5 Best Conquest Old Dominion Armies (June 2026) Expert Reviews

Few factions in Conquest capture the imagination quite like the Old Dominion. Inspired by the Eastern Roman and Byzantine empires, this undead army is not your typical shambling horde. These are disciplined, elite soldiers who refuse to stay dead, and they reward patient commanders who enjoy outlasting their opponents through raw resilience and tactical attrition.

Our team has spent months analyzing the best Conquest Old Dominion armies, testing different unit combinations, and poring over community discussions from Reddit to tournament results. Whether you are building your first warband for First Blood skirmishes or assembling a full 2,000-point force for Last Argument of Kings, picking the right units makes all the difference between a frustrating loss and a satisfying grinding victory.

In this guide, we break down five essential Old Dominion products that form the backbone of every competitive and casual army build. From the all-in-one starter warband to specialized cavalry and brute regiments, each product below earns its place in a specific army archetype. We will walk you through what each box contains, how it plays on the table, and which playstyle it suits best.

Top 3 Picks for Conquest Old Dominion Armies

5 Best Conquest Old Dominion Armies in 2026

1. Old Dominion Warband (2026) – Best Starter Set for a Complete Army

If there is one box that defines the starting point for the best Conquest Old Dominion armies, it is this 2026 warband release from Para Bellum. I picked this up as my first foray into the faction, and the value packed into a single box is impressive. You get a Mounted Strategos leading the charge, six Legionnaires (with an option to build Praetorian Guard instead), four Varangian Guard (or Athanatoi), four Cultists (or Hashashins), and a Karyatid. That is a complete warband right out of the gate.

What surprised me most was the extras Para Bellum included beyond the miniatures. The box comes with two random 3D terrain pieces from a pool of six structures, a pack of six dice, a measuring tool, eight command cards, and a license card. For anyone starting Conquest from scratch, this box genuinely has everything you need to play your first game of First Blood without buying anything else.

On the table, the Mounted Strategos is the standout piece. Community discussions on Reddit consistently mention how dominating this character can be, to the point where some players feel it crowds out other hero options. The Legionnaires form your defensive core, the Varangian Guard or Athanatoi give you elite melee teeth, and the Cultists provide flexible support. It is a well-rounded foundation that you can expand in any direction.

The miniatures themselves are 38mm scale plastic and come unpainted, so expect to spend a weekend assembling and basing everything. The detail on the sprues is sharp, and the Byzantine aesthetic really comes through in the sculpted armor and flowing robes. At 1.6 pounds, this box has genuine weight to it.

Who Should Buy This Warband Box

This box is the clear choice for anyone new to the Old Dominion faction or even new to Conquest as a whole. If you have been reading faction comparison guides and settled on Old Dominion as your first army, start here and skip the confusion of individual unit purchases. It is also a solid pickup for existing players who want a second Strategos mount option or spare infantry stands for larger TLAOK games at 2,000 points.

Tournament players will appreciate having a ready-made warband core that can slot into multiple army archetypes. The unit variety means you can experiment with Legionnaire Rush builds, Balanced Warband compositions, or even an Elite Athanatoi Deathstar without buying additional boxes right away.

What to Know Before Building

The dual-kit nature of the infantry sprues means you must choose between Legionnaires or Praetorian Guard, and between Varangian Guard or Athanatoi, at assembly time. You cannot field both variants from a single box. Plan your army build before gluing anything. I recommend building Legionnaires and Athanatoi from this set for the most versatile starting combination, since Legionnaires anchor your line and Athanatoi give you that elite grind potential.

Also note that stock is extremely tight. At the time of writing, only one unit was left in stock. If you see this box available, grab it quickly because it sells out fast among the Conquest community.

2. Centaur Prodromoi – Best Cavalry for Flanking Strategies

The Centaur Prodromoi bring something the Old Dominion infantry core desperately needs: speed. These half-horse undead warriors can cross the table fast, hit a vulnerable flank, and shatter an opponent’s battle line before they have time to react. I have run them in multiple games now, and their combination of mobility and melee power makes them one of the most impactful units you can add to any Old Dominion force.

