Elite Azaps — Guide des unités Conqueror's Blade
Sword and buckler infantry of the Anadolou Empire.
Quick facts
- Unit type: infantry
- Tier / era: T4 / heroic
- Weapon type: Buckler
- Leadership cost: 210
- Role / classification: melee, buckler, seasonal, blood-of-the-empire, counterstrike
- Recommended veterancy line: Top line (16/16 points)
- Core doctrines: Anti-Infantry Doctrine V, Unit Damage Doctrine V, Hero Damage Doctrine V, Iron Damage Doctrine V
- My tier: B
Updated 1 November 2026
My take: B tier
Overview
Sword and buckler infantry of the Anadolou Empire. Unlocked in the Season IV 'Blood of the Empire' challenges, after the Janissaries.
Strengths
- Counterstrike clears CC and answers a charge
- On Watch punishes clumps in choke points
- Shield Rush gets them in with reduced damage
Weaknesses
- Loses to anything with high piercing damage
- Ranged fire wears them down
- Don't leave them in the open without cover
How to Play
- Shield Rush (40s): charge for high slashing damage, less damage taken while moving.
- Counterstrike (21s): clears CC, blocks the front, then hits back at once.
- On Watch (23s): wide cleave across everything in front.
- Keep them behind pikes or shields and use Counterstrike to eat a charge and turn it around.
- Or Shield Rush through a gap and Counterstrike whoever is left standing alone.
- Save On Watch for when the enemy bunches up: breaches and choke points.
- Column for charging through gaps, Dispersed against arrows.
- Good next to ranged units like Janissaries. Strong against swords and halberdiers without heavy armour.
Doctrines
- Slot 1 · Anti-Infantry Doctrine V
+200 damage dealt to infantry · +250 block
Wins the infantry trades.
- Slot 2 · Unit Damage Doctrine V
+120 vs units · +80 all damage
Main damage slot.
- Slot 3 · Hero Damage Doctrine V
+115 vs heroes · +110 all armour penetration
Hunt heroes, pierce armour.
- Slot 4 · Iron Damage Doctrine V
Ironsides: +175 defences for 12 s · +120 all damage while active
Ironsides with a damage boost.
Veterancy
Start
- The Soldier's Life: 1/1 points · +3% health
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health
Top line
- Thick Armour: 3/3 points · +6% all defences
Per level: Lv 1: +2% all defences / Lv 2: +4% all defences / Lv 3: +6% all defences
- The Soldier's Life: 3/3 points · +9% health
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health / Lv 2: +6% health / Lv 3: +9% health
- Reteach: 2/2 points · Each level reduces the cooldown of Counterstrike by 3 seconds.
Tooltip: Each level reduces the cooldown of Counterstrike by 3 seconds.
- Bounce: 2/2 points · −10% damage taken while using Counterstrike
Per level: Lv 1: −5% damage taken while using Counterstrike / Lv 2: −10% damage taken while using Counterstrike
- Crooked: 3/3 points · Each level reduces damage taken while counterattacking by 5%.
Tooltip: Each level reduces damage taken while counterattacking by 5%.
- Exertion: 1/1 points · Immune to Knockback during Counterstrike
Tooltip: Immune to Knockback during Counterstrike
- Well-versed: 1/1 points · Increases duration of Counterstrike by 1 second.
Tooltip: Increases duration of Counterstrike by 1 second.
- True Grit: 1/1 points · Chance to trigger Counterstrike when attacking
Tooltip: Chance to trigger Counterstrike when attacking
Bottom line
- Hone: 3/3 points · +15% slashing armour penetration
Per level: Lv 1: +5% slashing armour penetration / Lv 2: +10% slashing armour penetration / Lv 3: +15% slashing armour penetration
- Razor-Sharp: 3/3 points · +6% slashing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +2% slashing damage / Lv 2: +4% slashing damage / Lv 3: +6% slashing damage
- Bloodletting: 0/3 points · Not taken
- Footwork: 0/1 points · Not taken
- Awareness: 0/3 points · Not taken
- Multitude: 0/1 points · Not taken
- Whirlwind: 0/1 points · Not taken
Build totals
- +12% · health
- +6% · all defences
- −10% · damage taken while using counterstrike
- +15% · slashing armour penetration
- +6% · slashing damage
Values from game files · client 1.10.3721.330067.
