This unit is too efficient and has no COST EFFECTIVE counter in mass.
I like the cheap swarm like concept, but something needs to be done to EITHER:
reduce how quickly they can be trained
Or
Reduce their overall power.
This unit can beat any light armored unit 1v1 while being as cheap as a spear?? Early gold gathers more efficiently than wood give walking distances from resource to depot and what-not so by definition the Onna-Bugeisha is CHEAPER than a spear.
You can’t kite vs these units because how fast they are, at least you’re not as effective at kiting them. Plus in mass Melee -A move units are favored vs micro range units in an open combat space.
We already experienced this Onna-Bugeisha issue with an early rendition of the Musofadi Warriors. I hope we can bring the Onna-Bugeisha back in line with a balanced concept without it suffering the relegations the now niche Musofadi Warriors face.
Oh one more idea. Make them die to 6 archer shots instead of 9. This way in small numbers they get obliterated but in mass they continue to benefit from overkilling and A move vs range micro… the problem is how do you JUST make them die faster to Range only??? EZ give them the infamous Janissary range debuff. We alreasy have th code in game. Make Onna-Bugeisha take 50% more damage from range attacks. That will reduce defenses from range only. 9 archer attacks will now be reduced to 6.