Unit Types (Dynasty Warriors)

Common Troop
These are the most poorly armoured troops in Dynasty Warriors. Common troops include: Common Troops have very little armour, 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.
 * 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.
 * Private – Privates will serve at the games main fodder, coming at the player by the hundreds. They like peasants can wield a sword, spear or pike.
 * 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, pike, dual swords (like Lu Xun) or a pike and a shield (like Xing Cai).
 * Messengers – In 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.

Heavy Troops
These are much better protected in comparison to Common Troops. Heavy Troops include: Heavy Troops have a chainmail undercoat and a cloth jerkin overcoat. Over that however is a leather lamella chest piece, leather knee pads, leather ankle guards, iron wrist guards and a helmet with a blunt point.
 * Second tier Privates – Second tier Privates are the next step up for a private. They can wield a sword, spear or pike.
 * 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, pike, dual swords (like Lu Xun) or a pike and a shield (like Xing Cai). These ones are stronger than their Common Troop counterparts.
 * Guard – Guards are bodyguards to certain officers, usually powerful ones such as Pang de or Lu Bu.
 * Gate Troops – Gate Troops defend check points with their Guard Captain leader. They will only wield swords.

Captain
These are the best of all generic troops. Captains have many roles, most of which are defensive, they are: Captains have a chainmail coat underneath a plate mail chest piece. They also have a leather lamellar neck guard, plate main shoulder pads, iron wrist and shin guards and a leather thigh guard curtain. Their hair is combed back and tied into a bun.
 * Major – The highest ranking of all generic troops. A single Major will lead four Privates or Second tier Privates into battle.
 * Guard Captain (formerly Gate Captains) – Guard Captains defend enemy and allied checkpoints, gates from which reinforcements and supplies come through. Guard captains lead a team of Gate Troops to defend the checkpoints and will usually drop an item when defeated such as a Powerup or Health. They will wield only swords.
 * Guard Captain – These Guard Captains are the leaders of bases. They are there to defend the base, should it be breeched. Attack Guard Captains wield dual swords (like Lu Xun); Defence Guard Captains wield a pike and a shield (like Xing Cai) and Supply Guard Captains will wield a Sword. They will each drop an Attack +1, Defence +1 or random item respectively.
 * Supply Captain – In Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends Destiny Mode, Supply Captains will drop random weapon boxes when defeated.

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's women moveset, wielding a katana, a sword, or a naginata. In Warriors Orochi 2, they only appear with the same moveset as Samurai Warriors 2's women, wielding a katana.

Turban Infantry
Turban Infantry are light, militia units. There are two types: 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 bandana around their forehead.
 * Infantry – The fodder of the Yellow Turbans army. They are working class men who have volunteered to fight for “Heavens will”. They can wield a sword, spear or pike.
 * 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 Captain
Turban Captains are heavy, militia units. There are two types: 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.
 * Captains – Turban Captains lead groups of four Turban Infantry into battle. They are part time soldiers who have volunteered to fight for “Heavens 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).

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 you, shoot lasers like Sima Yi, and do gust of wind like Zhang Liao. They have no armour whatsoever, only a decorative cloth robe.

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 armour is minimal, a single leather scale corselet over their stomachs, a leather headband and cloth wrist and ankle guards.

Nanman Captain
Nanman Captains lead 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.

Armor Troops
"Said to be invincible" not so though time consuming you can beat them down. Their uniqueness is their extrodinary defense, heavy moveset, and invunerability to arrows. Normally they appear only in small quantitity and are defeated by explosive crates, often set by Zhuge Liang. They look like normal infantry but they have a straw helmet, and bamboo strips of armor down one side (which some how gives them there toughness?)

Nanman Amazon
Like their male counterparts (Nanman Infantry), 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, you will see them as Amazoness.

In Warriors Orochi, they appear with their original moveset only, unlike the Lady Guards who reappear with both SW2's and DW's moveset. However, they do not reappear in Warriors Orochi 2.

Move set
Generic (non unique) Officers are given a set move set which they share. They use the following:
 * Sword – A more developed version of the Soldiers sword style. The style is adapted from Cao Cao, and Sun Quan
 * Spear- A more developed version of the Soldiers spear style. The style is adapted from Zhao Yun
 * Pike- A more developed version of the Soldiers pike style. The style is adapted from Lu Meng

Models
Officers are given the following Models:

Strategist
These are common among the ranks of the Yellow Turbans, and the back of 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. They wield only swords. Examples are Quan Zong and Zhang Lu.

Warrior
These too are common among the ranks of the Yellow Turbans. They are decently armoured, having a chest plate, shoulder plate, thigh plate set of armour as well as wrist guards and a turban. They are sword wielders. Examples are Jian Yong and Kuai Liang.

Large Warrior
These are much tougher than Warriors. 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. They wield only pikes. Examples are Sun Shao and Cheng Pu.

Hero
These officers are some of the best protected, 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 are spear wielders. Examples are Liu Pi and Liu Qi.

Ruler
These are the most heavily armoured 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 for to show authority. They are sword wielders. Examples are He Jin and Yuan Shu.

Barbarian
These officers make up a greater section of Nanman armies officers, usually being great warriors within their tribes. They have no real armour, 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 leather (presumably) belt, 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. They are slightly better armoured 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. Examples are King Mulu and King Duosi.

Sorcerer
Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 6 Sorcerer officers use staves. They attack with a style inbetween Pang Tong and Zhang Jiao, there staff strikes are like Pang Tong, but the use fire like Zhang Jiao. Really the only officers who are this are Zhang Bao and Zhang Man Chang. They are dressed the same as strategist.

Phantom Soldiers
Magically created phantoms frequently summoned (but not exclusive to) the Yellow Turbans. They are completely invincible as your attacks go through them. They have appeared differently since their appearance in Dynasty Warriors 4. The Dynasty Warriors 4 version had them as translucent regular soldier, but in Dynasty Warriors 5 and Warriors Orochi they purple or blue silhouettes of soldiers.

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

Juggernaut
See article

Wooden Oxen
Another invention by Yue Ying. They are armored supply carriers in common terms. They look funnily enough like wooden oxen on wheels. They have high defence, moderate health and appear in mass, making them aggrevating to destroy. On top of this every wooden ox that makes it to the back lines raises morale. Normally just kill their source.

Arablest
Big machines that crank out vollys 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, in fact they are helpless if you get behind them away from where they fire their arrows. This can be difficult due to them having a tendacny to line up behind eachother

Related Articles

 * Unit Types (Samurai Warriors)
 * Unit Types (Warriors Orochi)