Armored Cavalry - the point?

[MagisterCultuum]

One wonders whether you would even want to have a seperate mounted line if you have mount promotions. Xienwolf said it would be possible for promotions (like mounts) to change a unit's unitcombat, so regular disciple/melee/archer/recon units could become mounted units (gaining movement at the cost of loose their terrain defenses) by selecting a mount. I guess Chariots would probably always have to be mounted units (the cart isn't very useful on its own), but Knight could become powerful Melee units who could become more powerful and mobile attackers by taking their mounts or dismount to defend better and horse archers would just be archers/longbowmen/crossbowmen who have taken mounts.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

awesome ideas. a wide variety of animal mounts each providing different bonuses? I like that.

 

[MrSpadge]

That would be a drastic change to gameplay, but it's a really interesting suggestion!

You should only be able to mount your units in cities with stables. Doing so could/should cost your units turn, because it takes some time to arrange everything. "Emergency unmounting" should be instantaneous (to be able to get that defensive bonus in time, when your unit is in danger of being killed) and not reversible. To mount again you have to make it back to your city.
I'd think mounting your troops should cost some gold to reflect the fact that you need many horses for an army.. something not too bad, but if you constatly mount/unmount your entire army it should hurt. Maybe 20 - 50 gold, depending on the quality of the mount (if there are going to be different ones).

MrS

 

[Keeper_GFA]

It would also allow you to get promotions normally unavailable to some units. Disciples & Melee units, for example, could mount and then use XP to get Mobility 2 which is not available to them unmounted.
It's an interesting idea though, and I think that a small gold cost to mount would appropriate. It would be neat to have some units on or off horseback (Paladins or Knights) depending upon your needs, and just plain useful for transportation (Adepts and Priests).

 

[MrSpadge]

One could really go crazy with this concept.

- if you unmount in one of your cities you get the money back (your horses don't run away or get eaten by monsters)
- you could have horse classes like "old nag" for 10 gold, +1 movement, "something fancy" +2, 20 gold, "war / armored horses", +1 move, +1 attack, some premium horses, maybe require a wonder
- +2 movement, + flanking
- magic mounts, giving magic resistence or whatever
- flying mounts.. griffons, dragons

Lot's of possibilities and I can't see this implemented anytime soon, it's just to drastic. But maybe we could pick this idea up for a race which needs some buff to make it more special? Maybe allow some of their regular foot troops to mount, after researching a special tech + building in city? The Archmage may also like to be able to summon some.. unicorn? And Paladin / Knight are still the prime candidates for this.

MrS