Hence the I don’t know.
“People are really good at detecting when something is wrong. People are really bad at determining what is right.” -Mark Rosewater on general game design and user feedback.
I think we can all tell that the unit doesn’t really fit.
But that’s how it goes when they introduce a pseudo “base” unit into a game when it didn’t really need it. It’s probably more correct to just cut the unit entirely, but I doubt that will happen. And it’d make me sad. I think the unit looks really cool.
The extreme states would work, but are also inelegant. Like removing Knight line from civs that get it, and buffing Steppes to be their Knights. But I don’t think anyone actually wants that.
Edit:
My original thoughts on the subject from a year ago. Nothing’s really changed. They don’t fit.