Unit Analysis: Basic infantry

 It's time to look at the humble, basic, infantry troops.  They may not jet around the battlefield with rocket packs, nor unleash devastating attacks with special weapons, like the elite infantry teams.  But your basic infantry units are cheaper, and deployed in larger numbers and thus, likely to be key to holding and defending Objectives, thereby winning the game.

Basic infantry are purchased in two ways; first, in most cases you will get them as an escort for your Battle Group Commander.  This unit comes at a higher price and victory point value than the basic unit, giving you troops which are probably best kept as a reserve (assuming you want to retain the Battle Group special ability) and only committed to the fight at a significant moment in the game. Second, you can buy a standalone unit, which are likely to be the cheapest and most numerous option in your ORBAT and probably a default unit tasked with seizing and holding Objectives.

All basic infantry have Move 4" and have Defence 2 and Damage Limit 1, meaning you'll lose a stand for every 2 damage inflicted.  They are either fielded at size 6/12/18 for basic/reinforced/full size units (Crown, Union, Imperium, Sultanate), or at a larger size of 8/16/24 unit (Empire, Enlightened, Commonwealth, Alliance).  There is also a significant variation in the quality of basic infantry, as we’ll see, with the elite but expensive Janissaries at the top-of-the-tree and the bargain-basement Ordenanza providing the cheapest points-per-model in the entire game.

Some factions have armoured transports, which allows you to deploy your infantry as a mechanized force, which is particularly useful if you want to provide them with some additional support and get them into position quickly.  However, these options are not universal and the basic infantry of some factions, notably the Empire and Enlightened, will need to trudge forward under their own power and therefore, are likely to be the slowest moving part of the battleline.

Rifle Platoon (Crown)

With their pith helmets and stiff-upper-lips the Crown rifles form an impressive, if thin, red line on the battlefield.  They have a good shooting range of 7"/14" and can attack Light Units with an impressive 5/12/18.  They can also shoot at Aerial units, although this is a much less formidable 1/2/3, which is unlikely to concern aircraft, but may cause some trouble for flying infantry who choose to Charge a unit of rifles ‘On Lookout’.  Their special STOIC DEFENCE rule means that when the Rifle Platoon are charged, they always have a Defensive Advantage, so the Rifles fight before their attacker (fix bayonets!) but their Melee attack is a fairly mediocre 3/6/9.

As one of the more numerous units the Crown can field, and with the option of rapid deployment via Stirling transports, the Rifles are likely to find themselves tasked with holding Objectives more often than some other basic infantry.   In this role they are likely to benefit from the LIONHEARTED Crown Faction Battlegroup ability, potentially allowing them to pass their Discipline checks in difficult circumstances (assuming you have a low value card in your hand).  This can be invaluable where a failed test is the difference between holding an Objective, or retreating back off it.

Crown Rifles have a high Discipline of 7, and a low Break Limit of 2, which put-together means they are among the most elite of basic infantry.  While their cost is similar to other infantry at 35/60/90, the Crown Rifles yield higher-than-average Victory Points of 2/3/4 making their loss especially painful for Crown Generals.

Green Banner Guard Platoon (Empire)

These Thai-trained Chinese infantry are numerous and fairly distinctive, as they lug forward their large, armoured shields, ready to form a kind of Victorian-age testudo.  These PAVISES (or shields) mean that when the unit 'Takes Cover', which it can do instead of attacking, it sets shields and forms a tortoise of steel gaining +1 Defence which provides a significant boost to their survivability.  Unlike other infantry, which lose this bonus when they activate again, the Green Banner Guards can retain the bonus while shooting in subsequent activations.  So once the shields are set, the unit is a much tougher nut to crack.  However, given their Move of 4”, the Guards are likely to spend the early turns of the game moving at ‘Double Time’ and giving up their attack action, in order to actually reach their intended destination.  So, they must hope that they are not heavily targeted until they’ve had time to set their shields.

Because they have to lug massive shields around, the Guards are only equipped with short-range carbines, which shoot Light targets at a range of 6"/10" for 4/8/12. In Melee they also inflict 4/8/12. There are no transport options for the Guards, but they have a few tricks. One is to be screened by the Terracotta Automata until they have set their shields. The Automata have the BULWARK ability which means that size 1 troops can't see past the Automata (who are Heavy targets and not troubled by being shot).

