While I am a big fan of the traditional army review format, they usually only show the opinion of one person playing in one particular meta. In reality even within the same gaming group there is often a lot of disagreement over which units are top tier and which leave a lot to be desired. So I decided to format these army reviews in a way that captures that debate.
A massive thank you to Jeremy, Jon, Mark and Tom for their help with this review.
The ‘Expert’ Panel
Jeremy Duvall
Hi all! My name is Jeremy Duvall and I am one of the hosts of the Counter Charge Podcast. I have been playing Basileans on the tournament scene since the middle of the Second Edition. Basilea is also my main hobby army. I have been painting them, with parts from companies from around the world, for the last two years. My philosophy on building lists is to find models you love and then work on trying to make the most competitive list with those models. The highlight of my tournament season last year with Basileans ended with finishing tied for 4th overall and 10th in battle at the 2020 US Masters. This year, the Basileans have brought home a third place finish at the Bugeater GT and first place at the Riddle of Steel GT. Basilea is an army full of interesting backgrounds with a great theme for picking models. It is a solid army for beginner or veteran alike.
Jon Quayle
UK Number 2 2019, twice in one year (tournament result league table and Masters)! I have played wargames for over 25 years (so far too long) and have worked in miniature games stores in the past. Been playing KoW since the end of 8th edition Warhammer although dabbled in 1st edition (why not just take cavalry, soul reavers have infinite life leech WTF!) for fun. In my advanced years I have slightly lessened my competitive tendencies over the years and really enjoyed painting over the lockdown period. You may also know me from sometimes appearing on the world renowned Counter Charge or scarring your vision on some Dash 28 streamed games, mainly to satisfy my need for fame.
What is your experience with the army? I have played Basilea over most of 2019 and into 2020, having painted an army in a week and nearly killing myself! In that time they have changed quite dramatically, speak to any long time Basiliean players about what they have lost and be prepared for a long night. Personally, I lean towards an alpha strike army every time; full of Elohi, Knights and Panthers with a good chunk of heroes, not taken a more infantry based army option only because I haven painted them, although completing this guide has wet my appetite to get some completed! It is worth noting I will mark the units as a standalone piece but also rationale how they fit in how I play Basilea, some choice are better than other on paper but don’t fit as part of my alpha strike game plan whereas others will.
Mark Campbell
From New Brunswick, Canada. Been playing tabletop wargames for 20+ years. Migrated to Kings of War in V2 alongside many other Warhammer refugees and came to absolutely love the system.
Played Basilea all through Call to Arms 4 and ended up on the top table in the final round, finishing in the top 10 overall. I joined the NorthEast War Kings (NEWK) in early 2020 after Corona hit and discovered the best thing about Kings of War – the community.
Tom Annis
Longtime Basilean player. I have been on every Countercharge review for the army and wrote the Dash28 review as well. Consistently placed near the top of tournaments with Basileans throughout Second Edition. I fine-tuned the double-formation ‘meta’ Basilean list into something special before the list was killed off with the edition change. Used my Basilean models as Brothermark for the US Masters after months of trying to come up with a great Third Edition Basilean list and failing. Crashed and burned at the event and did a heel-turn by playing Undead pretty much exclusively since then. I have stayed active with the army by playing it in non-tournament games, dispensing advice to the other Dictators out there, and continuously pleading with the RC for equal treatment of the Elohi (if Drakons can unlock and have two levels of wound modifier then so cab the similar unit which is equally important to the flavour and fluff of the Basilean faction).
The Rating System
Each unit in the army is given a rating /10 using the scale below.
Note that the score given is how the unit compares to all other units in the game, not just compared to other units in the army. However, each unit should be considered in the context of this particular army e.g. a Phoenix in Salamanders may be rated differently to a Phoenix in the Forces of Basilea.
Men-at-Arms Swordsmen
Jeremy – 6/10
Your basic cheap infantry option. Nothing really special or interesting about these guys. Good if you want a cheap unit. However, I think there are more interesting choices for infantry elsewhere in the list.
Jon – 6/10
Low cost, bog standard troop choice. Troops are a cost effective chaff worth the command if you have the points, cheapest unlock in the list at regiment size to act as a good objective taker/chaff and fairly resilient at horde size which benefits the most from the Command Upgrade. Use them for cost effective charge takers in all sizes although there are better options if you have the point. Not worth upgrading with artefacts more than to use spare points.
Mark – 7/10
Solid Unlocking unit. Taken as a regiment, they provide a nice backbone of Unit Strength for a very reasonable cost. Iron Resolve is a nice bonus here as it will really help against ‘chip’ damage and will often mean that your unit(s) stick around for that one extra turn.
Not going to kill much, but that’s not their job.
Tom – 5/10
A Speed 5, Defence 4 melee unit isn’t doing anything for you in terms of board control and even with increased nerve from the Veteran Command upgrade won’t outlast your opponents’ mainline units. But this basic warrior unit is the cheapest unlock in the army and therefore has value despite its pure averageness. Its value bumped down from a 6 to a 5 with Elohi becoming regular, lessening the need for cheap unlocks.
Men-at-Arms Spearmen
Jeremy – 7/10
This is a solid infantry horde. This is my goto unit when I want to get some nerve into the center of my battleline. If you wanted to run an infantry/grind style list this would be my go to horde for stacking unit strength. This unit works well In the middle of your battle or holding a flank as a fast hammer defense. Doing horde multi-bases with infantry allows you to do some cool things design wise. I tend to go hordes if I want to take regular sized infantry because it allows for more interesting basing. Nothing mind blowing here but a solid choice.
Jon – 6/10
Upgrade on the swordsmen, gaining more attacks and Phalanx. Generally the cost boost is hard to justify, especially at troop and regiment sizes, the damage potential is minimal and Phalanx is situational. But hordes with both command and an artefact like Hammer of Measured Force or waver mitigation are a better anvil than the Swordsmen with some good grind potential, great at holding down areas of the map.
Mark – 5/10
Similar to Swordsmen, but more expensive. In an environment where medium cavalry is prevalent, these guys might be ok as a horde, but in most cases they are just more expensive Swordsmen.
