Steppe Rider
Steppe Rider is Chinese Heavy Cavalry available from the Commerce Age. It is a low-population mounted unit with a bonus against Infantry but reduced damage against Heavy Infantry, making it a selective flanking choice.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 85 Coin
- Available
- Commerce Age
- Training
- 35 sec · 1 population · 9 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 150 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 7.25 speed · 18 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 15 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Infantry; 0.5x vs. Heavy infantry
- Siege attack
- 25 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Trample attack
- 8 damage · 2.0 attack interval · bonuses: Same as hand attack
Role, availability & values
It has 150 hit points, moves at 7.25 speed and has 30% ranged resistance. It occupies one population, costs 85 Coin and takes 35 seconds to train. Its attacks deal 15 hand, 25 siege and 8 trample damage, with a 2.0× bonus against Infantry and a 0.5× modifier against Heavy Infantry.
Matchup & timing
Use Steppe Riders to reach exposed Infantry or pressure structures when the route is open. Avoid charging into Heavy Infantry and anti-cavalry, where the reduced matchup and low health can make them vulnerable. Their one-population cost supports a larger group, but each still needs a safe engagement.
Cheap Chinese raiding cavalry
The Steppe Rider is a Commerce Age Chinese heavy cavalry unit trained as part of the Standard Army and, in Definitive Edition, the Mongolian Army. It costs 85 Coin, takes 35 seconds and uses one population. The unit has 150 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed 7.25 and line of sight 18. Its hand attack deals 15 damage every 1.5 seconds and has a two-times multiplier against Infantry, but only half damage against Heavy Infantry. Trample deals eight damage in an area of three every two seconds. Siege damage is 25 at range six every three seconds, making it useful against buildings as well as for raiding. Steppe Riders are fast and inexpensive but have far fewer hit points than most heavy cavalry. They can attack exposed Villagers or buildings, then use speed to escape before the defender gathers a counterforce. Their siege unit tag provides resistance to building fire, but Minutemen fire is particularly dangerous. Do not interpret the building resistance as protection from all ranged attacks. Keep the riders away from Heavy Infantry, which their hand attack damages poorly, and use other units to screen against anti-cavalry troops. The Mongolian Scourge Home City Card improves their attack against Villagers, making them much more effective raiders. They can arrive in larger numbers than many cavalry units and cost only one population each, so the card supports a population-efficient raiding force. A Villager with Great Coat and Blunderbuss can defeat a Steppe Rider in melee, however, so target workers who are isolated or move the riders away when militia or a screen appears. The goal is to disrupt gathering and force a response, not to trade units under a Town Center. The Chinese banner army system means the Steppe Rider is not queued as a normal Cavalry unit from a Stable. It appears as part of the War Academy’s Standard or Mongolian army composition. This gives the player a mixed banner group and limits direct control over unit-by-unit production. Its low Coin cost and one-population use complement the Keshik from the Mongolian Army, which handles ranged combat and shares several Home City upgrades. Upgrade progression includes Disciplined Steppe Riders for 100 Wood and 50 Coin in the Fortress Age, granting 20% hit points and damage; Honored requires Disciplined and costs 300 of each resource for 30%; Exalted requires Honored and costs 750 of each. The current Exalted bonus is 40%, changed from 50% in update 61213. Exalted Steppe Riders can approach the strength of an unupgraded Hussar while using only one population, which helps in late-game armies where population is tight. Use Steppe Riders to raid, pressure buildings and exploit a weak flank. Their limited health makes extended fights poor value. Add them in a mixed Chinese force when the opponent has exposed infantry or economy, and transition to other cavalry when the matchup requires more durability.
Raid with a low population commitment
The one-population cost lets China field more Steppe Riders before reaching the population cap than a standard two-population heavy cavalry force. That advantage is most useful when the army uses them to attack several points, forcing the opponent to split defenders. Keep the riders moving between exposed villagers and buildings, and use their 25 siege damage after the area is clear. Their 150 hit points are low for heavy cavalry, so withdrawing after a short attack preserves the population advantage for the next raid. The Mongolian Army combines Steppe Riders with Keshiks, giving the Chinese a fast melee unit and a ranged cavalry option in one banner group. The two units share cavalry upgrades and can pressure different targets, but the Steppe Rider’s infantry bonus and siege focus differ from the Keshik’s ranged role. Do not send them into Heavy Infantry or Minutemen fire, and use the banner group’s other units to cover the Steppe Riders’ weaknesses.
Use banner production efficiently
Since Steppe Riders arrive through banner armies, plan for the other units included in the selected formation and use them to cover the cavalry’s weaknesses. Send the group where its infantry bonus matters, then withdraw if the enemy shifts to heavy counters. This keeps the low-cost cavalry from being wasted as a frontline.
Choose targets that justify the risk
Steppe Riders excel against exposed Infantry and structures, but their low hit points make an even trade against heavy counters inefficient. Scout the route, attack a vulnerable target and retreat before a Town Center or anti-cavalry force can focus them.
Retreat after the siege strike
After a Steppe Rider damages a building, pull it back toward the banner army and let other units cover the retreat. Its speed is its defense once the enemy responds.
Low-population Chinese raiding Cavalry
The Steppe Rider is a Commerce Age Chinese heavy Cavalry unit included in the Standard Army and, in Definitive Edition, the Mongolian Army. It costs 85 Coin, takes 35 seconds to train and uses one population. The profile has 150 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed 7.25 and sight 18. Its 15-damage hand attack fires every 1.5 seconds and has a 2× bonus against Infantry but only half damage against Heavy Infantry. The 25-damage Siege attack gives the unit a structure-pressure option, and an eight-damage Trample attack affects an area of three. Its speed and one-population cost support larger groups, but low health means choose the target and route carefully.
Match the target to its bonus
Steppe Riders can flank exposed Infantry or move quickly between a fight and a building. Avoid sending them into Heavy Infantry, where the reduced damage and enemy counter bonuses work against them. Ranged resistance helps them cross a firing lane but does not make a charge safe against concentrated anti-Cavalry troops. Since the unit is supplied through a banner composition, assess the full group’s resource and population commitment rather than treating the 85-Coin line as the only cost. Use Steppe Riders with Chinese ranged units and other banner troops so they can pressure targets while the rest of the formation covers their weaknesses. The Mongolian Army is a separate Definitive Edition composition; check its exact roster before relying on the same unit count as Standard Army.