The Papal Lancer is a melee cavalry similar to the Spanish Lancer, as being effective against all infantry units. It has twice the hit points of the Lancer, a slightly higher Line of Sight, and more attack, but takes three population spaces, moves slightly slower, and has half the multiplier against infantry.
Papal Lancers are trained at the Basilica in batches of three for 300 food, 300 wood, and 300 coin, which takes 60 seconds to train. However, these batches are queued as shipments, meaning that Home City Cards that have been sent before will arrive first, delaying Papal Lancers' training, but in exchange, players do not need to have available shipments to train them.
Despite not being as effective as Spanish Lancers in terms of attack, they can take a lot of damage due to their increased hit points and hand resistance. Unlike other Lancer-type units, they don't have negative multipliers against heavy infantry, which allows them to handle these units more easily. Additionally, Papal Lancers have the Deflection ability, which allows them to absorb some of the damage inflicted to nearby player or ally units, making them effective support units. However, they will be vulnerable against light ranged cavalry (like Dragoons) and heavy infantry that can outnumber them easily, so it is recommended to combine Papal Lancers with ranged infantry units that counter light cavalry and heavy infantry.
Special abilities[]
Deflection: Absorb 25% of the damage inflicted to nearby allies (except artillery) within 12 range.
Lance Charge (requires the "Papal Arsenal" Home City Card): The Papal Lancer charges at the enemy with his lance, which deals 60 damage (90 against Infantry), has a range of 4, and an AOE of 4.
Health Regeneration: Regenerates hitpoints when idle (0.25% per second after 3.5 seconds idle).
Basilica shipments arrive 33% faster; Papal Bombards get the 'Holy Fire' action, Papal Guards get the 'Pistol Attack' action, Papal Lancers get the 'Lance Charge' action and Papal Zouaves get the 'Carbine Attack' action
While visually similar to the Elmetto, the Papal Lancer does not have the mercenary tag.
The Papal Lancer could be based on the lance fournie (French for "equipped lance"), a medieval equivalent to the modern army squad that would have accompanied and supported a Man-at-Arms in battle.
During the late medieval and early modern periods, surplus of wealth combined with manpower shortages led the Papacy to the natural conclusion of relying on mercenaries for military strength. Some of these were drawn from the so-called lanze spezzate, individual lancer cavalrymen who were hired into mercenary companies. Papal armies were at their most powerful in the 17th century, but then gradually declined with the rise of nation-states with greater power and resources as religious influence waned.
Deflection: Absorb 25% of the damage inflicted to nearby allies (except artillery) within 12 range.
Cavalry Cuirass (+10%)
Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+10%)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Pillage (+25% siege attack multiplier vs. buildings)
Wind Horses (-10% ROF)
Yoga (+5%)
Pancerni (+10% ranged resistance)
Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Comanche Mustangs (+5%)
Apache Endurance (+5%)
Town Watch (+3)
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack
TEAM Cavalry Attack
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics
Cavalry Combat
Schiavoni Swords
Papal Arsenal
Broken Lance Company
Mercenary Loyalty
Caballeros
TEAM Knights of the Round Table
TEAM Mariachi
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions
TEAM Spanish Inquisition
