Mangudai

"Mongol unique unit created in Castle Age. Cavalry archer with attack bonus vs. siege weapons."

The Mangudai and its stronger variant, the Elite Mangudai, is the Mongol unique unit. They share most of the main characteristics of any ordinary Heavy Cavalry Archer, but they have an attack bonus against any Siege Weapons. Elite Mangudai is slightly superior to the heavy cavalry archer in terms of attack (+1 Attack) and is also superior to an ordinary cavalry archer in terms of hit points (+10 HP). In addition, they have both a higher move speed (1.45 vs. 1.39), a higher attack speed, and a higher accuracy rating (95% vs. 50%). They are cheaper than a cavalry archer in terms of gold, but more costly in terms of wood.

History
"The Mongols were united by Genghis Khan, who took them off on a campaign of conquest that reached from the Pacific to the Mediterranean to Central Europe. The Mongols were superb horsemen and each warrior kept a stable of ponies so that fresh mounts were always available. The strength of the Mongol armies was the horse archer firing a composite bow from the saddle. The best of these archers, called the Mangudai, used great tactics to catch enemies at a disadvantage. They used feints and traps to wear out enemy cavalry and shoot it to pieces. Slower troops could be shot to pieces at range with little risk. Enemy armies were exhausted and shattered without ever coming to grips with the elusive Mangudai. The main weakness of the Mongol army was that only great leaders could keep it together. When the great Khan or later leaders died, the army dissolved into factions bickering for primacy."

Tactics
The Mangudai is only slightly superior to the less expensive Heavy Cavalry Archer, though has a few prime strengths, such as a stronger attack, attack bonus against siege units, and higher speed. They are effective against slow moving units, such as Monks, Villagers, or Infantry. They can also take down unsuspecting archers. With bonus damage dealt to enemy siege units, Mangudai can also be used to counter rams effectively behind fortifications. However, despite their attack bonus on the units, attacking Scorpions and Mangonels one on one is not recommended unless there are enough Mangudai to destroy the machine in one volley and they can be micromanaged to dodge the projectiles. Camels and Spearmen are also a threat, although the latter can usually be avoided with ease. Also, they are known for their ability to change targets and fire more swiftly than Cavalry Archers, and this, combined with their costing slightly less gold makes them often the most effective choice (of the two) for the Mongols.

Stats
Upgrades: Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, Bracer, Padded Archer Armor, Leather Archer Armor, Ring Archer Armor, Thumb Ring, Parthian Tactics, Conscription, Faith, Heresy, Herbal Medicine, Ballistics, Bloodlines

Weaknesses: Skirmisher, Elite Skirmisher, Huskarl, Spearman, Pikeman, Halberdier, Camel, Heavy Camel