The Mantlet has high hit points, very high ranged damage resistance, moderate attack, and powerful siege. However, it is slow and short ranged.
Mantlets can help compensate for the relatively low siege that most of the Haudenosaunee units have, taking down walls and fortifications, and allowing other units to continue to fight against enemy units. Mantlets are classified as infantry, making them only especially vulnerable to artillery (which their high hit points somewhat compensate for), cavalry (especially lancer-type, due to its poor range and hand damage), and Abus Gunners. Grenadiers and Flamethrowers also can pose a threat, though to a lesser extent. Many of these unit types can be made less dangerous by sending Beaver Wars, which increases resistance against Siege and Ranged damage, with the notable exception of melee cavalry. With the "Siege Discipline" shipment, their population cost is dropped to only 1, which makes mass production of this unit very easy.
A general use for Mantlets is as a screen for long ranged units. Their incredible hit points and armor lets them tank an immense amount of enemy ranged fire, protecting Forest Prowlers and even Musket Riders, which allows them to do much more damage without taking fire. The disadvantage of this is it drastically reduces the speed and mobility of the army, so it should be used situationally, such as in chokepoints, where mobility is largely irrelevant.
Mantlets and Rams get +15% ranged resistance; additional Mantlets get +15% and Rams get +30% siege resistance; grants the Champion Ram and Champion Mantlet upgrades.
Siege Hitpoints
Rams, Mantlets, and Light Cannons get +15% hit points
Siege Damage
Rams, Mantlets, and Light Cannons get +15% attack
Siege Combat
Rams, Mantlets, and Light Cannons get +15% hit points and attack
Siege Construction
Mantlets, Rams, and Light Cannons take -1 population and get -30% train time
Wampum
Training units and constructing buildings grants +35% XP; unit train time -20%, siege unit and artillery train time -5% instead
Because the Iroquois often fortified their towns, they needed siege weapons when they went to war with rival towns. One technique they developed was the mantlet, similar in function to those used in Roman and medieval armies. Two warriors would carry the mantlet (essentially a moveable wooden wall) to protect themselves from enemy arrow or musket fire until they reached their enemy's town walls, where the mantlet was used as a ladder to scale the walls and breach the town. Canoes could also be used as shields and ladders, although canoes used for assaulting a fortress were not always the best paddling vessels after the fighting was over.
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Gallery[]
An in-game (Elite) Mantlet
An in-game Champion/Legendary Mantlet
An in-game (Elite) Mantlet in the Definitive Edition
An in-game Champion/Legendary Mantlet in the Definitive Edition