Good unit for generic army frontline?

[Taisen]

I tried having swordsman for a front line and 3 vanguard generals and their horses showed me why its a bad idea lol. so what do you guys army comps look like?

[jfoytek]

I prefer Spearman for my front line units myself...

Rough makeup of my typically army would be

Vanguard General with:
2 Horse Archers
2 Horse Spears
2 Horse Swords

Sentinal General with:
6 Spearman

Strategist General with:
4 Archers
2 Treb's

[Taisen]

yeah that sounds pretty good. theres just so many variants of spearman and theres also halbreds and i can't decide which is better.

[Duncan Idaho]

^ this

Although I use a champion and not sentinel, that 10% armour skill for spear units really adds up.

[iM7mdz]

Most of my armies are similar to this :
1 Vanguard General with 6 Shock Cav.
1 Champion General with 6 Spear guards,
1 strategist with 4 crossbow units and 2 Trebuchets .

and i'm really comfortable facing any army or sieges battles with this.
Spear guards with turtle formation is really good 140% missile block chance so not a single arrow will kill your spear guards when marching to an army or a city and behind them are my crossbow men and then trebuchets. my cav is protecting the flanks and i will charge them at missile units when both front lines are engaged in combat then clean after with good charges behind their front line.

[Jerroser]

Spear Guard are probably the most reliable front line unit that you can easily obtain. Often my standard army set up once I can make it is a champion/vanguard with at least 4 cav units + 2 sword or ji militia, a champion with 6 spear guard and lastly a strategist with 4 archers and 4 trebuchets. (Deals with most immediate problems relatively easily).

Although sometimes I do replace the Champion with a Sentinel and give them six Jian sword Guard instead. They can take on infantry a little better and with a levelled up strategist they can use the shield wall formation that can resist charges fairly well while also negating arrow fire. (also same with spear guard).

[Duncan Idaho]

Looks nice though I prefer Archers with fire arrows. Let the spearguards march up in turtle formation and take out the towers with your archers and archers. Use the trebs flaming shot for when the AI bunches up.

[Yblehs Ymmot]

My frontline is usually made up of Sword Milita in the early game.
I'm a sucker for Cavalry, i use my Shock Cav to take out the enemy Cavalry rather than using spears.

Typical army would be something akin to;

Vanguard Gen;
- 4x Medium Lance Cav
- 2x Saber Militia

Sentinel Gen;
- 2x Axe Band
- 2x Saber Milita
- 2x Jian Infantry

Sentinel Gen; / Strategist Gen;
- 2x Axe Band / - 4x Crossbow
- 2x Saber Militia / - 2x Trebs (With Flaming shot)
- 2x Jian Infantry

Late game i tend to switch all my infantry to Azure Dragons (Great All-Purpose infantry).

[Platinumb]

Obvious comps been mentioned here but here's a really fun one!

Frontline of spearmen (any will do, probably cheapest in this case).
Then 6x Azure Dragons.
6x Archers with fire arrows
2x Horsemen.

Get a good general with buffs to arrows and you will literally melt anything your army walks up to - then, when it gets up close, you still have a crap ton of melee too! (Replacing the frontline with more azure dragons works but get's less cost effective.)

[Cpt. Kid]

I will take your word for it that sword infantry suck. Im infantry general. Im still looking for a setup to use. Jian Sword Guards look weak but I might give them a try over the Pearl Dragons just cus of upkeep and Ive always went with Dragons over regular units. I know I can afford it late game its just trying to match everything up with role and weapons and upkeep if its worth it or not. Need a new unit on tech tree called Blue Dragons that every general class can use as a sword and shield unit with an upkeep around 250 that can do turtle formation.

Vanguard:
3 Jade Dragons
1 Protectors of Heaven
2 Azure Dragons

Sentinel:
2 Azure Dragons
4 Pearl Draongs or 4 Yellow Dragons

Strategist:
4 Onyx Dragons or 2 Onyx Dragons with 2 Heavy Crossbowmen

I want to try something cheaper cus this isnt cheap for upkeep. Maybe even change the cavalry to something lower.

Yellows are definetly worth it. Turtle formation is a must for siege battles. I use the Yellow Dragons or Pearl Dragons to hold the center with the Azure Dragons holding the flanks two units on both sides with the Onyx Dragons or Heavy Crossbowmen right behind the Yellows or Pearls in center and Protectors of Heaven as reserves near the strategist general. I use the Jade Dragons to harass before the enemy army comes at me. I left two open slots for strategist for siege weapons.

Are glaives meant to take out infantry or cavalry? I wanted to use a sword & shield unit to hold center not glaives or axes. I havent used the Imperial units enough but is the Imperial Sword Guard still like that for replenishment? Thats why I dont use Imperial units on the frontlines in my armies but for garrison.

[Jerroser]

Originally posted by Cpt. Kid:

I will take your word for it that sword infantry suck. Im infantry general. Im still looking for a setup to use. Jian Sword Guards look weak but I might give them a try over the Pearl Dragons just cus of upkeep and Ive always went with Dragons over regular units. I know I can afford it late game its just trying to match everything up with role and weapons and upkeep if its worth it or not. Need a new unit on tech tree called Blue Dragons that every general class can use as a sword and shield unit with an upkeep around 250 that can do turtle formation.

Vanguard:
3 Jade Dragons
1 Protectors of Heaven
2 Azure Dragons

Sentinel:
2 Azure Dragons
4 Pearl Draongs or 4 Yellow Dragons

Strategist:
4 Onyx Dragons or 2 Onyx Dragons with 2 Heavy Crossbowmen

I want to try something cheaper cus this isnt cheap for upkeep. Maybe even change the cavalry to something lower.

Yellows are definetly worth it. Turtle formation is a must for siege battles. I use the Yellow Dragons or Pearl Dragons to hold the center with the Azure Dragons holding the flanks two units on both sides with the Onyx Dragons or Heavy Crossbowmen right behind the Yellows or Pearls in center and Protectors of Heaven as reserves near the strategist general. I use the Jade Dragons to harass before the enemy army comes at me. I left two open slots for strategist for siege weapons.

Are glaives meant to take out infantry or cavalry? I wanted to use a sword & shield unit to hold center not glaives or axes. I havent used the Imperial units enough but is the Imperial Sword Guard still like that for replenishment? Thats why I dont use Imperial units on the frontlines in my armies but for garrison.

Glaive units are pretty much a mid point between Spear and Sword units, that can be used against both cavalry and infantry units. They get charge deflection so any cav units that charge them will have the damage reflected back at them and are all very strong fighters to they will win against most infantry units. The main weakness is that Glaives are two handed weapons, so they have practically no defence against missile units.

[Cpt. Kid]

Changing the Pearl Dragons up with Mercenary Axes (shield wall) as Sun Jian or whoever else has them. I prefer playing as Gongsun Zan cus of the start out and its build order is easier. I cant say this yet I havent played enough especially as other factions but starting to think Sun Jians military has low morale or something they rout easier than Gongsun Zans faction.