We are looking at this guy today:
→ Should be better
Background
Summary
Thought I’d see the opinions on this 1 type of unit which is heavily underused in age 2, for good reasons.
I wrote this in a reply a while ago:
Briefly, concluded that using the right cards, they can become a powerful unit in the later ages that can even solo combat like the other units fairly well enough… But not in age 2, in that age, they are a deficit to your economy and logistics, making chads like @AssertiveWall20 lose to noobs like me.
But with that comes the question, why doesn’t that happen with Humbaracis or fire throwers???
NEVER had issues with those 2 in age 2.
Disclaimer?
Summary
I won’t be including other grenade trooper types since they are more special, as in different, and more restricted than these 3 (And to focus on 1 subject per thread).
Side note, I searched all other grenade trooper types, are these all of them?
- Filibuster (Revolution)
- Soldado (Mexico)
- Chakram thrower (Native)
- Arsonist (Merc)
- Mounted granadero (Revolution)
- Giant grenadier (Merc)
The numbers
Summary
In age 2, here are the 3 grenadier’s raw stats.
I passed that info into excel for easier comparison, added the musketeer for reference (And the veteran mantlet for laughs).
I just found out the mantlet takes longer to start the siege attack animation… whooofff…
The study
Summary
From the looks of it, the default grenadier has similar “return of investment” in some stats, but hardly excels in anything.
While the Fire T. is meant as a siege skirmisher, and the humbaraci as a slower oprichnick, the grenadier lacks a proper spot in the roster, since it doesn’t have the focus on anything other than siege whithout outclassing other units at it (Musks follow closely behind and pikemen are best).
It’s pretty much the same issue as with the mantlet… made a post of that too 
Mantlets suck (That's it, that's the title)
Using the musketeer as a reference, since stats like the speed and range are so similar, they end as “a musketeer with negative multipliers, unable to train at barracks, and with almost half to a third of the potential damage”.
The only thing they outclass musks at is tanking ranged damage and trading better with skirms in melee (Melee aoe).
AGAIN, all of this in age 2, with the grenade launcher card the grenadier can improve micro and add kiting (The range and animation attack upgrades are what gets them on par with everyone else).
The experiments
Summary
Numbers can be misleading, so to make up my mind, I tested it with the most similar unit, the humbaraci.
On equal resources (18h vs 19g), in age 2, with no upgrades, the grenadiers lost, badly.
I used no stagger mode on either group to show that the higher area of effect is not enough to justify the low low low attack of the default grenadier, which is why the humbaraci won so easily, as they have lower aoe but much higher attack (and range, but I didn’t factor that in).
Something bugged me though, the humbaracis did have siege armor, a bit unfair, so I did 1 last test in melee, AND GRENS WON!
I used only minimal micro to engage in melee.
So it’s cool to see that the melee attack is as good as it is now.
The end
Summary
From all of this mess, the default grenadier has the same properties as a “mobile falconet with a melee attack”, since:
- It has unit siege damage.
- High(ish) building siege damage.
- Area of effect damage.
- Is vulnerable to both cavalry.
- Vulnerable to other artillery
That’s what it says in the description too, but it needs to be better for age 2 justification.
If I had the authority to balance them, I’d try:
- Attack and siege attack range both increased from 12 to 14 (matching with humbaracis)
- Ranged unit siege damage increased from 16 to 17, area of effect reduced from 3 to 2,5 (Favor base damage over aoe).
- Multiplier against infantry increased from 1 to 1,5, and from 1 to 3 against ships (Improving the intended falconet role).
- Building siege attack increased from 41 to 45 (Justifying their purchase for “advanced siege purposes”).
- Ranged multiplier against cavalry changed from 0,4 to 0,3 (To make the counter more obvious).
And that’s the post, as always, I’d like to hear your thoughts on balancing.
