Eagle Runner Knights are a fast ranged light 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. They are vulnerable to long-range infantry like Skirmishers, and heavy infantry in melee.
Eagle Runner 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 Runner Knights are very population effective units once all the Home City combat cards have been sent. They are very similar to the DutchRuyter, 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.
Note that the Aztec Eagle Warrior available at Trading Posts on Native American settlement sites (only on the original game, as The WarChiefs expansion replaces Aztec settlements with Zapotec ones) is weaker and is more effective against infantry than cavalry.
“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.”
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Champion Eagle Runner Knights
Legendary Eagle Runner Knights
Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%)
Carib Garifuna Drums (+1.0x multiplier vs. villagers)
Seminole Bowyer (+25%)
Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs (+10%)
Yoga (+5%)
Clenched Fist (+30% melee attack)
Apache Endurance (+5%)
Incan Chasquis Messengers (-25%)
Cheyenne Horse Trading (-25%)
Cinteotl Worship (ships 1 Eagle Runner Knight for every 2 minutes of the game time, up to 30 minutes)
Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
5 Eagle Runner Knights
9 Eagle Runner Knights
6 Eagle Runner Knights
Scorched Earth
Knight Hitpoints
Knight Attack
Knight Combat
Temple of Tlaloc Support
TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack
TEAM Cavalry Attack
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades
TEAM Cavalry Scouts
TEAM Inquisition
