I love Aoe4 but sometime i think age1 to 2 is a bit poor so i created back from aoe2 the “Skirmisher”
i definitly find lancer designed as the weakest unit too much, and going age2 is often making archer, archer, archer/ cav cav…
i would like lancer become more usefull without change anything and or “counter comp” less totally paper/cissor so i would add this back the skirmisher.
Skirmisher is build in barracks as a low ranged unit allowable age 1
Skirmisher : food cost 55 / wood 30
" : symbole " = same no change
----------HP----dmg----dmg bonus armor ranged-armor Range att speed -movespeed
Age I : —65—3-------- +1 on light —1------ 2---------------3 tiles ----1.70 – like maa
Age II: —80—4--------------"------------"-------"------------------"----------"----- slower than
---- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------lancer n archer
Age IV —110—6------------"---------- “-------”------------------"----------" -----
Skirmisher is a bit wood costy so it’s never better than a specialist units like lancer / archer /cav
- cav against skirmish : will loose cuz lack of mobility but costly to cav to fight loose hp against them too much
- archer against skirmish : will loose cuz range/dmg/faster diff but can’t kill them fast at all in number
- lancer against skirmish : will loose lancer double dmg and faster but not enought fast to chase them efficiently
Skirmish is usefull to compensate any counter play without being the direct solution. He’s low dmg and low hp make him a pure support unit. Get Skirmisher is a good way to increase significally others units survavibility by tanking better.
It help to get more time to switch or prevent better a ennemy comp switch without save you from it
Skirmish is izi to get quick (18 sec to build) to help against siege. (ram rush) to get extra help
-specific rule, scout dmg bonus on scoot apply to Skirmish too (it’s mean scoot makes +10 dmg to Skirmish)
Now ofc some civ have passiv additionnals :
- english turret att speed buff : usefull more on english. Skirmish attack speed is slow so the bonus is stronger on them
- mongols mobity unlock them to be as fast as others so makes them full situationnal n survivable
- delhi wall + stone wall + run skill etc victory tower usable the wood cost popcap is still a prob for delhi
- abbaside (rang bonus on spearmen works apply to skirmisher too) and camels make them becoming really stronger due to armor bonus
- china (dynastie bonus, speed or hp bonus)
- rus nothing (wood cost impact less rus on Skirmish usage)
- french nothing (the adaptativ eco of french and skirmish usage make it good optionnal help
but the popcap makes french largely prefer to focus on knights popcap / quality anyways, good help against siege.