Unit Types (Dynasty Warriors)

The following is a list of common troop and officer types found in the Dynasty Warriors series. General troops cannot perform Musou attacks are limited to simple one-hit combos. Generic officers can perform simple, Musou attacks against the player by default and can execute a higher number of simple combos. In Dynasty Warriors 6, generic officers, depending on the difficulty level set, can perform a Special Attack such as Volley.

Common Troops
These are the most poorly armored troops in Dynasty Warriors. Common troops include:
 * Private - Privates will serve as the games' main fodder, coming at the player by the hundreds. They, like peasants, can wield a sword, spear, halberd or pike. Spear-wielding Privates will usually charge at the player in unison with an attack similar to Zhao Yun's undefined attack in his appearances before Dynasty Warriors 6. Halberd-wielding Privates do something similar with a jump attack.


 * Peasant - Peasants are the weakest Common Troop as they can be defeated in just one hit by almost any character with any weapon. They can wield a sword, spear or pike. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Peasants wielded no weapons.


 * Guard - Guards are bodyguards to certain officers, usually commanders and powerful ones such as Pang De or Lu Bu. Guards also wear heavy armor, and usually wield spears or swords. Their appearance is also used for Gate Soldiers, or can lead a unit of five, containing a Guard and four Privates. In Dynasty Warriors 6, they appear similar to the catapult engineer, but use the club moveset and are seen heavily in the main camp and supply bases.


 * Sergeant - Sergeants are at the entrance to and inside of bases. They are slightly bolder than their Private look-a-likes but are generally no stronger. Sergeants can wield a sword, spear, or pike. Sergeants can also lead a Supply Unit in the Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends Destiny Mode, dropping a weapon once defeated.


 * Major - The highest ranking of all generic troops. A single Major will lead a unit of five, containing four Privates (or four Guards for Major Guards).


 * Archer - A support unit from beginning to end, their role is to assist the vanguard by sniping enemies from a long distance with bows and crossbows. While their potency may vary in each installment of the series, archers are a considerable threat when in groups. They often wear little to no armor to allow for faster mobility.


 * First Bow - Also known as First Crossbow in the case of crossbow wielders. They always attack in tandem with four archers under their command. These units have slightly higher stats and wear different clothes to distinguish themselves from regular archers.


 * Bannerman - Bannermen, who first appeared in Dynasty Warriors 6, were heavily-armored soldiers holding nothing but a flag to display their army's insignia. They lead units of around twenty with the unit being known as "Roving Attack", but also raise their flags to raise morale. When a soldier including the player is next to the bannerman gains a temporary power-up like Speed Up, or Attack Up.


 * Engineer - Engineers have two forms - Peasants, or a large, bulky man who help build and carry ladders and siege weapons in Dynasty Warriors 6. The larger Engineers carry and prop up the ladders and are able to throw boulders at enemies.


 * Messengers - In the Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends Destiny Mode, common troops will appear with the name “Messenger” above their heads. They are essentially Peasants that drop messages. common troops have very little armor, a leather lamellar coat underneath a cloth jerkin, with a leather piece wrapped around the waist and stomach. Their hair is combed back and tied into a bun, and wield a sword.


 * Lady Guard - Lady Guards serve as bodyguards for female officer such as Sun Shang Xiang and Diao Chan. They will wield a sword, spear or pike. They are not very well protected, having only a cloth jerkin for protection with a leather shoulder section as well as cloth wrist guards and leather boots. Also, they have almost no clothing to protect their back. There is no physical difference between a normal Lady Guard and Captain, though the latter has better stats. In Warriors Orochi, they appear with both Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors 2 women moveset, wielding a katana, a sword, or a naginata. In Warriors Orochi 2, they only appear with the same moveset as the Samurai Warriors 2 women, wielding a katana.

