Evony Ground Troops Guide: Best Generals, Pairings & Tips

Ground troops are the most underrated force in Evony: The King’s Return. Many players dismiss infantry as a beginner’s choice something you train early and replace when you unlock mounted cavalry. That’s a mistake. Ground troops are the strongest defensive troop type in the game: they absorb more damage, survive longer in sustained combat, and directly counter the most dangerous attacking force on many servers ranged troops.

This guide covers everything you need to know about ground troops in Evony: the best generals to lead them, optimal pairings, formation and city defence tips, and when infantry is the right choice over cavalry or ranged.

Why Ground Troops Are Stronger Than Most Players Think

• Highest base HP of any troop type — T4 ground has significantly more health than T4 mounted or ranged at the same tier
• 25% damage bonus against ranged troops — direct counter to the most common defending force on many servers
• Wall synergy in city defence — ground HP stacks with wall damage reduction, making defended cities very costly to attack
• Most forgiving troop type — high HP means mistakes cost fewer troops than with mounted in the same situation

Many experienced players run a split strategy: a mounted offensive march for SVS attacks, and a ground defensive army in their city. This covers both the offensive advantage of cavalry and the defensive advantage of infantry without sacrificing either.

The Combat Triangle for Ground Troops

• Ground beats Ranged — +25% damage bonus, your strongest matchup
• Ground loses to Mounted — mounted has +25% bonus against ground, your weakness
• Ground vs Ground — balanced fight decided by general quality, equipment, and army size

Ground troops are best on servers where mounted cavalry is not the dominant attacking force, or where you need a strong defensive answer to ranged-heavy attackers. In open SVS where mounted armies dominate, pure ground armies face a structural disadvantage in offensive roles but excel in defensive positions.

Best Ground Generals: Tier Overview

Tier	General	How to Get	Key Buffs
S	Leonidas I	Events	Ground attack ★★★★, Ground HP ★★★
S	Alexander the Great	Events	Attack ★★★, HP ★★★, Defence ★★★ (balanced)
A	Hannibal Barca	Tavern 25+	Ground attack ★★★, accessible F2P
A	Trajan	Tavern	Ground HP ★★★, Defence ★★★ best sub
A	Andrew Jackson	Events/Wheel	Ground attack ★★, additional buffs
B	Julius Caesar	Tavern (low)	Basic ground buffs early game only
B	Guan Yu	Events	Niche defence buffs situational sub

S-Tier: Premium Ground Generals

Leonidas I

Leonidas I is widely regarded as the best ground troop general in Evony for PvP combat. His specialty skills at full 4-star development provide exceptional ground troop attack and HP the combination that makes infantry hit hard and survive longer than any competing setup.

• Very high ground troop attack bonus at full specialty development
• Strong ground troop HP bonus stacks with infantry’s already-high base HP
• Excellent for both offensive ground attacks and city defence
• Among the most sought-after ground generals for competitive players

How to obtain: Leonidas I is available through Events Viking events, Gold events, and rotating premium event cycles. He does not appear in the standard Tavern. Best sub: Trajan, whose HP and defence focus perfectly complements Leonidas’s attack orientation.

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great is one of the most versatile S-tier ground generals. His specialty buffs at full development cover ground troop attack, HP, and defence simultaneously making him exceptionally well-rounded rather than specialised in one stat.

• Balanced buffs across attack, HP, and defence no major gaps
• Strong in both offensive and defensive ground roles
• Excellent main general for players who want one general to cover multiple situations
• Available through premium Events

Equipment priority: full ground attack set. At higher development levels, target Ares-tier ground equipment crafted from high-level boss drops.

A-Tier: Strong & Accessible

Hannibal Barca

Hannibal Barca is the best accessible ground general for mid-game players. Obtainable through the Tavern at Level 25+, he provides excellent ground troop attack buffs and is the standard ground general recommendation for players without Leonidas.

• Solid ground troop attack bonus at full 4-star specialty
• Available through Tavern rolling at Tavern 25+ no spending required
• Excellent stepping stone before premium event generals
• Best F2P main general for ground troop builds

Best sub for Hannibal: Trajan. Together they cover attack and HP without significant overlap a strong F2P-accessible ground pairing.

Trajan

Trajan is a Tavern general with strong ground troop HP and defence buffs. His survivability buffs make ground armies significantly more resilient in prolonged combat which is exactly what infantry is designed for.

• Strong ground HP and defence bonus fits the infantry playstyle perfectly
• Available through Tavern rolling at standard levels
• The best sub general for any ground troop main
• Works as either main or sub depending on your available generals

Best role: Trajan as sub under Hannibal Barca or Leonidas I. His HP/defence focus perfectly complements the attack focus of most ground main generals. Aim for 4-5 copies via consistent Tavern rolling.

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson provides a mix of ground troop attack and HP buffs with additional bonuses useful in the mid-to-late game transition. Available primarily through Events and the Lucky Wheel. A solid A-tier alternative when Hannibal is not yet available.

B-Tier: Situationally Useful

Julius Caesar

One of the earliest accessible ground generals available through the Tavern at lower levels. His buffs are modest compared to higher-tier generals, but he provides a functional ground troop foundation for early-to-mid game. Replace with Hannibal Barca as soon as he becomes available.

Guan Yu

Provides ground troop buffs with niche additional bonuses. Situationally useful in certain defensive configurations and appears in some event rotations. Best used as a sub general in specific setups where his buff combination complements your main.

Best Ground General Pairings

Main General	Sub General	Best For	Notes
Leonidas I	Trajan	Premium defence	Best overall very hard to break
Alexander the Great	Trajan	Premium all-round	Balanced attack+HP+defence coverage
Hannibal Barca	Trajan	Best F2P	Both Tavern no spending required
Julius Caesar	Trajan	Early game	Starter pair replace Caesar ASAP
Hannibal Barca	Leonidas I (sub)	Upgrade path	Use Leonidas as sub while starring him

Best Overall (Premium): Leonidas I + Trajan

Leonidas brings attack and HP. Trajan adds defence and secondary HP that pushes ground army survivability to its ceiling. This pairing makes your city extremely costly to attack enemies burn through troops trying to break a Leonidas/Trajan-defended city. The meta ground setup that top defensive players target.

Strong Premium Alternative: Alexander + Trajan

Alexander’s balanced kit covers attack, HP, and defence. Adding Trajan as sub doubles down on survivability while providing secondary attack. A strong all-rounder pairing that works well in both offensive and defensive ground roles.

Best F2P: Hannibal Barca + Trajan

Both available through Tavern rolling without spending. Hannibal provides the primary attack buffs. Trajan adds the HP and defence that turns a functional ground army into a proper defensive force. The standard recommendation for F2P and budget players.

Early Game: Julius Caesar + Trajan

The natural starting pairing before Hannibal is available. Caesar provides basic ground attack; Trajan adds survivability. Replace Caesar with Hannibal as soon as he appears in your Tavern rotation.

Ground Troops in City Defence: How to Maximise It

Fill Your Traps Continuously

Traps deal damage to incoming attackers before combat even begins. A city with millions of traps backed by a ground army is dramatically harder to break than either system alone. Traps reduce the army size that engages your defending infantry, and your troops’ HP advantage sustains through what remains. Your Trap Factory should be producing continuously never let it sit idle.

Match Your Hospital to Your Army Size

Ground troops are worth healing because of their higher stats per troop. Your Hospital capacity determines how many wounded troops can recover after a lost battle. Keep your total army size at or below your Hospital’s maximum healing capacity troops that exceed this limit die permanently rather than being wounded. See our Keep Upgrade Guide for the full building priority order.

Never Neglect Wall Upgrades

Wall level directly affects the damage bonus your city receives against attackers. A maxed wall with a strong ground army inside is the gold standard for Evony city defence. Wall upgrades should run in your second construction queue throughout your Keep progression never let them fall behind your Keep level.