For extra fun, the Empire Faction Battlegroup has a special ability FOR THE EMPIRE! which allows the General to discard a card and ignore a friendly unit for the purposes of line of sight.  And so, with a well-timed command the Automata can pivot to allow the troops behind them to fire, then join ranks once more to prevent a return volley.  Synchronized perfection!

The Green Banner Guard may have the numbers, but they are liable to break if put under sustained pressure, given their Discipline of just 5 and Break Limit of 3.  To shore them up, Empire Generals may want to ensure there is a command unit within range, providing an all-important Discipline boost.  You’ll pay a standard 35/60/90 for these troops and they give up only 1/2/3 Victory Points when Annihilated.

Federal Trooper Platoon (Union)

The Union bring their trademark 'spray-and-pray' approach to warfare, bolstered by the occasional GI Bot, that presumably gets all the really dangerous jobs.  The Troopers can blast Light targets at 8"/12" range dealing 4/10/16 and in melee they deal 3/6/9. But, here's where it gets interesting; the Union also employ Fireteams who provide a bit of extra punch to their basic formations with the PARENT UNIT (2) rule.

This means you can add up to two Fireteams to the unit; each fireteam is smaller than its parent, and must operate within 3", but critically they activate at the same time!  So, you can add your choice of any 2 from: Federal Gatling Fireteams, Federal Rocket Fireteams or UR-31E Arc Trooper Fireteams to this unit, taking the total number of models up to 10/18/32 (including parent and fireteams) with your choice of anti-infantry, anti-aerial or anti-heavy automata in support.  It's a lot of eggs in one basket, but it's a pretty tough basket.

Union infantry can also pile into monster-truck transports that the Union use; either the gatling-gun toting Ironhides, or the flamethrower mounting Lamplighters, all of which are built Tonka-tuff so infantry can BAIL OUT unharmed if it gets shot out from under them.  For extra fun you can also choose the Newhaven Garrison Car as Rolling Stock for your Heavy Rail Behemoth and you have a defensive hardpoint complete with SPONSONS (3) which you can decouple on an objective with up to 8 infantry inside (although there is no BAIL OUT option on the Newhaven).

Did I mention spray-and-pray as an ethos?  Well, you can wrap this whole thing up with a bow with some blistering firepower by using the Union Faction Battlegroup Special Ability, GIVE EM HELL!  This is a Special Command (so can be countered), used by discarding a card to make every Strike (single hit) from a ranged attack, count as two hits instead. This can turn some average shooting, into a devastating barrage, although the unit is then immediately Suppressed following this activation - presumably as they all frantically reload and high-five each other.

Federal Troopers have an average Discipline 6 and a Break Limit of 2, and have a discounted cost of 30/50/80, although this doesn’t include the cost of the all-important Fireteams, which you’ll need to buy separately.  The Federal Troopers give up 1/2/3 when Annihilated.

Citizen-Soldier Contingent (Enlightened)

The masked ranks of Citizen Soldiers are the 'enhanced' volunteers who have had various augmentations, in exchange for escaping the crushing labour of global industrialisation and to further 'science' of course.  They are remarkable, being the only basic infantry who can shoot both Light and Heavy targets.  Against Light targets they have a range of 5"/18" and shoot 3(7)/8(14)/11(20) with POINT BLANK, meaning outside of 5" they are the worst of any basic infantry, but inside that range they are easily the best, using the bracketed values.

It's a similar story against Heavy targets with a shorter 3"/10" range shooting 2(5)/4(9)/8(13) and POINT BLANK again, making them a real danger to Heavy units if they manage to get close enough.  On top of that they can choose to OVERCHARGE this Heavy attack, allowing the player to draw and discard a card from the top of their deck and then roll extra dice equal to the value of that card (2-12). The catch is that for each blank dice, the attacking unit takes 1 damage themselves.  A truly spectacular, and one would imagine very messy, attack!

In Melee they deal an unremarkable 3/6/9 with no special rules.  The Citizen Soldiers are a unit that is likely to be devastating if it can reach its short-range splash-zone and has the potential to leave a smoking crater where a large, armoured, vehicle was.  But with no transports in the ORBAT, it's likely to be a long march to reach their targets, allowing the enemy plenty of opportunities to whittle them down en-route. But when the Citizen-Soldiers reach an Objective, you'd have to be brave to try and dislodge them with anything but long-range fire.