This box gives you three Centaur Prodromoi miniatures with their cavalry stands and bases, plus a command card. The sculpts capture that eerie blend of Greek mythology and undead horror that defines the Old Dominion aesthetic. The centaurs look like reanimated warhorses fused with skeletal riders, and the detail on the plastic sprues makes painting them a rewarding project. At 1.06 pounds and 11.8 by 6 by 2.5 inches, the box is compact but dense with quality miniatures.

On the tabletop, the Centaur Prodromoi are the backbone of what the community calls the Centaur Cavalrymobile army build. This archetype focuses on speed and flanking maneuvers rather than the slow attrition grind that Old Dominion is known for. It is a refreshing change of pace if you want to play Old Dominion but prefer aggressive, mobile tactics over defensive turtling. Pair them with Kataphraktoi heavy cavalry and Karyatids support for a mounted force that can outmaneuver almost any opponent.

Best Army Builds for This Unit

The Centaur Cavalrymobile build is the obvious pairing. Center your army around three to four stands of Centaur Prodromoi, add Kataphraktoi for heavy cavalry punch, and include a Karyatid or two for support. This build excels at picking apart isolated enemy units and contesting objectives across a wide board.

You can also run a single stand of Prodromoi in a Balanced Warband build as a flanking threat. Even one unit of fast cavalry forces your opponent to respect your outer flanks, which takes pressure off your core infantry advancing up the middle. This flexibility is what makes the Prodromoi box such good value.

How It Performs on the Tabletop

In practice, the Centaur Prodromoi thrive when they have room to maneuver. On tables with open flanks and multiple approach lanes, they are devastating. On cramped tables with heavy terrain, they struggle to build momentum and can get bogged down in prolonged melee fights where their speed advantage disappears.

I found that the sweet spot is running them as a flanking pair rather than sending them head-on into the enemy battle line. Use them to chase down vulnerable support units, war machine crews, or isolated character models. Their charge impact is strong enough to win most one-on-one engagements, but they will lose a war of attrition against dedicated infantry blocks.

3. Old Dominion Legionnaires – Core Infantry Backbone

The Legionnaires are to the Old Dominion what bread is to a sandwich: absolutely essential and surprisingly satisfying when done right. Every competitive Old Dominion army list I have seen includes at least one regiment of Legionnaires, and for good reason. They are your defensive line, your objective holders, and the anvil against which enemy forces break themselves. This box is the most affordable entry point into the faction, making it our budget pick.

What makes the Legionnaires box particularly appealing is the dual kit format. You can build them as standard Legionnaires for a durable defensive block, or as Praetorian Guard for a more elite, harder-hitting variant. This flexibility means one box can serve different roles depending on what your army needs. I usually recommend building your first box as Legionnaires to anchor your battle line, then picking up a second box to build as Praetorian Guard for a more aggressive front.

The Classic Legionnaire Rush army build centers around multiple regiments of these infantry backed by a Strategos. It is the most straightforward Old Dominion archetype to learn, and it teaches you the core mechanics of the faction: hold the line, absorb casualties, and grind your opponent down through sheer resilience. The Legionnaires embody that playstyle perfectly.

Why Every Army Needs Legionnaires

Even cavalry-heavy builds like the Centaur Cavalrymobile benefit from a small Legionnaire contingent. You need something to hold the center of the board while your fast units work the flanks. Legionnaires are also your best bet for holding objectives in the mid-board, since their defensive stats let them survive sustained attention from enemy shooting and melee.

From a collecting standpoint, most 2,000-point lists run two to three stands of Legionnaires or Praetorian Guard. That means you will likely want two or three of these boxes over time. Starting with one lets you test the waters and decide whether you prefer the defensive Legionnaire profile or the more aggressive Praetorian Guard upgrade.

Dual Kit Build Options Explained

The dual kit includes all the parts to build either Legionnaires or Praetorian Guard, but you cannot mix both in a single box. Legionnaires are the cost-effective defensive option with solid staying power. Praetorian Guard trade some durability for better offensive output, making them better suited for aggressive pushes.

For beginners, I recommend Legionnaires for your first box. They are more forgiving when you make positioning mistakes, and they teach you how the Old Dominion attrition playstyle works. Once you understand the rhythm of the faction, pick up a second box for Praetorian Guard to add some punch to your line.

