Elite Ironcap Arquebusiers

Origin (Season):
Chivalric Era (Tier 2.5)

Unit Overview

Unit Type:
Ranged Infantry – Arquebusiers

Unlocking Method:
Available through the Ranged Infantry unit tree for 2,000 Honour or by using up to 20 Ironcap Arquebusier’s Signaculum.

Unit Traits:

  • Firearms: Equipped with arquebuses, offering high damage and armour penetration but low accuracy.
  • Poor Shots: Noted for low firing accuracy.
  • Slow Shot: Reduced rate of fire due to complex reloading procedures.
  • Combat Penalty vs Heroes: Ranged damage dealt to heroes is reduced by 25%.

Formations

  • Dispersed: Loose formation minimizing vulnerability to enemy ranged attacks.
  • Three Ranks: Triple-line formation focusing firepower.
  • Horns: Two-pronged formation effective for frontal assaults.

Unit Orders

  • Focus Fire (Suppress): Directs the unit to fire at a specific area, useful for blocking breaches.
  • Sprint: Increases movement speed by 15% for 8 seconds (20s cooldown).
  • Switch Weapons: Allows toggling between ranged and melee weapons.

Veterancy Paths

Top Path (Recommended):

  • Sharp Shot: Increases firing accuracy by 15%.
  • Force: Each level increases armour penetration by 5%.
  • Like Clockwork: Each level increases rate of fire by 12%.
  • Cold Blood: Each level increases piercing damage by 3%.
  • In the Blink of an Eye: Each level increases critical value by 4%.

Bottom Path:

  • Mustering: Adds additional soldiers to the unit.
  • Improved Supplies: Increases ammunition capacity.
  • Quick March: Unlocks the Sprint ability.
  • Anti-Infantry: Increases damage dealt to infantry by 15%.

Mastery:

Recommended Doctrines

Terrain Effects

  • Urban: Great
  • Plains: Good
  • Hills/Steppe: Fair
  • Desert: Bad

Unit Kit Crafting

  • Kit Name: Ironcap Arquebusier’s Kit
  • Cost: 25 Silver
  • Required Fief Level: 3
  • Materials Needed:
    • 10x Rough Fabric
    • 15x Coarse Copper
    • 5x Tanned Leather

Strategic Insights

  • Cost-Effective Firepower: Despite being a lower-tier unit, they offer substantial damage output for their leadership cost.
  • Positioning is Crucial: Due to low accuracy and rate of fire, optimal placement behind melee units enhances effectiveness.
  • Ideal for Defensive Roles: Best utilized in defensive positions or to support frontline engagements

Conclusion

The Elite Ironcap Arquebusiers serve as a valuable asset in early to mid-game scenarios, providing high damage potential at a low leadership cost. While they possess inherent weaknesses in accuracy and firing rate, strategic deployment and veterancy investments can mitigate these drawbacks, making them a formidable force on the battlefield.

Additional Resources: