Trolls (Greenskins)

Trolls is a Greenskins melee infantry unit in Total War: Warhammer. Up close, a Troll will batter foes into submission or vomit disgusting and potently corrosive bile across the field.

Description
Trolls live alone or in small groups, and roam desolate regions, preying on travellers and attacking isolated villages. Bands of Trolls often latch onto Greenskin tribes, attracted by the profusion of carcasses and refuse. Some are even thrown the odd Snotling or captive - the Greenskins do this to encourage the Trolls to stick around, for they are handy in a scrap. Trolls can maul any foe, but are so dumb it is hard to get them to follow orders. Savvy Warbosses know that without help the brutes seldom remain focused on the battlefield. Left on their own, Trolls are easily distracted and, instead of attacking, will stoop down to eat the injured or simply stand and drool. Only by barking commands himself, or by tasking a Big Boss to lead the Troll pack, can a Greenskin commander come close to relying on the hulking creatures. Even this shepherding isn't foolproof and some Trolls have been known to tune out a Warboss' yelling in order to eat rocks or pull up offending patches of grass. However, should the creatures reach combat they flail about with their mighty fists or makeshift weapons to lay waste to just about anything. Trolls also have the disturbing ability to retch up the contents of their stomachs. This noxious attack sprays semi-liquid bile and half-digested bits all over its victim, melting through armour and searing away flesh and bone - it is, truly, an ugly way to die.

Strategy
I use 2-3 troll units in most of my armies since they are easily available and can be very useful.

A mistake I often made in the beginning was to send in my trolls at the same time as my infantry. The problem with this strategy is that trolls are fast and most orc infantry is rather slow, resulting in the trolls reaching the frontline sooner then the others. Trolls rout quickly, certainly when they are fighting alone, so more often than not my trolls had routed by the time my infantry arrived.

It's a lot more effective to hold back your trolls at first and to let them charge in as soon as the other infantry units have reached the enemy. In this case you can use their great speed and anti-infantry power to your advantage. It's easy to maneuver your trolls behind enemy lines and let them attack from behind. Most enemy infantry units will not last long when they are attacked this way.

During siege battles trolls are particulary useful, smashing down the gate with ease. In most cases the defending army only has one or two infantry units guarding the gate on the inside, 2-3 troll units will dispose of them quickly, giving you acces to the stronghold. When your trolls have beaten down the resistance at the gate, your cavalry can rush in to capture the keep.