well as defensive buildings. Dravidians need civ bonus like this to make up for their lack of economy bonuses on land.
You’re right about Bloodlines, Husbandry and last armor. They should get EBE but I think devs are restricting elite upgrades for regional units nowadays. Cumans don’t have Heavy Camel as there are too many civs with Camel. Now same with BE. If DOI was introduced before ROTR, it would Malay that wouldn’t get EBE.
I’ll focus on their infantry instead. Since they don’t have Eagle, I believe they deserve to have the best infantry in the game to compensate such terrible stable.
The real reason is that +15% movement speed Heavy Camel can force engage CA and cav which are too OP.
Another example is that Castle Age CA with chemistry upgrade is too OP so Bohemians don’t access to CA.
However I don’t think EBE with Medical Corps and Wootz Steel would be too OP, although personal I think Dravidian should have better Barracks unit instead of stable unit
There is another way. We will scrap useless Medical Corps UT and replace it with an UT that gives infantry ot at least militia line extra speed so that they EW speed and maybe even 1 extra PA as well.
Extra PA is probably OP with wootz steel. So extra speed it is.
No I don’t think that would work. AOE has always been designed around the rock paper scissors trope. If you give Dravidian infantry mobility also they can then counter almost everything in the game on their own. That would not be good either.
Giving cavalry something more so they can at least somewhat fill their role sounds like a superior option to me.
