Autumnbreed were children, taken from human villages and raised by the Sidhe. None of them decided to come back after they grew up. Or at least that's what the Sidhe say...
An Unit is a group of soldiers of the same type who move and fight together. They make up the armies of King Arthur and his foes. A unit is wiped out when you lose the last man standing - as long as at least one man survives, the unit will live on.
Units require Knights to be fully useful - without a Knight leading them, they cannot move on the campaign map and can only defend the location they are standing on.
Overview[]
All units have a set of attributes which describe them in game terms. They are show in-game on the unit card.
Strength or headcount, which is the number of individuals in the unit. Typical strengths are 48, 36, or 21, though certain rare units have lower numbers.
Recruitment cost, which is measured in gold and food. This is paid when the unit is initially recruited. Typically it is more gold than food.
Upkeep cost, also measured in gold and food. This is paid at the start of every season. Typically it is more food than gold.
Four broad categories are each assigned a numerical statistic to give an estimate of how strong a unit is in each area. 1 is the lowest stat, while ratings over 20 are exceptional.
- Melee: how strong the unit is in melee attack. it has two components: melee damage, and attack interval.
- Defence: how resistant the unit is to attack. It has four components: hit points, armour, ranged defence, and resistance.
- Ranged: how strong the unit is in ranged attack. It has two components: ranged damage, and accuracy.
- Stamina: how long the unit can continuously act before it needs to rest. Low stamina reduces all other stats.
Below the stats on the unit page are its advantages and disadvantages. This give verbal descriptions of something the unit excels at or is punished by. Not all units have advantages and disadvantages.
Unit Abilities, or Perks. Some units start with one or more perks, which alter the way they play. All units will earn the opportunity to gain two more perks as they level up (see Experience, below). Starting perks for all units can be found in the unit tables below; advanced perks from leveling can be found on the specific unit pages.
Formations. All units on the battle map will be in a formation at all times. Each unit has a list of formations that it is trained to form up in. Each of these has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Recruitment[]
Units are usually recruited from Settlements and Strongholds. Newly joined Knights will always bring at least one unit, and sometimes a large army.
When recruiting units, there is an upfront recruitment cost in both gold and food, and it will take a certain number of Seasons to complete, based on the number of troops being recruited and the Martial rating of the Province. Once the units are recruited, they have a seasonal upkeep cost. In general, the recruitment cost is mostly gold, whereas the upkeep is mostly food. Upkeep for high-tier units can become very expensive; it is advised to have a strong economy before upgrading unit types or recruiting high-tier units. Some Knights can reduce (or increase!) recruitment cost with their Traits. As long as your units are in an army with a Knight, their real upkeep cost will always be at least a little lower than their nominal upkeep, as the Knight's Leadership stat reduces it.
Replenishment[]
Units will be constantly weakened through play; either by battle or due to decisions made by your Knights during Adventures. You can visit the nearest settlement and refill a weakened unit, keeping all the levels and special abilities. Replenishing costs gold, food and time just like recruitment, reduced by the number of men still in the unit (e.g. a unit reduced from 36 to 9 will costs 3/4 as much to replenish as that same unit would cost to recruit).
Experience[]
By default units being at level 0. Units primarily gain experience from battle. They can also gain XP by ending a season on the Field of the Just, and certain Stronghold boroughs cause them to be recruited with XP already acquired. like Knights, units can level up in Winter if they've reached the XP threshold. When they level up, one of five stats can be updated, the four mentioned above and a non-combat stat:
- Melee - increases attack damage.
- Defense - increases hit points, armour and ranged defense.
- Archery - increases ranged attack damage. (only available to units which already have ranged attack)
- Stamina - increases stamina by 10%.
- Devotion - reduces upkeep cost by 5%.
As units level up, they also get to choose a unit ability at levels 5 and 10, for a total of two additional unit abilities by level 10, which is also the maximum level.
