Foot soldiers carry most of the workload in any ENDLESS Legend 2 campaign, and the 1.0 launch roster gave every faction a distinct infantry identity worth mastering. This ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry guide breaks down how the Blackwind, Deathgale, Sandswarm, and Burrows lines work, how they compare to cavalry alternatives, and which army compositions actually win battles on Saiadha today.
Infantry vs Cavalry in ENDLESS Legend 2
Before diving into specific unit lines, it helps to understand why infantry matters at all in a game that also features cavalry, flying, and support squads. Each major faction in ENDLESS Legend 2 leans on a different battle affinity, and infantry is the backbone of three of them: the Kin of Sheredyn, the Necrophage, and the Sandshapers. Cavalry roles belong primarily to the Aspects and the Last Lords, while the Tahuk use a mix of ranged and holy units supported by guardsmen.
| Role | Primary Factions | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry frontline | Kin of Sheredyn, Necrophage, Sandshapers | High HP, strong defense, holds chokepoints | Slow on open maps, vulnerable to flanks |
| Cavalry flanks | Aspects, Last Lords | High mobility, alpha-strike damage | Fragile in prolonged melee |
| Ranged support | Tahuk, Aspects | Range advantage, ignores terrain | Weak if infantry line collapses |
| Flying units | Order of Zelevas (Rogue), Tahuk | Bypasses terrain, hits backline | Expensive upkeep, soft HP |
According to the ENDLESS Legend 2 Steam store page, the 1.0 launch introduced eight playable factions, and infantry-centric playstyles represent a third of that roster. The Roguish Severed Claws (a Necrophage offshoot) and Order of Zelevas (a Kin split) further expand the infantry pool by recruiting all units instantly and removing city caps, which makes their foot soldier armies especially dangerous in mid-game.
The reason infantry stays relevant even in a game with so many support options is combat math. ENDLESS Legend 2 battles resolve in simultaneous attack phases where units trade blows based on attack rating, defense rating, and HP pools. Infantry lines absorb punishment that cavalry cannot, and they hold terrain bonuses longer because they rarely move once engaged. For a deeper look at the broader battle system, our strategy guide to winning ENDLESS Legend 2 covers the underlying math.
Blackwind: The Kin of Sheredyn Sentinel Line
The Blackwind is the signature ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry unit for the Kin of Sheredyn, the star-blooded paladin faction that anchors the defensive playstyle. The unit line begins with recruits converted from the faction's Vanguard villages, then escalates through three promotion tiers: Initiate, Sentinel, and finally the Blackwind elite.
Blackwind Tier Progression
| Tier | Name | Approx. HP | Defense | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Initiate | 60 | 4 | Fortitude passive, shield wall |
| T2 | Sentinel | 90 | 6 | Fortified stance, retaliate on hit |
| T3 | Blackwind | 130 | 8 | Aura: nearby Kin gain +1 defense |
The Blackwind aura is the real value proposition. Stacking three or four Blackwind elites in the same hex range grants +1 defense to every allied Kin unit, which compounds with the faction's innate fortification bonus. The Kin affinity rewards playing tall, so doubling down on the defensive aura creates a city that simply cannot be cracked by mid-game rushes.
Kin infantry also benefits from the faction's signature mechanic: every fortification level adds a flat bonus to all stationed units. Pair a max-level keep with four Blackwinds and the resulting defensive stack can absorb 40% more damage than a comparable Necrophage swarm. The trade-off is cost — Blackwinds eat Dust upkeep, and the Kin have no food economy, so every soldier competes with city growth for the same resource pool.
Deathgale: The Necrophage Carrion Tide
The Deathgale is the Necrophage equivalent of the Blackwind and arguably the most aggressive ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry option in the game. Necrophage units emerge from post-battle larvae, meaning every killed enemy spawns a fresh recruit, and the Deathgale line is built to feed that loop.
Deathgale Combat Profile
| Attribute | Value | Comparison to Blackwind |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 110 | Slightly lower |
| Attack | 9 | Higher than T3 Blackwind |
| Defense | 5 | Lower |
| Movement | 4 | Equal |
| Passive | Carrion Feast: heal 10% HP on kill | Unique to Deathgale |
Carrion Feast is the headline mechanic. Every enemy unit the Deathgale kills restores a chunk of HP, which means a Deathgale stack that wins its first engagement becomes nearly unkillable in the second. The Rogue faction Severed Claws uses this aggressively — by enslaving minor factions and burning their villages for instant recruits, then charging into the next fight with a full stack of self-healing infantry.
