Infantry units are the living, breathing, and eventually dying proof that economy exists in the Warhammer Fantasy mythos. Without them, the elite lords and cavalry won't have any meat shields. These dedicated foot soldiers in Total War: Warhammer 2 are all fodder and they mostly have one purpose: to get their hands dirty while the lords deal the killing blow.
That isn't to say all infantry units in Warhammer 2 are wretched pawns. Some of them are shiny, spiky, beefy pawns that can win the battle on their own. They're quite a few in the grand scheme of things, but that makes these most elite infantry units all the more memorable. Here which one is which, and also what to do when players see them in the enemy army.
Updated November 18, 2021, by Sid Natividad: The end is nigh once again with the advent of Total War: Warhammer 3 sometime in 2022. As the forces of Chaos assemble at the very doorsteps of one's kingdoms in the Campaign map, players might want to poise themselves for the coming tide of darkness. They can do so by getting used to unit management once more in Warhammer 2.
Now, there's a big chance that the units available in Warhammer 2 will be the same in Warhammer 3 plus the new additions. So getting familiar with the most powerful infantry units is a good way to prepare for Chaos' onslaught once Warhammer 3 hits the shelves. Thus, we've added even more powerful infantry units that typically dominate the current meta.
15 Giant Slayers (Dwarves)
- Health: 108
- Leadership: 100
- Speed: 40
- Melee Attack: 50
- Melee Defence: 30
Stocky muscular dwarves with giant mohawk hairstyles and giant axes aren't what one usually expects when facing this easily-offended race. That's why the Giant Slayers tend to blindside even the most well-composed armies. Because once the moshpit clears up, it's usually these tough buggers that will remain all bloodied but standing.
The Giant Slayers, true enough to their name, can easily slaughter monster units or even those pesky dragons. If not, then they can trade blows with heavily-armored hulks like the Chaos Chosen. The best part is that they're not that slow for a dwarven unit.
14 Black Guard Of Naggarond (Dark Elves)
- Health: 78
- Leadership: 90
- Speed: 31
- Melee Attack: 36
- Melee Defence: 48
Dark Elves usually employ quick and deceptive units in their roster but a few of their elite ones can hold their own against the most devastating charges and the largest monsters. Those brave and bloodthirsty units would be the Black Guard of Naggarond.
They're the elite pikemen of the Dark Elves and the darker edgier versions of the High Elves' Phoenix Guards. Truth be told, they're a bit worse than those units but the Black Guard of Naggarond get the job then especially when one wants to quickly get rid of big enemies.
13 Temple Guard (Lizardmen)
- Health: 97
- Leadership: 90
- Speed: 31
- Melee Attack: 32
- Melee Defence: 38
What the Temple Guard lack in attack power, they make up for in their inherent toughness plus the fact that they can regenerate since they are giant spiky iguanas. These reptiles are the Lizardmen's most stalwart defenders and they can hold a line until only a few of them are left and at which point, they'll probably go on a rampage and take as many with them before they die.
Except, that rampaging part doesn't really happen frequently because the Temple Guard typically doesn't break. They might not have the striking power of the Giant Slayers, but their skin is tougher and more resistant against ranged damage.
12 Bestigor Herd (Beastmen)
- Health: 100
- Leadership: 66
- Speed: 37
- Melee Attack: 35
- Melee Defence: 24
They're not the best at holding a line but the Bestigor Herd are fast heavy-hitters designed for flanking around an already engaged unit and then cutting them down into pieces for easier digestion. It helps that they have a good speed since they're Beastmen.
Arguably, the best part about them is that they allow their players to make some mistakes thanks to the rather large health pool. If caught in a bad situation, they can easily squeeze out unscathed. Just remember not to treat them like tanky frontline tar-pits and they should be fine.
11 Marauder Champions (Norsca)
- Health: 70
- Leadership: 75
- Speed: 35
- Melee Attack: 36
- Melee Defence: 49
Norsca's lesser and lightly armored version of the Chaos Chosen don't look as imposing, as expected, but they surprisingly have good defense. They can stay in a moshpit fight long enough for flanker units such as Skin Wolves to do their nasty work on the enemy's backline.
One could even say that the Marauder Champions are well-balanced. However, don't expect them to win against more seasoned and formidable units such as Swordmasters or some of the Dwarven elite. They mostly function well as all-rounders.
10 Black Orcs (Greenskins)
- Health: 135
- Leadership: 72
- Speed: 29
- Melee Attack: 36
- Melee Defence: 26
For many Warhammer Fantasy fans, this one's already a given. Black Orcs are the meanest, nastiest, and gingivitiest Greenskins around. In fact, they can even go toe-to-toe with some of the best Warriors of Chaos units.
The only problem is they're quite slow, making them easily kited with fast, ranged units. Coupled with the fact that Greenskins don't have good missile units, players can probably guess how to deal with these brutes. Armor-piercing ranged attacks do quite a number on them, along with the occasional bigger and more heavily armored infantry.
9 Chameleon Skinks (Lizardmen)
- Health: 46
- Leadership: 58
- Speed: 48
- Melee Attack: 20
- Melee Defence: 24
The Templer Guard could have easily taken this spot, but for the their tendency to rampage and be uncontrollable. For something more surgical, players will want the Chameleon Skinks. Sure enough, they're no frontliners. These are ambusher units, better for kiting big creatures or slow infantry units.
