I think the Kazanji (Daemon) is the best tank combat unit, and I think most people will agree with me, so I was wondering what is the second best unit? Since (I think I can only create one poll in this thread) I didn't want to waste it on everyone picking Kazanji. If you don't think the Kazanji is the best select the last option and then tell me which one you think is the best. The reason for asking for the best tank combat unit is usually I start with a archer unit and I want a tank to support it.

After Daemons, i like Harmonites and Caecators. Harmonites are usefull when playing against necros as a non-necro faction.



Ended are strong but too expensive

Oops, I voted on best. Caecator are better than Kazanji. AoE heal, choice of ranged or focused heal. No faction except AM needs a tank, but the only faction that doesn't need Caecator are BL.

In my opinion, Kazanjis are the best but right after them I would choose the Ended. Quite powerful too, with an awesome model ^^

Ceratan and Eyeless are great support healers, and they are always in one of my first 2 assimilation slots, that is if I can get them, but they make poor tanks, because of their low initiative it makes them hard to pull out of combat. The choice is always easy with them since their are only 2 of them. If I can't get Kazanji for my tank unit to protect my bow units the choice is much harder, since the many units that could fulfill that role have such varied stats.

What are your bow units? Have you considered using in-faction tanks? Titans and Walkers are both great units. The tech cost is pretty minor.

Some random thoughts:



Urses, Jotus, and Silics, and Eyeless Ones tend to be among my favorites.



One cultist game really took off after I started making Rumblers and Crossbow equipped Nameless Guards cemented Urses among my top picks. Snowballed completely out of control.



Silics are my favorite for Vaulters.. The passive helps a great deal if you're making a small amount of really powerful units to defend a tall empire. The Harmonites themselves can serve as meat shields for your marines in the place of titans and/or Dawn Guard if you get them early enough which lets you focus on other research instead.



Jotus and/or Urses are my mercs of choice when playing Roving Clans. They are both pretty viscous with the extra hp. Bos, Gauren, and Nidya have synergy with your faction units innate movement speed but I almost never use Roving Clans units passed early game.



Eyeless Ones pair well with Broken Lords directly saving you dust before you get your Bishops. They are also really potent with crossbow/shield ranged armies (against the AI at least) I won a game on impossible this way which seemed to completely absolve my need for a meat shield for my archers.



Hurnas and/or Geldris make good choices for the Cult or Clans for winter blitzkrieg shenanigans.



I want to like Sisters of Mercy more. They have a Sisters of Battle feel to them. I did once manage to make them anti-calvery glass cannons to fill a much needed niche in my army one game! If you end up with a lot of their villages in your regions it can actually be a good thing. Their passive makes sustaining a long term invasion much easier. I'm not sure if their passive empire bonus heals broken lords I've never tried it!

natev wrote:
What are your bow units? Have you considered using in-faction tanks? Titans and Walkers are both great units. The tech cost is pretty minor.

I play as Vaulters. Their Titans look OK, but I would rather have Daemons as my tanks. In one of my earlier games I had both. When I looked at the stats of each I ended up just using Daemon's as tanks, which made my research into the Titan's worthless. I believe their are other minor races that are better than, or at least equal to Titans, I just have to find them. Remember that when I assimilate a minor faction I also get their passive ability. So now in my mindset I think why bother researching Titans? Use the research saved on something that is more useful to me.

paperhero wrote:
I play as Vaulters. Their Titans look OK, but I would rather have Daemons as my tanks. In one of my earlier games I had both. When I looked at the stats of each I ended up just using Daemon's as tanks, which made my research into the Titan's worthless. I believe their are other minor races that are better than, or at least equal to Titans, I just have to find them. Remember that when I assimilate a minor faction I also get their passive ability. So now in my mindset I think why bother researching Titans? Use the research saved on something that is more useful to me.

The demon's got better offensive stats, but costs a third more to make, and doesn't benefit from the holy resource.



If Kanzanji are what you'd be assimilating anyways, titan's maybe not worth the tech, but I wouldn't find the difference worth prioritizing Kanzanji over a potentially more powerful passive.

Kanzanji are the best, but i will take and sometimes go out of my way to secure Silics for my army or for their bonus, Eyeless ones are pretty hoss But late game, for that third minor faction slot ill go with the sisters for their healing bonus

If we're talking about pure stats and brute force alone, then Kazanji. Highest overall stats of a minor faction and they're spread out perfectly for a killing machine. Chain lightning and the ability to fly are also very good. The biggest drawback for them is that they are the third most expensive and the price really adds up when the game progresses and they get equipment. I'm actually tempted to say Hurnas are near the top as well for being fast ranged units and that Caecators are near the top for being dirt cheap healing units.