HOW TO SURVIVE/KILL A HORSEARCHER Gotta love copy and paste, can't be bother to type this again - Orginal guide on Taleworld's cRPG forum
I thought I'd post this guide so that people don't complain about HA, leading to a possible neft, because a neft is not needed at all for Horse Archer.
This guide is mainly common sense, but I should start by saying that I am a horse archer (In game name: Cris) and this are the things that would kill me the most or make me not kill someone (besides lack of aiming XD):
Surviving Horse archers: When you are on your own or small groups.
If you are in a big group, there is a good chance that your archer and crossbow team mates will kill the HA.
Players types: Shield users: The best way to survive a HA is having a shield, nevertheless a horsearcher that likes teamplay will turn you round if you are on your own so that your back in facing his teammates, you need to judge who is a bigger threat) Be careful if you try to attack while a HA is going to charge, the moment your shield moves, a HA will shoot if he has arrows. Also, if you really don't like HA, get a big shield, a good HA will hit your feet even when they are moving at full speed. (hitting a foot is just a bit harder than a headshot)
TwoHanded: Get a good armor. It is good to remember that HA is very hard (some times I cant shoot a thing, some times most of my arrows hit) So judge the HA current skill, you may want to take a chance and run for him (if you are a melee user), but although slower, moving like crazy in zig zag makes a player really hard to shoot. If the HA is going for you and you are on your own, you are dead most times, but you can make him waist a lot of arrows, that may mean that your team wins the match.
Polearm: Same as 2H, but if you have a pike, use it and make sure he sees it. It will make the HA think twice before charging.
Archer and Crossbows: Raged can actually attack, so kill the horse or the player before is to late. You may also want to do what a 2h player would do.
Mounted players: Move like crazy. If you don't move much, you will die. Also is good to remember that HA cannot shoot in any angle. Image looking forward is 12 in a clock. A HA shooting angle would be from 6 to around 2. So if you can, keep to the right of the HA.
Types of maps:
-Open field: Stay with the group, HA are more and more common (and all horses for that matter), so the chances you will die if you go own your own are getting bigger all the time. Keep an eye of the horsearcher's movements on an open map if you are not in the front of your team battleline, you didn't want to show him your back, he is probably flanking your team.
- Open field + a village: Stay in the village, hide when you can. Stay with the group.
- Village/town: This are the heardest maps for HA, as we need to aim and make sure we don't crash into a wall. Keep to the right of the HA, hide, you may even get to kill them if you lead them into a close space.
Terrains: Going up hill is bad for horses. If it is a really high hill, chances are you ran faster than the horse. Stay in the hill.
How to kill a Horse archer:
Easy! Become a HA
But for normal players
Archers/throwing: All depends in your skill, the HA skill and armor, and the horse. If you have plenty of arrows, shoot the horse, then shoot the HA. Horses are affected by headshots! so aim well. Also, learn the player's movement patters, it will help you a lot! If you do a lot of damage, just go for the player. Remember, do not think the HA has uber accuracy, yours is much better if he is moving!
Crossbows: This depends on how many crossbows you have, but its usually best to shoot the HA and not the horse. If the Crossbow shooter has only 1 crossbow and shoots my horse, I will most of the times turn around and kill the Crossbowman if he is in an accessible place. A sniper crossbow will not kill an armored horse unless it hits on the head. So again, shoot the rider.
Melee: The longer your weapon the better change you have of killing the horsearcher. If he is concentrated on a target, you may want to run, jump and kill him on the move. Also try to ambush, maybe hide and jump in the last minute (like hiding in a corner). The best way to kill a HA this way is to work with your fellow players. If the HA knows you want to kill him, he may not charge, so lead him in the direction of your teammates, this tactic works really well in villages and towns. Also, if he horse is going up hill, many times you will move faster, use this to your advantage.
Horses: Well, unless you are a horse archer, horse crossbowman or horse thrower, its the same as killing infantry. Just approach from the right if you think he knows you are there. Besides that, hit an run or ambush. Push the HA onto a corner, a rock or the end of the map, anything that will make him stop. The moment he stops, if you are on the right handside, you have the upperhand.
I cannot stress this enough, if you work with your team mates, you will win. (most times
)
I hope this little guide helps.
Cris