The BEST - Heavy Infantry units for the points

[RushAss]

This is a subject very dear to my heart because this is my favorite type of unit.  Give me ballsy infantry and I'm a happy guy!  When I say "heavy infantry" I am referring to a unit that has offensive stats better than (5) 5/5, a reasonable stat bar (generally 10 or more hit boxes) and at least an average defense like 2/2 or better.  They are also able to serve in multiple roles (see below).  Hence, Hawk Heavy Infantry are not really fit for this conversation because while they tank as good as anybody, they only deal normal damage. 

This discussion is probably going to be a bit more abstract because heavy infantry units commonly perform multiple roles.  For example: High Elven Elder Blade Swordsmen have the (5) 6/6 attack stats, so they are good at dealing out the heavy damage.  They also have a 3/2 defense along with high courage, so they make optimal tanks as well.  So each unit may weigh differently based upon how they perform in the multiple roles.  To make the waters even murkier, 1 faction's Heavy Infantry is another faction's average Joe.  The Umenzi's Worthy look pretty hot when compared to the rest of that faction's infantry units, but they would pretty average if they where a Dwarven or High Elven unit.  While many of the units disused here will obviously be elite, any category of unit can qualify.

A few candidates on my list:
Longbeards - Very expensive, but 1 command action gives them a brutal (6) 6/6 attack profile.  1/4 defense coupled with the high courage makes them superb tanks.  Not having to worry about fearsome/terrifying units is just gravy.

Orc Axemen - Many will mention Marauders and I won't blame them.  But 300 points will buy you the nice offensive stats with enough green hit boxes and courage to matter.  Lash these guys on their charge turn and they are nasty!

Hawkshold Great Swordsmen - Technically slower than Dwarves (can you believe it?) and so-so defensive stats.  But the huge stat bar and ability to make their courage absurdly high with bravery helps them tank well.  And (5) 6/6 offensive stats for under 300 points is awesome!

Lizardmen Tyrant Spearmen - I try to upgrade Tyrants to spearmen whenever I can because the fat stat bar and 2/3 defense means that I'll be getting that extra attack die for quite some time.  They have the distinction of being the nastiest spear unit in the game and they will mangle Cavalry or large monsters if they are silly enough to charge into them while on hold.  Plus they are core FTW!

High Elven Elder Blade Swordsmen - One of the best of the units with a (5) 6/6 attack profile.  They hang in there with the 3/2 defense and Elven courage while niffy Elven tricks like Maneuver Mastery, Sprint, and Precision give them a movement bonus over just about any other heavy infantry unit. Only Chosen are better with the exact same defensive/offensive stats and they cost an extra 30 points.  And like the Tyrants above, they are core!

Discus!
 

[elgin_j]

Celestial Guard..?

Sure, they're pricey but bugger me they are nails!

[Quelmotz]

Chosen are really good for their points too. Essentially the Umenzi Elder-blade swordsmen with a few little upgrades, like 1 more green health box, 1 more courage and the leadership ability thing which isn't that useful most of the time, but can be decent in rare circumstances when your army splits up and you don't have a shamans unit.

[RushAss]

Celestial Guard - the Best HI unit in the game.  However, I can make a really strong argument that Longbeards are a better deal for the points.  Outside of a severe maneuver mismatch, the Beards tank almost as well and deal just about equal damage with the Rune for more than 100 points less.

Chosen - It's no secret that I love these guys and they are worth every point.  They almost made my list, but I think they pay for their leadership in the total points cost and sometimes that can be wasted in games where the Umenzi player has lots of spell casters.  Head to head they are slightly better than Elder Blade Swordsmen, but the Swordsmen cost 30 points less.  Still, there's no doubt that they are a good deal despite the high points cost and the beauty of it is that you can often afford 2 of them in a 2000 point Umenzi build with all the other units being so cheap.

[Kevin]

Roman Extraordinarii.  331 points for 3/2 defense and 8 dice at 6/6 on the first turn of engagement, baby!

[gull2112]

Orc Marauders dammit! Because both hands is fer killing! Lash these guys and play frenzy and you've got 11 dice of whoopass bringing a world of hurt locker on anything. BTW - don't forget their crazed goblins escort! 