Balance history
2026-07-23 · buff
Normal Attack and skill attack Guard Break Damage increased by 80 points
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Slashing Damage value increased 1278 1358
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Block value increased 250 400
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Leadership decreased 215 210
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Leadership reduced to 210; Base Slashing Damage, Block value, and Guard Break damage increased.
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Normal Attack and skill attack Guard Break Damage increased by 80 points
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Block value increased from 250 to 400
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Slashing Damage value increased from 1278 to 1358
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Base Leadership reduced from 215 to 210
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-07-23 · buff
Leadership reduced (215 to 210); Slashing Damage increased (1278 to 1358); Block value increased (250 to 400); Guard Break damage increased by 80.
July 23 Update and Maintenance Log2026-01-07 · buff
Fixed issue where guard could be broken during Counterstrike.
January 8 Update and Maintenance Log2026-01-07 · buff
Fixed issue where On Watch skill ended prematurely.
January 8 Update and Maintenance Log2025-12-25 · rework
Counterstrike now allows manual trigger, grants guard-break immunity, and duration increased to 6s. On Watch regular attacks removed. Mastery 5 adds Block-break to Counterstrike, Mastery 8 adds health restoration to On Watch.
December 25 Update and Maintenance Log2025-11-20 · bugfix
Fixed On Watch incorrectly canceling Ironsides.
November 20 Balance Adjustment Announcement2025-11-20 · buff
Leadership reduced from 220 to 215.
November 20 Balance Adjustment Announcement2024-05-30 · rework
Mastery added: Increases slashing damage by 80, slashing armor penetration by 100, and blocking by 160. Reduces block loss in Counterstrike and grants 20% damage reduction for 4s. Adjusts damage vs polearms. New Counterstrike mechanic: stacks stamps when hit to restore HP and gain damage bonus.
Update Notice for May 302024-05-30 · buff
Remove crowd-control effects immediately when activating [Counterstrike] and ignore collisions with allied units when activating [Counterstrike].
Update Notice for May 302024-02-01 · bugfix
Fixed the issue of unit models floating in the air after death.
Feb 1st UPDATE LOG2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixes the issue where some Units couldn't face the enemy while using their skills.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where the Unit's head model would behave abnormally when changing Unit Attire.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where changing units might cause skill locking with a certain probability.
December 7th Update Notice2023-09-20 · buff
Improved block ability against ranged attacks, including ability to block arrows while moving and fighting.
September 21st Update Log2023-09-19 · buff
Improved block ability against ranged attacks; can now block arrows while moving and fighting.
BALANCE CHANGES2023-08-16 · buff
Leadership cost reduced from 240 to 225.
Update Log for August 172023-07-06 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the charge of some sword & shield units failed to block ranged attacks.
JUL 6 UPDATE LOG2023-06-28 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where sword & shield units were unable to block ranged attacks during [Shield Rush].
JUN 29 UPDATE LOG2023-03-22 · buff
Improved the hitbox of sword & shield units' charge skills, reducing the chance of missing.
MAR 23 UPDATE LOG2022-09-21 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the Azaps' skill icon would disappear if they used Counterstrike while heading toward a supply point.
SEPT. 22 UPDATE LOG
Questions about Elite Azaps
Which veterancy line do I use for Elite Azaps?
My imported build puts the most points in Top line: 16/16 points.
Which doctrines are in the Elite Azaps guide?
Anti-Infantry Doctrine V, Unit Damage Doctrine V, Hero Damage Doctrine V, Iron Damage Doctrine V
How much leadership does Elite Azaps cost?
Elite Azaps costs 210 leadership.
What is the latest recorded balance change for Elite Azaps?
2026-07-23 · buff: Normal Attack and skill attack Guard Break Damage increased by 80 points
Related units
All Conqueror's Blade units · Best units for beginners · All doctrines