I was recently looking for information to suggest new units for the main civilizations. One of them was the Guliai Gorov for Rus’.
Translated as “Mobile city,” the Gulyay/Guliai Gorov was a wooden platform used as a mantlet for Russian ranged troops. The difference with the normal mantlet was that this one had wheels, was mass-produced (cheap), and was easy to transport. They make those to fight aggainst tartar and mongol hordes in open spaces, making a complex motile pallisade that can stop cavalry charges and protect streltsy from cavalry archers.
Considering the historical backgroind, I would suggest the units like this:
Gulay Gorov Unlocked by “High Armory”
Siege weapon, increase in +0/3 the armor of nearby ranged units, also stop cavalry charges.
HP: 200, 99% ranged resistence. Cost: 100w 1p
Spear wall.- stop cavalry charges
Light Barrier - receives 50% more melee damage.
Background:
The Russian Alternative to Pike and Shot Warfare: Guliai-Gorod (“Wandering Town”)
Gulyai-gorod: tanks of the Middle Ages
Curiosity: They make the units design from the Beta
In the Promotional Rus page, there are glimpses of Guliai Gorov units, maybe from the Beta. So they have the models of the units. Maybe the designed them, but discarted because though Rus has enough unique units (3), and they were deployed very late (1540) to include in the campaign.
Now that there are civs with 8 unique units (Mali), 11 (Knight Templars) or even 14 (Japan), we can consider give more unique units to certain civs.
Rus just now only have 3, so they have space for me… and more now that they left the S tier list, and are just A civ tier (Vortix and Beasty tier list).
Yes, I agree…although according to the wiki, Rus’ has 5 unique units (Streltsy, Horse Archer, Warrior Monk, Militia, and Lodya ships), so I don’t know, maybe in a future patch they’ll focus on adding more unique units to European civilizations until they reach 6: English, French (both with 4 units each), Rus’, and the HRE obviously (which only has 3 units)…then the rest of the civilizations are fine as they are (since they have between 6 and 12 units)…
Honestly, I never thought a unit like that could be implemented in Age of Empires IV; I always thought it would be difficult for them to realistically recreate such a high level of accuracy.
But I support it!
It would definitely be fun to use.
I know, but it’s a terrible representation. The technology DOES NOT do what it’s supposed to represent, and it should already be clear why.
It would be like a technology called “Royal French Musketeer” improving the attack of “Archers” by +2.
That’s why I’m requesting that Gulyay Gorov to be a actual Unique Unit.
I don’t think so.
Have you ever used battering rams as infantry shields? It doesn’t work.
I once had the idea to do it, and it backfired spectacularly. There are many reasons:
Why Rams can´t be Mantlets:
Resource waste. Battering rams cost “quite a bit” (200 w), they are slow (0.75 t/s), they are produced very slowly (70 s), and their only function is to destroy buildings. If you use them as cannon fodder, you’ll lose more than you gain. Moreover, if you lose all your battering rams, you won’t be able to besiege the enemy, which is supposedly the reason you originally built them.
“Click and Garrison.” You shouldn´t manouver battering rams near infantry in a open battle beetween armies, since one wrong click and all your infantry will garrison inside the ram instead of attacking the enemy. And the time you lose to ungarrison could be lethal.
“Beach-head" (Golden Horde):” Your idea in the game (rams to protect ranged units), but nobody uses it. There are several reasons for this: it’s an expensive technology (stone cost), it’s more useful for ranged units to stay outside the battering ram and shot than inside, specially Crossbowmans and Handcanonners. Also, melee infantry work is “dont let” enemy trops to chase your archers, or using torch to destroy building, not garrisoning in rams. Finally, all the other reasons in this list, including the next:
"“Historically and Physically, it’s incorrect.” Battering rams, their design and shape, are ideal for destroying gates and light walls, and protecting the people inside, not for launching arrows from the ram itself or from behind it. If there are people inside to move the ram, the cant shot from there.
This is explained very well in this video: minute 23:30
I want to emphasize again, it would be incredible if the Gulyay Gorov were a new unique unit for Rus.