Military branches[]
The primary classification of units is by branch; how units interact with each other or with your heroes is primarily based on their branch. The branches are:
- Light Infantry
- Heavy Infantry
- Spears
- Archers
- Cavalry
- Knights (Heavy Cavalry)
Unit Strengths[]
Note that terrain and weather also affect the effectiveness of units.
- Spears are most effective against cavalry.
- Cavalry are very effective against archers.
- Light infantry are great for fighting in forests and as interceptors (against enemy melee who are attacking your archers).
- Heavy infantry are good against light infantry and spears.
- Archers are good against everyone, but are incredibly weak when engaged in melee.
Categories[]
Units which are recruitable can also be divided into three categories: Basic, Cultural, and Aligned (a few other units may be faced or become playable in campaign, but are not recruitable and cannot be played in multiplayer or custom battle). Basic units are available for recruitment in all provinces, either from the start or once their required tech has been researched; Cultural units are only available in provinces of their respective culture; Aligned units are only available when your realm has reached the proper alignment threshold; note that many units require both Tyrant/Rightful and Old Faith/Christian moralities before they can be recruited, e.g. Royal Guards.
Basic Units[]
| Name | Branch | Upgrades From | Available | Specials | On Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Footmen | Light Infantry | N/A | From start | ||
| Axemen | Light Infantry | Footmen | Research | ||
| Swordsmen | Light Infantry | Axemen | Research | ||
| Longaxes | Light Infantry | N/A | Research (Axemen) | ||
| Heavy Footmen | Heavy Infantry | N/A | From start | ||
| Breakshields | Heavy Infantry | Heavy Footmen | Research | ||
| Breakshields Elite | Heavy Infantry | Breakshields | Research | ||
| Longshields | Heavy Infantry | Research (Breakshield Elites & Swordsmen) | |||
| Spearmen | Spears | N/A | From start | Armor Piercing, Spearwall | |
| Pikemen | Spears | Spearmen | Research | ||
| Heavy Pikemen | Spears | Pikemen | Research | ||
| Bowmen | Archers | N/A | From start | ||
| Longbowmen | Archers | Bowmen | Research | ||
| Master Longbowmen | Archers | Longbowmen | Research | ||
| Crossbowmen | Archers | Research (Longbowmen) | |||
| Deepwood Archers | Archers | Research (Master Longbowmen) | |||
| Light Cavalry | Cavalry | N/A | Research (Patrols) | Trample | |
| Cavalry | Cavalry | Light Cavalry | Research | Trample | |
| Cavalry Elite | Cavalry | Cavalry | Research | Trample | |
| Tourney Knights | Knights | N/A | Research (Breakshield Elites & Light Cavalry) | Trample | |
| Champions | Knights | Tourney Knights | Research | Trample | |
| Camelot Knights | Knights | Champions | Research (Champions & Cavalry Elite) | Trample | |
| King's Guard | Knights | N/A | Research ( Longshields & Camelot Knights) | Trample |
Cultural Units[]
Each Culture has two units associated with it. The Welsh and Saxon units require completing the alliance Quest with the requisite faction, or the conquest of its native faction's Stronghold. The Briton units require completing the Book I quest Excalibur, and additionally, ownership of the Knights & Vassals DLC.
