Overdriven, you keep saying HAs aren't dangerous. And you are right in way, they don't get a lot of kills on average, but they can get 4 of the best cavs horses down without a scratch, and that only in one round! And that while they don't have to be good HA's. They are probably the best class if you want to help your team. Those cavs could've got down 20 people at least. The cav can't do a thing about it. That i think is unfair.
They are dangerous in the right hands, like any class. But from an average players perspective I don't think shooting down horses can really class them as being properly dangerous. A lancer, when shot down, does have the opportunity for fight for a while (depending on where that happened).
To shoot all 4 horses down (your example) would take most of the round, unless the cav are complete douche's and just pay the HA no heed. It'll probably take me at least 30 secs to shoot down 1 horse if they have noticed me and are actively trying to get away from me, which on all but the most open maps, isn't relatively hard. And in a 5 min battle, 30 secs is a long time. It just so happens that I devote my entire round to taking out cavalry, whilst occasionally taking pot shots at inf.
I honestly think HA is only truly dangerous to cav who simply don't care enough to think of a way out. Or on properly open maps. However, I would agree that they are one of the best classes for helping a team out if one team has good cav. But I personally think that is balanced. I think HA should be able to take down lancers relatively well, it's one of their primary roles. And any cav who thinks they can just charge around with out paying attention to us, deserves to be shot down.
But from Dezilagels perspective. I can see what he is talking about. Cav do have an opportunity to take out HA. If the HA is using an average horse (which lots do) then lancers have the speed or manouevre to cut them off/catch them off guard. HA aren't often the most aware of classes. They have tendencies to focus on an opponent and go for it, and this can be there weakness. Especially if said HA is using the zoomed aim at all. Add on the light armour and one good lance hit can make the kill.
However, I can see that 2h/people who aren't shielders do have a problem when dealing with HA. But as I have said before, I'm not entirely sure this will be a massive issue once throwing is back and we see plenty more throwing builds. Perhaps we need to see that back before a decision can truly be made.
