Squad builds?

[luchillo17]

Currently debating what the best build for some of my leaders are, some are plain obvious like Jules with all T3 archers or at least 5 raiders for hit & run tactics (I tend to rush in, aggressive attack & pull back just to soften enemies), but others do not seem to have a niche.

I'm building Beatrix with Azuros (at least until I get dragon rider tech), I'm thinking about either putting Arcane Speed, Arcane Barrier or Executioner, speed might not be high value here since she has high SKL from start (lvl 29 and already at 124), barrier would get me at least 50 HP shield with current setup, but again she can dodge a lot so maybe executioner is better? a chance to double attack is amazing, say she hits a couple of crits and kills off the squishy targets, and gets a 2nd attack to finish off the tanks, something like that...

Then I have diana, I keep her back most of the time because I have her 2nd line be a wall of mages, so I tend to protect her squad from both archers & assasins, I want to change that but not sure what would the best teammates for her be, so far I have 2 Valkyries with her for heals & 3 mages (LDR is low at the moment), what teammates would be better here if I want her right at the front lines with blackbelt and armor based artifacts to counter attack a lot?

[luchillo17]

Can't help but hate that even with armor artifacts, mages still get 0 of it.

[Iguana-on-a-stick]

For Jules, I like raiders + samurai + the one of the artifacts that converts magic to strength or skill.

The speed of light cavalry is far more useful than the range of warbows, and they also cost less obsidian to make so I can afford them more easily anyway. (Horses are plentiful these days.) And having a solid front line that can take a blow without reducing firepower is great.

Beatrix: More speed is always good. But I find Arcane Barrier to be a bit redundant compared to just adding an oracle. She's indeed good in a dragon squad, but if I don't have enough of those I add some Warcats instead for repeating AoE attacks. I tried stacking her with more mages, but found that didn't work so great as they're more likely to leave one pesky enemy alive due to unlucky targeting. Dragons and warcats get multiple AoE attacks, which is better.

Diana is made for tanking. In my current game I gave her a bunch of dark mage units because her evolved form gets a ranged attack just like she does, which is fun but I'm not convinced it's actually the strongest.

If you already have valkyries, I'd be tempted to add a couple of knights to make her whole squad count as cavalry for speed and hitting power. Otherwise sentinels are always a good front line, or champions if you prefer more damage, or paladins if you want an entirely magic-immune squad. Oh, and an oracle. Oracles are amazing and I would add them to any front-line squad.

[luchillo17]

Originally posted by Iguana-on-a-stick:

For Jules, I like raiders + samurai + the one of the artifacts that converts magic to strength or skill.

If you already have valkyries, I'd be tempted to add a couple of knights to make her whole squad count as cavalry for speed and hitting power. Otherwise sentinels are always a good front line, or champions if you prefer more damage, or paladins if you want an entirely magic-immune squad. Oh, and an oracle. Oracles are amazing and I would add them to any front-line squad.

This is my first campaign and I don't have the DLC so...

Also I do have a squad with 3 samurai 4 raiders already (one of the legendary mercenaries, General Bizen), my guess was that samurai do not hit as hard at range as a Warbow right?, and the other issue is that samurai do not count as archer units for "Archer Captain" trait, which is why until I get a lot more LDR I'll probably stick with Warbows & raiders for Jules, and Bizen is a natural Samurai so the front-line only needs 2 more.

[luchillo17]

I definitely missed there with Diane and the 3 mages, it only takes a face-off with assassins or a few archer volleys to wipe half the squad, question would be what to change those for? (both with and without DLC)...

[Iguana-on-a-stick]

Against assassins, the usual tactic is to put the mages in the middle of the formation, with a stronger back rank.

Against archers, there's not much to do, except make sure the mages are not too squishy and have healing. The Oracles from the DLC help a lot, but if you don't have those look for the Arcane Vigour and Arcane Barrier traits for your mages.

I also suggest applying Water affinity instead of Dark. Boost magic a little bit less, but gives a hitpoint bonus instead of a penalty. I've had that boost hitpoints from 190 to 260 on some of my mages.

But in general, mages are bad on defense, because they only attack in the second round. I find them best when I put them in my cavalry squads for that reason, where they soften the enemy up for charge damage. If you want Diana to be defensive, more infantry seems like a better idea. You do not want all-heavy squads as those aren't very effective. (Concentrate damage on too few targets because they all attack at once.) Maybe mix some heavies with some light infantry like swordmasters or rangers for more versatility?

