Mmm... it's really good. That's a very popular opinion, and for good reason. Huscarls are extremely powerful. But the Rhodok Sergeant is more dangerous against mounted units I've found. An isolated Huscarl is likely to just get lanced: they need to be in a tight formation (a shield wall) to deal with cavalry. A Rhodok Sergeant, on the other hand, can be dangerous to charging cavalry even if isolated due to his long polearm. And the fact that his onehanded weapon deals piercing damage (it's a military pick) makes him a bit more threatening against any heavily armored unit. The Huscarl has throwing weapons, Rhodok Sergeants have polearms. I don't fear fighting AI controlled Nords on the open field because the AI breaks its infantry formation when it engages, whereas I have to think twice against Rhodoks who have excellent ranged pressure with their sharpshooters and very dangerous infantry that almost makes me want to dismount.dangoball said:
The thing about elite infantry is that the attributes of the unit matter less than the positioning. They all carry shields and they are all very capable when in a formation or they have a concave around one side of a chokepoint. The most important thing is telling them to stand close together and hold position where you want the fight to occur. Mixing Rhodok Sergeants and Nord Huscarls together is probably the most effective way to play a style that is heavy on infantry. One other thing about Rhodok Sergeants is that their lack of throwing weapons makes them slightly more resilient against opposing archers at medium range. They keep their shields raised where Huscarls might wind up a throw and end up taking a few arrow hits. And of course they are all near infinitely more effective if a player is hacking up whatever they're fighting with overhead swings using a giant poleaxe or two-handed sword.
Overall, I'd say the two units are about equal in strength, with Huscarls being a bit stronger in castle sieges and Rhodok Sergeants being the more versatile option on the open field. I don't think you can go wrong with either of them, and mixing them is good too. Fights between them are more about the particulars of the engagement than anything else.