Horse archer has been much weaker at certain points in the past, and guess what, only the real hardcore assholes continued to play it. If you think it doesn't matter, then just reduce their accuracy and or damage significantly, because I firmly believe it will directly make the class less popular and less annoying. Some horse archers literally get valour nearly every round, you seriously don't think this doesn't affect their number at all?
I don't think I alluded to anything regarding how things affect their popularity; heck, many of the patches have continually nerfed HA. Of course they affect it, and I think there are issues with the first round and how peasants give too many points. The high amount of points that HA can achieve also gives hints towards how HA needs to be looked at due to its non-risky playstyle not being intended for that.
My issue is this: Considering HA damage continues to be reduced, will this really stop the complaints about HA? I'm skeptical because this past wpf patch decreased HA damage significantly yet the complaints remained. HA have been hit the most with this past wpf change.
I can't say much about accuracy since it was probably higher because of the low tier bow change and wpf curve, but HA damage has been continuously nerfed over the past year. I tried simulating what damage was like before randomization, with ranged penetration, wpf ^ 1.1, etc. and damage was overall higher by like 50%. This is discounting the significant damage increase from exponential speed bonus that was possible back then.
+3 Horn bow, +3 bodkins, 15/24, 5PT 170wpf, 4HA: 41 raw, 37 raw in the rain. 46-47 raw when going full speed on large warhorse. Final damage is decreased further to 65-85% if you don't hit the chest. You're looking at dealing 7-8 damage.
I know it's not a yumi and 6PD, but I confirmed that the numbers follows the damage formula at
http://tinyurl.com/crpgcalc so simulated damages should be what is noticed in-game, possibly up to +6-7 raw from that from speed bonus.
If my infantry builds could take 20 horse archer arrows before I die, it surely would annoy me less than the 8 it takes now. If my horse could take 15 horse archer arrows before it would die, I would surely be less annoyed by it, and more inclined to have a go and catching one off guard. Horse archery has been a state where I pretty much shrugged of their arrows without being bothered at all.
Of course their strength matters for the popularity of the class and the annoyance it causes, really don't see why you think it doesn't.
If you force HA into -5 damage cut arrows to deal 3 damage, that may be achievable. I was trying to say that the core of the annoyances involved are not from damage, but due to the stun and being the best at dealing damage while avoiding any danger. Maybe not even stun since ranged stagger was removed and the complaints came back within a month. Of course, a reticule bigger than the moon and dealing miniscule-no damage will help, but c'mon, you knew what I meant about addressing the core issues. I definitely think that the lower damage helped and I'm much braver to attack HA nowadays, but without addressing the main problems, the complaints will rise again in due time.
Besides, a high level HA can just get +2 PD or give up damage and machine gun with a Nomad Bow (will still do enough damage to stun). Others have stated how a shield doesn't really help, too, even though that (and a shield on the back) reduces incoming HA damage to 0.
-Kiting all cavalry players while slowly whittling down their horses
-Ability to bump shielders/infantry and shoot them if they try to attack
-Harassing non-cavalry players with constant stun and damage as the HA circles them
-Timing out the clock for valour on the lightest armored enemies
I'd like to address as many of these directly as possible instead of using a roundabout method. If these can't be solved, I think the class should just be removed. It will be difficult without WSE2, so complex mechanics such as the shooting angle can't really be changed. I don't mind HA being a good/great class as long as it can be combated properly. On second thought, maybe reducing all horse ranged to 0 effective riding (or directly altering speed/maneuver if possible) may be the better choice to fully rule out the option of kiting.