| “ | This company of sharpshooters uses specially-modified rifles and unerring accuracy to fell their foes from several hundred paces. | „ |
Hochland Long Rifles are an 
Empire missile infantry unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer III with Thrones of Decay.
Recruitment[]
Unlocked with: Gunnery School
Description[]
Master Engineer Leon Todmeister is credited with creating this modified Hochland hunting rifle, brandished by the exceptional Marksmen of the Imperial Army. Originally dubbed Leon Todmeister's Fantabulously Far-reaching Harquebus of Unforeseeable and Unperceived Bereavement, it was said that he could put a hole in a gold coin at 400 yards. It was also said, however, that Leon's assistant had a bag of pre-holed coins with him at all times. Whatever the truth may be, none can doubt this rifle's deadly efficiency, nor the elite training of the Marksmen that wield it in defence of their homeland.
Attributes[]
- Specialist Missile Infantry
- ▲ Armour-Piercing Missiles: The damage of armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.
- ▲ Good Range: This unit has a larger range than most other units of the same class. This allows it to take out hostile missile units before they can come into firing range.
- ▲ Damage Dealer: This unit has a strong emphasis on dealing damage. If fighting it, make sure to take it out before it can get into firing or melee range.
Strategy[]
The Empire's answer to Warplock Jezzails and Crane Gunners, they function in pretty much the same way as those units with the key difference of trading a shield for the Snipe passive. This enables them to fire undetected for as long as the enemy does not close on them - once they have, however, they are much more vulnerable to counter fire. Note that they have Snipe, but not Stalk: this means you need to find them some convenient tree cover to keep them hidden. A risky but effective strategy is to set them up away from the rest of your army in this fashion. In campaign the AI will not go looking for them so long as the bulk of your army has its attention.
As with all long rifle units they can be devastating - particularly against problematic SEMs - but they require careful positioning to get the most out of them, ideally pulled back from your front line up a hill to get that all-important line of sight.
Gallery[]