4. Kanephors – Heavy Hitting Brute Regiment

The Kanephors are the hammer to the Legionnaires’ anvil. These Animate Construct miniatures tower over regular infantry, and when they crash into an enemy line, the impact is immediate and decisive. I added a regiment of Kanephors to my Balanced Warband build and was genuinely surprised at how much table presence they command. Opponents see them across the board and immediately start planning around them, which gives you a psychological edge before the first dice are rolled.

This box is the only Old Dominion product in our lineup with actual customer reviews, and it carries a perfect 5.0-star rating from two verified buyers. That is a small sample size, but it speaks to the quality of the sculpts and the satisfaction of the buyers. The miniatures are large, imposing, and capture the undead construct aesthetic perfectly. The medieval thematic styling fits seamlessly into any Old Dominion force.

As a dual kit, you can build these as either Kanephors or Karyatids. The Kanephors are your offensive brutes, designed to smash through enemy formations. The Karyatids are a more defensive support option that pairs well with character models. For most army builds, I recommend the Kanephors build since it fills a role that other Old Dominion units cannot easily replicate.

When to Add Kanephors to Your Army

The Balanced Warband archetype is where the Kanephors truly shine. This build mixes infantry regiments for board control with a Kanephors brick for raw offensive power. Position your Legionnaires to hold objectives and screen flanks, then drive the Kanephors straight at the most dangerous enemy unit. The Constructs are tough enough to survive the charge and strong enough to win the ensuing fight.

You can also run Kanephors in a Bone Golem Anchor build as a supporting brute alongside the golems and a Kheres support construct. The combination of multiple large Constructs advancing together creates a wall of hard-to-kill models that most opponents simply cannot deal with efficiently.

Assembly and Table Presence

At 14.08 ounces, this is a lighter box than you might expect for brutes, but the miniatures themselves are substantial once assembled. The Animate Construct design means sharp edges, exposed joints, and a general sense of unnatural purpose that looks fantastic on the table. Painting them with a pale bone and rusted iron color scheme makes them pop against the darker tones of the rest of your Old Dominion army.

Keep in mind this is one of the few Old Dominion products not eligible for Prime shipping. Plan your purchase with enough lead time before your next game day. With only two units left in stock at the time of writing, availability is tight.

5. Kheres – Undead Support Construct

The Kheres is one of those units that does not grab headlines but consistently delivers when you need it. As an undead construct with support capabilities and solid damage output, the Kheres fills a specific niche in the Old Dominion roster. I started using one in my Bone Golem Anchor build, and it quickly became the piece I relied on to finish off weakened enemy units that my Constructs had softened up.

This product carries a perfect 5.0-star rating from its single verified review, which is encouraging for a niche unit. The miniature itself is a small-base construct with an eerie, animated-dead aesthetic that fits right at home alongside the Kanephors and Bone Golems in your collection. At just 16 ounces and a compact 6 by 3 inch box, it is a modest physical package that delivers outsized tabletop impact.

The Kheres excels as a support piece that amplifies the effectiveness of your heavier Constructs. Position it behind your Bone Golems or Kanephors, and it can clean up enemy stragglers, threaten flanking attempts, or hold a rear objective while your main force pushes forward. It is not a unit that wins games on its own, but it makes every other unit around it more effective.

Army Synergies with Kheres

The Bone Golem Anchor build is the natural home for the Kheres. In this archetype, you run multiple Bone Golem or Construct units as a solid center, supported by Kataphraktoi cavalry on the flanks. The Kheres slots in as a support character that adds damage output and Construct synergy. When the enemy tries to focus down your Constructs, the Kheres punishes their commitment by picking off weakened models.

You can also run the Kheres in a Balanced Warband as a flexible support piece. It does not require the same level of army commitment as a full Construct build, so it works well as a singleton character that provides utility without eating into your regiment points budget. For casual games especially, the Kheres adds flavor and thematic depth to your force.

Beginner vs Competitive Use

For beginners, the Kheres is a lower priority purchase compared to Legionnaires or the Warband box. It is a supporting character, not a core unit, and you need a solid army foundation before the Kheres adds meaningful value. I would recommend picking this up as your third or fourth purchase after you have your infantry and cavalry sorted.