Tom – 6/10
Phalanx is a good defensive ability but only truly shines when paired with another defensive trait like Defence 5 or Ensnare. This unit also lacks an offensive rule which makes the Elf/Twilight Kin versions a nice hybrid unit. But horde-level nerve does have value and I would always pay the 30 points to upgrade a horde from Swordsmen to Spearmen. Multiple hordes might be an effective strategy but not one I have tried.
Paladin Foot Guard
Jeremy – 8/10
This is a great heavy infantry unit. Works well on its own or with other Paladin Foot Guard units to take advantage of Paladin Defender special rule. Paladins are a durable unit and if they get into a flank 24 attacks on 3+ is not a small thing. This is a good unit if you like a checkerboard style infantry deployment. Also, 15/17 with Headstrong and Iron resolve will stick through most first rounds of combat to hold up an enemy unit and allow something juicer to get into a flank.
Jon – 6/10
I personally always struggled to justify this unit until recently, it either did not offer enough damage potential with shields or lacked resilience with two handed weapons. I have come around after seeing them utilised on mass or with other infantry regiments. With 15/17 nerve at their points and with the proper support, they can grind very well at regiment size, especially with a unit of Paladin Defenders. Troops struggle to make an appearance only as other troops offer better chaff but could make and appearance as a small additional damage dealer ideally next to a unit with the Defenders upgrade. The Aegis Fragment is a very good choice but can be left behind and artefacts again would possibly be limited to spare point options.
Mark – 8/10
Fantastic unit! I frequently build units around these guys. They hit reasonably hard with the CS1 upgrade and with good nerve and Headstrong, they tend to stick around. A couple units taken together with a unit of the Defenders (giving Elite aura to the Paladin infantry) makes for a solid line of punchy infantry that can take a hit too.
Tom – 7/10
The un-thinking man’s choice, every Basilean player has played a few games at least with three regiments with the Paladin Defenders upgrade. Beyond the obvious one, Paladin Foot Guard are a very good unit that benefit from the synergistic combination of Defense 5, Iron Resolve, and Headstrong, which combined with the Heal capabilities of the army make them the best choice if going for a true battleline strategy. They don’t reach the mega-value range for me due to the lack of a horde option and Speed 5, which means there are a lot of uber-hammers out there that are faster and can go through a regiment in one charge.
Sisterhood Infantry
Jeremy – 4/10
This unit makes me so sad. I want to love it. My whole army theme runs around using female models and female conversations and this unit would fit so well into that theme. However, this unit comes in at a high price. I understand not wanting to hand out waiver mitigation like candy, but the fact this unit does not have Headstrong at the least makes no sense. They are fanatical battle nuns! This is a missed opportunity Mantic. If this unit was a little more interesting, and there was an easy way to pick up the Vanguard Sisterhood models, this could be an awesome Mantic model unit in any Basilean army.
Jon – 5/10
Ah the pious sisters of the Hegemony, ah I lament your woes. Let’s start positive, they do have Crushing (1), Vicious, Wild Charge (D3) and relatively high number of attacks so they do have some potential. But they lost Headstrong from the last edition, making them less reliable than other similar fanatic units, so they aren’t very good so don’t take them.
No wait hang on, looking a again they aren’t half bad, well maybe. The regiments start to compete with the foot guard who are a lot better for an extra 5 points, but troops add a little extra damage and range threat but are VERY fragile. It’s the hordes that do offer some very good potential with an offensive item or waver mitigation. The real issue that they are not a bad choice just the spearmen hordes do a similar thing but safer at less points, higher defence and same attacks/Me/Nv. I tried.
Mark – 5/10
CS1, Vicious and Wild Charge (D3) are all nice with these ladies. The Me4 is offset a bit by the slightly increased attacks at each unit size. Probably best used as a troop, but they have good nerve and they do synergize with some of the other Sisterhood units. If I’m honest, I’m a bit stuck as to exactly how best to employ them, but I think there’s some potential there.
Tom – 3.5/10
A bad middle ground between Berserkers and Polearm Block in Kingdoms of Men, the Sisterhood Infantry have neither the waver mitigation of the former nor the cheapness of the latter. Wild Charge on Speed 5 is the worst. Pass on this unit until it’s changed in a future CoK pack (working on that).
Men-at-Arms Crossbowmen
Jeremy – 4/10
This unit may work in some builds but I am not a fan of Reload style units. If you want to play a gunline there are a lot of better armies that can do that role and still have a similar model feel. With so many choices that have 18 P1 shooting with Steady Aim in other armies it is just hard to justify this unit. Most Basilean builds want to be moving forward and this unit can slow down a battle line. However, I could see this unit coming in at a 5 in the Regiment size.
Jon – 4/10
I really want to say they have a place somewhere, that Piercing (1), unlocks, decent nerve/Def and Iron Resolve will get them through, that 4 regiments, couple of Sisterhood Scouts, 2/3 Arbalests and a some Wizards with Lightning Bolt will form some decent ranged firepower. But each time I do, I realise they are more points than Kindred Archers, any movement ruins any chance of hitting and the points saved by taking Swordsman can be used far more usefully. Ah well.
Mark – 4/10
Not much to say about these guys. Pretty standard crossbow troops that struggle to find good fit into the list as a whole. They aren’t terrible, but there are much more synergistic places to spend your points.
Tom – 3/10
Crossbowmen have never fit with any strategy for the army I have ever come up with. Even with Pot Shot, chasing damage from a Ra 5 Piercing 1 Reload unit isn’t how you win games. The stat profile has some value but if you want a ranged element in Basileans look to other options.
Sisterhood Scouts
Jon – 5/10
Now this is a shooting unit! Scout, Steady Aim, Vicious (ranged) and (drum roll) Iron Resolve, what’s not to like. Buuuut, limited shooting support, irregular and currently high cost to purchase in quantity (come on Mantic, you know what to do!), you tend not to see them regularly. If they were regular (and affordable irl) I would definitely try a couple of regiments, their good all round ability adds flexibility so there is hope! (come on Mantic!).
