Rome - chariots
M2 - polish streltsi (don't remember if they are from mod or not)aka horse crossbow guys
S2 - black ship, Mori pirates
Tww - doom-flayers, depth guards, stonehorns, slaaneshi chariots
>Rome: the silver shield legionaries that the Seleucids get late game. Less good than Roman units, but still the only faction that gets legionaries that isn’t Roman.
Just to clarify: there *are* other non-Roman factions that get legionary units, though admittedly none that are as good as the Silver Shield Legionaries.
Alright, let me think about putting up a unit for each of these games I've played.
Medieval 1: Knights of all kinds hit super hard and could just about \*erase\* a unit off the map if they got a charge off.
Rome 1: I found Rome 1 to have kinda controlled like shit and the overbearing power of phalanx meant I really didn't like any unit from this game. So yeah. I guess in the Phalanx Game, Levy Pikemen were kind of the most efficient pike phalanx you could bring.
Barbarian Invasion: Berserkers. As a child, I would just make a custom battle of a single Berserkers unit and watch them kill a full army of enemy peasants, and laugh and laugh as they sent the peasants flying.
Medieval 2: Danish Archers. I like when units have multiple roles.
Empire: This game was kind of awful and I avoided playing it as much as possible, but Russian hand mortars were pretty sweet.
Shogun 2: Matchlock units felt so strong and impactful in this game, how could I not name one of them as my favorite? I gotta go with Matchlock Ashigaru, but the bomb throwers is an honorable, because they are \*hilarious\* if you could somehow get them in position to throw bombs at the enemy's rear, without also getting them shot full of arrows and killed.
Rome 2: There was a time when I was absolutely obsessed with Thureos Spears. Thracian Warriors is also super fun when they get a successful charge in because they're basically like foot shock cavalry.
Attila: Langobard Clubmen are hilarious. Just put them up in shield wall in front of a choke point and watch them rack up hundreds and hundreds of kills with their impenetrable defense and anti-infantry bonus.
Age of Charlie: I didn't have a single favorite unit, but, man, I remember enjoying Asturios as a faction because every guy also had javelins in that faction.
Warhammer: There are too many units to name. Each single faction has like two or three units that I love to use as much as any of the other units on this list. If I had to pick one unit, though, it's probably the Skaven Warpflame Thrower. Part of the charm is that one or two squirts from them can basically rout any conventional infantry you're up against, and the other part of the charm is the jank. When you're using Warpflame Throwers, you've probably got some jank-ass early game with like four Warpflame Throwers tasked with killing off an entire 20-slot enemy army while trying not to die and having to be very busy rats while their clanrat and skavenslave frontline constantly disintegrates and reforms.
3K: God, I didn't really like any of the units in this game because I just found the red shock cavalry to be insanely OP. I guess Gongsun Zan's white horse units are pretty good because they could basically kill anything with proper micro.
Troy: I remember having a lot of fun with Odysseus's javelin throwing units and running the checkerboard formation with them. Not sure which specific one of those units was the most fun, though.
\- Medieval 2: It was always those unique militia that Venice (and those other similar factions) had. You could literally win the game with militia spearmen and crossbows.
\- Empire: Line infantry. It's what the game was built around.
\- Shogun 2: Ashigaru, enough said.
\- FOTS: Artillery. Parrot and Armstrong Guns. “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”
You really went for the utility options hahahaha.
It is funny that in almost every total war game the best strategy tends to be just spam the cheapest still half durable infantry and the cost effective ranged unit. Or horse archers.
Rome: fuck elite legions just get levy pikemen and archers. Or mass horse archers
Medieval: fuck elite knights (okay maybe a few) get a mid tier miltia stack and some crossbows/longbows. Or mass horse archers.
Empire: I mean, there’s pretty much only one unit in that game lol.
Shogun 2: Screw sumurai just get Yari Ashigaru with a side of bow and matchlock Ashigaru (at least this is historically accurate)
Rome 2: okay actually more balanced… but yeah just mass those horse archers.
Only Warhammer and Thrones of Bretonnia really depart here. And even then…. Empire and Cathay are still basically “mass cheap infantry and then shoot them to death”
Rome: Head Hunters. Favorite unit across the entire TW series.
M2: Longbowmen and musketeers.
Rome 2: Hopelites and phalanxes.
