Winterheart Guards (Eternal Guard - Shields)

Winterheart Guards (Eternal Guard - Shields) is a Wood Elves Regiment of Renown unit introduced for free in Foundation Update. These noble sons from the High Realms of Athel Loren practice the art of war with obsession.

Description
Through the long Winter months, the forest of Athel Loren is at its lowest ebb, made dormant and vulnerable by the cycle of the seasons. The Treemen slumber, and even the normally vigorous Dryads are sluggish and slow. During this time, guardianship of the most sacred of places falls to the Eternal Guard, sons and daughters of Athel Loren's noble houses. Each Eternal Guard is a formidable foe in her own right, trained to a pinnacle of skill that other races cannot easily match. When assembled in numbers, they form a phalanx, their spears thrusting and cutting with a graceful yet disciplined efficiency. The Eternal Guard themselves refer to such a place as a "fortress of boughs". They face the enemy with feet planted firmly upon their chosen ground, shields braced against attacks and the line of spears rippling as their leaf-shaped blades dart forward to kill.

Attributes

 * ↑ Anti-Large: Anti-large units have an advantage against targets that are at least as large as a horse. This advantage can be a damage bonus against large targets or an attack that focuses on a very small area. However, some units are simply better against large targets because their attacks are slow and easy to dodge by skilled melee combatants.


 * ↑ Charge Defence Against All: When standing and bracing against a charge this unit will negate the enemy's charge bonus.


 * ↑ Forest Stalker: The Elves of Athel Loren gain bonuses to melee defence and accuracy while fighting within the forest.
 * ↑ Shielded: Shields have a chance of blocking arrows, bolts, rifle shots and similar small arms fire - but only in a forward facing arc.

Abilities

 * Encourage
 * Woodsman (Attribute)
 * Unbreakable

Strategy
The Winterheart Guards are unbreakable, encourage nearby allies, and have charge defence against all. These spearmen are immovable and very difficult to kill. They can wear down many superior foes with their high melee defence and inability to rout. They are a good anchor piece to a Wood Elf front line that needs to hold a bit longer or the player wants a bit more efficiency out of their melee units.