Mark – 5/10
Ra4 bows with Steady Aim, Vicious (Ranged) and Scout are pretty decent, but as with the other Basilea ranged units, they don’t synergize as well with the rest of the list. These girls are also Irregular. I do think you could find a place for them in certain lists where their mobility could be used to good effect by plinking away at casters.
Tom – 7/10
The elite regimental shooting unit the powers-that-be “want” you to play with if you are taking shooting (never mind that the real shooting power currently is in the incredible ease with which about a third of the armies can get to the magic number of Lightning Bolt 18). Sisterhood Scouts missed the jailbreak of their counterparts in other lists for some reason but have undiscovered value for the faction. Controlling the center of the board with three regiments shooting safely from the deployment zone while overwatched by Elohi in a chess-style Hypermodern opening is something that would be a legitimate strategy if Elohi ever didn’t suck.
Gur Panthers
Jeremy – 8/10
This is probably the best chaff piece in the army. Fast enough to keep up with any of your speed elements and easy to hide when you need to based on its shorter height. Tons of great model opportunities for this unit. My army has a lion theme so I use lions from the old GW White Lion Chariot kit. The only issue you run into this unit is when it gets wavered when you wish it had just died. It has a 9/11 nerve so you really need to hide this model from shooting during deployment.
Jon – 8/10
These are strangely one of my favourite unit options and rarely do I go to war without at least one troop. Speed 10 and Pathfinder makes them more flexible than flyers in moving around the battlefield, their low height keeps them out of danger until needed and in the regiment option are a surprisingly good flanker on the right target. Try to resist using them up front or throwing them away without any real gain just because you can, sometimes their growl is enough and saving them for a last turn objective grab is the sweetest release (like everyone, I don’t get out much these days).
Mark – 7/10
Good fast chaff. Really nice if you’re taking Paladin Knights. They can also make effective end game units for capping objectives if you aren’t in as much need of chaff for that game.
Tom – 9/10
Has every element you want in a chaff unit except Fly (even the lack of which has certain advantages)—Speed 10, Nimble, and Pathfinder. Not broken like Harpies (which have all four plus two more attacks for only 5 points more), but two troops should be in every single list.
Paladin Knights
Jon – 7/10
Before Elohi became regular (Blessed be the Shining Ones/RC!) and because I have them painted, they had been the mainstay of most of my armies. Although they hit as hard a mid-range knight unit with resilience to grind a little, they are on the pricey side and will need artefacts to make them real killers. Troops can be considered but cost does push them out for panthers (compared to Revenant cavalry troops, they make you sad but that goes for most), Regiments are a solid choice and Hordes are….. fun. Be prepared to work to get the most from them, chaff/great positioning is needed to preserve their Thunderous, correct target choice is needed (see previous reason) and a handy Bane Chant is necessary when you do mess up like forgetting Wild Charge. Elite (god I miss formations, damn you 3rd ed), Strength, Vicious, Sharpness, Boots, Pathfinder artefacts are not going to be wasted on these although they will be competing with the pretty lads. Aegis fragment worth more here than the foot.
Mark – 8/10
Great cavalry unit you can easily build an army around or even just add a unit to any list as a good hammer. They are a bit more expensive than other similar cavalry, but you get what you pay for. Higher nerve and Iron Resolve make for a fairly tough unit.
Tom – 7/10
Paladin Knights have always been the budget hammer in Basileans. They get their value from the speed and moderate hitting power you get for a moderate price which compliments the true damage dealers in the list (Ogre Palace Guard and Elohi in a future CoK pack). I usually have two units in my lists to reach the critical mass of speed that I have found necessary for an alpha strike playstyle. That said, there is a real reason why TC2 cavalry have never been favored by the top players who either eschew traditional cavalry units altogether or instead take the cavalry with CS1/TC1– just too many natural counters out there (phalanx, flying individuals, etc.).
Sisterhood Panther Lancers
Jeremy – 6/10
I feel a similar way about the rest of the Sisterhood units as I do about Sisterhood Infantry. Just at Defence 3+ and hitting on 4+ to get value out of this unit you need to utilize the nimble and speed 10. I could see taking troops for chaff instead of the panthers for a model choice. However, these guys are just asking to be the target of any light arms fire. Especially since the rest of the Basilean army does so well at
Jon – 5/10
A little like the foot versions, they are not a bad choice. Speed 10 and Nimble is good, alright they don’t hit as hard as knights but they make great flankers (starting to sound familiar…). Buuuuut, despite releasing units, they are more than a third more than a unit of Panthers in both sizes and without Pathfinder, the unridden panthers are the safer option. Come on ladies, get our act together, sharpen your nails or pray harder dammit!
Mark – 6/10
Nimble, Sp10(!) with TC1 and Vicious is really nice. De3 and Me4, less so. I do see these girls being great as a regiment (to make easier use of Nimble) to hunt a flank. They can also sit back quite a ways (maybe on a hill to get that extra TC) and wait a couple turns to pick their spots. A 20″ nimble move gives this unit a lot of options.
Just try not to get them shot.
Tom – 7/10
Sisterhood Panther Lancers are undervalued currently – their Defence 3 is mitigated by the higher-than-average nerve which makes casually shooting them off with Lightning Bolt a tall order. Their Speed 10 combos well with the other Speed 10 units in the list. The terrain items work well on them in regiment size. More of an issue with the subparness of the Mantic models than anything else that is holding them back.
Sisterhood Panther Chariot
Jeremy – 5/10
More yawn now just riding chariots.
Jon – 4/10
This is getting a little repetitive, so short version – Errr, yeah I guess. Buuuuuut Knights. Toughen up ladies!
Mark – 4/10
These seem like they punch a bit below their weight. Me4 hurts them here and dropping down to Sp8 hurts them. If they retained Sp10 like their sisters there could be something here, but they don’t hit hard and they take up a lot of space due to their large base size.
I hope they get improved in the future because the modelling opportunities for this unit are endless.
