Barbarian Invasion (BI) expands Rome: Total War with new factions, campaigns, and unit rosters tuned for late antiquity. Below is a concise, organized guide to the major unit types you’ll encounter and use across the playable barbarian factions (Goths, Vandals, Huns, Franks, Saxons, Alemanni, Burgundians, and other Germanic/steppe groups), plus key Roman/Byzantine units you’ll meet in the campaign.
The premier heavy shock cavalry of the Western Roman Empire, used to break enemy lines.
Cavalry dominates the open fields of the late Roman world. Shock cavalry can shatter enemy formations in a single charge.
In the end, Barbarian Invasion was never about empires. It was about units—small, desperate, human clusters of loyalty and terror. The Foederati who fought for bread. The Plague Bearers who died to buy a season. The Raiders who took everything. And the Last Cohort, who simply refused to stop being Roman. They were all the same: ghosts in armor, haunting a world that had already forgotten them.
Military rosters in the expansion generally fall into three categories: Faction Type Key Unit Characteristics Standout Examples rome total war barbarian invasion units
The legate tossed a small leather pouch. It clinked weakly—a handful of worn bronze coins. “The Emperor’s gratitude.”
Hybrid faction: heavy infantry and shock cavalry.
I can build the perfect, cost-effective army roster tailored to your specific conquest goals. Share public link
They marched in silence. No drums. No horns. Only the wet rattle of dying lungs. When they reached the gate, the usurper’s archers laughed. “Look! Rome sends its lepers!” Barbarian Invasion (BI) expands Rome: Total War with
The Roman rosters are split. are border guards—cheap, plentiful, and weak. Comitatenses are the elite field armies. A Roman player cannot simply spam the best units; the economy forces a reliance on the inferior Limitanei for garrison duties, meaning your border armies will inevitably shatter against a determined horde.
Light cavalry and ambush units.
The pinnacle of Eastern cavalry. They combine elite horse archery with the highest armor values in the game, allowing them to dictate the pace of any engagement.
Heavily armored shock cavalry that deal massive damage on the charge. The Eastern Roman Empire boasts some of the most potent cataphracts in the game, allowing them to dominate the open plains against horse archers. Cavalry dominates the open fields of the late Roman world
A premier shock unit. They throw their signature francisca axes before charging, shattering enemy formations and morale simultaneously.
Medium infantry armed with the francisca (throwing axe). Their axes pierce heavy armor and severely damage enemy morale before the lines clash.
“The Huns are always three days away,” growled Alaric. “Worry about the food. The Romans haven’t paid us in two months.”