Neutral Races Evaluation

Click on a race’s name below to view its details. You can view detailed stats for the units of each race in AoW2 Heaven’s Units section.

Draconians

Draconians are surprisingly a rather average race in combat stats. However, most every “average” unit they have is also specialized in some way. Of course, they do have what is probably the most powerful level 4 unit: the red dragon. They also have a level 1 venom spitter (one of the nicer level 1 units), a flamer, a crusher, a poisonous wall climber, a unit with true sight and magic protection, and a nice poison-immune flying unit. This is quite the bag full of goodies.

With such variety, you’d expect them to be an expensive race. High level units are expensive (flyer and red dragon), but otherwise they are only moderately priced compared to the other races.

The three things which stand out most about Draconians: their units have a wide variety of special abilities, they are probably the best “ranged attack” race, and they are the only race with two flying units — this is significant, considering that some races have no flying units at all.

Basic Strategy: Take advantage of the race’s special abilities. Work toward level 3 & 4 units while exploring using groups of lower level units. Don’t neglect machines even though the race has many ranged units…the extra range from a machine can come in handy. Late game allows smaller parties due to excellent scouting and speed (both flying units have 40 move with vision2, plus the elder has true sight!). If fighting against Draconians, don’t give them a chance to build up.

Strengths: Many ranged units (5 out of 8); two flying units; true sight; poison and fire attacks; excellent late-game scouting; various immunities and protections.

Weaknesses: No movement bonuses; no advantages underground.

Universal Unit Abilities: None (but almost every unit has some special ability).

Unit Costs: Average to expensive units. Average ranged, no mounted, and expensive flying units. Second-most expensive level 4 unit.

Summary: Draconians have just enough special abilities to make them very versatile. Units seem to be under-priced. Race had no advantages underground, but has tough units. This is the only race with two flying units and one of the best in terms of ranged units.

Frostlings

Battle-soft but somewhat resilient, Frostlings are average combatants with easy access to ranged units. Frostlings have the fastest high level unit and the slowest low level units — their ranged units can not keep up with the other members of the race. They are immune to cold, but suffer in the heat of battle…in more than one way. Their units overall are among the more costly of the races.

One of their more spectacular attacks is to freeze the enemy. This ability is on a level 1 unit! On the other hand, Frostlings suffer verses fire-enabled races (Tigrans, Dwarves, Draconians, Archons — holy bolt does fire and holy damage) and fire wizards.

Basic Strategy: Work up to higher level units fast, but also build lots of cheap, useful, ranged units early on. Try to take on the “fire enabled” enemy units and wizards with large armies of ranged units. Fire weakness is a real problem, demanding that the player keep an eye out for fire-based units. Even lowly hell hounds are nasty adversaries. Scouting is a problem until level 3 flying units can be built. Especially make use of the terrain bonus and the ice queen’s ability to make any terrain friendly. Frostlings benefit from priests (heal) to keep their ranged units in combat.

Strengths: Lowest cost ranged units; ability to freeze enemy units; good resistance abilities on low level units; path of frost. All units have cold protection (one with immunity).

Weaknesses: Decent hit points but weak defenses; fire weakness on all units; slow low level units/poor early game scouts. No movement bonuses.

Universal Unit Abilities: Cold protection; fire weakness.

Unit Costs: Overall, average to expensive units. Several low-priced ranged units; average priced mounted and flying units. More costly upper level units (level 3 and 4).

Summary: Frostlings can hold the battlefield with low level archers until they get some higher level units in place. They suffer greatly from fire-enabled opponents (+50% damage) and early game scouting.

Humans

For being the “average” race, the Humans have some not-so-average units. The crossbowman is an a-typical archer that does heavy damage. The swashbuckler is a highly effective special unit with taunt, which with swimming can double as a scout; its pistol is another nice ranged weapon too. The witch, while not particularly strong, has physical protection and some darker abilities as well.

In addition, the humans do not have a level 4 attack unit, but instead have a level 4 support unit — the air galley. It is of questionable advantage to have a transport-VII unit when spells can get troops good mobility, but the air galley can be useful on the right map.

Human ranged units can be good, but the random factors can make or break them — bring several along for the battle. The mix of slow and fast units makes it hard to move Human armies quickly.

It is perhaps in these areas that the air galley is most useful, since it can carry the ranged units and slow units along with the fast units. Unfortunately, since the air galley is a level 4 unit, this is impractical until later in the game.

Basic strategy: The Humans will have trouble scouting until they produce level 2 units. Even then, they are not one of the better scouting races. To compensate, be sure to include plenty of ranged and special units in parties. Cavalry units with a knight or two make good patrols and exploring parties. Single cavalry units can also be used as advanced scouts that can return quickly to a trailing army as needed.

Strengths: Strong ranged units; good variety in unit abilities.

Weaknesses: Lacking a level 4 “attack” unit; poor scouts; limited terrain bonuses; mostly lacking in immunities and protections.

Universal unit abilities: None.

Unit Costs: Average cost units across the board for this “average” race. Average priced swimmers too. Only the level 4 flying unit is expensive.

Summary: Humans, despite being the “average” race, have several “non-average” specialized units. Their level 4 unit is more of a support unit that can be useful in longer games on maps with impassible terrain. Ranged units are powerful, but can fall victim to random luck. They are a capable race with no big hitters.

Tigrans

Another “average” race, Tigrans have all the basics. They have a nice level 1 scout like the Elves, a nice mounted archer with strike like the Archons, and a level 1 “fire” unit like the Draconians. They also have a flying unit nearly as good as the Draconian flyer, a Halfling-like rogue (without the poison darts), and a unit somewhat like a tougher Human witch. Oh, and their level 4 unit has dominate…um, ok…er, well. Maybe they are not so “average,” but are actually the second-most perfect race (just after Archons).

All these units make the Tigrans a fairly nice race, even if they do only have an average offense and defense and no special attack like the Archons. To help compensate, they do have an average cost and good resistance abilities.

Basic strategy: Playing the Tigrans seems to be a straightforward task: scout, patrol, build specialized armies, and by all means build toward the higher level units. Use combined arms with the more powerful units, but do not neglect building the lower level units. All the ranged units retain much of their usefulness when they gain silver and gold medals, gaining levels in marksmanship.

Strengths: Nice, average cost for good units; every unit has night vision; each unit is a gem.

Weaknesses: Lacking movement bonuses.

Universal Unit Abilities: Night vision.

Unit Costs: Average cost units. Flying unit and level 4 unit are expensive in relation to other races, but are not over priced.

Summary: Tigrans are an average offense/defense race with mid-priced units. Despite this, each unit is the cream of the crop in its category. Tigrans rank second, just after Archons, in being a “perfect” race. A perfect race does not mean it is the strongest; it just means the race has everything covered.

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