The Citizen-Soldiers are a deployed as a big group and have a reasonable Discipline of 6 and Break Limit of 3, but they (like the other Enlightened troops) are CONSTRUCTS, which means if the unit becomes Suppressed then it also becomes Disordered.   However, the unit will automatically pass Suppression and Rally tests if within 6" of a unit with PEER REVIEW (the Battle Group Commander, for example). Enlightened Overseers pay a standard 35/60/90 for these troops and they give up just 1/2/3 Victory Points when Annihilated.

Scion Grenadier Platoon (Imperium)

The Scion Grenadiers look like serious business with their Pickelhaube helmets and arc rifles. They can shoot Light targets out to 14" dealing 4/8/12 using ARC rifles (Imperium ARC weapons have no short range), which means each Heroic Stike allows two reroll dice, rather than just one.  But wait, it gets better!  Grenadiers have Melee of 3/6/9 which is also ARC - so you have the potential with this unit to deal some big hits against both Light and Heavy targets at close quarters (if you roll well).

If you don't want them to walk, the Imperium can deploy the Grenadiers via the unarmed Sturmwagon transports (a bargain), or the via heavily armed Panzerwagon Armoured Transport which comes complete with ASSAULT RAMPS and supporting fire, although there are likely to be more elite infantry you'd probably choose to deploy from those monsters.

While they may not technically be elite themselves, the Grenadiers have a very respectable Discipline 7, but also a high Break Limit of 3, meaning you really want to pass Suppression tests when the unit gets down to low numbers.  In terms of Special Abilities, the main Imperium ability COMPANY OF IRON allows you to boost the Discipline of an Imperium unit for each other Imperium unit within 3", which is likely to include your (now empty) Sturmwagon transports - all that Prussian adrenaline seems to help everyone feel good and potentially hold-on under fire.

In addition, the Grenadiers also act as SPOTTERS which can be a significant boost to the indirect firing artillery of the Imperium when the Grenadiers are ‘On Lookout’.  Imperium Generals pay a slightly more expensive Points Cost of 35/65/95 for these troops and they give up a whopping 3/4/5 Victory Points when Annihilated.

Ryadovoy Rifle Platoon (Commonwealth)

Commonwealth troops really like to fight at close range and the Ryadovoy wield an improbable combination rifle/halberd with surprising effectiveness.  The Ryadovoy have a good shooting range of 7”/14” against Light targets 4/8/12, but it's in Melee where they really shine, dealing 4(6)/8(11)/12(16) with the SHOCK special rule, meaning you use the parenthesis value when fighting against Light Units.

Add to this the Commonwealth Faction Battlegroup Special Command GRIM RESOLVE, which (if not countered) allows you to discard a card to have any Melee result in a Stalemate, irrespective of how many Ryadovoy stands were removed, and you have a unit who can fight to the bitter end.  This means they can potentially both deal and receive large amounts of damage, but they ultimately can’t be compelled to make a Disorder test, no matter how many casualties they suffer.  Of course, this ability won't stop them from being shot to pieces and becoming Suppressed in other phases of the game.

At a minimum, by using GRIM RESOLVE you’re likely to prevent the enemy from forcing your troops off an Objective via Melee, even if the dice don't go your way.  It may be a grim scene indeed, as the fight goes on amidst the many bodies of the fallen, but this can be a powerful and decisive ability – if you can get the Ryadovoy to where they need to be (on an Objective), ideally following in the wake of your other shock troops or cavalry.

You can send the Ryadovoy into battle aboard a Krot Armoured Borer, which will potentially allow them to appear from underground and overwhelm an Objective, or take a more conventional approach in a Matryona overland transport which is a metal brick and also has the all-important BAIL OUT rule to ensure their survival en-route.  In addition, Commonwealth Generals can choose to partner the Rifles with a Ryadovy Rodina, a support vehicle which provides excellent additional firepower (including against Aerial targets) and automatically allows a friendly infantry unit within 3" to activate at the same time it does, giving you two activations for the price of one.

The Ryadovoy are deployed as a larger formation with an average Discipline 6 and a Break Limit of 3.  Commonwealth Generals pay a standard 35/60/90 for these troops and they give up just 1/2/3 Victory Points when Annihilated.

