Ports in Team Games - Early Dragoons

[Kaiser_von_Nuben]

Hi everyone. This is my first new topic on N3O so I'm pretty excited :roll:

I know almost no one plays Ports in TAD supremacy (only 4.4% of all games involve them...worst in the patch). Still, I've found them to be extremely strong in treaty and in the later ages. Plus I always like playing an underdog... after all, I started AOE 3 with TWC Germans--it didn't get much more UP than that 8O

I often play team games and I like to experiment with various unit combos. When I built my Port deck, I was intrigued by the card that gives you Age 2 dragoons. I thought: "This could make an interesting addition to a 2v2 or 3v3 team." Does anyone use this card? I don't think it would be that handy in 1v1... colonial militia or econ theory or schooners is the only way to go there.

In Age 2, dragoons do 22 ranged damage, X3 v. cavalry. That is better than a zamburak, but they cost more. Still, in tests I've been able to get 10 of them pretty quick. If you have a ranged inf teammate spamming, say, longbows, you could cover him completely against cavalry. In a 3v3, double yumi with covering dragoons would probably roll just about anything, unless the other side went all-cav

What do you guys think about these possibilities? BTW: If anyone would like to join me in testing this out in an unrated team game, let me know when you see me online! Thanks, guys :!:

[Blackadderthe4th]

I did try this once or twice in TWC to try and stop the then OP Sioux WC and axe rider combo but never got it to work and got flammed every time I tried (another reason why I stopped playing outside the clan). I've seen Drew try it in a 3v3 and it seemed to do the job of keeping Tatls Uhlans at bay but I'm not sure if it is more advantageous over say making muskets for anti cav as muskets are alot more versatile and don't require a card to make. From my experience they are just too expensive to make sufficient numbers quick enough to stop a fast rush.

[lordandcount]

sometime with sioux in team, rifle rider can be very good against a HI spam, cetan doesn't work that good.

[kingchrisII]

imo to stop a fast rush in 1v1 just do a 6.20 ish FF and defend with 3 TCs and colonial malitia lol

BUT in team games i'd suggest just doing an FF and gettin vet goons, and you can send the 5 goons card as soon as you age, then spam them, you can get a good number by around 8mins

[ruminator]

As you say, you need to play a card to allow them at all and the 90 gold cost for each is tough early game - even Japs can't spam naginatas until about 8 minutes in!

As Port you need to go FF and get three t/cs down as soon as possible, or if you do plan on staying in age 2 then you want to send xbow and musket cards first as defence while spamming settlers from two t/cs first. Only then will you have the econ to make it work.

Lets be honest, ports need a 3 hussar card in colonial - but that's another post!

[Navarone_Guy]

I remember, Cyclohexane and I used to do a Port/Iro team early skirmishers thing with cassadores and forest prowlers. Team early goons, however... they just get countered too easily by xbows and other age 2 light inf.

[Tatltael]

[quote=""Blackadderthe4th""]I did try this once or twice in TWC to try and stop the then OP Sioux WC and axe rider combo but never got it to work and got flammed every time I tried (another reason why I stopped playing outside the clan). I've seen Drew try it in a 3v3 and it seemed to do the job of keeping Tatls Uhlans at bay but I'm not sure if it is more advantageous over say making muskets for anti cav as muskets are alot more versatile and don't require a card to make. From my experience they are just too expensive to make sufficient numbers quick enough to stop a fast rush.[/quote]

yes i remember that, the dragoons made me cautious to raid - i think they were well effective

[Kaiser_von_Nuben]

Thanks for the input, guys. I agree that FF would probably be a better option for Ports, but in most team games I play it's all about Age 2 massing, with the battle beginning around 5:15-6:00. At that stage, muskets would certainly be the more cost-effective anti-cav. I do see lots of India players providing the anti-cav with zamburaks, but they are substantially cheaper than goons... and you don't need to waste a card to get them.

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I've seen in the past port players on random +++ like games going for goons when in need of countering a sioux player and it worked damn good.

[Heyco]

I also tried that sometime. But that sucked completely and we lost... I'll
never do that again. Maybe 3v3... But never ever 2v2!

[Soccerman771]

Heyco. This thread has been dead and buried for well over a month and a half. Let them RIP. Enjoy reading the old guys for their value and relevance, but there is absolutely no need to bump a thread this old.

[36drew]

They one thing I want to add is that the goons you get are NOT veteran goons. They are colonial goons and there stats aren't that good. They work okay IMO, but are nothing to pursue really. I've only used them for fun.