Basilea Warlord Review
One of the things I enjoy most about Basilea is that the Warlord section doesn’t feel like a simple exercise in finding the biggest combat monster available. Every Warlord brings something different to the table. Some are force multipliers, many have exceptional speed, some unlock entirely new army builds, and a few can legitimately change how you construct your list.
While Basilea has access to some impressive combat characters, I generally find that the best Warlords in the army are the ones that make the rest of the army better. Basilea already has plenty of excellent combat units in Elohi, Paladins, and Monster Slayers. The question is usually not whether you can find enough damage, but rather which Warlord best enables the army around them.
Let’s take a look at each option.
Gnaeus Sallustis
Tier: S
Role: Command Support Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 3.11
Damage per Point: 1.30%
I was so excited to paint up and get Gnaeus on the table when fracture was released, and he has since become a staple in almost every list I run.
The reason is simple: Basilea with the release of fracture has some extremely powerful command abilities, and Gnaus can issue two of them every turn.
That alone is almost enough to justify his inclusion.
Speed 9 means he can keep up with virtually every major element in the army and get to the places where those commands matter most. He’s tall enough to get useful line of sight and durable enough, thanks to his high nerve, Defense, and Fearless, to avoid folding to most shooting.
What pushes him into S Tier for me is that he enhances the units that Basilea is already interested in taking through commands. Elohi become better. Paladins become better. Monster Slayers become better. He doesn’t require you to build around him. He simply improves the army you’re already bringing.
I’ve also found that opponents frequently underestimate him. They focus on stopping Elohi, Dragons, or Paladin Knights while Gnaus quietly influences multiple combats every turn. He also isn’t an individual, and with his high speed can frequently pull of flank or rear charges.
Looking purely at damage numbers, Gnaeus is nothing special. That’s a great example of why efficiency statistics don’t tell the whole story. You bring Gnaeus because of what he does for the rest of your army, not because of what he kills himself.
Verdict: One of the best support Warlords available to Basilea and an easy starting point for competitive lists.
Samacris, Mother of Phoenixes
Tier: A
Role: Mobile Support Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 1.00 Melee / 2.22 Shooting
Damage per Point: 0.84% Melee / 0.84% Shooting
I find myself liking Samacris more every time I play her.
At first glance, her offensive output looks exceptionally poor, especially with her high price tag.
That’s because her value comes from everywhere else.
Heal (6) and Radiance of Life are fantastic tools in a faction full of Defense 5 units. The longer a game goes, the more those abilities tend to matter.
What really surprises people though is her objective play.
Several times I’ve won games because Samacris simply appeared where she wasn’t expected. Speed 10, Fly, and Unit Strength 2 gives her an incredible amount of late-game reach. While other expensive characters are committing to fights, Samacris is often threatening objectives from unexpected angles.
For players that enjoy elite defensive builds, I think she’s one of the more attractive Warlord choices in the entire faction.
The efficiency numbers tell us she isn’t a combat character. The table experience tells us she often wins games anyway.
Verdict: Excellent support character whose value greatly exceeds her damage profile.
Jullius, Dragon of Heaven
Tier: A
Role: Flying Utility Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 3.89 Melee / 1.78 Shooting
Damage per Point: 1.22% Melee / 0.56% Shooting
Jullius is a character that I continue to go back and forth on.
As far as I know, he’s the only Defense 6 flying character in the game, and that immediately makes him uniquely difficult for opponents to remove.
The tradeoff is damage.
Compared to some of the more offensive dragon-style characters in Kings of War, his offensive profile feels a little restrained. The efficiency numbers back that up. His damage output is respectable, but nowhere near what you might expect from a dragon priced centerpiece.
Host Shadowbeast can improve that significantly, and if you’re willing to invest in spell support his efficiency increases dramatically.
The issue I run into is that Basilea often prefers generating damage through proper positioning rather than raw statistics. A perfectly timed flank charge from Elohi or Paladin Knights frequently generates more value.
What keeps him firmly in A Tier for me is the army-building flexibility he provides. Making Elohi Regiments Specialist choices opens up list options that can be very strong.
Verdict: Maybe not the most efficient combat Warlord in the faction, but an excellent option for players wanting to push heavier Elohi builds or play into a defence 6 speed 10 character.
High Paladin
Tier: B
Role: Cavalry Enabler
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 2.00
Damage per Point: 1.25%
The High Paladin is a very solid character that suffers mostly from competition.
At Nerve 15 and Defense 5+, he’s noticeably tougher than the Abbess and comes with several useful utility abilities.
Holy Edict allowing command orders from 15 inches is genuinely helpful and increases the area he can cover by 56%. It can be particularly valuable when combined with the Staff of Command. Basilea increasingly feels like an army that rewards effective command ability usage, and extending those ranges can make positioning much easier.