Scout Incoming Attacks and Match Your Defence

Use your Embassy to spy on incoming armies before they arrive. If the incoming force is mounted cavalry, your ground troops are structurally disadvantaged mounted has +25% bonus against ground. In that case, consider rallying your troops to safety with a bubble/shield, or requesting Alliance reinforcements. If the incoming army is ranged or mixed, your ground army is well-positioned and you should stand and fight.

Ground Troops in Offence: When to Attack With Infantry

• Rallying a ranged-heavy target — your 25% attack advantage makes this a favourable matchup
• When the defending troop type is unknown — ground is a lower-risk choice than mounted (you may face ranged, your advantage, or ground, an even match)
• Defensive alliance war roles — absorbing pressure while mounted players hunt targets

Ground troops are not the dominant SVS offensive force, but they’re effective in alliance wars where holding defensive positions matters as much as aggressive kills.

Building Your Ground Army: Key Priorities

T4+ Before Quantity

Tier matters more than numbers. 200,000 T4 ground troops will beat 1,000,000 T2 ground troops. Focus entirely on unlocking and building T4 at Keep 20 before worrying about army size. See our Keep Upgrade Guide for the fastest path to Keep 20.

Barracks Over Everything Else

Ground troops train in the Barracks. Every Barracks trains troops simultaneously. Build four Barracks as early as possible and upgrade them to match your Keep level higher-level Barracks unlock faster training and access to higher troop tiers. For a committed ground troop player, Barracks upgrades are the highest-priority military building in your city.

Research Priority for Ground Players

• Faster Construction first — universal priority that reduces all build times
• Ground troop attack branches in the Military research tree
• Ground troop HP and defence branches — especially important for a defensive-focused build
• Ground troop training speed — reduces Barracks training time

Players who complete the full ground attack, HP, and defence research tree see 40-60% increases in effective combat power above base stats. Research compounds permanently and is one of the best long-term investments in the game.

5 Mistakes Ground Troop Players Make

• Neglecting defence research. Ground troops are the defensive specialist. Many ground players only invest in attack research and skip defence and HP branches, missing the troop type’s core advantage.
• Sending ground troops into mounted-heavy servers without scouting. Ground loses to mounted. Scout before committing your army to any significant engagement.
• Ignoring trap production. Ground troops and traps are complementary systems. Players who run ground defence without active trap production leave significant defensive value on the table.
• Not upgrading Walls consistently. Walls directly buff city defence. Ground troops behind Level 25 Walls are meaningfully stronger than the same troops behind Level 15 Walls. Walls should run in your second construction queue without interruption.
• Building ground AND mounted simultaneously. Splitting resources means both armies are weak. Pick one primary type and develop it completely before branching out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ground troops good in Evony?

Yes, ground troops are the strongest defensive troop type in the game. Their high HP, 25% bonus against ranged troops, and wall synergy make them excellent for city defence. In offensive roles they’re effective against ranged-heavy targets and in situations where survivability matters more than raw killing speed.

Who is the best ground general in Evony?

Leonidas I is widely considered the best ground general for PvP at full development. For accessible options, Hannibal Barca (Tavern 25+) is the best non-spending alternative. Alexander the Great offers a balanced all-round kit that works in both attack and defence.

What is the best sub general for ground troops?

Trajan is the most commonly recommended sub general for ground troops. His HP and defence bonuses complement the attack focus of most ground main generals, creating a well-rounded pairing. He is Tavern-accessible and a realistic F2P target.

Ground vs Mounted – which is better?

Depends on your playstyle and server. Mounted is stronger for offensive PvP and SVS. Ground is stronger for defence and countering ranged-heavy servers. Many experienced players run mounted for offence and ground for defence a split strategy that covers both roles.

How many ground troops should I have?

Build as many T4+ troops as your Hospital can cover. Your Hospital capacity determines how many troops can be healed after a lost battle troops that exceed this limit when wounded die permanently. Keep your army size at or below your Hospital’s maximum healing capacity.

Do ground troops work in Server vs Server?

Ground troops work best in SVS defensive roles holding positions, defending sub-cities, and absorbing attacks while mounted players hunt targets. As an offensive SVS force, ground troops face a structural disadvantage against mounted-heavy servers where cavalry’s speed advantage is decisive.