| Name | Culture | Branch | Specials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Briton Archers | Briton | Archers | |
| Briton Cavalry | Briton | Cavalry | Trample |
| Welsh Bowmen | Welsh | Archers | Magic Resistance; Disciplined |
| Welsh Infantry | Welsh | Heavy Infantry | Armour Piercing |
| Huscarls | Saxon | Spears | Armour Piercing; Spear Wall |
| Saxon Riders | Saxon | Cavalry | Trample; Conqueror |
Aligned Units[]
| Name | Alignment | Branch | Specials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yeomen | Rightful | Spears | Armour Piercing; Spear Wall |
| Golden Gryphons | Rightful 19 | Heavy Infantry | Disciplined |
| Sentinels | Rightful (Christian) | Light Infantry | Experienced Retainers |
| Marksmen | Rightful (Christian) | Archers | Armour Piercing |
| Crusaders | Christian | Light Infantry | Fearless |
| Royal Guards | Christian (Rightful) | Spears | Armour Piercing; Spear Wall; Protectors |
| Sangreal Knights | Christian 19 | Knights | Trample |
| Lionhearts | Christian (Tyrant) | Heavy Infantry | Zeal |
| Marauders | Tyrant (Christian) | Cavalry | |
| Wasteland Warriors | Tyrant (Christian) | Light Infantry | |
| Harvesters | Tyrant | ||
| Brigands | Tyrant | Archers | |
| Raven Guard | Tyrant | Heavy Infantry | |
| Winterbreed | Unseelie (Old Faith, Tyrant) | Heavy Infantry | Pathwalker; Magic Resistance |
| Unseelie Archers | Unseelie (Old Faith, Tyrant) | Archers | |
| Unseelie Warriors | Unseelie (Old Faith, Tyrant) | Heavy Infantry | |
| Autumnbreed | Unseelie (Old Faith) | Light Infantry | Pathwalker |
| Springborn | Seelie (Old Faith) | Light Infantry | Pathwalker |
| Summerborn | Seelie (Old Faith, Rightful) | Heavy Infantry | Pathwalker; Magic Resistance |
| Seelie Archers | Seelie (Old Faith, Rightful) | Archers | |
| Seelie Warriors | Seelie (Old Faith, Rightful) | Heavy Infantry |
Special Units[]
Some units are acquirable via event or only faced in the Campaign, but are never normally recruitable, and cannot be used in multiplayer or custom battle.
| Name | Alignment | Branch | Specials | Acquirable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebels | Light Infantry | |||
| Giant | Orkney | Heavy Infantry | Magic Resistance | The Heir, 1 unit; Forest Giants (possible result) |
| Warg | Orkney | Cavalry | Trample; Overwhelming Fear | Forest Giants (possible result) |
| Viking Archers | Orkney | Archers | Fearless | |
| Viking Berserkers | Orkney | Light Infantry | Conqueror | Forest Giants (possible result) |
| Ghost Warriors | Heavy Infantry | Drain Life | ||
| Spectre | Heavy Infantry | Drain Life | ||
| Shade | Cavalry | Drain Life | ||
| Soul Hunters | Knights | Drain Life | ||
| Knights of Elaine | Christian | Knights | Trample; Zeal; Magic Resistance | Saxon Queen, 1 unit |
| Knights of Guinevere | ? | Knights | ? | Lady Guinevere, 1 unit |
| Fomorians | Orkney | Heavy Infantry | Magic Resistance; Balor's Strike | The Final Battle of Sir Lancelot, 2 units; Forest Giants (possible result) |
Aligned Units of Opposing Morality[]
Aligned units of opposing morality (Rightful vs Tyrant, Christian vs Old Faith) should not serve in the same army as this lowers the Morale of the army. Note that for units with a primary and secondary morality, only the primary is considered. For example, Lionhearts, which require Christian & Tyrant to recruit, are considered Christian units and do not conflict with any Rightful unit. All Rightful units conflict with Tyrant or Unseelie units, but are compatible with Christian or Seelie units. All Christian units conflict with Seelie or Unseelie units, but are compatible with Rightful or Tyrant units. All Tyrant units conflict with Seelie or Rightful units, but are compatible with Christian or Unseelie units. All Unseelie units conflict with Seelie, Rightful, or Christian units but are compatible with Tyrant units. All Seelie units conflict with Christian, Tyrant, or Unseelie units but are compatible with Rightful units.
Benefits From Alignment[]
There are some alignment-based passive benefits for units. These are:
- Rightful: Organized Reserves (-10% upkeep)
- Old Faith/Tyrant: Elite Troops (+10% experience gain)