Tom – 5/10
No real reason to take Sisterhood Panther Chariots over Paladin Knights since they are the same Height and equally hurt by Phalanx (both units hit on 4s with no TC against it). Like the Paladin Knights, they do have some value from being a cheap fast unit but not a serious choice, which pains me as someone that has two regiments. I don’t think there is anything to be done for them, they just don’t really have a role that isn’t better performed by something else in the list.
Ogre Palace Guard
Jeremy – 9/10
One the most reliable hammer units in the army. With the addition of Iron Resolve these Ogres pack all the punch of a heavy infantry unit with some extra survivability. However, in a list that has so much 15/17. Or -/17 when talking Elohi, having no deep nerve pools can be frustrating when you get bad dice variance on nerve rolls. But when this unit can stick around it will kill most anything in the game still stuck in combat with these bad boys and girls. Also, Mantic makes some great models for this unit. Tons of other great model options and conversion potential for these guys if having something more unique is your bag.
Jon – 8/10
I don’t use them.
Not because they aren’t good because they are, really it’s because they suit a grindey infantry style army. I also feel they get over hyped too much but this is maybe as I have been tainted by using better versions in other armies like Enslaved Guardians, although should feel privileged as not all armies have a similar option. Their low nerve compared to other anvils and because they are inevitably targets, waver mitigation would be a good artefact choice as their damage potential is high already.
Mark – 9/10
So much to like here. CS2 Me3+ and Def5 with 15/17 nerve, Iron Resolve and Brutal. Nothing is wasted in this profile. Every Basilean list I’ve made has had 2 hordes of these fellas – and for good reason. For an infantry based Basilean list, these will be your main hammers. Good items for these guys are Jesse’s Boots of Striding and Chalice of Wrath. You want them hitting hard and reliably.
The models are also fantastic.
Tom – 9/10
At least two hordes is mandatory for almost every standard Basilean list (taking all infantry regiments to unlock all flyers isn’t standard to me even if it is a popular build variant) since you can’t risk getting your other hammer options blanked when they come up against Phalanx. Plus they are just incredible units, Melee 3+ CS2 is the ideal combination in Third Edition and, like the Paladin Foot Guard, their Defense 5 Iron Resolve matches perfectly with Basilean heals. Their only weakness is an Ogre one—wavering. Luckily we have three well-priced waver mitigation items so they really have no weaknesses. I hate that the best Basilean lists I’ve come up with have three hordes with those items – I play Basileans for the Elohi, not the ogres even if they are a seriously cool Varangian Guard concept that I love having in the list.
Elohi
Jeremy – 6/10
This one is a tough one. They are probably better in the regiment than the horde if you want to use them in a combined arms style list. I know some people are having success playing flying skew and taking Elohi hordes as their main unlocks and picking up the nice flying support pieces. I just don’t see it. This feels like it should be the stand out unit in the army both as a model (update yours please Mantic!) and as a unit on the tabletop.
Jon- 8/10
Anyone who knows me will not be surprised. Ok, they are not the 2nd edition death machines of the past, but we all knew they were far too good in the right hands (no piss taking). Start of turn 1, a horde would arrive in your flank able to one shot most things whether you turned to face them or not, giving one or 2 chances to kill them (Inspiring/Fearless is epic) with limited resources was pretty OP. Coming back to the present, losing Nimble was a must, regular went then came back (a must for some but there was ways of coping) but I feel losing their TC(1) is still a bit mean but can understand with the points drop. Hordes still fulfil the same role just one turn behind and need artefacts to make sure they hit as hard as required. I rarely skimp, Sharpness and Strength are top of the list and will only be dropped with great trepidation, although they cannot usually take units by themselves unless in the flank, support is critical. The points drop has also pushed the regiments to the fore, offering an alternative role of jack of all trades, able to do a lot of things well but not overly so. Alongside the hitting power and speed, it must not be forgotten the Fearless, Iron Resolve and Inspiring make them not only tough but independent and help keep other units in the fight, freeing up hero slots needing to Inspire themselves. I think Elohi have only lost a little of their shine, and barring some aberrations elsewhere, fit nicely into the balance of 3rd edition.
Mark – 8/10
My score of 8 is for the Elohi Regiments. The horde got a bit of a boost with the removal of Irregular, but I think the real gem here is the regiment. 160pts gets you a fantastic ‘thicc chaff’ unit that is also a big threat in the flank. -/14 with Iron Resolve and Inspiring keeps them around for a long time until you are ready to commit them. They are really good at creating traffic jams in your opponent’s lines in a pinch as well if you need them to.
Tom – 6/10
I won’t repeat myself as my thoughts on Elohi are well-known and permeate the other entries in this review. The regiment size has good value as slightly expensive but very effective thicc chaff. That’s a great option that didn’t really exist in the Second Edition version of the list since Elohi regiments were 195 points and compared unfavorably with Ur-Elohi at 180 points for a similar role. But for that the horde size’s role as flying hammer was neutered, making the faction lose its halo (pun intended) unit and turning it into some sort of goody-two-shoes Ogre army with flyers.
Seriously though, THEY HAVE A TWO-HANDED GIGANTIC FLAMING SWORD AND SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH, THEY ARE THE LITERAL EMBODIMENT OF THE SHINING ONES HERE ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH, AND THEY HIT LESS HARD THAN SOME PUNKASS HUMAN HUSCARL UNIT. AAAARGGGGHGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Heavy Areblast
Jeremy – 6/10
Pretty standard war machine fair here. If you wanted to add in some light shooting a couple of War Wizards would net you more points but more effective mobile shooting. The Sisters at 85 points, the same as a troop of Gur Panthers, it’s hard to think I wont get more value from just another troop of Gur Panthers. I think if you love shooting there are just better human themed shooting armies in other lists.
Jon – 6/10
Rarely seen but a nice choice, it doesn’t have competition for war engine slots and both fast and grindey lists would benefit from the odd points of damage on offer. The only concern is the points cost push into competition with the my feline favourites, who are different role entirely but can win a game without relying on shots hitting.
Mark – 4/10
Much the same as with the Crossbowmen. A bit out of place as far as list synergy goes.
