Mounted Crossbowman

Mounted Crossbowman in all positions

The Mounted Crossbowman is the first unit of the standard line of mounted archery in chivalry, that is available from the 14th century at the Archery Guild (but only to a few civs). It is more expensive and weaker in comparison to a foot archer but has more hit points and no minimum range. The mounted crossbow is one of the fastest archer units, thus an ideal hit'n'run unit. In the 15th century, it can be upgraded to the Mounted Cranequinier.

Vital Statistics

Vital

Available to: Bavaria, Bohemia, Brittany, Guelders, Helvetia, Poland (with Ostiedslung), Saxony

Trained at: Archery Guild

Century: 14th

Cost: 40 Wood, 65 Florins

Combat

HP: 50

Attack: 9

Armor/Pierce Armor: 0/0

Range: 6

Accuracy Percentage: 50

Reloading Time: 3.5

Special: +1 vs. spearmen.

Upgrades

Upgrades to: Mounted Cranquiner

Upgrade Century: 15th

Upgrade Cost: 900 Food, 500 Florins

Attack, Range: Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, Bracer, Bow Practise

Attack: Alchemy

Armour: Padded Archer Armour. Leather Archer Armour, Ring Archer Armour

Armour, Bonuses: Plackart

Speed: Husbandry

Hit Points: Bloodlines

Civs and Mounted Crossbowmen

Brittany: cheaper in the 14th and 15th century.

Helvetia: cheaper in the 14th and 15th century.

Poland: enabled with Ostsiedlung.

Unit Strategy

When used correctly, mounted crossbowmen make a swift hit-and-run force capable of mowing down units quickly. However, they are vunerable not only to anticavalry units but also anti-archer units, so care must be taken around these. Their lack of accuracy also renders them less effective than other cavalry archers; yet their greater range and damage gives them a nice advantage if massed.

V1.82 enabled more improved hit'n'run tactics as Mounted Crossbowmen now reload much faster while moving.