The Problem with Shock Infantry Armor Class

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

I can understand why Eagles and Fire Lancers have this armor class for balance reasons. Because the first one doesn’t share typical cavalry weaknesses to Monks, Pikes, and Camels, and the latter isn’t as weak to arrows as pikes are. So, they have different counters instead.

However, the issue is that these two units are nothing alike. It’s counterintuitive to give these two very different units the same exclusive armor class. Whereas Huskarls and Ghulams are much more similar to Eagles than Fire Lancers are. And unlike Eagles, they don’t take bonus damage from the militia line, and they deal bonus damage to Eagles.

I don’t currently have any proposal, but Eagles and Fire Lancers sharing the same armor feels as awkward as if camels and ships had the same armor class.

2

They both carry a shorter spear and produced from barracks that get countered by swordsman.

3

They are supposed to be very offensive infantry, charging instead of holding the line (like pikes and halbs are supposed to do)

4

Boars and Siege as well as Camels and Ships used to share an armor class.

There are also two types of building armor.

So it’s by far not the weirdest case where two units share an armor class who have little overlap.

5

Its just a game mechanic, dont think too hard about it

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