Simple Question here, I would like to know why the Indians have not been given a melee elephant unit despite historical records showing the Indians having used the most Elephants(with Mahouts) out of any civilizations for combat. Let’s be honest here, the Indians are one of the most poorly designed civs in the game (like the portugese).
I understand that Historical Accuracy is not the only priority in Civ design, but unlike Chinese Gunpowder which was not commonly used as the Hand Cannon there (and the Chinese get Rocketry representing that anyway), Mahout Elephants were a Major theme in every Indian army right from antiquity for centuries.
Hence denying basic access to Elephants(Specifically melee ones) to any peoples from the Subcontinent is quite a big and avoidable Innacuracy in their representation.
Everytime the game gives up History, something within it dies.
The Mongols(a similarly strong civ) have now been retroactively given Steppe Lancers in a similar fashion, with 30% extra HP bonus, but not even regular BE on Indians.
Do enlighten us if you think the Indians become overpowered of given access to generic Battle Elephants(with no special bonuses). In that case, we can balance things accordingly of course. Also, the shorefish nerf is on the way(leaked update), but nothing about Indian (melee) elephants.
I know people will say Ele archers more than enough to portray Elephant use in India, but that may be incorrect, as Indians have always used MELEE elephants with Mahouts not just Archers atop them.
So the position of Indians is similar to Khmer, who get Battle elephants(with bonus) as well as Ballista Elephants(with double bow) to portray their use of Elephants(which was actually much fewer than Indian Elephant use)
Also, one can complain that the Battle eles are wearing SE Asian hats hence Indians cant get them, but even that does not hold as India has always had people wearing straw hats in eastern India.
Indians not using Mahout Elephants is simply not a correct depiction. Most should not mind if some bonuses now are weakened for them rightfully getting BA, EBA
P.S.
NOTE : This is not just any civilization. You cannot risk portraying the most major civilization(in GDP 30%+ and population terms 25%+ of the medieval world > Chinese) incorrectly especially just because ‘itll be excess unnecessary work’ or 'it was meant to be only a Camel Civ in The Meta’
The Civ was made up in the Forgotten mod, and let’s face it, has a bad civ design that needs updating.