The hordes of Chaos continue their invasions in Total War: Warhammer 3, leaving the people of Kislev no choice but to stop the forces of Chaos from marching on the rest of the Old World. Players that choose to play as Kislev will take up arms against the minions of Chaos, with the goal of saving the bear-god from the clutches of Be'lakor. With powerful hybrid units, valiant legendary lords, and the power of their gods, players have many tools to aid their victory when playing Kislev.
With a large roster of mainly hybrid units, players controlling the armies of Kislev will benefit from understanding the unit cards in Total War: Warhammer 3. However, the main role of each of the units in the Kislevite army can be challenging for newer players to ascertain. In addition, the physical controls used for hybrid units are more nuanced than the controls used for simpler Factions. However, a basic understanding of Kislev's units and knowledge of control shortcuts can significantly enhance the satisfaction and results that come with playing as Kislev.
When utilizing the hybrid units in Total War: Warhammer 3, the ability to issue effective orders is paramount to the player's success. Hybrid units have both melee and missile modes, and properly switching the units between these modes is the key to success against the forces of Chaos. Unless the " Toggle Melee Mode " is turned on, issuing an attack order with a hybrid unit will cause that unit to engage with their ranged weapon unless the "Toggle Melee Mode" is turned on. Constantly switching between these modes can be burdensome and easily lead to mistakes during intense moments. Instead, players can issue a melee attack order with any unit by holding the 'Alt' key down when giving the attack order. Unlike the frontline of Total War: Warhammer 3's Grand Cathay, Kislev's frontline soldiers need to meet their opponent's charge with their own charge; otherwise, they will suffer from lacking their charge bonus. Due to their multiple modes, Kislev's units require more micromanagement than many of the other Factions in Total War: Warhammer 3. Still, effective use of these modes can be a satisfying experience for players.
Playing to Kislev's Strengths in Total War: Warhammer 3
In Total War: Warhammer 3, Kislev is a formidable opponent for anybody foolish enough to attack the motherland. Like the harshest winter, Kislev forces will slow aggressors down while harassing them with their ranged attacks. Now bloody and injured, when the enemy finally reaches the forces of Kislev, they will find themselves against an army with nerves of steel. The Freezing Winds ive of the Lore of Tempest can slow enemy movement by 25% for 12 seconds every time the caster casts a spell. In addition, Ice Guards can apply Frostbite, a 30% speed reduction for any enemy hit by their melee or ranged attacks. These two-speed debuffs give the player extra time to have their Hybrid units unload volleys of ranged attacks before the armies clash.
Regarding types of ranged weapons, Kislev has both bows and firearms. In Total War: Warhammer 3, bows and firearms have different firing arcs. While bow-s can fire over allies' heads, firearms require direct line-of-sight with the enemy. While controlling the high ground can assist in creating line-of-sight, the terrain won't always be as cooperative as the player would hope. Therefore, players utilizing the Streltsi, Kislev's most powerful ranged unit, will want to leave small gaps in their frontline for these riflemen to fire through.
If the powerful ranged weaponry and movement debuffs weren't enough to guarantee victory, Kislev's cavalry would seal the deal. While Kislev does have access to horse-mounted units, the stars of the show are the bears. From War Bear Riders to Heavy Bear Sleds, there is a bear for any task in the Kislevite army. Players can even utilize the monstrous Elemental Bear, a giant Monstrous unit that can wreak havoc on the battlefield. Players using Kislev will find many options for dealing with their foes on their toolbelt.
The Best Kislev Units in Total War: Warhammer 3
Players looking to defeat the campaign in the final entry of the Total War: Warhammer trilogy will want to field armies using the following units:
Heroes & Lords
Legendary Lords
- Tzarina Katarin: A Legendary Ice Witch with Lore of Ice spells, the Ice Queen of Kislev gains reduced Miscast Chance and a reduction to the upkeep of Ice Guard units in her army in the campaign. While her unit card claims she is a Decent Melee Combatant, players should avoid engaging with anything other than peasants in melee.
