Khergit Horse Archers are troops of the Khergit Khanate. They are between Khergit Horsemen and Khergit Veteran Horse Archers in their troop line. Their upgrade path is a bit unusual, as they actually have the same level, lower Ironflesh and power Draw skills, and weaker horses than Horsemen. To compensate, they wield stronger bows (and javelins) and have more ranged proficiency.
Tactics[]
Regular Horse Archers use pretty much the same tactics as Khergit Veteran Horse Archers, but you need to be careful since they don't have as much armor. Don't tell them to charge, because their melee weapons aren't very powerful and their horses die easily. They also don't have much Ironflesh or Power Strike. It would be best just to have your Horse Archers hold position on top of a hill, where they can use their amazing accuracy and bows effectively, just until they become more suited to running around the battlefield. You may also use them for garrisons, since they are accurate, powerful, and easy to replace.
Despite being no more than augmented Horsemen, they do have their advantages. They spawn with bows that allow famous tactics like the Cantabrian circle to be put into use. A horse archer is the most evasive of all units, meaning it is possible for a small group to beat many more. In comparison, footmen and melee cavalry are likely to be flinging themselves into the depths of combat, whereas the horse archer can survive for as long as their commander keeps them away from others and allows them to pepper enemy positions with high accuracy.
When used in combat alongside Khergit Lancers, like any other ranged unit, they can take advantage of the distraction provided in order to stick a well-placed arrow or javelin into the backs of otherwise shielded targets.
Stats and Equipment[]
Note: Troops have a set of default stats; at the beginning of a new game, these stats are randomly adjusted for each type of troop. The following is the default set for this troop as seen within the game code and may not reflect the specific stats you will see during actual gameplay. For more information, see Troop stats.
Khergit Horse Archer - Default Stats and Equipment
Steppe Bandit
Tribesman
Lancer
