Hippus

**Hippus**
	;
Leaders:	Rhoanna; Tasunke
Hero:	Magnadine
Race:	Human
Allignment:	Neutral
Patron God:	Tali
Emblematic Mana:	Air Mana
Totem Animal:	Horse
Enemies:	Khazad
World Spell:	Warcry
Unique Quality:	Extremely Mobile Army
Type:	Civilization

Background[]

Warriors for hire, the swift moving Hippus have fought for, and against, every nation at one time or another. They are equally happy partnered with orcs as they are with men as long as they get paid. Making extensive use of fast moving cavalry, they mount lightning fast raids, carrying out attacks for hard-contracted currency and the spoils of the attack. Rhoanna is behind every contract, whilst Tasunke ensures there are spoils aplenty to be had.

Features[]

The Hippus have excellent cavalry at their disposal and are the civilization best suited to make use of it. A highly aggressive game is rewarding when led by Tasunke, whilst Rhoanna allows for a slightly more peaceful strategy. In the end however, the Hippus are suited to fighting and raiding.

Their horsemen are faster than those of other races and their Hero, Magnadine, is peerless amongst his mounted brethren.

Horse Force[]

Mounted units created in a Hippus city get the exlusive promotion Horselord: +1 Move, +10% Withdrawal Chance. In the beginning Horselord may not seem so powerful: but you have to consider its cumulative vantage on top of ordinary cavalry bonuses.

The withdrawal promotions are reserved to Mounted units. Avaliable bonuses are:

Base mounted unit Withdrawal Chance: 20/50%
Horselord (or Defensive): +10%
Flanking I: +20%
Flanking II: +20%
Flanking III: +10% and Immune to First Strikes (availabe if the unit has no more than 85%)

Withdrawal Chance is capped at 85%: if a unit exedes 85% it will not be able to upgrade to Flanking III. You may overcome the limitation by upgrading a simple Horseman up to Flanking III, and than upgrading.

Horseman (base withdrawal 25%) with Horselord (+10%) and Flanking 3 (cumulative +50%) has a withdrawal of 85%. Upgraded, he keeps his promotions but his base withdrawal rises to 35%. Voila, your Horse Archers and Knights now have a 95% Withdrawal rate.

In early game Horseman are not unstoppable. Build large numbers, prapare to lose some units, backup with warriors and aim to fullfill Flanking promotions.

In mid game you will aim to build the Ride of the Nine Kings: in that city you will be able to build Horsemen with +9 xp (and +any bonus xp from civics), which can get Flanking I and Flanking II immediately (and Flanking III at 10xp), which you can then promote to Horse Archer or Chariot or Knight for a 95% withdraw chance.

Late game you will have a large army of Horse Archer with 4 , 95% Withdrawal, Immune to First Strikes. On attack they are almost invulnerable. On defence rely on Royal Guards. With Iron, your Knight attack at 13

Pay attention to avoid building a Siege Workshop in that city: if you are able to build Chariot AND Horse Archer the Horseman will be obsolete.

Mounted units[]

Let's see the ordinary mounted units. They typically have a base Withdrawal Chance, are not able to use metals (Bronze, Iron, or Mithril Weapons) and do not receive defensive bonuses, with some exceptions.

Horseman (requires Horseback Riding) 4 3 ,1 First Strike, +40% vs Archery Units , +25% Withdrawal Chance
Horse Archer (requires Stirrups, Archery) 6 3 ,1 First Strike, +35% Withdrawal Chance
Knight 11/9 3 , +35% Withdrawal Chance, Can Use Metals

Royal Guard (requires Aristocracy, Feudalism) 4/8 3 , Can Use Metals, Guardsman, Spirit II, Does Receive Defensive Bonuses

Mounted Mercenary (requires Guild of the Nine) 5 3 , +20% Withdrawal Chance
Chariot 5/3 3 , +25% Withdrawal Chance, Can Use Metals
War Chariot 12/9 3 , +25% Withdrawal Chance, Can Use Metals, +50% vs Archery Units

Magnadine (requires Warhorses) 11 4 , +50% Withdrawal Chance, Can Use Metals, Hero

Shadowrider (requires Council of Esus) 9 +2 Poison +1 Shadow Mana Affinity 3 , +35% Withdrawal Chance, Can Use Metals, Hidden Nationality, Ignores Building Defenses
Rosier the Fallen (requires Ashen Veil) 7 +1 Unholy 3 , +25% Withdrawal Chance, +40% against Disciple Units, Immune to Disease, Hero
Valin Phanuel (requires Order) 6 +2 Holy 3 , +25% Withdrawal Chance, Demon Slaying, Immune to Disease, Hero
Kithra Kyriel (requires FoL, Feral Bond) 8 3 , +35% Withdrawal Chance, Can See Invisible Units, Hero

Ratha (with Empyrean) 5/3 3 , +25% Withdrawal Chance, Can use Bronze, Iron, Mithril Weapons, +50% vs Recon Units, Can see Invisible Units, Sun II

With Guild of the Nine every other player will gain ability to hire Mercenaries. Only Hippus will get the Mounted Mercenary!

Early strategy[]

You have Horses immediately from the Palace. You may research Horseback early on and build Horsemen. You may use them to scout, to escort quickly your settlers, to wipe Barbarians and get some experience.

Use Azhral's Invincible Mounted Force trick: build horsemen, get them to Flanking III, upgrade to Horse Archers and then Knights.

Play very aggressively. Do not overexpand: as Tasunke, you will often use pillaginig to support your economy.

Wage war, do not capture enemy cities, just pillage away and get techs off of your defeated enemies. Nothing stopping you from re-declaring war 10 turns later.

Tasunke needs to pretty much just build troops and keep pillaging. Rohanna can support a much bigger empire and army and can survive longer without pillaging.

Civics: Both leaders are good with Aristograrianism, Rohanna is perfect for it. And Royal Guards are one of the best units in the game. Keeps your attacking stacks safe, and newly captured cities enough culture to pop their borders. The -40% distance costs are nice too.

Religions[]

All religions work pretty well.

Top of the list are Empy and CoE. Rathas and Shadowriders are some of the best units in the game. With Horselord are even better, and they both have very good Heroes and nice Shrines.

FoL, Order and AV each have a Mounted Religious Hero that becomes a complete powerhouse with Horselord. Ancient Forests also help with Food/Production.

RoK and OO don't have any mounted units, but extra Cash or Culture becomes very very useful with a big empire.

Wonders[]

Guild of the Nine and Ride of the Nine Kings are the two you want. The two you MUST get. Someone else builds it first? No problem, just take it from them.

Guild of the Nine allows anyone to buy Mercenaries, but Hippus are the one and only that may recruit Mounted Mercenaries. In the same turn they may travel 4 moves (3x4=12 using enemy roads), conquer a city with their hordes, occupy the city with all the units (thank to residual moves), and recruit the same number of Mounted Mercenaries. Next turn you may move to next prey with doubled troops.