Katana warrior

Defensive Melee Special

A solid melee defensive unit with top-notch defense of 150 and zero food consumption, but it is a one-sided specialist. If you can combine it with ranged defense so that both numbers fit in the garrison total, it becomes an excellent stone for defense. As a special/event unit (you can obtain it from special offers or events), it is definitely worth collecting and keeping in reserve.

13Attack

150Melee defense

34Ranged defense

25Speed

—Food upkeep

Quick overview

Type	Defensive, Melee
Source	Special
Game stage	Special
Cost	—
Recommendation	Rather yes

rating

Attack

Defensive

Cost

Speed

The katana warrior is a purely defensive melee unit, and the numbers speak clearly: defense against melee 150 is top-notch, but attack is only 13 and defense against ranged units is a miserable 34. This is not someone you send to conquer. It is a defender that you place in the garrison of a castle or tower to stop enemy infantry climbing the walls.

How to use it

In practice, you exclusively use it for the defense of castles or towers against melee attacks. A defense of 150 means it has significantly higher defense per unit than regular infantry from the barracks, so it holds the melee line much better for the same number of slots. A big advantage is the food consumption of 0 - defenders in the garrison cost you nothing in resources, so you don't mind leaving them there. However, be careful: the number of defenders in the garrison has a cap in GGE, so it's not about stacking them infinitely, but occupying available slots with the strongest pieces possible. And that's exactly where the katana warrior excels. Speed 25 is completely irrelevant for him, as he just sits at home behind the walls and you won't march anywhere with him.

What to combine it with

On its own, it is weak against archers (defense 34), so never place it in the garrison alone. It is important to understand how it works in GGE: defense in the garrison adds up according to the type of attack. The katana warrior does not 'cover' your ranged units; it simply adds its melee defense to the total sum, while defensive archers add to the sum against ranged units. Therefore, mix them together: the katana warrior carries melee defense, while defensive archers contribute defense against ranged units, and the attacker has nowhere to find a gap. Additionally, defensive tools on the walls further increase the overall defense of the garrison.

Weaknesses and what to avoid

Never send it into attack - with an attack of 13 on enemy walls, you can't do anything and will just lose it unnecessarily. Likewise, do not place it in the garrison as the only type of defender, because the opponent will look at your defense layout, see the weak defense against ranged units (34), and send only archers that will shred you before the katana warriors can even act. And don't expect versatility from it; it is a specialist in one single thing.

Pro player tipBecause it consumes 0 food, it pays off to stockpile them and rotate them into the garrisons of castles you are waiting to be raided. If you are a new player and manage to obtain it, keep it in your main castle or on a key tower where melee defense matters most, and supplement it with defensive archers to cover both numbers. Experienced players adjust the ratio of defenders based on what the opponent typically attacks with in your area.

Common mistakeA common mistake is to stack only katana warriors in the garrison and think the castle is impregnable. The attacker will read the defense layout, see the weak number against ranged units, and send only archers - and all your melee defense is useless because it contributes almost nothing to the sum against ranged units. Another mistake is to take it out on offensive raids, as an attack of 13 will do nothing and the unit will just get burned.

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Sentinel of the Kingsguard

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Dragon claws

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