This question is related to a mod I am working on, but is about strategy and mechanics, not modding itself (thus, I think it fits better here).
I want to make a mod where castles can be built in the dark ages and knights (or at least a weaker pre-knight cavalry unit) can be built at castles.
The idea is to make a very risky but viable dark-age knight rush strategy. My thinking is such:
1. It will be very hard to get a castle up in the dark age and doing so will put your economy way behind (even more than a feudal age tower rush).
2. It will be harder still to produce very many knights given their high cost.
3. However, knights will be very powerful at this point as there are no viable counters to them (no spearmen yet).
4. If executed correctly, it could a devastating strategy. But if it fails you will likely lose.
Here is where it gets tricky. I think someone could probably get to the feudal age and start making spearmen before the castle was even complete. That negates the knight rush as a strategy. I also want knights to be created at the stable in feudal age. Thus, one would be better off getting to the feudal age and then making knights.
I wonder if making the Feudal age upgrade take longer would make the dark age knight strategy more viable. That is, one could try to get their knights out before you get to the Feudal age (even if you have already started the research).
Another option is to up the food cost of going feudal. Thus, there would be more time spent in the Dark age and a longer period of dark age knight vulnerability. The latter makes the dark age knight rush even more risky though, given that the player going for it will have an even harder time getting caught up to the Feudal age if it fails.
I am curious to get some thoughts and feedback on this.
I want to make a mod where castles can be built in the dark ages and knights (or at least a weaker pre-knight cavalry unit) can be built at castles.
The idea is to make a very risky but viable dark-age knight rush strategy. My thinking is such:
1. It will be very hard to get a castle up in the dark age and doing so will put your economy way behind (even more than a feudal age tower rush).
2. It will be harder still to produce very many knights given their high cost.
3. However, knights will be very powerful at this point as there are no viable counters to them (no spearmen yet).
4. If executed correctly, it could a devastating strategy. But if it fails you will likely lose.
Here is where it gets tricky. I think someone could probably get to the feudal age and start making spearmen before the castle was even complete. That negates the knight rush as a strategy. I also want knights to be created at the stable in feudal age. Thus, one would be better off getting to the feudal age and then making knights.
I wonder if making the Feudal age upgrade take longer would make the dark age knight strategy more viable. That is, one could try to get their knights out before you get to the Feudal age (even if you have already started the research).
Another option is to up the food cost of going feudal. Thus, there would be more time spent in the Dark age and a longer period of dark age knight vulnerability. The latter makes the dark age knight rush even more risky though, given that the player going for it will have an even harder time getting caught up to the Feudal age if it fails.
I am curious to get some thoughts and feedback on this.