[Major proplem with workers]

Cavalry are already OP. If your opponent is focused only on infantry, raid his countryside. They can't work while chasing you, and if they don't chase you capture and destroy buildings. Don't engage any large forces, just hit and run.

[0 A.D. - The Grand Vision]

I'd rather they fix performance issues and implement formations/battalions before they start throwing in a thousand factions they can't and shouldn't wast time trying to balance when they've still so many missing features. This isn't a grand vision, it's just moar civs, and I'm a little disappointed to see such an uninspired suggestion coming from you wow, you're much more creative than this.

[Game rewards turtling too much]

1 hour ago, kditd said:

I was talking about what happens in the first 5-10 minutes. Cavalry being OP doesn't change the fact that the core game mechanics reward passive play in Phase 1.

I was also talking about the first 5-10 minutes. Played aggressively, that's the whole match vs even the hardest ai.

[Game rewards turtling too much]

I disagree completely. Early cavalry raids are absolutely devastating. Very hard ai opponents quickly become trivial when you focus on offense from the beginning. I can easily win in under twenty minutes 1v1 vs the hardest ai, often before the 15 or even ten minute mark, and I'm not even especially good. It's to the point that I'll often purposely play defensively just to challenge myself.

I suggest you build nothing but cavalry until you reach 20 population. Have them hunt until you do. Then start raiding the enemy, focusing on their women. You now have a ton of food from hunting and enough wood to start building houses. Spam women and boom your economy while devastating your enemy. It's totally op unless you have multiple opponents.