- Kostaltyn: A Legendary Lord version of the Patriarch. A strong ive lord that should be kept in the frontlines. He also provides his entire army with Frenzy in the campaign. While he can be used in the frontlines, he does not want to find himself in a duel.
- Boris Ursus: A Legendary Boyar. Boris reduces the upkeep of War Bear Riders in his army and increases Leadership and Melee Attack against the forces of Chaos in Total War: Warhammer 3's campaign. Boris is the strongest melee Lord of the Kislev army and is best suited to assisting his War Bear Riders in dispatching Large enemy units.
Heroes
- Frost Maiden: A weaker version of the Ice Witch. Has access to either the Lore of Ice or Lore of Tempest. While the available lores of magic aren't the strongest, they can help round out any army, especially those not led by a spellcasting Lord.
- Patriarch: A Hero with access to Area of Effect buffs for his allies. Like the spellcasters in Kislev's army, Patriarchs should avoid enemy Lords and Heroes as well as elite troops.
Infantry, Cavalry, and Monsters in Total War: Warhammer 3
Melee Infantry
- Tzar Guard: The elite Melee Infantry of Kislev, available with either Sword & Shield or Great Weapons. The Tzar Guard is Kislev's only non-hybrid Infantry. Unlike the Armoured Kossars, the Great Weapon Variant of the Tzar Guard sacrifices a massive amount of Melee Defense in exchange for Armour-Piercing and anti-Infantry attacks. With the power coming from Kislev's Missile and Cavalry Units, the Sword & Shield variant is superior mainly due to their better ability at holding the enemy frontline in place.
Missile Infantry
- Streltsi: Rifle wielding Firearm Missle Infantry, the Streltsi are the highest damage dealing Missile Infantry. With a massive amount of Armour-Piercing Damage, the Streltsi excel at defeating elite enemy infantry, Large units, and Lords. Due to their nature as firearm s, care will need to be taken regarding positioning the player's army, but the damage output of the Streltsi make this effort worth it.
- Ice Guard: Ice Guard are elite Bow Missile Infantry with access to either Swords or Glaives for their melee weapons. Their attacks are magical, allowing them to by the Physical Resistance common for daemon units in Total War: Warhammer 3 . They also apply Frostbite on their attacks, slowing enemies down, and are immune to Fear and Terror. The base version of the Ice Guard has increased damage against Infantry on their melee attacks, while the Glaive variant has increased damage against Large enemies and Charge Defense vs. Large. While their low Armour makes them ill-suited to life on the frontline, these units can quickly switch to melee to deal with their respective strengths.
Cavalry
- War Bear Riders: Kislev's elite Cavalry unit with Armour-Piercing damage. While they are better at dealing with Large units like the Ogres of the Ogre Kingdoms, they are almost as strong as Gryphon Legions against Infantry and do not need as much micro-management due to less reliance on their Charge Bonus.
- Light/Heavy War Sled: A fast Missile Chariot. These fast chariots can mow through enemy infantry with ease. Available as either Light or Heavy, with the Heavy version sacrificing speed for more Mass and Combat Stats.
Monsters & Artillery
- Elemental Bear: Kislev's Monstrous unit. Elemental Bears are massive monstrosities that can wreak havoc on the enemy. Especially when combined with Boris Ursus' late campaign ability to give them Regeneration. However, their hefty frame and low Melee Defense make them incredibly susceptible to enemy missiles and being surrounded.
- Little Grom: A Siege Artillery unit pulled around by bears. Little Grom is a Single Target artillery piece, able to do massive Armour-Piercing damage to single entity enemies. They are also faster than most of Kislev's Infantry, making them more mobile than most Artillery units in the game.
Total War: Warhammer 3 is available for PC on Steam and the Epic Game Store.
