Rippokins

[Lightmarenikita]

I like to call Hippokins Rippokins because they can literally rip an economy apart.

It's the best name for them i could think of.

The strat can be Rippokin Raiding for example.

The thing i hate about them is the 10% hack armor, very weak and must IMMEDIATELY be upgraded, and 18% is still not all that...why can't it have 20% like the norse Raiding Cavarly?

Seriously, underpowered

[crezth]

Lol, you're calling the Hippikons underpowered? That's amazing.

In 1v1, the Hippikon can take on EVERY SINGLE CLASSICAL AGE UNIT, including (but not limited to) the Hoplite, the Ulfsark, the Raiding Cav, the Spearman, the Katapeltes, the Pharoah and the Hersir. Maybe not Myth Units or Greek Heroes, but the price they're at can easily be compensated.

Not to mention, the Hippikon is FAST, being a cavalry. If anything the Hippikon is overpowered.

Though really, the Hippikon should not be taking on enemies close enough to do hack damage (though the TA is an exception - still, he'll clobber them). His primary purpose in Classical Age is Raiding and military pressure. He's the Greek's star-player, even with only 10% hack armor.

If the Hippikon had 20% hack armor, he'd be unstoppable.

[Lightmarenikita]

actully, the only thing standing in his way is the kaltapeltas because it's a hard cavarly counter.

It's 10% hack will get owned by a 25% hoplite+The hoplie NOT only costs less pop and resources, it also gets a bonus vs. cavarly...so...what should i do against greeks...?

[crezth]

Good point on the Katapeltes, I meant Murmillo.

Against Greeks, there are two solutions (especially in your case.)

The first solution is to use your cavalry to never engage the enemy Hoplites, and just raid-raid-raid. Take the Norse approach, because it'll keep your horses alive and your enemy's eco hurting.

The second is the obvious one: build Toxotes. By simple elimination a Toxotes-Hippikon army beats a Toxotes-Hoplite army every time.

Or, if you're feeling daring, when the enemy starts Hoplite production, you stop Hippikon production, go on the defensive, and spam Toxotes. They won't be particularly strong, but given your raiding should have hurt the enemy enough to give you the upper-hand. Rush to Heroic, then you can resume building Hippikons, only now you have a new military toy: Hypaspist. That should hold you over 'till they hit Heroic, then it's anyone's game.

More specific:

Zeus'll use Hoplites 66% of the time, 88% of the time if they know you're Poseidon (which they should.) So you should know what to expect, and build Toxotes. Build a few Hippikons anyway, of course, for raiding, since Hoppies can't catch up with the Rippikons. Generally you'll be able to critically wound their economy, or at least force them on the defensive.

Hades builds Toxotes, always, because his archer bonus is enough to warrant the Toxotes being the Hades central unit. Also, Hades will play like an Egyptian usually and be defensive, or wall/tower/fortress frequently. You can try raiding him, but those efforts will generally be hampered. Don't waste money on Toxotes, and just go for Heroic - building a few Hippikons earlier on.

And against another Poseidon, well, you should know - build Hoplites. Or if you think they'll do the same, build Toxotes. But be flexible - constantly scout their military buildings and see what they're planning, and build the corresponding counters. Try to get to Heroic ASAP without harming your economy, just so that you have the upper hand of a Poseidon V Poseidon battle.

Hope that helps. I'm just a novice (1629) but I've played for quite a while, both on ESO and Gameranger, so I've picked up a few tips and tricks.

[Lightmarenikita]

Yes...but...from a 2002 uber Poseidon Player, he said against another POseidon, i should do a fast heroic and spam prodromos, and his economy will be less focused on food because of the food cheap hippokin army and u'll own him...well, i did find a couple of mistakes, but u rlly don't know what to expect, he can rlly train any of the three units, 2 of the 3 or even all 3...

So, yeah, i guess scout, but if i don't use cav. i don't get my cav. benefits...

I'm stuck at 1607, i am DEFINTELY a higher player, but smurfs have just scared me out of 1v1 games, however, today i played a 1v1 against a Loki, and he captured 4 settlements, to my 2, but then with my SUPER ANTI NORSE HOPLITE+TOXETE STRATEGY.

Ok, listen to this strategy:
Tehcnically, the norse do all hack damage, and with hoplites 34% hack armor, they will absorb little damage, they will hold everything the norse can throw at you(Except Trolls which could cause a problem, while they hold the units, Hippolyta will rape all their myth units, and the toxetes will rape all infantry. The hoplites should own cavarly as well.'

But, this strategy must be used in tight spaces because u don't want the raiding cavarly to invade you toxetes sniper area...

[crezth]

Ah, good idea! Only two Norse units deal pierce damage (not naval) and that is the Troll and the Ballista, and people don't think to use the ballista as an archer.

And it doesn't matter if you don't get your cavalry benefits right away, you can always get them later. You must have the upper-hand when it comes to Classical, because winning Classical can determine who has map control. In Heroic it doesn't matter because you'll get a cavalry unit for every occasion, but if the enemy uses nothing but hoplites, then using cavalry is an amazingly bad idea.

[Lightmarenikita]

Yeah, and those top expert players almost never go for the guy with the troll/healing spring, since Freya is a better choice.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when my norse opponenet goes through the guy with the Healing spring...because as Poseidon, i can't heal >;D

[darkdude]

TA has a bigger bonus vs hops for a reason....

[Lightmarenikita]

Yeah, i know, TA vs. Hoplites, but if the RC can't get past to my toxetes, my toxetes should own the TA.
I was hoping my Hoplites high hp and the 34% hack armor resistence can hold off the TA/RC.

[romber]

You can do full hippikon strategy against every god except Atty and other Greek, as in larger numbers, the Hoplites and Katapeltes will tear your army up. Against them, go 3 stables and 1 archery range. That should be enough to kill their army effectively.

But I agree. Hippikons are a very good unit

[Lightmarenikita]

Yeah, true, very true, i'll only go all hippokins in every 3v3 because the raiding is good, but i would only go all hippokin against eggies...norse, i use the strat above...