Infantry without shields. When to buy? How to use?

[Forrest]

Honeybadger has it right.

I like Ea C'tis. Put your sacreds on one corner and runners or elites on the other corner. They melt under archer fire but most of the time that does not happen. Enemy infantry melts before them.

That said I find the elites speed over comes their lack of shield enough to make it worth while to put a unit in the center and have them charge. The archer loss can be worth the effect. With Att 12, dam 18 and Mov 10 they make quick work of opposing infantry a good distance from your lines.

What runners can do if they do attack rear is staggering. Their 16 speed and Att 11 makes them terrible if they swing around. Since you can buy 30 to 40 a turn they are a archers worse nightmare. Very few enemy will survive retreating past them.