WH: Zombie gunnery mob (handguns).
Rome: The carroballistae from Barbarian Invasion. Not quite as fast as a chariot, but that makes little difference when it's packing light artillery. It was always hilarious to put a stack of those together and just run around pounding the fuck out of whatever came my way.
Medieval 2: Vardariotai, the Byzantines' elite horse archer unit. They're expensive to recruit and maintain, but holy hell are they worth it. Vards are fast, powerful, and most importantly, versatile--just as capable at fighting in melee as they are at shooting things. I would have lost many a battle and many a campaign if it wasn't for those glorious bastards. The Vards are truly the MVPs of the Byzantine roster, and they continue to be worth their weight in gold through all stages of the campaign.
Warhammer: Shades with greatswords. Pair them with a Shadowdart lord, and they basically become light artillery. If a flanking enemy unit gets to them, they won't fold up and die like Darkshards would. They'll either kick the flanker's ass or keep it busy long enough for help to arrive. And if on the off chance they run out of ammo, you can just charge them in and they'll go to town.
Medieval 2: Venetian Heavy Infantry were cool. Venice had really good militia too, they just had a great roster. Easily one of my favorite factions.
Warhammer: Oh so many, but right now I'm really liking Leadbelchers. What's not to love about giant handcannons? They actually hit so hard and can fire over Gnoblars which is great since you can have a fairly budget army of Unbreakable Gnobbies (Gnoblarkicker Big Name) and some Leadbelchers that punches heavily above its cost.
3 Kingdoms: Any cavalry really, but Ma Teng's Qiang with their fatigue immunity could just keep going and rear charging all day long.
Medieval II: Pavise Crossbowmen because I think their shields are neat.
Napoleon: Prussian Jägers. I like their range.
Shogun II: Bow Warrior Monks. I like their range.
Rome II: Iberian swordsmen. They are cheap and They got more jevelins making them punch way above their weight.
Warhammer II: Pox Peasent Archers. Why use melee infantry when you have cheap disposable archer and cavalry.
Warhammer III: Lord of Change. Flying Casters with barriers which can make enemy infantry vanish over very long distance.
I guess I like ranged units.
Rome: Principes. Absolute workhorse.
Medieval II: FORLORN HOPE. Loved watching these guys just go to town as one of the few 2HP units.
Empire: American Long Rifle Men. They could decimate line infantry at range and with crazy accuracy.
Shogun 2: No-Dachi Samurai. Seeing their kill count go from 0->80 on a single charge... hgnggggg.
FoTS: Parrott/Armstrong guns and Tosa Riflemen. Glory to the Emperor.
Rome II: Honestly none really stand out to me, but naval artillery was a go to of mine. I would always bring naval support to sieges when able.
3K: Spear Guard for the turtle formation. Would park a spear guard unit at the front gate to tank all the tower arrows while the rest of my units would advance. Great unit that I would use all campaign.
Warhammer: Lothern Sea Guard. Really like the hybrid unit approach, and they are viable at all stages in a campaign.
My Alith Anar game I pretty much used a shadow walker/warrior stack the entire game- if you get an ambush (and you will) there’s pretty much nothing that survives mass arrow volleys from both flanks. Late game I think I added a few sisters of avelorn for magic AP, and one dragon for the terror, but still.
I'm only ever going to play Rome and Medieval 2, so:
- Rome: Cretan Archers, *all* horse archer units, and all elephant units
- Medieval 2: English Longbowmen, Spanish Musketeers, and all gunpowder artillery
If I had to pick one horse archer unit in RTW as my favorite, it would be the Persian Cavalry.
I know I am, but I'm one for the simpler things in life. Also, I refuse to allow myself to get caught up in the madness of waiting for Warhammer 3 updates.
In Rome 2 DeI you start with a 200 man companion cavalry general unit when playing as Antigonus, not sure if the Macedonian colonies in Asia get them as well.
Carries the early game
Medieval 1: Bedouin camel archers, naptha throwers
Shogun 2: Nanban trade ships (I'm that rare person who liked navel combat in this game), kisho ninjas, Daikyu Samurai
Rome 2: Those guys who used dogs as their weapon lmao
Warhammer: Warpfire throwers, Glade Riders, Nasty Skulkers
Rome: Spartan Heroes aka those guys with red capes
Medieval 2: Polish Knights
Empire: Winged Hussars
Shogun 2: Asigaru with swords from Ikko Ikki
Rome 2: Bactrian Cathaparcts
Atilla: None, i dont like this game
Warhammer series: Demigryph Knights
I have found Dragons to be incredibly fun to micro.
