Eagle Runner Knight

The Eagle Runner Knight is a ranged infantry unit of the Aztec civilization.

Overview
The Eagle Runner Knights are trainable at the Noble's Hut. They are a fast ranged infantry unit equivalent to the European Dragoon. They are cheap and have a good attack and a decent range, but a poor siege attack. They are effective against hand cavalry and Coyote Runners.

Strategy
The Eagle Runners Knights are fast units useful for assaults and rushes. It's useful to face cavalry and helps a lot to repel aggressive cavalry civilizations, like the Germans or the Sioux. The Eagle Runner cannot be used effectively for wholesale pillaging, due its very poor siege attack. This drawback makes the Eagle Runner only a support unit, while other siege units like Puma Spearmen or Arrow Knights take down enemy buildings. The combination of Eagle Runners and Coyote Runners is the most useful to attack enemy towns very fast and rush. Also, the Eagle Runners are fairly cheap in comparison with ranged cavalry units, like the Dragoon. The best counter to Eagle Runners are artillery units, but that strategy not being very cost-effective, skirmishers and other ranged infantry can be used against them. The Eagle Runners are not reliable to engage individual combats due their fragility, so they must be accompanied by other units like the Macehualtin or the Puma Spearman to endure and prevail in a battle.

Eagle Warrior Knights are very population effective units once all the Home City combat cards have been sent. They are very similar to the Dutch Ruyter, but with more hit points, Damage, Range, and ranged resistance. These factors all combine to make the eagle knight one of the best anti-cavalry units in the game.

Upgrades

 * Champion Upgrade 25% Effect (+HP & +Damage)
 * Legendary Upgrade 50% Effect (+HP & +Damage)

Home City Shipments

 * 5 Eagle Runner Knights
 * 9 Eagle Runner Knights
 * 6 Eagle Runner Knights
 * Temple Tlaloc (8 Eagle Runners and +4 LOS and Range to Eagle Runner Knights)
 * Knight HP (+15% HP to Eagle Knight, Jaguar Knight, Arrow Knight and Skull Knight)
 * Knight attack (+15% damage to Eagle Knight, Jaguar Knight, Arrow Knight and Skull Knight)
 * Knight Combat (+15% HP and damage to Eagle Knight, Jaguar Knight, Arrow Knight and Skull Knight)

Triva

 * The Eagle Runner Knight is a ranged infantry unit, and is affected by shipments that would effect infantry rather than cavalry. For example, the French card team ranged infantry attack increases their attack.
 * The Eagle Runner Knight is also technically classified as an archer even though it flings javelins from an atlatl. Because of this, it is affected by archer upgrades. Upgrades such as TEAM Archaic infantry training for the Spanish, the Seminole Bowry Upgrade, the Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs upgrade, and the Carib Kasiri Beer and Garifuna Drums upgrades all effect the Eagle Knight. On maps with the natives, the Eagle Knight can become extremely powerful.

Difference from Eagle Runner Warrior
Note that the Eagle Runner Warrior available at Trading Posts on Native American settlement sites is weaker and is more effective against infantry than cavalry.

History
"Aztec warriors who had captured at least four enemy soldiers became eligible for the ranks of the eagle runner knight or the jaguar prowl knights. Presumably, this emphasis on capturing enemies was to collect a pool of captives for sacrifice, but the Aztec were also known for dealing death in battle, killing with single strokes of their obsidian swords, or hurling barbed spears with atlatls. Their own warriors who caused confusion or disorder in ranks were beaten on the spot and sometimes killed. The dress of eagle runner knights incorporated feathers and a helmet resembling an eagle's head. The eagle was a symbol of the sun, the focus of Aztec worship and sacrifice. Eagle runner knights are usually depicted carrying shields and spears."