Deathgales lack the Blackwind aura, so stacking them doesn't grant ally-wide bonuses. The right play is to pair Deathgales with a tankier unit in front and a healer in back, letting the Deathgale clean up wounded enemies while remaining at full HP for the next fight. Against cavalry, the Deathgale's raw attack rating means it will out-trade most flanking units before they can cycle away.
Sandswarm: The Sandshapers' Dune Crawlers
The Sandswarm is the newest infantry line, added with the Sandshapers faction in the 1.0 release. The Sandshapers are ancient desert inhabitants who remember Saiadha before the Endless flooded the oceans, and their infantry reflects that origin: burrowing creatures that surface mid-battle.
Sandswarm Tier Comparison
| Tier | Name | HP | Defense | Special Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Dune Beetle | 50 | 3 | Burrow (skip one attack phase, emerge next turn) |
| T2 | Glasswing | 75 | 4 | Burrow, ignore terrain penalty |
| T3 | Sandswarm | 120 | 5 | Burrow, on emergence deal 150% damage for one round |
Sandswarm's Burrow mechanic makes it a tactical wildcard. You can drop a Sandswarm stack into a defensive hex, then have it burrow underground and reappear behind enemy lines next turn, dealing 150% damage on the strike. This is the closest the infantry roster has to a cavalry-style flanking option without losing the HP pool of a foot soldier. The community has called the Sandswarm one of the strongest 1.0 additions, especially on desert-heavy maps where the Sandshaper affinity triggers Wish mechanics on ancient ruins.
According to the official Sandshapers faction spotlight, the Sandshapers can reshape the map itself by sacrificing Dust at ancient sites, converting tiles to desert. More desert tiles means more Sandshaper economy and stronger Sandswarm positioning, which creates a self-reinforcing strategic loop for players who invest in infantry over cavalry.
Burrows: Hidden Defense and Minor Faction Infantry
The Burrows mechanic is shared across multiple factions but is most associated with the Aspects and the Sandshapers. A Burrow is not a unit itself but a settlement feature where minor faction infantry can hide, heal, and occasionally counterattack when an enemy stack enters the tile.
| Burrow Type | Owner | Hidden Units | Counterattack Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspect Burrow | Aspects (coral symbiosis) | 1-2 Symbiote Guards | +20% attack on first strike |
| Sandshaper Burrow | Sandshapers | 1 Dune Beetle | Stealth, first-strike guaranteed |
| Necrophage Hive | Necrophage | 2 Larvae Swarms | Spawns new Deathgale on counterattack |
| Kin Garrison | Kin of Sheredyn | 1 Initiate | Triggers local fortification aura |
Burrows turn neutral villages and minor faction outposts into trap tiles. A careless cavalry charge from the Aspects into a Sandshaper-held Burrow will lose the skirmisher, because the hidden Dune Beetle always strikes first. This is one of the few ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry mechanics that punishes mobility-based factions directly, and it is the main reason even cavalry-heavy Aspects players need at least one anti-Burrow scout in their armies. For newer commanders, Burrows also serve as a teaching tool for map reading, because a tile that hides a Burrow usually sits on a village or a minor faction outpost and looks tempting to invade. The beginner tips and tricks guide explains how to detect Burrows by sending a single cheap unit into a suspected tile before committing your main stack.
ENDLESS Legend 2 Cavalry vs Infantry in Real Battles
| Scenario | Best Unit Class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Holding a chokepoint city | Infantry (Blackwind, Deathgale) | Defense rating, HP, aura bonuses |
| Raiding undefended villages | Cavalry (Aspects Outriders) | Mobility, alpha damage |
| Countering a Necrophage swarm | Mixed (Deathgale + ranged) | Self-heal matches attrition |
| Map with wide open desert | Sandswarm | Burrow mobility equals cavalry |
| Pushing into a fortified Kin city | Burrow + ranged | Avoid the defense aura, snipe from range |
| Defending against Last Lords | Deathgale | Sustained trades beat alpha strikes |
The general rule: infantry wins wars of attrition, and cavalry wins wars of position. ENDLESS Legend 2's simultaneous combat rounds mean that even a slow Blackwind stack will outlast a cavalry rush if the cavalry cannot retreat, because the cavalry's low HP will evaporate after two or three exchanges. Conversely, a slow infantry stack that needs to chase down a cavalry raider will never catch it, so the infantry player must force fights on defensive terrain. Now that we have the unit profiles, the natural question is: when should you bring infantry, and when should you bring cavalry? The answer depends on map type, enemy faction, and game phase, so the table below maps the common 1.0 scenarios to the class that wins them and explains the reasoning behind each pick.