Heavy Troops
These are much better protected in comparison to common troops. Heavy troops include:


 * Guard Captain - Guard Captains stand as the leader of bases in Dynasty Warriors 5 and 6. Guard Captains can wield a sword, spear, or pike, but as the leader for Attack Bases, they wield dual swords similar to Lu Xun with fast attacks, or a pike and a shield for Defense Bases, like Xing Cai. These are slightly stronger than their common troop counterparts. They will each drop an Attack +1, Defense +1, or random item respectively. Guard Captains took there name in Dynasty Warriors 5, since in Dynasty Warriors 3 and 4 they were known as "Gate Captains". The Guard Captains appear in Dynasty Warriors 6 and its Empires expansion in bases.


 * Bombardier - Decked in armor and packed with explosives, Bombardiers are specialized units introduced in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends. They often appear in covert missions involving sabotage, traps, ambushes, etc. Though not exactly the fastest compared to other troops, these units more than make up for that with their ability to lob bombs from a distance with precise accuracy. If left unattended, their presence could spell disaster for any on the battlefield. Beast Master units also make use of the Bombardier's move set to compliment their ability to tame tigers and elephants.


 * Gate Troops - Gate Troops defend check points with their Guard Captain leader. They will only wield swords. Unlike their leader, none of them drop anything upon losing in battle.

Heavy troops have a chainmail undercoat and a cloth jerkin overcoat. Over that however is a leather lamellar chest piece, leather knee pads, leather ankle guards, iron wrist guards and a helmet with a blunt point.

Yellow Turban Troops

 * Turban Infantry - Turban Infantry are light, militia units. Turban infantry have very little protection. They wear a light cloth jerking with scraps of leather tied onto to the chest and shins. They also have leather wristbands and have a yellow bandanna around their forehead. There are two types:
 * Infantry - The fodder of the Yellow Turban army. They are working-class men who have volunteered to fight for “Heavens' Will”. They can wield a sword, spear or pike. Infantry will attack like any other common troop unit, like Privates.
 * Bandit Infantry - Bandit Infantry are the main source of income for Bandit Chiefs. Small units are hired out to fight for people. Bandit Infantry use Axes, like Dian Wei.


 * Turban Sorcerer - Zhang Jiao taught these sorcerers his mystic ways in exchange for their service in his campaign. A Turban Sorcerer will assist Zhang Jiao and his brothers in casting spells and reciting incantations. Sorcerers wield no weapons and instead attack with magic. They can freeze their enemies on the spot, shoot lasers like Sima Yi, and use gusts of wind to clear crowds like Zhang Liao. They wear no armor whatsoever other than their decorative ceremonial robes. Female sorcerers (or rather, sorceresses) in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends also use similar spells to subdue their opponents. However, their tendency to cluster together and attack in groups make them more threatening to deal with than their male counterparts.


 * Turban Captain - Turban Captains are heavy, militia units. A Turban Captain has a full leather lamella undercoat and a cloth jerkin on their lower half, but on the upper half is a leather strip across the waist and stomach. Leather wrist and ankle guards are also present, along with a helmet. There are two types:
 * Captains - Turban Captains lead groups of four Turban Infantry into battle. They are part time soldiers who have volunteered to fight for “Heaven's will”. They can wield a sword, spear or pike.
 * Bandit Captain - A Bandit Captain will lead his band of Bandit Infantry into battle on his masters request in exchange for a cut of the hiring fee. He too will wield an axe (like Dian Wei).

Nanman Troops

 * Nanman Infantry - Nanman Infantry are the brave warriors of the wild. They attack with ferocity, using nature to their advantage. They will wield a sword, spear or pike. Their armor usage is minimal, a single leather scale corset over their stomachs, a leather headband and cloth wrist and ankle guards. Nanman Infantry will attack like any other common troop unit, like Privates.


 * Armored Troops - Said to be "invincible", their uniqueness is their extraordinary defense, heavy moveset, and invulnerability to arrows. Normally they appear only in small quantity and are defeated by explosive crates or flaming arrows, often set by Zhuge Liang. These troops almost resemble normal infantry except for the fact that they don straw helmets, and rattan strips of armor down one side.