Their biggest advantage is their speed. However, certain cavalry or flying units are still faster and can quickly run them over. Additionally, they snap easily under pressure due to the low Leadership. They're the perfect targets for spells.
8 Ironbreakers (Dwarves)
- Health: 96
- Leadership: 85
- Speed: 26
- Melee Attack: 30
- Melee Defence: 68
These Dwarves live up to their reputation. They dish out the breaking and don't break at all. If players find their Dwarven army swamped, they'll notice that the Ironbreakers are usually the ones to die last. They have some of the highest Leadership values in the game. Moreover, their armor makes them perfect metal walls.
Again, they're slow, slower than the Black Orcs, in fact. Flying units such as dragons can pester them. They're also susceptible to hammer and anvil cavalry attacks due to their speed, or lack thereof.
7 Waywatchers (Wood Elves)
- Health: 90
- Leadership: 72
- Speed: 42
- Melee Attack: 28
- Melee Defence: 32
Waywatchers are like the Chameleon Skinks, except they're guerilla elves. They can also turn invisible, and thus do well when ambushing targets. They can also make infantry units rout before they even come close. Apparently, they've been nerfed several times, but still remain a promising Wood Elf missile infantry.
Countering them can be a difficult ordeal, due to their decent health and high Leadership. It's best to stay far away and pepper them with artillery strikes, before running them over with tough cavalry or flying units.
6 Swordmasters of Hoeth (High Elves)
- Health: 84
- Leadership: 80
- Speed: 33
- Melee Attack: 46
- Melee Defence: 36
Astonishingly high slashing power is brought to players by the High Elves. These uppity knife-ears have some of the best endgame infantry out there, and Swordmasters of Hoeth are their main offensive frontline force. They have even surpassed the Chaos Chosen in some patches (albeit briefly).
They have one flaw, however: They lack shields and don't have the best armor values. While they can deflect projectiles with their swords, they still take some nasty damage from most missile attacks. They also don't fare well in prolonged fights, just like most High Elf units.
5 Phoenix Guard (High Elves)
- Health: 84
- Leadership: 90
- Speed: 33
- Melee Attack: 40
- Melee Defence: 40
Swordmasters are cold, but they really can't survive long enough to demonstrate their sword skills without the Phoenix Guard. Phoenix Guards have dedicated shields, meaning they just laugh at most missile attacks. Against large units, players can bet they'll always win.
Phoenix Guards are still considered slow, however, and vulnerable to spells. Moreover, infantry units with shorter weapons in the same weight class can tear them to bits if they get close. Other than that, there aren't many countermeasures against these guys.
4 Har Ganeth Executioners (Dark Elves)
- Health: 72
- Leadership: 82
- Speed: 31
- Melee Attack: 38
- Melee Defence: 36
The Dark Elves were so resentful towards the High Elves that they invented their own Swordmasters. The Har Ganeth Executioners are pretty much the Dark Elven equivalent of those Hoeth larpers. They're intimidating, and can even cause units to flee from their sheer presence alone.
Still, they're not as capable as the Swordmasters. They have lower attack and cannot deflect projectiles. That means they're open season for missile units who will probably make them rout fast. Other than that, cavalry also makes quick work of them.
3 Sisters of Slaughter (Dark Elves)
- Health: 67
- Leadership: 82
- Speed: 44
- Melee Attack: 37
- Melee Defence: 59
Despite their scanty armor, these ladies can deal with heavily armored units at a scary pace. Even the AI knows this, and will frequently make doom stacks of nothing but these gladiatrixes.
Thankfully, it can be easy to deal with the Sisters of Slaughter. They don't have ranged weapons, and that low health means dragons can easily fire-breath cycle them to submission. Their low inertia also makes them vulnerable against cavalry charge attacks. Meanwhile, ranged weapons will also make short work of them.
2 Depth Guard (Vampire Coast)
- Health: 105
- Leadership: 60
- Speed: 36
- Melee Attack: 49
- Melee Defence: 31
The Vampire Coast has many cheesy tactics and units that allow them to dominate. While Gunnery mobs thin out the herd, the Depth Guard ensures that that herd is culled by the time they reach melee range. They have one of the deadliest melee attacks in the game.
Thus, it's too bad that they're relative glass cannons and don't trade well with units that have low attacks. They die easily against higher-armor units, and they also route fast. A barrage of ranged attacks can even be enough to make them run back to the sea.
1 Chosen (Chaos)
- Health: 131
- Leadership: 85
- Speed: 28
- Melee Attack: 48
- Melee Defence: 46
Most players have probably expected this coming in. Pound-for-pound, the Chaos Chosen are the best infantry unit in the game. Those stats above are from the Chosen (Great Weapon) variants, which have the most awe-inspiring killing power out of all Chaos infantry.
Their only weakness is that they're slow as molasses. Any unit they defeat usually ends up regrouping since they're not fast enough to chase them. Also, they have a problem dealing with Sisters of Slaughter. Beyond that, however, most players will be hard-pressed to deal with these meatheads.
Total War: Warhammer 2 is available on PC.