This guide will rank each mark and sort them by generic units (that have access all 4 marks), and specialized units (() that have only access to 1 or 2 marks.
This guide is for those with higher difficulty levels.
Generic infantry
Marauders
1.Khorne
To compensate for marauder weaknesses, immunity to psych (frenzy), increased damage and 35 armor instead of 15 are all possible.
2.Slaneesh
You are immune to psych and can get in melee with them before they are shot to pieces. Although phys resist isn't going to save them, it does help.
3.Tzeentch
They are too vulnerable to damage and their melee attack is poor so the barrier does not really help them.
4.Nurgle
It's terrible, 15 armor, but it's even slower. A unit with 0 protection that moves as slow as dwarf warriors, and poison isn't going to help them get the job done.
Warriors
1.Slaneesh
This unit covers the biggest weakness of warriors, namely speed and leadership. They also get 10% phys resistance, which is a great value.
2.Tzeentch
These guys are rock stars. Their melee is strong enough to make good use of their magical attack and the barrier is a nice addition to help them tank.
3.Khorne
Frenzy is great. The extra armor isn’t so great, but it’s still great. Frenzy gives you everything you need.
4.Nurgle
They are not nearly as bad as marauders, but their 31 melee attack makes it difficult to sell them.
Forsaken
1.Tzeentch
They exist to cause damage. They are infamous for their weapon strength and low armor penetration.
Low armor units in Warhammer TW have a problem. They are either low tier chaff units or high tier units that rely upon other forms of protection such as melee defense or physical resistance. Sometimes, it's both.
Mark of tzeentch, a unit that can fight things like sisters-of-sale, has transformed into a great unit. The magic attacks and barrier make it much more one-sided for the forsaken.
2.Slaneesh
MoS makes forsaken an excellent flanking unit. I don't know why you would need it if you run slaneesh armies, but if your forsaken is running undivided and you want to give a mark on your forsaken MoS will be a great choice.
3.Khorne
It gives you..fire attacks, which is a good thing, but that's it. I guess it also has extra armor and spell resistance, MoK usually gives frenzy, but all forsaken have it as a baseline so it's not wasted here.
4.Nurgle
The only reason to run MoN Forsaken is if your only army is a nurgle army. If you don't have drones or knights, you need something to chase skirmishers.
Chosen
1.Khorne
Khorne is the first to be here, and it's not because of frenzy. Standard chosen does a lot of damage to weapons, and the charge for a S&B unit is just murders. MoK on Chosen also gives them flaming attack unlike warriors and marauders. 130 armor and spell resistance are just the cherry on the cake.
MoK Chosen are extremely tanky units that can do more damage than dedicated damage dealers.
2.Tzeentch
MoK might make Tzeentch obsolete. However, the biggest obstacle is physical resistances and armor, which are abundant lategame. They also have good AP for a unit that is not AP.
However, you don’t want your expensive unit to lose its damage due to enemy physical res or fire res (if you’re facing high tier high-elf units). MoT helps overcome this so it takes second place.
3.Nurgle
Chosen of Nurgle translate better than any other infantry with MoN. They still have a base 41 which is good, but you can add poison and extra health to make it a formidable anvil.
They still have the same problems as MoN warriors, but they aren't nearly as severe.
4.Slaneesh
Immune to psychology loses much of its appeal with 85 baseline leadership. Also, phys resist loses a lot in appeal. However, in rare instances where a chosen would be able to benefit from terror immunity, they might still be worth it.
Generic monsters
Chaos spawn
1.Tzeentch
MoT gives spawn armor and magic attacks to the MoT spawn, which helps them deliver their 160 weapon damage more effectively due to their low armor piercing values.
Spawns have a very high speed baseline and won't be shot much on approach. The barrier will usually be sufficient to protect them against some of the ranged firing that might otherwise damage their 10 armor.
2.Slaneesh
This was a difficult rank as MoS spawn actually have 47 speeds and can be used to flank units but..why would they? They have devastating flanker, but they only have 25 charge. The key to their success is strider, which makes them immune from forest, mud, and other hazards. Combat and speed penalties for large units, with soporific mushrooms as the cherry on top.
3.Nurgle
These guys have more health, poison, and melee defense than other spawn. 37 speed is also respectable if you're going against something like vampire counts.
4.Khorne
Flaming attacks, frenzy, and flaming are great ways to increase their damage. They are glass cannons, however, and will do any damage.
Frenzy also interacts with spawns in a strange way. On one hand, they cannot lose their offensive bonus since their leadership cannot drop the (all of spawns are unbreakable, but on the other, it means that the immune to psych from Frenzy is wasted here.
Chaos furies
It really depends on what you do with chaos furies. Are you going to harass or rear-charge skirmishers? I think most people will use them for harassment so that's how I'm going rate them.