Ordenanza Militia (Alliance)

With their jaunty hats and smart uniforms, what they may lack in quality, these plucky volunteers make up for in quantity (and style).  In terms of firepower, the Ordenanza can shoot at Light targets with a 6"/14" range at 4/8/12, which is on par with other large basic infantry formations like the Empire's Green Banner and Commonwealth Ryadovoy Rifles.  In Melee they fight at 3/7/13, which is worse than other large formations, but still better than smaller basic infantry units like Crown Rifles and Federal Troopers.

However, it is their willingness to fight, rather than their equipment, that will dictate their usefulness to an Alliance general.  The Ordenanza are a RABBLE, which means that if the unit falls back as a result of a failed Suppression test, it changes into Open formation until it's next movement and cannot claim Strategic Objectives (although may still prevent others from doing so).  So, when the unit gets spooked, it's every soldier for themselves!  And with a low Discipline of 5, this makes the Ordenanza unreliable objective-takers if they’re not supported.

That's where the power of faith comes in.  Firstly, UNWAVERING FAITH, a Special Ability of the Alliance Faction Battle Group allows any unit that fails a Discipline test to become coordinated with another Faithful unit within 6", giving the Alliance General two potential activations for the price of one, should panic spread amongst in their lines.

Secondly, the Ordenanza Militia Command is INSPIRING 2, which means it can automatically remove the Suppressed status from two units within 12" when it activates.  So, if the Ordenanza are Suppressed, then they are likely to spend time scattered and more ineffectual than normal troops, but if they have other Faithful units nearby, especially their commander, this may not be a total disaster and potentially even a benefit for your other troops.  You can also choose to take Avignon Mobile Chapels, an Armoured unit that give Faithful units within 6" a +1 to their Discipline tests and may well be the difference between success and failure for the Ordenanza, at a critical moment.

The Ordenanza are the cheapest basic infantry in the game costing just 25/45/65 for a large size unit of 8/16/24.   But they'll keep fighting to the bitter end, their Break Limit of 1, so if they can manage to stay in formation the Militia have considerable grit and staying-power.

Janissaries (Sultanate)

With their fancy ceremonial uniforms, the Janissaries look like nobility, and they have the stats to match.  Their rifles have the longest range of any basic infantry at 10”/18” and against Light targets they shoot an excellent 5/12/18, on par with the Crown Rifles.  They are also slightly better than the Crown against Aerial units with an attack of 2/3/4.  In Melee they fight with a standard 3/6/9.

However, what makes them so elite is the VETERAN (1) Special Ability, which allows the Janissaries to convert a Strike, into a Heroic Strike, transforming one hit into two automatically.  This makes the Janissaries much more reliable than other basic infantry in both shooting and Melee.

Janissaries have the highest basic infantry Discipline of 8, and a very low Break Limit of 1, which, when put-together, means Sultanate Generals are likely to get the best possible value from these troops.  But this comes at a price.  Such an elite formation costs 45/70/120, which while high compared to other basic infantry is one of the cheapest units the Sultanate can field.  The Janissaries also yield higher-than-average Victory Points of 2/3/4.

In the final analysis… All basic infantry have a faction-specific specialty which can provide real benefits in the right circumstances; for example, the Empire are strong on defence (if they can set their shields in time), the Commonwealth and Crown are great at holding their ground against assault, while the Enlightened are truly terrifying on offence.

These troops are likely to undertake the most thankless but often essential jobs in your army, including being tasked with seizing and holding objectives, as their larger unit size means they can weather an enemy firestorm better than other more elite formations (and give away less Victory Points if Annihilated in the process).  Basic infantry also provides a cheaper option to guard units like artillery against flank attack by Light attackers, like Cavalry.

However, a General must balance the cost of both investing-in, and bolstering, these troops against other options, including hard-hitting Cavalry units or other, more elite, infantry.  This is particularly true for factions where there is an option of getting the basic infantry onto objectives very quickly, via fast-moving transports, which has an obvious advantage in terms of locking in Victory points at the end of the turn and forcing others to try and dislodge them through Melee - but also makes them a high-profile and obvious target for enemy fire.

This post reflects the view and opinions of the author – your experiences may vary.  It was written based on the state of the game at the time of the Armoured Clash Global Update in May 2026 (Rules v1.04).  All game rules, descriptions and pictures created by Warcradle remain their Intellectual Property.