Tom – 3/10
Like the Crossbowmen, it doesn’t really have a place in any Basilean army and taking a few random War Engines without investing in other shooting isn’t a winning strategy. One idea I haven’t tested is taking two Arbalests with three Sisterhood Scout regiments. I think that 3/2 formula is a good shooting core for other lists and the same might be true for Basileans.
Phoenix
Jeremy – 7/10
A solid choice and one where Mantic makes an awesome model. Also, tons of other great companies make cool models the Storm Raptor from Privateer Press comes to mind. The only real issue with the phoenix is just how good Samacris is at the same points. If you wanted to run two Phoenix style units taking one Phoenix and one Samacris would be a smart way to go. But if you just love the feel of a giant healing fire bird then go with the Phoenix. I just prefer Samacris but both options are good.
Jon – 4/10
Now I have heard it on many occasions, why take this when you can take Samacris who is better? I agree, mostly. With Elohi becoming regular, I may be tempted to take one as hero choices get full fast and when going grindey, two healers/radiance could work. It is not a bad unit, the Heal potential is good, especially combined with other but I feel the cost and limited offensive potential make it hard to justify. Make them Crushing Strength (2), extra fireball damage or drop the points to make them a good choice.
Mark – 5/10
I’m going to assume you’ve already taken Samacris and you want more healing. The Phoenix is alright, but in almost every respect, it is a worse Samacris. They aren’t bad, but I struggle to find a good use for them while Samacris exists.
Tom – 6/10
You won’t hurt yourself too much by taking a Phoenix over Samacris for the same points but why would you except for modeling reasons? This isn’t a call to nerf Samacris or increase her points – I think she is at the upper limit of fine but the Phoenix has been bastardized into a hybrid support/combat character that just doesn’t bring what you want from that slot. I have always said the perfect Phoenix game is Heal for 2 turns, Fireball for 2 turns, and Fly to objectives/zones for 2 turns. Becoming more expensive for better combat stats that I never want to use anyways makes the Phoenix a middling option to me.
Bearer of the Holy Icon
Jeremy – 6/10
If you want a cheaper way than a Priest to get someone with bane chant this is a solid option in the list when you take the lute. But not a whole lot to say here other than Basilea gets inspiring from so many other sources I have never felt the need to use him.
Jon – 5/10
Flag carrier, all the usual tropes apply when points are tight.
Mark – 4/10
Pretty standard ASB. Basilea isn’t struggling for Inspiring Sources, so you don’t often see these guys on the table. If you are somehow in need of an extra Inspiring source, they get the job done on the cheap.
Tom – 5/10
It’s fine with the Lute but if you are taking one you aren’t optimizing your list correctly. It’s a list building failure of imagination.
Dictator
Jeremy – 5/10
Another sort of disappointing unit choice with an awesome Mantic model. I love the model that came out for this guy in the Vanguard release. Without a mount option Duellist seems sort of a wasted ability. So this guy could only really work in infantry based lists.
Jon – 3/10
I want to like him, but he doesn’t do enough. Maybe with wings he could be a harasser/flyer grounder/character hunter, but strangely there is a better sister choice for that role. Really want to use the model as its cool so would appreciate some form of rework to include him.
Mark – 3/10
I wish he could have a horse – though, that might only bump him to a 4 or 5. The Dictator is just trying to be too many things at once. CS2 is nice for some added punch in a combat, and mighty could potentially help in a pinch, but being stuck on foot means he will be hard to get to the right place at the right time to make use of his abilities.
Tom – 1/10
Literally no point in taking the Dictator currently. It needs an aura of some sort to make me think about taking him.
Ur-Elohi
Jeremy – 8/10
This is a great combat flyer. At 200 points you get just a rock solid package in a 40 MM base. The dread is a great tool for adding a cushion to key nerve rolls. Basilea in general can struggle with bad dice variance so anything you can do to help mitigate that is always great. Also, great model options here with tons of awesome angel models on the market.
Jon – 6/10
He’s alright, Dread is a nice touch, a mini dragon I like using in other armies but he is competing with so many good hero choices and an Elohi regiment does a similar role for less points. Also, like the Phoenix, has a daddy you would rather take. Would have liked him to have a TC (1) aura for Elohi, rarely include him unless doing something wacky.
Mark – 9/10
I love this guy so much. He’s a bit pricy, buy you get exactly what you pay for. A solid flying large infantry hero that is no joke in a flank. Inspiring and -/15 with Iron Resolve means he’s not going away easily. Dread on a flying unit is the icing on the cake.
Tom – 8/10
A ‘good’ unit getting Dread is in my top 5 coolest ideas of Third Edition. It just fits so perfectly for the Ur-Elohi. But at 200 points, it’s a real list building question of whether the extra 40 points is worth it over just taking an Elohi regiment. It almost has the opposite problem the comparison had in Second Edition. That said, its Nimble makes it invaluable for scenario purposes and it has the important role of support combat character that drags Paladin Knights and/or the carcass of an Elohi horde from rubber lance/dying fire sword syndrome toward something approaching respectability.
Paladin Chaplain
Jeremy – 6/10
This guy gets you more value than the Dictator. You can get a mount for him and at def 5 11/13 he can get in front of units and be a surprisingly tough door stop. No Inspiring but that is not a big issue for Basilean. At his price point if you like playing cheaper combat individuals as chaff pieces this is the cheap option in that category with the High Paladin the more expensive option.
Jon – 4/10
I have never taken him although his role would fit amazingly in other armies I take, don’t tend to have an Orc army without at least one mounted Krusher. As mentioned above, heroes are a competitive slot for Basileans (although I have not got to the good choices yet!), with Elohi the fact they don’t inspire is not a huge issue and the Heal options does add an interesting opportunities buuuuuut there is a better Sister choice for their role (feels weird to keep saying that!).
Mark – 4/10
Pretty standard disruptive hero. Give him a horse if you take him and he could go bother Wizards or Warmachines. Can be useful in cavalry lists.