 * Nanman Amazon - Like their male Nanman counterparts, Amazons are practically naked. A cloth piece covers their chest and pelvis whilst there are leather wrist, guards and fur skin boots. They will wield a sword, spear or pike. They are Zhu Rong's bodyguards. Although their character model is named "Nanman Amazon", in the game, their title is Amazoness. In Warriors Orochi, they appear with their original moveset only, unlike the Lady Guards who reappear with both Samurai Warriors 2 and Dynasty Warrior movesets. However, they do not reappear in Warriors Orochi 2.
 * Nanman Sorcerer - Added exclusively in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends, these female witch doctors fight in the same manner as their Yellow Turban counterparts. Rather than subduing foes with ice and lightning magic, however, they use poison or blast spells to weaken them gradually.


 * Nanman Captain - Nanman Captains led their fierce warriors into battle. One Captain will lead four Nanman Infantrymen into the fray, they will wield a sword, spear or pike. In contrast to their warriors, Captains have a fair bit of armor. A full leather lamellar undercoat and a cloth jerkin over it. Over that a fur skin chest piece, cloth thigh, wrist and ankle guards and even rigid leather helmet with a plume.

Special Troop

 * Magical Troops - These troops have been brought to life by the various magic and summonings made by the Yellow Turbans and Zhuge Liang. There are two types:


 * Phantom Soldiers - Magically created phantoms frequently summoned, but not exclusive to the Yellow Turbans. They are completely invincible as players' attacks go through them. They have appeared differently since their appearance in Dynasty Warriors 4. The Dynasty Warriors 4 version had them as a translucent regular soldier, but in Dynasty Warriors 5 and Warriors Orochi they are a purple or blue silhouette of a soldier. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Phantoms have been revamped to be a hovering collection of dust and sand. When hit, the troop explodes after a set amount of time.


 * Clay Soldiers - Zhuge Liang's special troops in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends. They are immovable and don't flinch. This is a blessing and a curse; on one hand normal attacks don't faze them, but hitting them with a horse or fire spray attacks, especially from Zhang Jiao and Zhu Rong, kills them very quickly. They use spears and pikes.


 * Machines- Man-made contraptions made for sieges and attacking:
 * Juggernaut - See article.
 * Wooden Oxen - An invention by Yue Ying in Dynasty Warriors 5, but claimed to be made by Zhuge Liang in Dynasty Warriors 6. They are armored supply carriers in common terms. They look funnily enough like wooden oxen on wheels. They have high defense, moderate health and appear in mass, making them aggravating to destroy. On top of this every wooden ox that makes it to the back lines raises morale. Normally just kill their source.


 * Arbalest - Big machines that crank out volleys of arrows. They shoot all across the line in their middle. Their attacks are timed by the wheel on the side; it cranks back to fire and lunges forward when it does so. They appear in ambushes, defense of the camp or castle, or as siege weapons. They have a huge life bar and high defense but are stationary. Arbalests usually appear consecutively behind each other. In Dynasty Warriors 6, they only appear in challenge mode.


 * Ballistas - Big crossbow like machines that fire a large bolt. In Dynasty Warriors 6, they are located on top of gate and castle walls, and are used to destroy siege weapons being used by an invading force. They can be destroyed by the attacking force with the player or catapults. They have a long life bar and are usually guarded by the bulky engineers and crossbowmen.


 * Catapult - Catapults are large weapons used to destroy Ballistas during a siege in Dynasty Warriors 6.


 * Ram - Rams in previous installments were a station manned by multiple men holding and pushing it on the sides. Connected to it is one large log used to break down walls. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Rams are built by Engineers and were manned by a single man that aimed it. There are about three prongs made of logs.

Generic Officers

 * Ruler - These are the most heavily armored of all generic officers, having a full chainmail suit underneath a suit of plate mail, then a leather lamellar chest piece and a regal overcoat, with shoulder pads, full forearm and leg protection. They have a decorative yet necessary helmet with a chain mail drape for neck protection and a long plume form to show authority. They are all sword wielders in battle. Examples are Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shu, and previously Liu Shan. This officer model was introduced in Dynasty Warriors 5. In Dynasty Warriors 6 and its spin-offs, Rulers adapt their moveset from the Sword clone moveset used by Sun Quan and Yuan Shao.


