Kipchak

Kipchaks are used exactly like Cavalry Archers. Both are great harassers, especially when massed. They perform exceptionally well against slow-moving units. While Kipchaks attack slightly slower, they gain some additional advantages due to their secondary arrows, which are the same arrows used by Chu Ko Nu. In addition, Kipchaks have half the attack delay of Cavalry Archers, which helps greatly in micromanagement. Since each projectile deals at least one damage, the minimum damage dealt by Kipchaks is three (four when Elite), as opposed to one of most other archers. Archer-resistant targets include buildings, Siege Elephants, Hussite Wagons, Imperial Skirmishers, Rattan Archers, Huskarls, and Elite Eagle Warrior (especially those of the Inca). The secondary projectiles have their own non-zero attacks as well, which sometimes deal more than the minimum damage. This is most significant against non-Ironclad Battering Rams, Capped Rams, and non-Bengali Monks, which receive 3 melee damage, 2 melee damage, and 3 pierce damage respectively. They should still try to avoid counter units in general. They are weak against camels, especially the Camel Archer. While anti-cavalry units such as Kamayuks and Halberdiers pose threat up close, they can hit-and-run them if properly microed. Cuman players should prefer the Kipchak over the regular Cavalry Archer in most circumstances, unless the player does not have enough Castles to produce a sizable army of them. Not only do they have a better damage against high-pierce armor units, but Kipchaks also cost less gold than regular Cavalry Archers. However, Cavalry Archers have more hit points and attack 9% faster than Kipchaks, and may be used in circumstances in which the player need to soak damage instead of harassing the opponent, like against archers. Also, they are affected by Steppe Husbandry which boosts their creation speed, while the Kipchaks are not affected. Like all mounted archers, Kipchaks work well if they are paired with Light Cavalry (which only cost food, so the wood and gold can be spent on Kipchaks, and Light Cavalry can be used as "cannon fodder" for the front lines, as well as being affected by Steppe Husbandry) or Steppe Lancers.