Steppe Rider

The Steppe Rider is a Chinese hand cavalry unit featured in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.

Overview
The Steppe Rider is a cavalry unit that has a fairly low attack and hit points, but it is cheap, and can be fielded in large numbers. It has a high multiplier against light infantry, making it even more effective against units like Skirmishers and Crossbowmen than normal hand cavalry such as the Hussar. It is also classified as siege unit, giving it good resistance to building fire. The Steppe Rider can be shipped from the Home City, or trained at the War Academy as a standard Banner Army. It is not used as much in the Industrial Age as the Chinese have other hand cavalry units that become available to them at that time. Combined together with Keshik as the Beiyang Army will make this army strong against archers, Skirmishers, and Settlers while at the same time protect the Steppe Rider from other heavy cavalry charge because of Keshik attack.

Choosing Germany as a Consulate ally will reduce the price of Banner Armies by 30, and small trickles of food, coin and wood can be researched.

The Steppe Rider is better compared to the Iron Flail in killing archers, Skirmishers and Settlers. They only have 1 population slot, compared to the Iron Flail's 2, this means that more Steppe Riders can be created compared to the Iron Flail. Iron Flails defeat Steppe Riders one on one. The only thing that makes an Iron Flail better than two Steppe Riders is if Forbidden Army armor card is chosen. This card increases the hit points and armor of Iron Flails and Meteor Hammers.

Steppe Riders with Imperial Upgrades are as strong as unupgraded Hussars but cost only one population.Getting Mongolian Scourge Shipment increases their damage against villagers to 60 making them extremely powerful raiders as there are few ways of upgrading villagers.

Home City Shipments

 * 10 Steppe Riders (Fortress Age)
 * 7 Steppe Riders (Colonial Age)
 * 16 Steppe Riders (Industrial Age)
 * Beiyang Army (Ships 8 Steppe Riders and 8 Keshiks and upgrades them to Disciplined if not already researched). Costs 1000 Food
 * Mongolian Scourge (Steppe Rider damage against buildings increased by 50% and adds 1x multiplier against villagers).
 * Standard Army hit points (Steppe Rider and Chu Ko Nu hit points increased by 15%)
 * Western Reforms (Steppe Rider damage increased by 8% and hit points by 8%)

Upgrades
The overall stats for Steppe Rider can be improved by sending improvement-based shipments.

Disciplined Steppe Rider
Disciplined Steppe Rider is the first upgrade for the Steppe Rider. It is available for and  once Fortress Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +20% (180)
 * Hand Attack: +20% (18)
 * Siege Attack: +20% (30)

Honored Steppe Rider
Honored Steppe Rider is the second upgrade for the Steppe Rider. It is available for and  once Industrial Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +30% (225)
 * Hand Attack: +30% (22)
 * Siege Attack: +30% (37)

Exalted Steppe Rider
Exalted Steppe Rider is the third upgrade for the Steppe Rider. It is available for and  once Imperial Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +50% (300)
 * Hand Attack: +50% (30)
 * Siege Attack: +50% (50)

History
"The Mongol army of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries was one of the most effective fighting forces of all time, centering its battlefield strategy on the tenets of flexibility, mobility, and siege. Clad in light armor, horse archers rode and fought independently of cumbersome supply lines, collecting valuable reconnaissance information as they disrupted enemy positions and sowed seeds of panic. Their tactic of swift advances and false retreats often left the steppe riders out of harm’s way but within arrow range for their attack. As the warriors attacked, mounted couriers relayed messages across various fronts and within the combined army, which consisted of a variety of different units working together. When the Mongols prepared for a final siege, they brought engineers to the front. Siege engines and rockets were deployed to scatter enemy formations, and to isolate pockets of troops to keep supplies or reinforcements from reaching them."