Tom – 5/10
An interesting alternative chaff piece in place of or in addition to Gur Panther troops. This isn’t a bad version of the 3 attack Melee 3+/CS1 unit which proliferates in Third Edition. It’s lack of Inspiring prevents it from entry through the gates of Valuetown though; if it had that, I would probably take at least one with Shroud of the Saint in the same kind of support/occasional combat role I have for Revenant Kings with Surge.
Priest
Jeremy – 8/10
With the addition of inspiration to this guy in Third Edition he went from good to great. Its nice now to be forced into taking Inspiring Talisman on this guy if want a Bane Chant / Heal caster with inspiring. My favourite item to run on this guy is the Conjurer’s Staff and kit him out with Heal and Bane Chant both. Conjurer’s Staff is one of my favourite items in the whole game.
Jon – 7/10
One of the first units that start to compete in this tough category. Consummate healers, they are great choices for the Shroud/Conjurers Staff artefact and their Cleanse rule helping to get you out of tough positions with key units, Martyrs Prayer is there if you take two. Bane chant is also a must for me, as well as a horse to keep touch with the knights/Elohi but could be dropped depending on role. Bastion is a trap, the Inspiring is useful when you get carried away with your Elohi!
Mark – 7/10
A lot to like here. You can build this guy a lot of ways and all of them are good. My personal favourite is to have him with BC2 and Heal 3 with the Conjurer’s Staff. He stays cheap and can fairly reliably get Bane Chant off and Heal a few wounds / cleanse weakness.
Can’t go wrong with a straight healer with Martyr’s Prayer either.
Tom – 8/10
One of the best support characters in the game, a Priest with Bane Chant and Heal plus the Conjurer’s Staff is an amazing option that finds its way into a lot of my lists. It’s an 8 not a 9 because Bastion (1) is probably the most pointless spell in the game – every unit with Bastion needs to have at least two dice for anyone that has played more than five games to consider it.
High Paladin
Jeremy – 6/10
The more expensive option of the mounted durable combat characters. A little bit better combat and nerve than the Chaplin. I tend to like the cheaper Chaplin but this guy is a good option if you want a defensive fast character. If you are wanting a more offensive mounted character threat to hunt down warmachines or other characters I think the mounted Abbess is the way to go.
Jon – 6/10
A tough cookie, great as a harasser/flyer grounder/character hunter but also a unit stopper. Great on a horse buuuuuut again finds himself muscled out a by a girl for cost, damage potential and speed but it is very close.
Mark – 4/10
See Dictator. At least he gets a horse.
Tom – 5/10
It’s okay but you aren’t winning tournaments because you took a High Paladin. It just doesn’t have anything that makes you want to take it over other options in the list.
Abbess on Panther Chariot
Jeremy – 5/10
I loved this unit in Second Edition when it was def 5. It is an affordable killy hero option but I think Gnaeus is worth the extra points for his stronger defensive abilities in comparison. Also, this unit has the same weird feel of being able to wavered. However, since there is no real reason to take an Abbess on foot you could use the amazing, probably my favourite Mantic model in their whole range, Vanguard Abbess and mount it on a chariot.
Jon – 6/10
Great choice as costs effective, slightly quick, slightly tough, slightly hard hitting scoring unit. Sister only Inspiring is not too hindering and at least keeps her in the game, although do miss the Headstrong. Have not used myself because (say it with me ……) competitive slot, a still faster Sister option but also there is no Mantic model option.
Mark – 6/10
Definitely better than her her ranked cousins. For the same cost as a troop of Chariots, you gain: CS1, Me3, Nimble and Inspiring(Sisterhood), but drop by one TC (perfectly acceptable trade off).
I can see this hero being taken in a sisterhood army or separate from one. Have her hunt a flank and she could be a nice support piece.
Tom – 4/10
Give it 8 attacks and I’ll consider running one as a loner disruption unit. Until then, it just doesn’t do anything other than support units you aren’t taking anyways.
Abbess
Jeremy – 7/10 (when mounted only)
Mounted this is a pretty sexy option to hunt down warmachines and heroes. She has a high amount of attacks that with Duelist can take down most individuals in one round of combat. The mount option is so good though there is no real reason to take this character on foot which again is a bummer since the model is so amazing.
Jon – 8/10
Rarely fight without her, with a fast army needing to dictate charges and benefit from additional damage to push for a rout, and ideal choice. Mounted on a panther, she is a fantastic multi tool, add in Blade of the Beastslayer, Mournful Blade, Seven League Boots or speed boosts, she is downright vicious. Can be fragile but more than worth it by the dictating play, grinding units, flying into spaces where she cannot be touched threatening half the opposing army can be priceless. Not sure you would need more than one but never tried!
Mark – 5/10
Put her on a panther and hunt characters or warmachines.
She’s pretty expensive for the job, but it’s one she does well.
Tom – 7/10
The mounted version is the only option unless/until the foot version gets an aura and Sisterhood Infantry are made better. The mounted version is just ever so overcosted because it gets stuck with the Wild Charge points of the foot version without benefiting from it when placed on a Gur Panther. A Speed 10 combat individual with a healthy amount of attacks would be auto-include in a lot of other lists but its value is just slightly downgraded by the numerous flyers the army possesses. One of my favourite units in the list—Blade of the Beastslayer or Mournful Blade are perfect if you are taking just one.
War Wizard
Jeremy – 8/10
I am a big fan of this unit. I ran two of them in my Masters list, one with the Boomstick and one with the Conjurer’s Staff. The two together make a really effective shooting duo late game to take units off the board holding objects. Just ask Tom Annis ;). This is another unit where you good take advantage of some of the great Vanguard sculpts. I have run the Abbess and Dictator model both before as War Wizards.
Jon – 7/10
Last version, I ran 2 of these mounted every game as they were 75 points, each had higher nerve and although could not switch for Lightning Bolt for free, they could chaff as there were no yielding rule. Now we have moved on, they are still a viable choice but for different reasons, access to Lightning Bolt as a free swap now makes them a good option to snipe chaff in pairs and access to Bane Chant is a great boost for huge raft of Basilean units. Tend to like the mount for flexibility and keep up with the rest of the army but does make them pricey and would love to test the windblast option but always chicken out. The potential for early game chaff denial, messing with enemy chargers or late game shenanigans is great but never feel I can justify the points for a spell I may never use. Good artefacts are the Boomstick, Conjurers Staff or Inspiring Talisman if you are pushed in that regard.