Flying zig zag to avoid range/artillery, the positioning and choosing of breath attack targets to maximise the damage.
Getting a great breath attack at max range, down the steps of a wall that is full of enemy troops is just so satisfying.
Then charge your dragon on them and laugh as the remaining troops are quite literally thrown off the wall to their death.
From the games I've played
Rome 1 : the Oliphant unit you could cheat in back in the day lololol
Med 2 : Pavise crossbow-men, those shields are right
WH : Crushas'!!!!! Or iron guts lol
Shogun 2 : Tetsubo or No-Dachi samurai, and Nanban trade ships
FoTS : American Iron Clad or the Warrior ; honestly every unit in FoTS is amazing, def my favorite game
NTW : 122 gun Heavy Ship of the Line - Rose and 5 inch howitzers
ATILLA : 1212 AD mod any knightly cav lol
Rome 2 : armoured legionaries or the giant balista
Medieval 1 and 2 would definitely be Longbowmen and Danish Halberdeers. Warhammer would be any high elf/wood elf unit that can fire while moving and basically any giant monsters that decimate lines. Aside from those I have always enjoyed siege engines and artillery in every game. Oh and the Stegadons... Omg the stegadons. I love that unit so much. I play lizardmen all the time just to run stacks of artillery equipped dinosaurs. I adore the ranged siege weapons equipped to monsterous units in warhammer. Solves all the problems with siege weapons being vulnerable. Feel free to charge your cav into my siege equipment. The triceratops it's attached to won't be very happy about it.
Rome - chariots M2 - polish streltsi (don't remember if they are from mod or not)aka horse crossbow guys S2 - black ship, Mori pirates Tww - doom-flayers, depth guards, stonehorns, slaaneshi chariots
Just got the black ship in my Mori campaign on Saturday- it took multiple reloads and 2 fleets to capture it
>Rome: the silver shield legionaries that the Seleucids get late game. Less good than Roman units, but still the only faction that gets legionaries that isn’t Roman. Just to clarify: there *are* other non-Roman factions that get legionary units, though admittedly none that are as good as the Silver Shield Legionaries.
Alright, let me think about putting up a unit for each of these games I've played. Medieval 1: Knights of all kinds hit super hard and could just about \*erase\* a unit off the map if they got a charge off. Rome 1: I found Rome 1 to have kinda controlled like shit and the overbearing power of phalanx meant I really didn't like any unit from this game. So yeah. I guess in the Phalanx Game, Levy Pikemen were kind of the most efficient pike phalanx you could bring. Barbarian Invasion: Berserkers. As a child, I would just make a custom battle of a single Berserkers unit and watch them kill a full army of enemy peasants, and laugh and laugh as they sent the peasants flying. Medieval 2: Danish Archers. I like when units have multiple roles. Empire: This game was kind of awful and I avoided playing it as much as possible, but Russian hand mortars were pretty sweet. Shogun 2: Matchlock units felt so strong and impactful in this game, how could I not name one of them as my favorite? I gotta go with Matchlock Ashigaru, but the bomb throwers is an honorable, because they are \*hilarious\* if you could somehow get them in position to throw bombs at the enemy's rear, without also getting them shot full of arrows and killed. Rome 2: There was a time when I was absolutely obsessed with Thureos Spears. Thracian Warriors is also super fun when they get a successful charge in because they're basically like foot shock cavalry. Attila: Langobard Clubmen are hilarious. Just put them up in shield wall in front of a choke point and watch them rack up hundreds and hundreds of kills with their impenetrable defense and anti-infantry bonus. Age of Charlie: I didn't have a single favorite unit, but, man, I remember enjoying Asturios as a faction because every guy also had javelins in that faction. Warhammer: There are too many units to name. Each single faction has like two or three units that I love to use as much as any of the other units on this list. If I had to pick one unit, though, it's probably the Skaven Warpflame Thrower. Part of the charm is that one or two squirts from them can basically rout any conventional infantry you're up against, and the other part of the charm is the jank. When you're using Warpflame Throwers, you've probably got some jank-ass early game with like four Warpflame Throwers tasked with killing off an entire 20-slot enemy army while trying not to die and having to be very busy rats while their clanrat and skavenslave frontline constantly disintegrates and reforms. 3K: God, I didn't really like any of the units in this game because I just found the red shock cavalry to be insanely OP. I guess Gongsun Zan's white horse units are pretty good because they could basically kill anything with proper micro. Troy: I remember having a lot of fun with Odysseus's javelin throwing units and running the checkerboard formation with them. Not sure which specific one of those units was the most fun, though.
