The Steppe Lancer is almost a dead unit without any use or any reason make the player making it, literally nothing, they are not better than knights, and they are not better than the light cav. To make this unit more viable, I have here some suggestions to buff them:
Note: We shouldn’t give all these suggestions to this unit, it is like a list, so pick what you think it will be enough and good for the unit.
Steppe lancer gold cost reduced from 40 to 35, food cost reduced from 70 to 60.
Reducing the elite upgrade cost is must to start with, as well decreased ROF for elite, extra resistance vs monks is bad and bad overlap with Hussars, yes the gold cost need redcution.
i actualy like resistance to monks. it is a very unexplored stats buff. curently scouts have a level 8 convertion resistance. faith givs +3 and teutons give +2. all other units have 0. i think stepp lancers could have a level 3 convertion resitence or something less then scouts
The main problem with 1 range units its the fact that they should start attacking on range 0 not range 1. Only if range 0 isn’t available they should check for range 1.
Steppe lancers have a range 1. Which means they can start attacking 1 square away from the units. Which is great. The problem is that when they are all stacked up it gets messy because the units in front attacks from range 1 and units in the line behind cant attack as well because its out of range.
What I’m saying is that the AI should priotize attacking on range 0 and then go for range 1 if range 0 isn’t available. Like that you would have two rows of units attacking instead of only one.
Open the scenario editor and put a army of steppe lancers to charge on a flock of archers and you will understand what I’m saying.
But by your suggestion then they will take damage from melee units at first hit since they will start with 0 range. I don’t know it feels not that good. You can manage the units by the formation box to get better results.
Look how they behave especially with ranged units. Its not effective use of their bonus.
its a trade off of course on the first impact but their dps damage output would greatly improve after the second hit and on. Especially against ranged units which they perform really bad because of range 1 thing.
The problem is not with the range. In general with your mobility you should try to flank the enemy and surround it, I think cost reduction and more hp and +1Pa will be more than enough to make the unit more viable, cost reduction will not be enough imo. The ROF too need a reduction, 2.3 ROF is so high, 2.0 or 2.1 will be better.
Just give them a role. Nothing big, something small is enough.
Popular bonuses from previous threads:
+2 or so against infantry (or just spearmen). Lancers were anti-infantry in history anyway.
+2 or so against buildings. This would represent their raiding role.
+2 or so against villagers. Again, to represent raiding.
Btw vill armor doesn’t exist. Villagers don’t have armor type, they take neutral damage. So maybe devs could give them a new neutral armor, and give steppe lancers a bonus attack.
Steppe lancers are jsut with the wrong civs.
Why making steppe lancers if you have insane (UU) cav archers? Unless steppe lancers are completely broken OP there is no reason to make them over the cav archer options.
Or steppe lancers must get a very distinct role in the army comp of these civs.
Agree and I understand your point, sure the units in the second line won’t be able to get the advantage of the +1 range, since they can’t attack, but this is just how they are, just try to use the formation box to flank the enemy and surround it.
It won’t solve the problem, no reason will force you to make them over the knight line or the scout line. Yeah agree that giving them bonus vs buildings and infantry will make them better, with some of cost reduction and ROF reduction and more hp will be good.
If SL can deal +2 against infantry, I can mitigate spearman threats during raids and keep knight momentum in the castle age if I could micro effectively.
If SL can deal +2 against a house or a palisade section, then I’d train 2 of them instead of 1 knight in the castle age. With good micro I could even deny quick walling.
If SL can deal +2 against villagers, raiding would be generally smoother. With good micro, sniping vills could be possible too.