Mark – 7/10
Pretty good source of Lightning Bolt. Swap out Fireball and take the Boomstick for some nice ‘chip’ damage. Especially nice if you can keep him alive in the back half of the game. LB 7 is great for cleaning up those damaged units and chaff.
Tom – 7/10
Just missing a few dice to take three (one with Boomstick) and reach the magical number of Lightning Bolt (18), but one or two War-Wizards are not a bad option for magical support. I was initially enamored with the ability to freely swap to Lightning Bolt, but recently I’ve been thinking more about how to get value from the Fireball (10) and Wind-Blast (6).
Ogre Palace Guard Captain
Jeremy – 6/10
I have never used this guy in a list so it’s hard to comment. I just think there are so many more interesting options taking up the Hero slot in the list that it is difficult for this unit to compete. The Hero and Hero Monster clots are really the best units in the Basilean army so these unlocks come at a premium.
Jon – 8/10
Again not used this chap as he is a bit too slow but can see his potential. At such a low points cost, makes an amazing option for so many roles, maybe will try to squeeze him in somewhere. Don’t need to necessarily take Palace Guard with him, he is good as one big swiss army knife, adding his combat potential, slowing down units and grabbing objectives. Does well with a cheap artefact to boost in combat, speed, waver mitigation or tricky stuff.
Mark – 6/10
He’s pretty OK. Tough to fit into the list because of all the great choices the Basileans have. Being Nimble is a huge feather in his cap and you could make nice use of him alongside your Palace Guard units.
He’s just cheap enough that you could get him in pairs if you really wanted.
Tom – 8/10
A quintessential Large Infantry hero with all the advantages those units possess, it’s just a step down from the truly broken units like Butcher Fleshrippers from the Ogre Palace Guard Captain’s lack of waver mitigation.
High Paladin on Dragon
Jeremy – 9/10
Prior to the recent change from -/19 to 17/19 Headstrong this was our only real “S Teir” unit. After the needed adjustment the Dragon is still an amazing choice. Probably the most durable of all the Dragons. You can load this guy up with an Aegis Fragment and Life Leech to double down on defence, like I do, or give him a cheap combat helper like Blade of Slashing. Also, I love having a Dragon or big Flying Monster in all my armies to work as a hobby centrepiece.
Jon – 8/10
An average dragon with Headstrong and Iron Resolve does not seem that good on paper but it does make for a tough cookie. He did lose Fearless recently but it isn’t much of a drop in prowess, he can make a decent flying anvil at a push, opening up options for your alpha units, in this role additional Iron Resolve or Life Leech work well. I tend to use him this way, stuck behind or in a piece of terrain to hinder opponents charges if in charge range, threatening them into making decisions about who to sacrifice, while others waiting in the wings (tee hee!) to capitalise. With or without some artefact support, he can dish out some damage but not by himself frontally. It is usually (more than you may think) better to combine with others even in the flank if possible, although adding Blessing of the Gods or even Sharpness will give him a good shot against most if flanking. With the loss of Nimble on your Elohi, he does make a faster alternative flying down a flank with a little support. Other more tricky options like Pathfinder to help with tricky charges but also being able to at the double into difficult terrain can apply pressure and surprise. Low cost items work almost as well in some cases, so good in a pinch, the Aegis Fragment is great if not using the Aegis item and the heal option I rarely see the need as he can choose to breath fire if at the double is not required.
Mark – 9/10
Ok, so he lost -/19. He’s still amazing. One of, if not the best dragon out there. Hann’s Sanguinary Scripture or the Aegis of the Elohi are great on these guys.
Tom – 9/10
I advocated for the Cok21 nerf to remove Fearless from this unit, which brings it down from a 10 to a 9. It’s still a top 3 dragon in the game because of its ability to recover wounds easily through Iron Resolve and an Aegis Fragment, plus maybe even an item like Aegis of the Elohi if you really feel like being ‘that guy.’ It saddens me greatly that the High Paladin on Dragon has replaced the Elohi horde in the list. To all the Dictators out there taking three dragons, I see you and respect your clear-eyed and right-thinking ruthlessness, but count me out if that’s what we have to do to stay in the upper echelons.
Gnaeus Sallustis
Jeremy – 9/10
Gnaeus at first looks like a typical baby or mini dragon combat boss. However, the real magic of him is nimble and rock hard defensive stats. He has the same nerve and defence as a Knight regiment. I found using him as a flanking threat dancing around for a turn or two and if you get a flank great and if not you just run him into something and watch it bounce off him for two turns. Also, in an army that uses a lion theme how could I not take a dude riding a Lion?!
Jon – 6/10
The first of the living legends, a mainstay in the previous edition to why should I bother in 3rd for me. His main reason for being taken, giving Elite to two knight regiments was great but now he sits in a similar place to the Ur Elohi, why take him when you can have a Elohi Regiment for the same role, not use a hero slot and cheaper. Not flying and nimble are a bonus I guess in flanking situations and where you are wanting to escape after a charge but it’s not enough for me.
Mark – 8/10
Pretty solid large cav hero. Sp9 with Nimble is solid and if you can get a flank, he’s no joke. Probably want to skip taking Heal since he’ll likely be doing nimble things away from the main line.
Tom – 9/10
Just a perfect character. Gnaeus has everything you could want in a profile like his. His Height 4 is sneaky important for the list. Good to support Paladin Knights or as a loner in a slower infantry based list, it’s hard to better spend 180 points in the list. He has always been and remains my favorite character in the game. He is the number one thing I have missed from playing the army less often this year.
Samacris, Mother of Phoenixes
Jeremy – 9/10
I absolutely love Samacris. I don’t think there is an archetype build you could make where she would not make your army better. Perfectly balanced and pointed. You could go angel or bird motif here I think. She is amazing in scenario play with her US and ability to pick off units sitting on objectives at the end of the game with her P1 shooting.