The Tahuk and Aspects typically run hybrid compositions — one cavalry line for mobility, one ranged line for damage, and a small infantry core to hold the center. This is the most forgiving setup for newer players and is covered in more detail in our game modes and city management guide.
Building an Infantry Army That Actually Wins
Putting the right units in your roster is only half the battle. The other half is doctrine — how you position, when you promote, and what heroes you attach — because a mediocre unit played correctly beats a top-tier unit played sloppily in ENDLESS Legend 2's simultaneous combat rounds.
Promotion Timing
| Unit | Promote to T2 at | Promote to T3 at |
|---|---|---|
| Blackwind | After second city captured | After winning three defensive battles |
| Deathgale | When total army kills exceed 30 | When facing cavalry opponents |
| Sandswarm | After researching Burrow Tactics | Before any major offensive |
Promotion is not a rush action. Promoting too early means wasting Dust on a unit that will die in a bad engagement, while promoting too late means your T2 unit is outclassed by enemy T3. The table above reflects community consensus, but every faction has hero skills that can shift the math by one tier in either direction.
Hero Attachments
| Hero Type | Best Infantry Pairing | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Paladin (Kin) | Blackwind | Fortitude aura doubles down on defense |
| Matriarch (Necrophage) | Deathgale | Larvae production accelerates post-battle |
| Dune Keeper (Sandshapers) | Sandswarm | Wish cost reduction means more promotions |
| Ranger (Aspects) | Burrow defenders | Detection and counter-strike synergy |
Heroes are the force multipliers of any ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry build. A fully-promoted Blackwind attached to a Paladin with three defense skills can hold a tile against double its numbers. The trade-off is that the hero slot is contested by other unit classes, and a cavalry-focused army will want a different hero entirely. Make sure your hero comp matches your army comp, or the slot will be wasted.
Tactical Positioning Cheat Sheet
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Front line: T3 Blackwind or Deathgale, anchored on terrain with a defense bonus
-
Mid line: T2 Sandswarm or Burrow defenders, ready to burrow or counterattack
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Back line: Ranged support or a healer, never the front line
-
Flank: Optional cavalry for clean-up, but only if you have a 3:2 infantry advantage
A common mistake is putting T1 units in the back line "to keep them safe." T1 units are food, and food belongs in the front where it can either buy time for your elites or die quickly to trigger Necrophage larvae spawns. Keeping a T1 in the back is wasted potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ENDLESS Legend 2 infantry line is the strongest overall?
The Deathgale is the strongest infantry line for solo play because Carrion Feast lets it snowball through multiple fights, while the Blackwind is the strongest in team or defensive play due to its ally-wide defense aura. The Sandswarm is the best offensive pick once the 1.0 Sandshaper roster is unlocked.
Is cavalry better than infantry in ENDLESS Legend 2?
Neither is universally better. Cavalry is faster and can pick fights, but infantry wins prolonged engagements and holds chokepoints. Most successful armies run a hybrid with 60-70% infantry and 30-40% cavalry, especially on the larger 1.0 maps. The ratio shifts toward cavalry on open archipelago maps where flanking lanes are plentiful, and toward infantry on ridge-heavy or fortified maps where your opponent can force defensive fights.
How do Burrows work in ENDLESS Legend 2?
Burrows hide infantry units inside a village or minor faction tile. When an enemy stack enters, the hidden units strike first with a damage bonus. Burrows are part of the Aspects, Sandshapers, Necrophage, and Kin roster and serve as defensive traps for aggressive cavalry.
What is the difference between Blackwind and Deathgale?
The Blackwind is a defensive Kin of Sheredyn unit that grants defense auras to allies, while the Deathgale is an offensive Necrophage unit that heals on every kill. Blackwind is built to hold ground, Deathgale is built to grind through enemy lines.
Are the Sandswarm infantry units worth using?
Yes. The Sandswarm line's Burrow ability gives it cavalry-like mobility while keeping infantry HP pools, and the 1.0 Sandshaper faction has additional Wish mechanics that reward desert-heavy positioning. For players who like tactical repositioning over raw defense, the Sandswarm is the top infantry pick in the current patch.