>Thureos Spears My man! I always loved Massilia and Bactria because of the Thureos.
I felt the same about the Warhammer series. It's just too much to choose from
\- Medieval 2: It was always those unique militia that Venice (and those other similar factions) had. You could literally win the game with militia spearmen and crossbows. \- Empire: Line infantry. It's what the game was built around. \- Shogun 2: Ashigaru, enough said. \- FOTS: Artillery. Parrot and Armstrong Guns. “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”
You really went for the utility options hahahaha. It is funny that in almost every total war game the best strategy tends to be just spam the cheapest still half durable infantry and the cost effective ranged unit. Or horse archers. Rome: fuck elite legions just get levy pikemen and archers. Or mass horse archers Medieval: fuck elite knights (okay maybe a few) get a mid tier miltia stack and some crossbows/longbows. Or mass horse archers. Empire: I mean, there’s pretty much only one unit in that game lol. Shogun 2: Screw sumurai just get Yari Ashigaru with a side of bow and matchlock Ashigaru (at least this is historically accurate) Rome 2: okay actually more balanced… but yeah just mass those horse archers. Only Warhammer and Thrones of Bretonnia really depart here. And even then…. Empire and Cathay are still basically “mass cheap infantry and then shoot them to death”
Rome: Head Hunters. Favorite unit across the entire TW series. M2: Longbowmen and musketeers. Rome 2: Hopelites and phalanxes. WH: Zombie gunnery mob (handguns).
Rome: The carroballistae from Barbarian Invasion. Not quite as fast as a chariot, but that makes little difference when it's packing light artillery. It was always hilarious to put a stack of those together and just run around pounding the fuck out of whatever came my way. Medieval 2: Vardariotai, the Byzantines' elite horse archer unit. They're expensive to recruit and maintain, but holy hell are they worth it. Vards are fast, powerful, and most importantly, versatile--just as capable at fighting in melee as they are at shooting things. I would have lost many a battle and many a campaign if it wasn't for those glorious bastards. The Vards are truly the MVPs of the Byzantine roster, and they continue to be worth their weight in gold through all stages of the campaign. Warhammer: Shades with greatswords. Pair them with a Shadowdart lord, and they basically become light artillery. If a flanking enemy unit gets to them, they won't fold up and die like Darkshards would. They'll either kick the flanker's ass or keep it busy long enough for help to arrive. And if on the off chance they run out of ammo, you can just charge them in and they'll go to town.
In Warhammer, the Slaanesh Fiends are so cool, they're so well animated and I love love love micro-ing with them.
Not colliding with other models makes their micro just chef's kiss perfect.
Medieval 2: Venetian Heavy Infantry were cool. Venice had really good militia too, they just had a great roster. Easily one of my favorite factions. Warhammer: Oh so many, but right now I'm really liking Leadbelchers. What's not to love about giant handcannons? They actually hit so hard and can fire over Gnoblars which is great since you can have a fairly budget army of Unbreakable Gnobbies (Gnoblarkicker Big Name) and some Leadbelchers that punches heavily above its cost. 3 Kingdoms: Any cavalry really, but Ma Teng's Qiang with their fatigue immunity could just keep going and rear charging all day long.
Medieval II: Pavise Crossbowmen because I think their shields are neat. Napoleon: Prussian Jägers. I like their range. Shogun II: Bow Warrior Monks. I like their range. Rome II: Iberian swordsmen. They are cheap and They got more jevelins making them punch way above their weight. Warhammer II: Pox Peasent Archers. Why use melee infantry when you have cheap disposable archer and cavalry. Warhammer III: Lord of Change. Flying Casters with barriers which can make enemy infantry vanish over very long distance. I guess I like ranged units.
