Companion Cavalry - Elite Units Part 3

Metals clash, footsteps rumble, and men flee the battlefield. The Greek war machine has arrived, chewing up its enemies and marching on with the sole aim of conquering the world. At the heart of this beast is the legendary Macedonian Phalanx; closely knit, highly drilled, well armored, and equipped with long vicious spears. These men absorbed the enemy punishment then steamrolled their foes with ease.

But Alexander’s elite units are not the phalanx. Rather, they are the companion cavalry that accompanied him on the battlefield. These brave and talented horsemen wreaked havoc on enemy lines, stalking them, encircling them, and dealing the final blow. They would even gallop across the battlefield and slay enemy commanders, demoralizing their opponents.

In Conqueror: The Empire Rises (our new working title), Greece can deploy companion cavalry for a cost of 3 gold. These elite units have a total strength of +3, making them the second strongest Elite units in the game (stay tuned for part 4 to find out which unit is the strongest).

It may be best to recruit these units early on and sprint towards Asia Minor to capture it before the Persians or Egyptians do so themselves. Alternatively, the companion cavalry can fall back to their capital (giving the capital a total defensive strength of +7), allowing the rest of your army to roam free without the worry of other players attacking you in your flank.

How would you use these legendary units? Share your thoughts below!

Elite Units Part 2 - Gaul

The earth shook and the heart of men trembled as the howling cries echoed through the battlefield. These were the battle cries of the fierce Nobles and Free-Men, Gaul’s elite warrior class, urging their men to launch an all-out assault that would soon overwhelm their enemy.

Welcome to Part 2 of this 6-part series on Elite Units. This blog is dedicated to Gaul’s Elite Infantry Warriors; the Free-Men.

Free-Men were Gaul’s elite warrior class. Armed with swords and shields, their bravery and lust for war was legendary. These men didn’t break under pressure, and when standing against a superior force, they don’t hesitate to charge across the battlefield in almost suicidal fashion to kill as many of their opponents as possible, a sight that struck fear and terror into the hearts of their enemies.

Free-Men in Conqueror’s Expansion:

A Free-men unit can be purchased for just 2 gold coins. They have a strength of +2 in battle, offering excellent value for money. However, this is not what makes Free-men special; during battle, free-men have a special ability called a “war cry” that they may employ. This is a deafening and frightening battle-cry that signals an all-out charge by the entire Celtic army. This charge will demoralize the enemy and give the Celts extra momentum, adding +2 strength to the Celts during the battle. However, due to the nature of this charge, after the battle ends, the Celts suffer a casualty of one unit of their choosing, even if they are victorious.

Tactics:

Given their price, it is a good idea to recruit a Free-man as early as possible. Additionally, it may be a good idea to pair Free-men with an army that contains infantry units so as not to lose a cavalry unit if you employ a war cry during battle.

Immortals - Elite Units (Part 1)

Hello Conquerors,

This month’s blog will be focus on the new Elite units that will be added to the Emperor Mode Expansion we are currently working on. Today, we cover the infamous Persian Immortals:

"They will darken the sky with their arrows… they will shred their enemies with their swords.. they will replenish their ranks and honor their fallen… they are immortal warriors… and they are unstoppable…"

About Persia’s Immortals

Immortals were Persia’s elite heavy infantry units that protected the Persian King and formed the heart of the Persian Army. They were fierce, loyal and agile. Unlike other heavy infantry units, the immortals were skilled melee fighters AND excellent marksmen who utilized bows, spears and swords.

Immortals in the Game

In Emperor Mode, Persia can recruit an Immortal unit by paying 4 gold. Immortals have a battle strength of +2, similar to a cavalry unit. However, what makes an immortal warrior deadly is his archery skills. Before enemy infantry or cavalry units engage in melee battle, immortals have the chance to inflict damage on their enemies with their bows.

To do so, a player rolls one dice/die before the melee battle ensues. If the player rolls a D4, the enemy army must eliminate one of its cavalry units. This is called a “hit”. If the enemy army has no cavalry units, an infantry unit is eliminated.

Additionally, if the player is unsuccessful in their first try (the player rolls a D3 or below), the player may choose to re-roll the dice again with a maximum number of 2 rolls per battle. The ability to re-roll the dice means Immortals have a >50% chance of scoring a “hit” before the melee battle commences.

Tactics

Recruiting an immortal unit early in the game may allow Persia to conquer independent armies faster than their foes and thus establish good defensive positions against both Egypt and Persia. They also help provide a powerful counter to Egypt’s lethal archers. Finally, their ability to serve as multipurpose units (heavy infantry and archers) provides Persia with maximum flexibility in the battle tactics it can employ

What do you think about Persia’s immortals and how do you think they should be used? As units protecting your flank? Or as units leading your attacks and territorial expansion?