For competitive players, the Kheres has a place in specific Construct-heavy builds, but it is not an auto-include in every list. Its value depends heavily on the rest of your army composition and the local meta. If you are facing opponents with lots of elite single-model units, the Kheres provides the finishing damage you need to close out engagements efficiently.

How to Choose the Right Old Dominion Army for Your Playstyle?

Building the best Conquest Old Dominion armies starts with understanding how you like to play. The Old Dominion faction is inherently defensive and attrition-focused, but within that framework, there are distinct army archetypes that suit different temperaments. Let me walk you through the five main builds and the units each one requires.

The Classic Legionnaire Rush is the most beginner-friendly build. You load up on Legionnaires and Praetorian Guard, add a Strategos for leadership, and march your infantry brick straight at the enemy. This army wins by absorbing damage, holding objectives, and grinding opponents down through superior resilience. It teaches you every core Old Dominion mechanic. Start with the Warband box and add extra Legionnaire boxes as needed.

The Centaur Cavalrymobile flips the script on what people expect from Old Dominion. Instead of slow infantry, you run Centaur Prodromoi and Kataphraktoi in a fast, aggressive cavalry force. This build is for players who want the Old Dominion aesthetic but prefer mobility and flanking tactics over defensive slogging. You will need at least one Centaur Prodromoi box plus cavalry support units.

The Elite Athanatoi Deathstar is a grind-focused build that centers on Athanatoi elite infantry supported by a Blessed Character and Varangian Guard. This army creates an almost unbreakable infantry block that slowly pushes across the table, absorbing everything the enemy throws at it. Community feedback suggests this build has become less dominant recently due to Strategos balance changes, but it remains a solid choice for patient players.

The Balanced Warband is the versatile all-rounder. You take Legionnaires for core infantry, Kanephors for brute offensive power, and a mix of support units for flexibility. This build adapts well to different opponents and scenarios, making it a great choice for tournament play where you face varied factions. Start with the Warband box, then add Kanephors and cavalry to round out your options.

The Bone Golem Anchor is the specialist Construct build. You center your army around Bone Golems and other Constructs, supported by the Kheres for damage amplification and Kataphraktoi for cavalry support. This build creates a slow but nearly unstoppable wall of undead machinery that overwhelms opponents through sheer toughness. It is a niche build that requires specific unit investments, but the visual impact on the table is unmatched.

When choosing your army, consider your local gaming group and the factions you face most often. Against aggressive armies like Nords, the Classic Legionnaire Rush gives you the staying power to absorb their charge and counter-attack. Against shooty factions, the Centaur Cavalrymobile lets you close the distance fast and tie up their ranged units in melee. The Balanced Warband is your safest bet if you are unsure what you will face.

Budget is another factor. The Warband box gives you the most models per dollar and is the only product that includes terrain and gaming accessories. From there, Legionnaires boxes are the most affordable regiment option. Cavalry and Brute boxes cost more but fill roles that infantry simply cannot replicate. Build your collection gradually, starting with core units and adding specialists as your budget allows.

One thing the Reddit community consistently highlights is that the meta shifts based on your region. German tournament results can look different from US results, and your local group may favor different playstyles. Do not chase a meta build blindly. Instead, pick an archetype that matches your natural playstyle and invest in mastering it. A well-played Balanced Warband will outperform a poorly executed meta list every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts on Building Your Old Dominion Army

The best Conquest Old Dominion armies are not built overnight. They are assembled piece by piece, starting with a solid foundation and growing into a force that reflects your personal playstyle. The Warband box gives you the strongest possible start, the Legionnaires and Centaur Prodromoi fill essential roles in almost every build, and specialist units like the Kanephors and Kheres add the finishing touches that turn a good army into a great one.

Old Dominion rewards patience, both in collecting and in playing. Take your time learning what each unit does, experiment with different army archetypes, and do not be afraid to rebuild your lists as the meta evolves. The undead legions of the Old Dominion have waited centuries for their return. A few weeks of practice is a small price to pay to command them properly.