Military Unit stats questions

Slish wrote: I have been looking over the unit stats, their offensive/defensive values and their costs. My source is this:  http://illyriad.honoredsoft.com/wiki/Military_Chart I came up with 2 main questions: 1.  Why build spearmen? Their only good value is cavalry defense but archer units have good defensive values in all areas, even cavalry def isn't much difference? I noticed that the stats of spearman units in general are very low in stats (I guess because their costs is relatively low). So I wondered.. 2. Some second tier units are less valuable/efficient compared to their costs?  For example, longbowmen (second tier human ranged) do have about same value as archers (first tier human ranged) if you divide it by gold maintenance costs. And if you divide it by their raw construction costs the first-tier unit is even better!?

Keep in mind also that T2 units often provide better stats per unit of production time.  Even with all other things being equal or slightly worse, it can be an important strategic factor.

Olek: the very idea of cavalry is to attack on plains, where flanking is a VERY viable strategy. Also, spear units tend to be unable to find strategic areas(hills) on plains. Sending cavalry charging up a hill to attack a well prepared division of pikemen IS suicide, sending the cavalry to attack suddenly on the flank of the same pikes on plains isn't. Terrain is the defining factor. Also, we have to remember that even when the spearmen are well situated, cavalry simply inflict damage through momentum.

Not a chance, you picture this as if your controlling the Cavalry while the spear units just stand there facing north, never heard of a Circular schiltrons? or a Rectilinear schiltrons, these pikemen where well drilled to manoever on the battlefield, they were all but immune to Cavalry, there is also a great difference between a spear unit and a Pike unit, and momentum will not help trying to charge through 5-6 ranks of layered pike points.

Terrain gives an advantage to a commander who knows how to use it, so it is not the terrain, but the ability of the commander to deploy his forces effectively in various types of terrain. 

 

Olek wrote:   Crossbow armed peasants could kill a knight who had trained all his life, which is why they were outlawed in many nations during the medieval period.