[Torrg]

I agree with Gull, Orc Marauders...Only thing that might come close would be the centaurs getting the ranged attack and the impact.

[Quelmotz]

I agree with Gull, Orc Marauders...Only thing that might come close would be the centaurs getting the ranged attack and the impact.

I don't think they qualify as *infantry*...

[gull2112]

I agree with Gull, Orc Marauders...Only thing that might come close would be the centaurs getting the ranged attack and the impact.


I don't think they qualify as *infantry*...

If they are mounted, what are they mounted on?

[Niko White]

I agree with Gull, Orc Marauders...Only thing that might come close would be the centaurs getting the ranged attack and the impact.


I don't think they qualify as *infantry*...

If they are mounted, what are they mounted on?

Clouds of awesome.

[RushAss]

"Clouds of awesome" - LOL

Roman Extraordinarii as well as Hannibal's Elite certainly deserve mention.  The only thing that hurts them is the 5 offensive power, but I think the Pila attack at (3) 6/6 makes up for that.  Not to mention that both tank really well.

Like the Extraordinarii, I think the 5 offensive skill is the only knock on the Marauders.  No doubt they are still awesome and few units are better at cutting down average opposing units, but I think that they are just average when facing units with high defensive toughness like Treants and such. 

I wonder, does the Ravenwood Bear Pack count as infantry?  The inability to play command cards on them hurts, but they are just a brutal, brutal unit.

[gull2112]

Yes, "Riding on Clouds of Awesome" definitely has t-shirt written all over it!

[gull2112]

Celestial Guard - the Best HI unit in the game.  However, I can make a really strong argument that Longbeards are a better deal for the points.  Outside of a severe maneuver mismatch, the Beards tank almost as well and deal just about equal damage with the Rune for more than 100 points less.

I believe alot of the extra points costs for the HE CG is for the HE faction abilities, none of which really come into play once the CG are locked in melee combat, whereas the Longbeard Rune thingy plays a significant part. All the dancing and sprinting won't matter if what you have to do is stand there and take/deal a beating.

[Niko White]

I believe alot of the extra points costs for the HE CG is for the HE faction abilities, none of which really come into play once the CG are locked in melee combat, whereas the Longbeard Rune thingy plays a significant part. All the dancing and sprinting won't matter if what you have to do is stand there and take/deal a beating.

HE abilities are a wash; they're not assumed to be any better than anyone else's, so CG would cost the same amount in any faction.  Though if what you mean is that none of the HE abilities has all that much synergy with the CG, I'll agree none are as widely useful as the Rune of Uruz, but I think Sprint especially can be huge on a guy like that, both because it is just generally awesome to extend your threat range and because people rarely see it coming.

That said, I also vastly prefer CG to Longbeards, the latter of which always underperform for me.  Of course, in the rare situations I play Dwarves I also roll terribly; I think they still carry some sort of grudge from when I might have uttered a remark that they were "bad Orcs."

(In a more serious note, I do think 4/2 is just stupidly superior to 1/4; there are only two units with seven attack skill in the game, one of which is the CG itself, and the other of which, Ravenwood Bowmasters, is rarely going to actually have 7 effective skill.  Meanwhile there are scads of 5/7's and even some 5-6/7-8's that will have very good odds on the Longbeards.  Literally the only unit in the game that doesn't have at least one 2 or less target number before command cards against CG is another CG.  Their defense is so absurd that the best bet is probably Trikes for impact hits or Colossals/Carthage for the can't-fail stuff, because if you are playing fair you basically never rate a point.  Not that the hundred points isn't relevant or potentially crippling, but while they only have one more point of total defense, in practical terms the CG's defense line blows Longbeards out of the water.)

[Torrg]

I wonder, does the Ravenwood Bear Pack count as infantry?  The inability to play command cards on them hurts, but they are just a brutal, brutal unit.

Besides my total lack of reading this was for "Heavy infantry units" when I posted "Centaurs"... Why are CC's not allowed on bears and wolfpacks? They are allowed on the Brownies, Centaurs and Treants.