Ultra-heavy cavalry where both horse and rider are encased in armor. They are slow but practically unstoppable in a straight charge, designed specifically to counter Sassanid cavalry. The Germanic Kingdoms: Shields and Axes

These factions depend on raw physical power, high offensive stats, and ambush tactics to overcome Roman engineering. The Alemanni & Franks

| Faction | Unique Units | Playstyle | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Steppe Horde Chosen Archers, Steppe Horde Nobles, Uar Warriors | Masters of the horse archer. Their armies are almost entirely comprised of highly skilled mounted archers, perfect for hit-and-run warfare. | | Goths | Gothic Cavalry, Gothic Infantry | A balanced nomad faction with both strong cavalry and high-quality infantry, providing greater tactical flexibility. | | Vandals | Vandal Cavalry, Vandal Infantry, Mounted Priests (when Christian) | Cavalry-focused, but with decent infantry support. They can train unique mounted priests. | | Sarmatians | Sarmatian Nobles (Heavy cavalry), Bosphoran Infantry (Flexible melee unit that performs well against both infantry and cavalry) | High-quality cavalry and a unique, versatile infantry unit, but a limited overall roster. | | Roxolani | Same as Sarmatians | A non-playable tribe similar to the Sarmatians. | | Slavs | Similar to Vandals | A non-playable, late-emerging faction with a varied roster. | | Ostrogoths | Same as Goths | A non-playable rebel version of the Goths. |

“Then we will meet them at the inner wall,” Varro said. “We will form testudo . We will not break. We will not run. We will make them remember what a Roman is.”

The ultimate heavy shock cavalry. Both the rider and the horse are heavily armored. They wield maces, making them incredibly effective at crushing heavily armored enemy infantry.

Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion is not merely an expansion; it is a fundamental shift in military doctrine. If the original campaign was about the polished efficiency of the Roman Legion, BI is about the fracture of that efficiency. It is a study in asymmetry, pitting the heavy, expensive, technologically superior forces of the Romano-British, Eastern Romans, and Western Romans against the teeming, mobile, and berserk hordes of the Germanic, Slavic, and Steppe peoples.

: The premier horse archers of the expansion, capable of both skirmishing and acting as light shock cavalry.

The first wave died on the spear points. The second wave died on the swords. The third wave climbed over the bodies of the first two and dragged Romans down by sheer weight. Varro lost his shield. He lost his helmet. He lost his sword. He picked up a fallen axe and kept fighting.

Massive battlefield beasts that inflict fear and trample enemy infantry lines, though they risk running amok if heavily damaged.

Elite heavy infantry equipped with an abundant supply of long-range armor-piercing darts, allowing them to soften up elite enemy lines from a distance.

When Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion was released in 2005, it shifted the tactical landscape from the structured legions of the Roman Republic to the chaotic, desperate twilight of the ancient world. Set during the Migration Period (circa 363–476 AD), this expansion focused on collapse, survival, and the rise of new kingdoms. Gone were the clean lines of Hastati and Triarii; in their place came a roster defined by heavy cavalry, warband charges, night raiders, and the crumbling armor of a dying empire.

The primary tool of the Huns. They can harass enemies from afar, wearing them down before the shock cavalry charges. They are fast, making them hard to catch.

Certain units are widely regarded by players at the Total War Wiki and community forums like Reddit as powerhouses:

Rome Total War Barbarian Invasion Units – Best & Premium

Ultra-heavy cavalry where both horse and rider are encased in armor. They are slow but practically unstoppable in a straight charge, designed specifically to counter Sassanid cavalry. The Germanic Kingdoms: Shields and Axes

These factions depend on raw physical power, high offensive stats, and ambush tactics to overcome Roman engineering. The Alemanni & Franks

| Faction | Unique Units | Playstyle | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Steppe Horde Chosen Archers, Steppe Horde Nobles, Uar Warriors | Masters of the horse archer. Their armies are almost entirely comprised of highly skilled mounted archers, perfect for hit-and-run warfare. | | Goths | Gothic Cavalry, Gothic Infantry | A balanced nomad faction with both strong cavalry and high-quality infantry, providing greater tactical flexibility. | | Vandals | Vandal Cavalry, Vandal Infantry, Mounted Priests (when Christian) | Cavalry-focused, but with decent infantry support. They can train unique mounted priests. | | Sarmatians | Sarmatian Nobles (Heavy cavalry), Bosphoran Infantry (Flexible melee unit that performs well against both infantry and cavalry) | High-quality cavalry and a unique, versatile infantry unit, but a limited overall roster. | | Roxolani | Same as Sarmatians | A non-playable tribe similar to the Sarmatians. | | Slavs | Similar to Vandals | A non-playable, late-emerging faction with a varied roster. | | Ostrogoths | Same as Goths | A non-playable rebel version of the Goths. |

“Then we will meet them at the inner wall,” Varro said. “We will form testudo . We will not break. We will not run. We will make them remember what a Roman is.” rome total war barbarian invasion units

The ultimate heavy shock cavalry. Both the rider and the horse are heavily armored. They wield maces, making them incredibly effective at crushing heavily armored enemy infantry.

Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion is not merely an expansion; it is a fundamental shift in military doctrine. If the original campaign was about the polished efficiency of the Roman Legion, BI is about the fracture of that efficiency. It is a study in asymmetry, pitting the heavy, expensive, technologically superior forces of the Romano-British, Eastern Romans, and Western Romans against the teeming, mobile, and berserk hordes of the Germanic, Slavic, and Steppe peoples.

: The premier horse archers of the expansion, capable of both skirmishing and acting as light shock cavalry. Ultra-heavy cavalry where both horse and rider are

The first wave died on the spear points. The second wave died on the swords. The third wave climbed over the bodies of the first two and dragged Romans down by sheer weight. Varro lost his shield. He lost his helmet. He lost his sword. He picked up a fallen axe and kept fighting.

Massive battlefield beasts that inflict fear and trample enemy infantry lines, though they risk running amok if heavily damaged.

Elite heavy infantry equipped with an abundant supply of long-range armor-piercing darts, allowing them to soften up elite enemy lines from a distance. The Alemanni & Franks | Faction | Unique

When Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion was released in 2005, it shifted the tactical landscape from the structured legions of the Roman Republic to the chaotic, desperate twilight of the ancient world. Set during the Migration Period (circa 363–476 AD), this expansion focused on collapse, survival, and the rise of new kingdoms. Gone were the clean lines of Hastati and Triarii; in their place came a roster defined by heavy cavalry, warband charges, night raiders, and the crumbling armor of a dying empire.

The primary tool of the Huns. They can harass enemies from afar, wearing them down before the shock cavalry charges. They are fast, making them hard to catch.

Certain units are widely regarded by players at the Total War Wiki and community forums like Reddit as powerhouses: