With knights already being core, it opens up the specialist section quite a bit. While there are numerous units in this section, my opinion is that there aren’t any particularly exciting units outside of the Dogs of war.
With that being the case, all three variants of the Dogs of war play a very differnet role, and excel at each.
Let’s start there.
Dogs of War
Tier: A
Role: Elite Infantry
Cost: 200 (Standard/2H) | 270 (Pikes)
Nerve: 24 | Speed: 5
Defense: 5 (Standard/Pikes) | 4 (2H)
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 5.56 (Standard/Pikes) | 8.33 (2H)
Durability Index: 11,520 (Standard/Pikes) | 7,661 (2H)
Unit Index: 160.1 (Standard) | 159.5 (2H) | 87.9 (Pikes)
Dogs of War might be the most flexible infantry unit in the army.
The standard version is a great all-rounder. It has strong damage, excellent durability, and makes a fantastic platform for magical artifacts. Fire Oil is a personal favorite.
The two-handed version is usually how I run them. Dropping to Defense 4 looks scary at first, but Kingdoms of Men already has plenty of Defense 4 units. In return, you get one of the hardest-hitting infantry units in the faction. Their damage output is exceptional and they can quickly remove almost anything they connect with.
The pike version goes in the opposite direction. Defense 5, Nerve 24, Phalanx, and Ensnare create one of the toughest infantry blocks in the game. Their damage is noticeably lower for the points, but that’s not really their job. They’re there to stand in the middle of the table and refuse to die.
All three versions are good. Which one I take depends entirely on whether I need an anvil, a hammer, or something in between.
Verdict: One of the strongest and most flexible infantry units available to Kingdoms of Men.
Foot Guard
Tier: B
Role: Elite Defensive Infantry
Cost: 135 | Nerve: 16 | Defense: 5 | Speed: 5
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 3.89 | Durability Index: 5,120 | Unit Index: 109.3
Foot Guard reminds me a lot of Paladin Foot Knights in Basilea.
Defense 5 and Elite create a durable, reliable infantry unit that can grind through prolonged combats surprisingly well.
If you’re running the Baron and making them Core, I can absolutely see building armies around them.
The problem isn’t the unit itself. The problem is competition. Kingdoms of Men has access to Dogs of War, Beast Knights, Knights, and several other powerful options competing for points.
Verdict: A solid infantry unit that becomes much better in armies built specifically around them.
Light Cavalry
Tier: B
Role: Fast Utility Unit
Cost: 130 | Nerve: 15 | Defense: 4 | Speed: 9
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 3.50 | Durability Index: 2,993 | Unit Index: 83.1
Kingdoms of Men doesn’t have access to the abundance of cheap chaff that many factions enjoy.
Light Cavalry is about as close as we get.
I frequently find myself fitting one or two troops into a list simply because Speed 9 on a non-Auxiliary unit provides so much utility. They can block charges, threaten flanks, contest objectives, and generally make life difficult for your opponent.
They aren’t going to carry games on their own.
Verdict: An underrated utility unit that frequently contributes more than the stat line suggests.
Halfling Braves
Tier: C
Role: Defensive Utility Infantry
Cost: 90 | Nerve: 12 | Defense: 4 | Speed: 5
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 1.33 | Durability Index: 1,915 | Unit Index: 31.4
Spellward is nice.
Unfortunately, that’s not enough to make me particularly interested in the unit.
Kingdoms of Men already has better unlocks, better anvils, and better damage dealers available. Every time I build a list, the Braves tend to get pushed out by stronger alternatives.
Verdict: Playable, but rarely a priority.
Chariots
Tier: D
Role: Shock Unit
Cost: 140 | Nerve: 15 | Defense: 4 | Speed: 8
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 4.00 Melee / 0.67 Shooting | Durability Index: 2,993 | Unit Index: 77.2
I haven’t found a reason to run Chariots in Fourth Edition.
The damage is respectable, but Light Cavalry are cheaper and Beast Knights hit dramatically harder. The shooting feels mostly irrelevant, and while Brutal is useful, it isn’t enough to sell me on the overall package.
Verdict: Not terrible, but difficult to justify over competing options.
Halfling Poachers
Tier: D
Role: Shooting Support
Cost: 145 | Nerve: 15 | Defense: 3 | Speed: 5
Avg Damage vs Def 5: 2.00 Melee / 2.00 Shooting | Durability Index: 2,250 | Unit Index: 21.4
I would leave these at home.
Their damage is low for the cost, they don’t fit particularly well into most Kingdoms of Men armies, and they compete with significantly stronger ranged options elsewhere in the list.
Verdict: One of the easiest passes in the army book.
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