Today we present another preview for Battles of Westeros, courtesy of lead designer Rob Kouba. In our earlier previews, we’ve looked at combat, terrain, and troop management. Today, we’ll catch a glimpse of the game’s various unit types.

As a commander, your tools on the field of battle are your units. Each House in the Battles of Westeros has a total of four different unit types, and three of the unit types for each House are the same. However, each House also has a special unit type.

Let’s go over the different units and how they are used on the battlefield as well as different special abilities they may have.

Infantry

The grunts that compose the largest part of most armies, infantry are footmen primarily armed with spears, swords, or axes. Core set infantry are sturdy but have no outstanding offensive capabilities except the ability to advance after defeating an enemy or forcing an enemy to retreat.

Cavalry

Fast-moving mounted soldiers that can outmaneuver the fastest footmen, cavalry units can be used to devastating effect as they break enemy lines or charge around slower moving units to execute a flanking maneuver. Cavalry can also run down retreating units or use their momentum to make an additional attack against another unit.

Ranged

Raining down arrows from afar, ranged units typically only get as close as they need to be. Preferring the high ground so they are able to get a better vantage point when attacking, ranged units hope to thin an enemy’s ranks before the enemy gets close enough to engage. However, if not given the chance to set up, ranged units fire off-balance decreasing their chance to hit.

Lannister Special: Heavy Infantry

Lannister’s gold stores allow them to equip their troops with the best equipment available including heavy armor. While similar to normal infantry in almost every other way, heavy infantry has an advantage defensively as they are harder to hit than corresponding normal infantry units.

Stark Special: Kennelmaster

Kennelmasters fight alongside trained dogs that pack a vicious bite. While similar to normal infantry, kennelmasters can forgo movement to unleash a special dog attack where they unleash their hounds to attack and harass an enemy unit. There are a few advantages to this type of “ranged” attack. First, the dogs can race through friendly units. Second, this type of attack is great against cavalry as dogs disrupt the horses. Third, the strength of the attack is random. While the dog attack may usually be only the strength of a normal ranged unit, it has the possibility of being up to twice the normal amount. Of course, there is also the possibility the enemy will be so frightened they will immediately turn tail and run.

It is important to note that unless a unit specifies it specializes in a particular weapon type, the unit represents training and weapons from a particular House/region. In this manner, two infantry units allied with the same House may function differently even though they are both infantry.
By learning how different unit types complement each other, commanders can formulate winning strategies before the battle begins!

Thanks, Rob! Keep checking back as we see more of the characters and mechanics coming your way in Battles of Westeros.