1.Nurgle
My main problem with furies isn’t that they can’t kill skirmishers; it’s that they also get shot in return. Nurgle has poison and cloudesh, which are more than enough to significantly reduce retaliation damage. Archers will take damage and will make the terrible 35 leadership of furies go very quickly, meaning they will rout. The unit that can stay and fight is MoN.
2.Tzeentch
I prioritize survivability. What use is a harassment unit if it routs instantly? The barrier helps with that, but it's a shame they didn’t provide something to compensate magic attacks (furies, who are demons, get magic attacks by default), but I think the barrier is sufficient to land them the second spot. It's especially good on hit and run units, giving shields time to recharge.
3.Slaneesh
Slaneesh is AP, unlike other furies. You might think it should be your go-to mark if you face Helves or dwarves, but they are so squishy that they'll get messed with, AP or no going, against the likes a quarreler.
4.Khorne
Similar to the above, I assume they exterminate ungors and other like, but still, you just get mark of onlygle.
Chaos Warshrines
My problem with chaos warshrines is their inability to mount champions or sorcerers.
However, I will rate them as units in this guide. But if you want my advice, use heroes.
1.Slaneesh
Strider, soporific and immune to psych (Warshrines have an awful 60 leader baseline, yes, they self-buff with +10 but that doesn't make it a great fit for a slaneeshi arm army playstyle. (mortis engines are a attrition effect and this thing won't even get to the fight before it's over. However, it's the best mark if there's a warshrine within an undivided and want to mark it.
2.Khorne
This one is actually quite strong, with fire attacks and frenzy. However, the passive is a problem. With 35 range, you'll almost always be buffing the warshrine, making it difficult to use in battle. But, you can hit and hurt things, so congrats!
3.Nurgle
Similar to above, it can be difficult to keep it close enough to the units that you want, given the unpredictable nature of Warhammer combat with wild animations, units routing constantly, and unit routing constantly. However, even if you manage to start the healing it's not terrible (, it's still awful).
4.Tzeentch
This was clearly meant to be a mount. Your caster will never be able to get close to this slow a*s thing just for 10% more spell damage. It would be another matter if it was riding, but this is a unit.
Avoid.
Generic cavalry
Chaos Knights
1.Khorne/Slaneesh
It's a tough choice between Khorne or Slaneesh. However, frenzy and flaming strikes are just too good, especially on a charging unit. Yes, Slaneesh knights get striders and devastating flankers so IMO it's a toss-up.
3.Tzeentch
Cavalry is known to eat a lot more "stray shots" and artillery shots when approaching. The barrier's effectiveness is evident because the nature of cavalry entering and exiting combat means that it will be an extra lifebar that can be replenished. You can also use the usual magic attacks to take out those pesky hexwraiths/wild horses/hellstriders.
4.Nurgle
What do you know? You might know that a horse can be used to onlyle units, which solves a lot.
Chaos Knights (Lances)
1.Nurgle
You might be surprised to see onlygle here. However, MoN compensates for many weaknesses of lance-knights, namely poor defense. Lance knights are a charge charging unit and their melee attack is not important (. They get +80 from their charge but they can still be countercharged, or take some retaliation damage. MoN poison and increased melee defense shines. Lances hit so hard that you can get away without any fire or magic damage, which is an incredible mark on lances.
2.Slaneesh
MoS is considered more important than MoK for lances because lances need to charge and strider helps. However, I think it's too much. If knights with lances can charge a flanking charge, they will likely die, flanker or no.
3.Khorne
You already know why: (frenzy frenzy fire attacks) extra armor and spell resistance (are not as important as) cav.
4.Tzeentch
Similar to the onlygle for the standard knights variant, it's not bad that MoT on lances doesn't work, it's actually quite great, it's just that there are better alternatives.
Chaos Chariots
They are all very bad, but if you absolutely must use one, MoT or MoS is the best.
Special infantry
This section focuses on units that only have 1 or 2 Mark selections, instead of the usual 4
Marauders at Nurgle (Great weapons
This unit has no real applications. It has lower melee attack, speed, and it just wants to get to fight as quickly as possible and do damage as fast as it can. A brawl? It can't flank, and it can't chase. The only thing that comes to my mind is against dwarf early-game, but dwarfs shred them due to their terrible speed and armor.
They may be able to "counter" (, but they still lose. However, they do punch up) graveguards, white lions greatswords, and) grave guards. But that's a very specific scenario, and the factions (other VC) have extensive ranged and cav.
Marauders at Tzeentch (Spires)
It's a cheap unit for early game with magic attacks and anti largeand barrier.
Marauders in Slaneesh (Hellscourges
They are very useful in early game, when armor is scarce. However, hellscources are the only weapon with ZERO armor piercing and damage, making their scalability into the middle game extremely questionable. I want to say that they should be disbanded and replaced as soon as possible.
