Screw those worthless Warrior Monks!! Who needs them? Now you must fill your armies with the God Unit of the hour, Korean Skirmishers. I shall explain:

They hold their own in melee against any unit. They will defeat consistently ANY cavalry unit, even Naginata Cavalry. If they can get about 3 volleys of spears off at their foe, they will defeat ANY unit. They are relatively invulnerable to missle fire. Kensai are expensive, and die eventually and therefore even they are not an effective Japanese counterunit.

I've been playing vs. computer with armies of ALL skirmishers. So far have soundly defeated the comp in all cases. Haven't tested versus human yet, and won't for a while (savoring the campaigns at the moment :-P), but someone could try this.

So, to sum up: Korean Skirmishers = Roman Legions = INVINCIBLE

Is this the intention?!?!?!?! I dunno, I think this will shut up anyone who was whining about the wacked out Warrior Monks!

My analysis-- the Javelins are too durned effective, especially when you compare them with what guns (a purportedly superior weapon) do in this game in the same situation.. if they get to launch them all, the enemy unit will be at 15% to 0% strength.. if they can get off 3 or 4 he'll be out 2/3 of his men.. and they have a firing rate like ALMOST like a Winchester!

Also I would think that their godliness when dealing with Cavalry in melee should be looked at again.. if you want to equate these skirmishers with Roman Legionaires, I would estimate they got it about right-- a head on charge will inflict damage but will ultimately be futile (the heavy cavalry/naginata cavalry in this game are not cataphracts, and it was not until the development of the cataphract that legionaires could be easily frontally defeated by cavalry). But are these skirmishers SUPPOSED to be legionaires? (?)

It also is kinda wacky to see the fighting animation for these KS (which is a little man pounding his fists), and see them take down the vaunted horsemen of the Hojo..

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear what people have to say on this.

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Khan7