Guiding Jomon

[quantum_mechani]

JimMorrison said:
The 16 prot is very respectable, and is 2 better than the archer. They get 2 more HP, 1 more str, 2 higher attack, and 1 higher defense. So with the No-Dashi they are hitting for 19, while the archer hits for 16 with the katana.

I would argue 2 prot, 1 defense and a little more attack and damage barely offsets the map move 1, 2 higher gold and +1 enc, let alone the long bow.

[JimMorrison]

Well, 15 attack almost guarantees successful strikes. 19 damage essentially guarantees a 1 hit kill on lighter troops, and guarantees damage to heavily armored forces. 13 attack is still pretty good, but with 16 damage you will be far less efficient about making your kills. Plus the 2 prot jumps them from medium infantry, to heavy infantry, drastically reducing the effectiveness of the enemy, as well as the jump from 9 to 11 HP making them less likely to die. And a measly 1 encumbrance difference should not be a factor, because these guys kill other infantry so much more efficiently, they shorten battles when they get in close - as well as providing a very beefy line to screen your archers so that they can continue exercising those long bows.

Again, I think samurai archers are awesome, but I just can't agree that they are shock troops, and shock infantry is a very potent tool that many nations lack in their arsenal but that Jomon has in spades.

[quantum_mechani]

Well as far as being an archer supplement, being 1 mapmove kind of crimps that. And I just have a hard time imagining that +2 damage doing more to the enemy than a couple arrow volleys.

[JimMorrison]

They have 1 more str as well, so it's +3 damage, which pushes the math in favor of guaranteed kills on cheaper chaff, as well as much higher likelihood of being effective in melee against hard to damage foes.

[quantum_mechani]

Well, think we have covered all the points, I can see this is not something we are going to see eye to eye on.