When playing as Romans or Germans, always engage the enemy with your Shield Wall activated. It heavily mitigates missile damage and ensures your frontline wins the war of attrition.
The stands as the ultimate counterweight to the Eastern Roman Empire. Their roster balances highly sophisticated missile units, cataphracts, and exotic beasts. Key Sassanid Units
When fighting the Romans, do not engage their shield walls head-on with light troops. Use Sassanid maces, Saxon two-handed axemen, or Frankish throwing axes to shred their armor rating before committing to a melee brawl. rome total war barbarian invasion units
A defensive formation utilized by elite Germanic and Celtic infantry. It tightens the formation, significantly boosting defense against frontal melee attacks and missiles, though it reduces movement speed.
Elite, high-morale heavy infantry that inspire nearby troops. Essential for holding crucial defensive chokepoints against overwhelming horde numbers. Eastern Roman Empire When playing as Romans or Germans, always engage
Found in some Germanic rosters, these units are high-damage shock troops that cannot be controlled once they enter a "berserk" rage. III. The Eastern Threats: Huns and Sassanids
Which you are currently playing or planning to start? A defensive formation utilized by elite Germanic and
Barbarian Invasion (BI) expands Rome: Total War with new factions, campaigns, and unit rosters tuned for late antiquity. Below is a concise, organized guide to the major unit types you’ll encounter and use across the playable barbarian factions (Goths, Vandals, Huns, Franks, Saxons, Alemanni, Burgundians, and other Germanic/steppe groups), plus key Roman/Byzantine units you’ll meet in the campaign.
“What is our objective, sir?” asked a young standard-bearer, his face already speckled with purple.
Barbarian Invasion introduced fundamental mechanics that completely changed how units behave compared to the base game.