AOE3 Forums

Hi everyone this is my 2nd post for Conscripts playing AOEIII!

INDEX

(2)Crossbowmen

(3)Pikeman

(4)Crossbowmen/Pikeman combination

CROSSBOWMEN (2)

Crossbowmen are very effective when used properly in rushes and can take down most infantry easily.

They are long ranged attackers that are good against most colonial age infantry.  As stated in my last post they can counter the groups of Musketeers that a lot of conscripts use.  Crossbowmen do not have any times damage on any unit but their long range covers this up.  Unfortunately, their use is only really limited to rushes and colonial age battles.  This is because they can only be upgraded to the fortress age when for a lot civilisations would have the introduction of the Skirmisher unit which takes the place of the Crossbowmen in the Skirmisher/Halberdier combination. As mentioned previously Crossbowmen can only be upgraded to fortress age which then leaves a big gap during the Industrial age on in which the non-upgraded Crossbowmen lose their advantage and get flattened. They cost 40 wood and food (the same with Pikeman).

 PIKEMAN (3)

Pikeman have a 5X attack against cav which is very strong but not as needed during rushes.

This is because if you’re rushing or just attacking in colonial age there are not many who use heaps of cav and no infantry.  This is because having a lot of cav in colonial age can seriously put a dent in your economy early on which seriously impairs your chances of winning. This is why a lot use the cheap yet effective infantry. But just in case it’s always good to account for the minority.  Pikeman like their counterpart in this combination get thrown aside by halberdiers in most civilisations in fortress age. Slower, but with a more powerful tends to be a good choice if you survive to advance this far.  Again, the Pikeman can only go so far because it can not be upgraded past Fortress age so, as said before, gets flatten by those Industrial upgraded units.

CROSSBOWMEN/PIKEMAN COMBINATION (4)

Pikeman and Crossbowmen make an excellent rushing force with virtually no gaps that can only be picked by professionals.

One of the reasons why these two units make a good rushing force is because they don’t cost much. 40 wood and food is easily obtained quickly at the start of the game.  Cards can deliver 700 of wood and food which is more that enough to get a good army started. Another reason why this combination has been use by countless players is because the cost the same two resources meaning you can just put your villagers on wood and food to create a great army. This is another reason why Musketeers don’t fit in. They cost food and gold which means if you were to try building an army which Crossbowmen or Pikeman you would have to split your villagers three ways.  Crossbowmen take down the infantry while the Pikeman take care of the cav.

Hope you enjoyed.    Any comments, disagreements or topics you would like explained are welcome to be posted

Thx,

2) The British longbowman is the same thing as a crossbowman from all the other civilizations. With a card from the Home City, the British longbowman can be upgraded in the Fortress age.

3) The Spanish Pikeman (Tercio) is the same thing as the pikemen for all the other civilizations. It like the British longbowman can be upgraded in the Fortress age. It does not need a card from the HC (Home City) though.

4) In the pikeman/crossbowman combination; as well as the xbowmen taking out infantry and the pikemen taking out calvary, xbowmen can take out villagers, while pikemen can take out enemy buildings in a typical rush. Use the pikemen advantage on sieging buildings!

pikeman/xbow combo can be easily defeated but you usually need to be in fortress so if you rush quickly enough you can pressure your opponent so that he doesn't get any fortress units.

And btw the longbowman is not the same as a crossbowman.  Longbows have a longer range (longest range for light infatry beside cassadores) and get a damage multiplyer against infantry. So longbowman are much better.  

WiFiDi:

Personally i would rush with just 6 xbows and 2 pike

then you would fail...

WiFiDi:

Personally i would rush with just 6 xbows and 2 pike

no offence but if that is your MAIN 6 and a half minute rush force then it rly isnt that strong. a 10 out of 10 dude could have 12 sepoys by then