The Support section might be the smallest section in the Basilean army list, but it includes the best part of the army – Elohi.
Elohi
Tier: S
Role: Flying Hammer
Cost: 290 | Nerve: 18 | Defense: 5 | Speed: 10
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 6.67 | Durability Index: 6,480 | Unit Index: 72.7
Often when I start building a Basilean list, I end up asking myself the same question:
How many units of Elohi can I fit?
Looking strictly at damage-per-point, they don’t immediately stand out. In fact, Paladin Knights are actually more efficient offensively.
Then you remember everything else they bring.
Speed 10. Fly. Defense 5. Fearless. Strong offensive output. Excellent command ability synergy.
The combination is absurd.
What makes Elohi so difficult to evaluate using spreadsheets alone is that mobility creates opportunities that raw combat statistics cannot measure. A unit that consistently finds flank and rear charges effectively increases its own damage output far beyond what the profile suggests.
I honestly don’t think I’ve played a game where Elohi failed to contribute significantly. They pressure objectives, threaten support pieces, punish positioning mistakes, and routinely force opponents into defensive play.
Fearless is another rule that doesn’t always show up in the numbers. Against shooting armies especially, the ability to ignore nerve pressure can be incredibly valuable.
For me, Elohi are one of the defining units of the faction.
Verdict: A complete package of mobility, survivability, and offensive threat. One of the strongest units available to Basilea.
Cannon
Tier: A
Role: Long-Range Fire Support
Cost: 100 | Nerve: 12 | Defense: 4 | Speed: 5
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 2.50 Shooting | Durability Index: 1,915 | Unit Index: 47.9
I think Cannons are significantly better than many people give them credit for.
The damage profile is already respectable, but what really interests me is how they fit into the broader Basilean army. Unlike some artillery pieces that simply sit in the backfield hoping to generate damage, Cannons create tactical problems.
Shattering D3 can be extremely impactful if you’re building toward a dedicated shooting package. I continue to believe Basilea can field effective ranged lists through a combination of War Priests, artillery, and fast combat threats that limit an opponent’s ability to play around your shooting.
You often want to leave something behind to hold home objectives. One challenge with artillery is that cheap flying units can clear them out relatively easily. This makes Grapeshot much more valuable than it initially appears. Having a credible deterrent against light flyers forces opponents to be more careful.
Another point worth mentioning is cost. At only 100 points, Cannons don’t require major sacrifices elsewhere in the list.
When I bring ranged support in Basilea, Cannons are usually where I start.
Verdict: Efficient artillery that adds meaningful ranged pressure while fitting naturally into a variety of army builds.
Phoenix
Tier: C
Role: Mobile Healing Support
Cost: 180 | Nerve: 17 | Defense: 3 | Speed: 8
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 1.00 Melee / 2.22 Shooting | Durability Index: 2,890 | Unit Index: 25.0
I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out how to make the Phoenix work in 4th Edition.
Every time I look at the profile, I see things I want. Fly. Radiance of Life. Reasonable mobility. Some chip damage. Useful support abilities.
The problem is that it feels like the unit is trying to do several jobs at once without truly excelling at any of them.
The damage isn’t impressive, which isn’t necessarily an issue. Plenty of support units succeed without dealing meaningful damage. The challenge is that the support package doesn’t feel impactful enough to justify the cost either.
Where I think it remains relevant is access to Radiance of Life.
Basilea loves durable units. Basilea loves healing. Anything that improves grinding power is worth paying attention to.
I haven’t spent enough time with one in Fourth Edition to completely write it off, but at the moment I still struggle to justify it over other available choices.
Verdict: Useful support abilities held back by a profile that doesn’t seem fully committed to a single role.
Heavy Arbalest
Tier: C
Role: Budget Artillery
Cost: 80 | Nerve: 12 | Defense: 4 | Speed: 5
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 1.33 Shooting | Durability Index: 1,915 | Unit Index: 39.8
Unfortunately, the Heavy Arbalest performs far below the Cannon in its primary role of ranged fire support.
The Cannon hits harder, offers more utility, and creates more meaningful battlefield impact. In an elite army, twenty points isn’t nothing, but it’s usually manageable.
The new Unit Strength does help, and there are certainly situations where spending 80 points instead of 100 makes list construction easier.
The problem is that every time I compare the two profiles, I want the Cannon.
The Arbalest isn’t bad. It’s simply living in the shadow of a significantly stronger option.
Verdict: A reasonable budget choice, but I would upgrade to a Cannon whenever I can spare the points.
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