Jon – 7/10
An alternative phoenix as her name suggests, she does all the things a phoenix but better (tougher, better at hiding, better Fireball) and Inspires for the same points….. Great inclusion for healing in infantry based armies, the occasional Fireball and dash towards the objectives late game, I don’t tend to use her as the Priest fits the healing role as well for less with my army being spread out mostly. One thing that I always find and this includes when using the Phoenix, is I become tempted to throw them in the way to satisfy other objectives, this does affect my scoring but better generals may be able to resist.
Mark – 10/10
After the Palace Guard, this is always the third unit I take. She’s so good. 195pts is probably a bit too cheap for everything she can do (please don’t change her…). Early game, she keeps your list together with Radiance of Life and Heal 5. Mid-late game she can take units off with her Piercing 1 Fireball (8) or she can fly off to an objective.
She’s a very versatile unit.
Tom – 9/10
I think Samacris is made to look better by the very favourable comparison with the Phoenix, but I think that’s more of an issue with the Phoenix than her. That said, yes, every time, almost every list, yes. She sometimes gets replaced by a cheaper option like the Priest with BC/Heal in some of my lists if I need the points, but yeah she’s amazing.
Danor the Wizard
Jeremy – 6/10
Danor is a pretty interesting toolbox wizard. His special ability of being able to cast multiple spells has some fun flavor to it. Also, he comes in at a pretty cheap cost actually when you look at the variety of spells he has. He does not blow my skirt up but he’s a solid choice if you want access to all these spells, albeit in less power dice numbers.
Jon – 7/10
Now you may have guessed, Danor has never made my cut but he is really good in the right situation. Worth the cost for the Heal and Bane Chant every turn, with a bonus Lightning Bolt, Windblast and Fireball every turn is awesome. Would work well alongside War Wizards/healers and would need a lot thought into how to make the best use of the right spells each turn, like the Ogre Palace Guard Captain, he can fulfil multiple roles, sometimes a the same time!
Mark – 7/10
Nifty alternative to the War Wizard. His versatility of having several useful spells can be fun. If you can keep him around till the end game, his quantity of spellcasting can really add up.
Tom – 7/10
A very good and delightfully unique character. Bane-chant 2 makes him a real option. He doesn’t fit into most of my lists but he never disappoints when he does.
Jullius, Dragon of Heaven
Jeremy – 8/10
I know a lot of people love Julius. At Defence 6 he is an amazingly survivable hard hitting flyer. The one thing to keep in mind with this guy is large infantry. He can’t see, or be seen, like a Dragon or big monster. I think in general, with these sorts of flyers the larger height of traditional monsters is an advantage.
Jon – 10/10
Wowsers, I mean what a beast! Dragon +++++, the stats speak for themselves, he does lose 3 nerve to a dragon but the Def 6 makes up for it until you get to crush/pierce 3 or higher. Elite makes up for the loss of 2 attacks and Dread adds extra usefulness in combo with other units as well as his own fights. Smaller base size allows him to fit in some tight spaces but does cause sight issues with lower height. He has been in the majority of lists and I run him the same way as a dragon but with some better options in most circumstances. He epitomises the way I like to use alpha strike, pricey but full of potential in the right hands. For all the praises I throw his way, you cannot afford to misuse him, like any big shiny character don’t throw him away to die (may have done that once or twice) or be tied down unable to affect the fight chasing small fry too far from the objective or tied down in grind.
Mark – 9/10
Do you like Dragons? Do you like Def6? The dude’s a beast. If you want a tough, flying beatstick then look no further. Just keep him away from pikes and he’ll make you proud.
Tom – 9/10
His only downsides are (1) his dangerous points cost to nerve ratio, which means a bad nerve spike against that -/16 nerve can be game-ending, and (2) the comparison with the High Paladin on Dragon, which is the same offensively with a lot more nerve. Jullius’s shorter height and smaller base size are serious advantages that makes it a tough choice between the two.
Tollivar, the Seer
Jeremy – 7/10
This guy is interesting. Now that Elohi are regular the meta is seeing more people start to play flying skew again. So Tollivar’s may become a popular choice in that build. I think he is solid but I am still on the fence. If you have a lot of units to take advantage of his special magic rules he is a good choice. With Bastion only on two dice and the fact that you need to cast that successfully before you can then cast his other spells this could be a pricey choice that ends of not casting anything for maybe half the game.
Jon – 7/10
Added in Halpis Rift, Tollivar is a nice alternative to a Priest or Wizard. His spells can benefit any combination of army, not being able to take a mount will be offset by the extra range for the Bane Chant and Bastion on the Elohi. That said, unless you have troops to protect him, he may get caught out and his ability to cast both spells is predicated on successful casting of Bastion first which can be risky, decision has to be made whether you need both or if it is better to cast the more reliable Bane Chant (which is not a bad thing, Bane Chant (3) is rare and pretty reliable). I have not used him yet as he lacks the Heal or useful Lightning Bolt, as well as the lack of steed but am sorely tempted as the spells really help the Elohi out.
Mark – 4/10
Kinda neat for thematic reasons. Being on foot, I can see it being tough to make the most use of his special rules though. 150pts is probably on the high end. I think you can make a more effective wizard with our other choices for fewer points.
Tom – 3/10
A sop to the Elohi complaints, but I could have looked past that if not for Tollivar’s value being torpedoed by the requirement that Bastion (2) be cast first instead of Bane Chant (3) in order to trigger his cast-twice ability. Switch that up and you have a character that might be worth the hefty 150-point cost.
Summary
Overall average ratings /10: 6.4/10
Most agreed upon unit(s): Me-at-Arms Crossbows, Paladin Knights, Sisterhood Panther Chariots, Ogre Palace Guard, Priest, War Wizard, High Paladin on Dragon, Danor the Wizard (1 point of difference between highest and lowest scores)
Least agreed upon unit(s): Dictator, Tollivar the Seer (4 points of difference between highest and lowest scores)
One Northern King 