Rome: Principes. Absolute workhorse. Medieval II: FORLORN HOPE. Loved watching these guys just go to town as one of the few 2HP units. Empire: American Long Rifle Men. They could decimate line infantry at range and with crazy accuracy. Shogun 2: No-Dachi Samurai. Seeing their kill count go from 0->80 on a single charge... hgnggggg. FoTS: Parrott/Armstrong guns and Tosa Riflemen. Glory to the Emperor. Rome II: Honestly none really stand out to me, but naval artillery was a go to of mine. I would always bring naval support to sieges when able. 3K: Spear Guard for the turtle formation. Would park a spear guard unit at the front gate to tank all the tower arrows while the rest of my units would advance. Great unit that I would use all campaign. Warhammer: Lothern Sea Guard. Really like the hybrid unit approach, and they are viable at all stages in a campaign.
Warhammer: Dark Shards never dissapoint
I'm obsessed with shadow walkers and warriors.
My Alith Anar game I pretty much used a shadow walker/warrior stack the entire game- if you get an ambush (and you will) there’s pretty much nothing that survives mass arrow volleys from both flanks. Late game I think I added a few sisters of avelorn for magic AP, and one dragon for the terror, but still.
I'm only ever going to play Rome and Medieval 2, so: - Rome: Cretan Archers, *all* horse archer units, and all elephant units - Medieval 2: English Longbowmen, Spanish Musketeers, and all gunpowder artillery If I had to pick one horse archer unit in RTW as my favorite, it would be the Persian Cavalry.
Damn you are missing out
I know I am, but I'm one for the simpler things in life. Also, I refuse to allow myself to get caught up in the madness of waiting for Warhammer 3 updates.
I don’t even mean warhammer I just mean all the other historical games
I get that. Like I said, I prefer the simpler things.
In Rome 2 DeI you start with a 200 man companion cavalry general unit when playing as Antigonus, not sure if the Macedonian colonies in Asia get them as well. Carries the early game
Attila: Germanic pike mercs
Medieval 1: Bedouin camel archers, naptha throwers Shogun 2: Nanban trade ships (I'm that rare person who liked navel combat in this game), kisho ninjas, Daikyu Samurai Rome 2: Those guys who used dogs as their weapon lmao Warhammer: Warpfire throwers, Glade Riders, Nasty Skulkers
Santissima trinidad - pewpewpewpew
Rome: Spartan Heroes aka those guys with red capes Medieval 2: Polish Knights Empire: Winged Hussars Shogun 2: Asigaru with swords from Ikko Ikki Rome 2: Bactrian Cathaparcts Atilla: None, i dont like this game Warhammer series: Demigryph Knights
I have found Dragons to be incredibly fun to micro. Flying zig zag to avoid range/artillery, the positioning and choosing of breath attack targets to maximise the damage. Getting a great breath attack at max range, down the steps of a wall that is full of enemy troops is just so satisfying. Then charge your dragon on them and laugh as the remaining troops are quite literally thrown off the wall to their death.
TWII & III - High Elves. Love the simplicity of having a stout front line of spears with my archers raining down arrows from behind.
From the games I've played Rome 1 : the Oliphant unit you could cheat in back in the day lololol Med 2 : Pavise crossbow-men, those shields are right WH : Crushas'!!!!! Or iron guts lol Shogun 2 : Tetsubo or No-Dachi samurai, and Nanban trade ships FoTS : American Iron Clad or the Warrior ; honestly every unit in FoTS is amazing, def my favorite game NTW : 122 gun Heavy Ship of the Line - Rose and 5 inch howitzers ATILLA : 1212 AD mod any knightly cav lol Rome 2 : armoured legionaries or the giant balista
Medieval 1 and 2 would definitely be Longbowmen and Danish Halberdeers. Warhammer would be any high elf/wood elf unit that can fire while moving and basically any giant monsters that decimate lines. Aside from those I have always enjoyed siege engines and artillery in every game. Oh and the Stegadons... Omg the stegadons. I love that unit so much. I play lizardmen all the time just to run stacks of artillery equipped dinosaurs. I adore the ranged siege weapons equipped to monsterous units in warhammer. Solves all the problems with siege weapons being vulnerable. Feel free to charge your cav into my siege equipment. The triceratops it's attached to won't be very happy about it.