Basilean Battle Tactics and Tips

Did you know the brand-new Basilean Mega Army and Army sets are available to order right NOW? Literally, right now you could order a set and become a righteous follower of the Shining Ones.

Just in case you are thinking of taking the path of goodness, we thought it might be handy to give you some tips and tricks about how to play Basileans. Of course, we're all tactically inept here at Mantic, so we thought we'd get some expert advice. Thank goodness then for Basilean expert Michael Pearcy. So, over to you Michael...

Among Mantica’s forces of humanity, one stands tallest as an exemplar of justice. The Forces of Basilea march to war with holy fervor, delivering judgement on those who would oppose them. On the tabletop, Basilea provides a shrewd general with a fast and surprisingly resilient army.

While Basilea can be played a number of ways, I find a balanced approach to be particularly effective. The key entry to a balanced list is the Phoenix. My lists usually start with two Phoenixes and build from there. For tournament play, an important goal is to build with versatility in mind. The utility of the Phoenix’s spell casting (heal 6 and fireball 10), the speed to take advantage of that utility, and the resilience provided by their great nerve and special rules make them essential for my tournament builds (Editor's note - blimey, wouldn't it be wonderful if Mantic had a Phoenix coming out later this year *hint hint*).

Another versatile entry unique to Basilea is the Elohi unit, flying Large Infantry that pack a devastating punch and are equally tough. The Clash of Kings 2019 tournament pack (Clash19) provided this mainstay unit with a powerful formation, the Retribution of the Heavens, which gives two hordes of Elohi and an Ur-Elohi the Vicious special rule. This is a huge boost in reliability for these potentially game-changing units. This power comes at a cost; at 815 points for only three units and five Unit Strength, this makes a potent core for an elite army at normal points levels, or to fill out a balanced list in very large games.

The Ogre Palace Guard (new in Clash19) is a very formidable unit which I expect to see a lot of tournament play. The addition of a fearless, ground-based Large Infantry unit fills a gap in the Basilean infantry roster; non-nimble Large Infantry hordes are prized in tournament play because they store 3 Unit Strength in a more manoeuvrable footprint. Fearless is key to their resilience as it allows the Ogres to use Iron Resolve for any nerve roll that does not result in a rout.

Other additions to the list in Clash19 are the Sisterhood Scouts, the Gur-Panthers, and the High Paladin on Elder Dragon. The Elder Dragon is self-explanatory; a larger dragon is always scary, but the entry functions much the same as a standard dragon. In contrast, the Scouts and Panthers add something else that the Basilean list was lacking: board control that doesn’t rely entirely on speed. It’s tempting to view these units as chaff due to their low defense and nerve, but their special rules and points costs align them as troubleshooters and pieces for board control.

The Basilean army is the most formidable human army in Kings of War. Whether you like the grindy, attrition style of Men-at-Arms and Sisterhood Infantry battlelines, the hard hitting alpha strike of the panther lancers and Elohi, or something that blends multiple strategies into a balanced approach, Basilea provides cunning generals with the tools they need to bring righteous judgement to their foes across Mantica.