Marauders at Khorne (Dual guns)
They are a cheaper version than Norsca's marauder berserkes Norsca gets, and their stats reflect this. However, they lack rage so for 575 gold, you can get warriors.
Chaos warriors in Nurgle (Great weapons
These guys might be able to make it to the melee if they can be obtained with 100 armor and more health than standard versions.
Is it really amazing? It's not amazing, but it works.
Chaos warriors in Slaneesh (Hellscourges
You can't ignore the fact that hellscourges have zero AP.
Chaos warriors in Tzeentch (Halberds
These guys struggle more than you might think with any unit that isn’t large. With a baseline 30 melee attack they struggle to hit any target that isn’t on a pony. This means that their magic attacks will be wasted against a lot of targets.
However, if you are facing daemon, an elf, or hexwratih, these guys are decent. However, most large units with phys-res are lategame units and you should have chosen that point. This is not only because they are the natural progression of the unit but also because many large lategame units have terror and these guys have no defense against terror and fear.
I am referring to the fact that Chaos warriors of Tzeentch are at a point where there are no targets and are outclassed by all other options and enemies.
Chaos warriors in Khorne (Halberds
This halberd unit is the most generalist. Frenzy gets them up to 40 MA. They lose a little MD, but gain 10 armor.
Keep in mind that these guys do not get flaming strikes unlike a lot MoK units (, standard Chosen). This means they may struggle later on against elite monsters (.
Skullcrushers lack flaming attacks. This could indicate that CA views anti large units that can dumpster large regenerating monsters and CA sees this as a problem. It's likely a conscious balance decision not to introduce Chosens of Khorne with Halberds.
These guys are decent. Frenzy makes them immune to psych (. However, be careful, with less defense and "just 75" leadership it will go faster) and improves the bad baseline offensive stats. They're your best source for anti large infantry (up until Chosen Of Tzeentch Halberds that is,).
Chaos warriors (Dual weapons
They cost 1000 gold and are the most expensive type of warrior.
They can be viewed as a support unit for your frontline in fighting infantry heavy armies.
Chosen by Tzeentch (Halberds
Although Phoenix Guard is a strong contender in), it is most likely the most powerful halberd units in the game (. However, Magic attacks, barrier is most likely the most powerful. It depends on who you are fighting, but it is more often than not.
Chosen from Nurgle (Great Armors)
This unit is the strongest melee unit in all of the game. Even when they are facing elite anti infantry units such as khorne chosen and High elf swordmasters, they completely dumpster them. The good news is that they just dominate through raw stats so they can do the same to any unit they encounter, not just infantry.
The problem is the usual for Nurgle: 23 speed on a unit without a shield. While the huge health pool and armor can mitigate this, your nurgle armies will often have powerful heals. But unless you find a way for the enemy to come to you, they won't see combat very often, and that might make it not worth it.
Chosen from Khorne (Dual guns)
It is the second most powerful melee unit in the game. It can beat any unit except the one above. Infantry kills it fast if it isn't. Although it's a less generalist unit than Nurgle with GW, that doesn't mean you should underestimate them.
Chosen from Slaneesh (Hellscourges
If you haven't gotten the message yet, hellscourges do not deal any AP damage. A lategame unit without AP is suicide.
Special cavalry
Marauder Horsemen
1.Tzeentch
Beautiful, warpflame buff, all magic, fire attacks, barrier on an extremely fast skirmish units, one of the most important early game units in the game.
2.Slaneesh
They are also very good at strider, so they'll always go quickly, immune to psych and devastating flanker, and phys-res, cherry, magic ranged attacks, (no melee, unlike MoT, like MoT, is also a great choice.
Marauder Horsemen (Throwing Axes)
1.Khorne
Flaming axes (AP, ranged, AP and frenzy (so immune from psych) they have BASELINE(before frenzy) much higher weapon strengths and charge bonuses, 35 armor instead 15, they only lose a little melee defense and shield, but who cares? It will be the final stages of battle before you need them in melee and things will be close to death.
They are a true hybrid cav, and one of the most valuable units in the early games.
2.Nurgle
They are the worst goblin spider rider archers. However, they can compensate by being throwing axe units which means AP.
Gorebeast Chariot of Khorne
It's a chariot filled with frenzy. It makes it more dangerous. However, as far chariots go, it's actually quite good.
About heroes and lords
It's difficult to rate heroes and lords because they are dependent on their items, campaign choices, and skills.
They can only be rated from a multiplayer perspective, and this guide is not intended to be such a guide.
I hope you enjoy the Guide we share about Total War: WARHAMMER III – Ranking System for All Units; if you think we forget to add or we should add more information, please let us know via commenting below! See you soon!
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