Horse Archer Rush

[Dewii]

I have never been able to work out how to use horse archers in other than a support role for siege and foot (or siege and elephants).

Either I beeline Horseback Riding, and then my economy crashes, or I go for Pottery and/ or Writing first, and then it is no longer a rush.

What is a typical research path for a horse archer rush? What do you build while you're waiting for Horseback Riding? Am I right that stables and even gers are not worth the time?
(All recommendations subject to the map.)

 

[shakabrade]

Well, you really need to commit to the HA rush and time it as quickly as possible (that is your research path). You'd need,
I'd say 10HAs by T80 to avoid massive metal unit resistance while getting that by T70 (need strong commerce tiles) will give you cities with very few losses. Also, if you can choose, attack weaker AI (usually better but I have played exactly the opposite at some times to avoid runaway AI).

To avoid tanking your economy, you need some strong commerce tiles or cottages at the capital or second city. Avoid whipping them away. Other cities should be whipped to ground and trees chopped. After HA, research Alphabet and then Currency (then your economy will always be able to recover). You can trade HBR to get there ASAP.

When in war, try saving promotions and don't heal too much. The larger the initial strike force, the less time you'll lose healing and waiting for reinforcements. When you wait for some HAs in peace, AI builds infra and workers/settlers, when you wait for reinforcements during war, AI whips defenders.

What do you build while you're waiting for Horseback Riding? Am I right that stables and even gers are not worth the time?

I am building barracks and prior to that settlers, workers, granaries. Maybe a library in some games (but only in one or two cities, usually to get GScientist and bulb Maths for better chops).
Stables only if city can really afford it (huge production and a chop, or lot of food and happy) in those turn or two before Archery.

 

[diegobueno]

try hannibal is perfect, he is charismatic and financial, so you can recover faster from war + and his numidian chav is good if you enter enemy territory and he already has metal (+50% damage vs melee) or if you dont bother play mongolia, the mongols have the ger+barracks and his keshicks start at +7exp plus [movility], gengis is imperialistic that means easy generals early and kublai has creative which means easy libraries.
i dont know what dificulty you play but i recco, going for code of laws when you finish HR because you can rush merchants at caste system
the advantage of the HR, immune to first strikes, 6 base damage imo, try a egyptian War Charriot rush
they are cheaper and immune to 1st strikes

 

[Macksideshow]

When I do War Chariot wars, which have a similar economy crashing issue, I initially target cities with high commerce specials then resort to pillaging to get me to Alpha/Currency if city capture gold isn't enough.

 

[NineOneSix]

I just finished a highly successful Numidian rush with Hannibal on immortal. Spammed three cities on river including acces to horse in city 2, beelining HBR and worker techs with the help of a riverside gold. Washington did not research bronze working so got his three cities using two chariots and 6 numidians. Close neighbour Genghis had copper in his capital so almost all his units were axe/spear, he invaded with a small stack just after the Washington war. Smashed it with Numidians alone and took four more cities by 500BC. Karakorum was defended by 2 axes only. The survival rate was quite good between the +50% vs melee and free flanking 1.

Key factors were a good early commerce tile, the ability to recover the economy using financial riverside, getting writing and alpha by trading HBR and self teching currency off conquest gold. Charismatic gave an extra happy to allow more whipping and monuments give +1 as well. Numidians can hurt spearmen.