Humans: still doing the most with the least.
The Vibe
Kingdoms of Men is the “toolbox” faction. You don’t win because one profile is unfair. You win because you can bring the right answers and trade efficiently. In 4th, that reads as: cheap pieces, lots of keywords, and multiple ways to build a list (infantry grind, cavalry punch, artillery support, or a mixed combined-arms brick).
Faction Summary
Faction: Kingdoms of Men
Total Units: 64
Units with Crushing Strength ≥ 1: 22
Units with Piercing ≥ 1: 13
Avg Points: 139.3 (Global Avg: 156.9)
Avg Defense: 4.2 (Global Avg: 4.3)
Avg Melee: 3.7 (Global Avg: 3.7)
Avg Speed: 6.0 (Global Avg: 6.3)
Unique Keywords (count): 54
Top Keywords: Crushing Strength (22), Thunderous Charge (10), Individual (8), Very Inspiring (7), Feint (7)
Note: This summary only includes non-individual units.
Quick read: KoM skews slightly cheaper and slightly slower than average, with a lot of “how do you want to win?” flexibility. Crushing is plentiful. Piercing exists, but it’s not a “shooting faction” by default — it’s a combined arms faction that can pivot into shooting if you want.
What the Charts Say (and why that matters)
- Cost vs. Effectiveness scatter: KoM tends to have a wide spread. You’ve got a handful of standout value picks, and then a big middle class of “fine, if it fits the plan.”
- Unit cost distribution: The faction lives in the sub-150 point range more than most. That matters in 4th where board presence and scenario play are often decided by how many “real” units you can put down.
- Unit type distribution: Expect a heavy infantry core with smaller pockets of cavalry, war engines, and monsters. KoM feels most “KoM” when it plays like an army, not a collection of toys.
What I’d actually take from this
- Halfling Volley Gun (75 pts): This is classic KoM behavior: “cheap, annoying, and you’ll regret ignoring it.” It’s not reliable damage, but it’s high leverage. It forces opponents to respect lanes, protect backlines, and spend real units to remove a 75-point problem.
- Siege Artillery (75 pts): The data says it’s efficient, but its battlefield value is often psychological and positional. Indirect threats change where people can safely stage.
- Halberdiers (both sizes): The numbers love them. The table is basically telling you: “If you want melee output per point, here you go.” The downside is obvious: Def 3+ means they evaporate when touched by anything serious. Great when you can dictate the fight. Bad when you’re the one getting dictated to.
- Foot Guard (2H) regiment: This is the kind of “quiet carry” unit KoM always wants. It’s efficient, it hits, it has enough nerve to not fold instantly, and it fits into lots of plans.
How Kingdoms of Men Win Games
1) Win the trade war
KoM’s sweet spot is trading up. You pressure with cheap threats, force awkward responses, and then cash in with a real hammer (often cavalry, elite infantry, or a monster).
2) Stack “good enough” units
Your averages (Defense, Melee, Speed) scream: “I’m not special, I’m consistent.” KoM wins by bringing more relevant units than the opponent, and making every one of them matter.
3) Play the scenario like a grown-up
Because your average points are lower than global, you often end up with more units. That usually means:
- more drops
- more scoring bodies
- more angles
- more screens
- more late-game play
That’s real power in 4th.
List-Building Ideas
A) “Value Wall + Guns”
- 2–3 solid infantry blocks (your “don’t die” line)
- 1–2 war engines (Volley Gun / Siege Artillery)
- 1 real finisher unit (cav or elite infantry)
Goal: force the opponent to walk through problems while you keep trading efficiently.
B) “Halberd Pressure”
- Halberdiers as the main output
- Screens in front
- A fast threat on one flank (cav / monster)
Goal: hit first and keep hitting. If you lose tempo, the Def 3+ plan collapses. So commit to tempo.
C) “Noble Core Punch”
- Foot Guard (2H) as the reliable mid-board punch
- Supporting pieces to keep them from being isolated
- One hammer (Knights / monster) to punish mistakes
Goal: win the mid-board and then sweep.
Closing Take
Kingdoms of Men in 4th edition looks exactly like it should: a faction that rewards clean fundamentals. The data backs that up. Cheap average profiles, a lot of keywords, and a few standout value units that let you build a real plan.
If you like lists where your edge comes from trade math + scenario discipline, KoM is home.
