Civ Discussion: Italians

Hey, guys. Spirit of the Law Majike03 here, and I wanted to continue the civ discussion thread. The last thread was the Slav discussion by Samziel. Today I wanted to see everyone's opinions on the Italians.

• Genoese Crossbowman (Anti-Cavalry UU) How good are they againts cavalry? Are they a viable counter considering Italians lack the halberdiers? What would convince you to make these instead of arbalests?

•Condotierro (Anti-gunpowder UU/Team Bonus) When do these guys really shine in a balanced army? What civs benefit the most from the UU? What's your opinion on the strength of the unit?

•Pavise (Castle UT: Foot archers gain +1/1 armor) Does this make them a notable archer civ like the Britons, Mayans, and Vietnamese? Is it worth researching and when? How does this effect their UU?

•Silk Road (Imperial UT: Trade units cost 50% less) Is this tech worth it? When should you research it?

(Civ Bonuses)

•Advancing to the next Age costs 15% less.

•Dock technologies cost 50% less.

•Fishing ships cost 25 less wood.

•Gunpowder units cost 20% less.

How do these effect the Italians? Do all the dock bonuses make the Italians a rop-tier water civ based on the fire galley meta? How does gunpowder play out for Italians?

What strategies would you use with the Italians and how would you defend with them? How do you rank the Italians on land, water, and overall?

Feel free to ask more questions, discuss the civ, and tell us your experiences with them!