The other thing that stands out is his ability to make Paladin Knight Regiments Core.
Just like Jullius with Elohi, the High Paladin opens up a completely different style of Basilean army. You can suddenly lean very heavily into fast, durable, hard-hitting cavalry while still maintaining proper unlocks.
Interestingly, his damage per point is relatively low compared to many combat-oriented heroes. Again, that’s fine. You’re primarily buying him for support utility and list construction flexibility rather than offensive output.
I almost always pay for the mount when points allow. The additional mobility feels worthwhile more often than not.
Verdict: A good all-around Warlord that unlocks some interesting army builds, even if it doesn’t reach the power level of Basilea’s strongest options.
High Paladin (Mounted)
Tier: B
Role: Mobile Support Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 3.33
Damage per Point: 1.75%
This is one of the easiest upgrades in the entire army for me.
The mounted version gains a meaningful jump in offensive output while also solving one of the biggest problems foot characters face: getting where they’re needed.
What I find particularly interesting is that the mounted version’s efficiency jumps from 1.25% to 1.75%, making it one of the better-performing Warlords in terms of raw damage output.
That’s not enough to suddenly turn him into a combat powerhouse, but it does reinforce what I’ve always felt while playing him: the mount is almost always worth the points.
The additional speed keeps him relevant throughout the battle and allows him to support cavalry-based builds far more effectively.
Verdict: Everything good about the High Paladin, but more mobile and more efficient. Always worth considering.
High Paladin on Dragon
Tier: B
Role: Dragon Combat Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 5.56 Melee / 2.20 Shooting
Damage per Point: 1.74% Melee / 0.69% Shooting
I really want to rank this model higher.
Like most Kings of War players, I love dragons.
They’re iconic. They look incredible on the table. They’re usually among the first models people notice when they walk into a game store.
The interesting thing is that the statistics are actually quite respectable. His melee efficiency is almost identical to the mounted High Paladin and significantly better than most of the Warlords in the faction.
The problem has never been the profile.
The problem has always been my actual gaming experience.
On paper, a fast flying dragon with strong damage output sounds amazing. In reality, the Titanic base frequently limits your options more than I expect. I find “the open flank” far less often with dragons than I do with Ur-Elohi, or Jullius, who are significantly easier to position.
That doesn’t mean this model is bad.
The High Paladin on Dragon is still durable, reasonably efficient, and benefits from Iron Resolve, making him tougher than many comparable dragons across Kings of War.
I simply find myself getting more consistent value from other Warlord choices.
Verdict: Excellent centerpiece model and perfectly playable, but not my preferred place to invest over 300 points.
Abbess
Tier: C
Role: Sisterhood Support Warlord
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 2.33
Damage per Point: 1.79%
The Abbess really only becomes interesting for me when mounted on a Gur Panther.
Without the mount, I struggle to find situations where I would intentionally choose her over Basilea’s other Warlord options. Once mounted, however, she gains enough mobility to support more aggressive Sisterhood forces and operate where she needs to be.
The biggest reasons to consider her is Aura (Brutal +1) for Sisterhood units as well as her ability to make sisterhood panther lancer regiments core.
If you’re building heavily around Sisters, those abilities have some value and are worth exploring.
Interestingly, her damage-per-point is actually fairly respectable. In fact, it’s better than several Warlords ranked above her.
This is another great reminder that efficiency isn’t everything.
The problem isn’t damage.
The problem is that other Warlords provide stronger support effects, better list-building opportunities, or more universally useful abilities.
For that reason, I generally view the Abbess as a niche selection rather than a staple.
Verdict: Playable in dedicated Sisterhood builds, but difficult to justify elsewhere.
Abbess on Gur Panther
Tier: C
Role: Fast Sisterhood Support
Optimal Damage vs Def 5: 2.33
Damage per Point: 1.41%
I would almost always attempt to take the mounted version when points allow.
The slight drop in damage-per-point is simply a result of paying for the mount rather than gaining additional offensive output, but the increased mobility more than offsets that concern.
Speed 9 dramatically changes how the Abbess functions on the battlefield. She can support advancing forces, keep pace with faster units, and position her aura where it’s actually needed.
If you’re building a serious Sisterhood force, this is the version I would recommend.
Verdict: The only version of the Abbess I would ever consider putting on the table.
Final Thoughts on Basilean Warlords
One thing that stands out to me when reviewing the Basilean Warlord section is that there really aren’t any terrible choices.
Even the units I rank lower have clear uses and can absolutely succeed in the right list.
For my own lists, Gnaeus remains the benchmark. The ability to issue two command abilities in an army that benefits so heavily from command support is simply too good to ignore. Everything else tends to get measured against him.
That’s probably the strongest endorsement I can give any Warlord in Basilea.
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