If you do want to go heavy infantry (This works well in a squad with soldier captain) Centurions are usually a good idea because they hit multiple ranks at once. A front rank of champions/sentinels and a back rank of centurions with one or two healers in the middle deals a lot of damage and survives assassins quite well.

my guess was that samurai do not hit as hard at range as a Warbow right?,

Warbow has more strength but Samurai's weapon stats are superior. I haven't tested it but from the stats I'd expect the samurai to do more damage. Less range though.

Bigger issue is that I find warbows aren't that good in general. Very expensive in resources and it's often hard to get them in position for a good shot. And when you do, they don't hit that hard anyway.

Artillery is just so much better, and mounted squads are much more versatile.

[luchillo17]

So given enough LDR it would be better to have a Samurai front row, Raiders for the rest and maybe 1 healer or Oracle?

I want to make a full artillery squad but don't have nearly enough resources, the few gun squads I have (Lt Archibald with Dragoons & Lysander with Gunners) already came with most of those, so downgrading to swap into Artillery (or dragoons for the gunners) would not help with the resources, guess I do have to do the side mission for Pyrocite huh?

Maybe I just have too many squads (I have 17 right now), what's the maximum squad count for the missions? like the final one how many squads allowed?

[Iguana-on-a-stick]

Originally posted by luchillo17:

Maybe I just have too many squads (I have 17 right now), what's the maximum squad count for the missions? like the final one how many squads allowed?

Max is 20, or maybe 21 since once or twice a given story character squad is not under your control for a mission.

So given enough LDR it would be better to have a Samurai front row, Raiders for the rest and maybe 1 healer or Oracle?

I want to make a full artillery squad but don't have nearly enough resources, the few gun squads I have (Lt Archibald with Dragoons & Lysander with Gunners) already came with most of those, so downgrading to swap into Artillery (or dragoons for the gunners) would not help with the resources, guess I do have to do the side mission for Pyrocite huh?

Early on, gunners and dragoons kind of suck. You really need that technology that lets them shoot twice, and possibly the one that lets you ignore weather penalties. And the one that makes dragoons light cavalry. You get the picture.

So I'd change those gunners to siege guns (or field guns if you have the DLC, a bit weaker but faster) and give those to Lysander as he has the highest leadership.

You can swap some back to dragoons later when you have more pyrocite and all the tech. Or just make more artillery, since it is very strong, Dragoons are also nice though.

[luchillo17]

Found a way around the LDR limit for Captains, not sure if it's a bug though, I can downgrade to something the Captain bonus applies, then upgrade to something else, like Jules adding bowman, then when the squad is full, upgrade to Samurai, and end up with 81/76 squads...

Also went & stripped Archibald squad to fill Lysander's with Cannons (was left missing 1 spot due to LDR at my level), so Archibald now has no teammates to run with.

[Example]

Hot take: tank Jules is better than archer Jules

Anybody can be an archer leader. Jules has no special characteristics except archer captain, which you can find on random recruits. Tank Jules takes -50% damage with Narima in the squad, potentially takes another -50% from Emperor's Missive if you demote him to tier 1 for -75% damage from all sources, and receives cover from all heavy units in the squad regardless of formation. These are unique traits that can't be replicated by other units.

[luchillo17]

Originally posted by Example:

Hot take: tank Jules is better than archer Jules

So how would you go about it? you put Jules as a Samurai upfront then Narima behind & 2 random frontliners? or would you put Narima at the front as well? what about teammates? all archer or would you start mixing other units?

Edit: Nvmd don't have the option for Samurai, only Warbow or Raider, you mean to put him at the front like that?

[Example]

Don't pick warbow or raider. Demote him to tier 1 bowman and use the Emperor's Missive artifact, which causes tier 1 units to take 50% less damage. I put Narima behind and use two undead to fill the other frontline positions (undead also benefit from Emperor's Missive).

[luchillo17]

Aaahh, don't have it so can't use this strat, will have to wait to try.

Originally posted by Example:

Don't pick warbow or raider. Demote him to tier 1 bowman and use the Emperor's Missive artifact, which causes tier 1 units to take 50% less damage. I put Narima behind and use two undead to fill the other frontline positions (undead also benefit from Emperor's Missive).

[±Alvarex±]

Originally posted by Example:

Don't pick warbow or raider. Demote him to tier 1 bowman and use the Emperor's Missive artifact, which causes tier 1 units to take 50% less damage. I put Narima behind and use two undead to fill the other frontline positions (undead also benefit from Emperor's Missive).

This is genius. I'm upset I never considered it.

Even then, having him be T3 with Narima is strong enough to be a good tank. At least one of the better face tanks for a light infantry squad (minus ones that stack evasion..Raskuja is still king for me in evasion tanking since he can protect the backrow by himself)