 * Strategist - These are common among the ranks of the Yellow Turbans, and the back of other most armies. They wear a leather lamellar coat underneath a layered strategist robe and a kind of tall, stiff Hitelmacher-like hat on their head. As of Dynasty Warriors 6, some of these models retain a younger look, with less decorative clothing and no facial hair, while others have the opposite. They wield only swords in all installments. Examples are Guo Jia and Ma Liang. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Strategists adapt their moveset from the sword clone moveset.


 * Sorcerer - Using the Strategist model and introduced in Dynasty Warriors 6, Sorcerer officers use staves. They attack with a staff clone moveset and are similar to Zhang Jiao's version of the style. Really the only officers who are this are Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang. They walk in a hunched manner similar to Pang Tong or Zhang Jiao.


 * Warrior - These too are common among the ranks of the Yellow Turbans, but also make up a good part of other armies. They are decently armored, having a chest plate, shoulder plate, thigh plate set of armor as well as wrist guards and a turban. In Dynasty Warriors 5, the Warrior model was applied to officers like Yu Jin and Zhu Ran. In Dynasty Warriors 6, however, Warriors kept their turban and overlapping clothes, but traded the sword for a spear clone moveset.


 * Large Warrior - These officers are as common as, but much burlier than the Warrior's model. They have a large muscle mass and as such only wear leather lamellar underneath a plate mail chest piece, shoulder guards, shin guards and wrist guards. They have their hair tied into a bun and have a light cloth wrap around their waist. Though in Dynasty Warriors 6 they wore a plumed helmet and gained more armor. They wield only pikes, adapted from the polearm clone moveset. Examples are Hua Xiong and Wang Ping. In Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, Large Warriors used large clubs and used the club moveset.


 * Hero - These officers are some of the best protected officers, having a full chainmail suit underneath a suit of plate mail. Shoulder, shin and wrist guards and a helmet with a small spike are also present. They were spear wielders in past installments. As they were given a thinner yet older appearance in Dynasty Warriors 5, in the next installment, the Hero model was given a taller helmet, longer spaulders and tassets, and were given a dao clone moveset. Examples of the more recent Hero are Liao Hua and Li Dian. For their appearance in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, they wield long bows to harass opponents from afar.


 * Barbarian - These officers make up a greater section of Nanman armies officers, usually being great warriors within their tribes. They have no real armor, wrist plates aside. Their only real protection is intimidation which consists of an animal skull helmet, painted markings all over the body and an unshaven, savage look. A fur skin pelt covers their pelvis and is held by a belt made of animal hide. They also have a necklace of a small ring. They are sword wielders. Examples are Jinhuan Sanjie and Wu Tugu.


 * Nanman Officer - These officers make up a lesser section of Nanman armies officers, usually being the leaders of a tribe within the kingdom. They are slightly better armored than their Barbarian comrades, having thigh and wrist plates. There is also a small leather cape-like item draped over their backs and the skull helmet has now been replaced by a stiff, decorated crown with a small draping piece of leather for neck protection. Pikes are their main weapon of choice. Examples are King Duosi and King Mulu.

Voice Actors

 * Eddie Frierson - Dynasty Warriors 4~6 (English)
 * Michael Forest - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (English)
 * Richard Epcar - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (English)
 * Robert Martin Klein - Dynasty Warriors 4 (English)
 * Tony Oliver - Dynasty Warriors 4~5, 7, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Peter Doyle - Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends-6, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Liam O'Brien, Wally Wingert - Dynasty Warriors 6 (English)
 * Matthew Mercer - Dynasty Warriors 7 (English)
 * Steve Staley - Dynasty Warriors 7 (English)
 * Darrel Guilbeau - Dynasty Warriors 7 (English)
 * Michael Lindsay - Dynasty Warriors 7 (English)