Elite Sipahis
Versatile heavy cavalry armed with maces, capable of block‑bracing, high‑mobility charges, and devastating area control.
1 | Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Era / Tier | Heroic Era Special Cavalry (★ ★ ★ ★½) |
| Unit Size | 18 models |
| Leadership | 215 L |
| Speed | 7.0 m/s |
| Role | Frontline control: brace under fire, charge to disrupt, and control space. |
2 | Acquisition
Unlock via Season IV “Blood of the Empire” Heroic challenge line after Janissaries; complete Stage 2 of the Janissary challenge to start Elite Sipahi challenges.
3 | Core Traits
- Cool Under Fire: +defence and slight speed boost for 10 s after first damage taken.
- Assassins: Croupade grants bonus damage vs heroes; after a hero kill, +30 % damage for short duration.
- Fire‑Resistant: Armour takes reduced damage from thermal weapons and flamethrowers.
4 | Formations
| Formation | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Dispersed | Reduce susceptibility to artillery and arrow splash. |
| Block | Tight line for maximum defence and bracing. |
| Line | Two‑rank line for optimal frontal penetration. |
5 | Unit Orders
| Order | Cooldown | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | 25 s | Lunge forward, increase speed, deal damage; follow‑up Impassioned leap for AoE with +50 % damage. |
| Croupade | 30 s | Jump AoE knock‑down; +20 % defence and CC immunity for 1 s. |
| Impassioned | N/A | Follow‑up while Charge is active; extra damage and lingering AoE. |
6 | Veterancy Paths
7 | Mastery Upgrades
| Tier | Scroll Cost | Required Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 10× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 12 | +60 slashing defence |
| II | 20× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 14 | +60 piercing defence |
| III | 25× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 14 | +80 blunt damage |
| IV | 40× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 16 | +8 % movement speed |
| V | 10× Rare Mastery Scroll | 18 | Croupade gains +5 % damage & DR per enemy hit (stack up to 5, lasts 5 s). |
| VI | 40× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 18 | +400 armour penetration vs shield units |
| VII | 60× Uncommon Mastery Scroll | 20 | −300 damage taken from shield infantry |
| VIII | 20× Rare Mastery Scroll | 24 | Impassioned inflicts 1.5 s concussion on hit |
8 | Recommended Doctrines
9 | Micro & Tactics
- Charge to break enemy front; immediately follow with Impassioned AoE.
- Use Croupade to knock down clustered foes; gain CC immunity and defence boost.
- Reform: fall back, wait for cooldowns, then re‑initiate cycling Charge → Impassioned → Croupade.
10 | Synergies & Counters
Synergy: Pair with Pike units (to pin) and CC heroes (Maul, Poleaxe) to lock enemies for combined knockout.
Counters: Fire‑based DoT (flamethrowers), heavy artillery, and high‑mobility skirmishers that harass during cooldowns.
Key Takeaway
Elite Sipahis excel as a block‑brace → charge‑burst cavalry spearhead. Master their veterancy and mastery paths, deploy with precision, and they’ll drive through any frontline with mace‑shattering power.