Peons represent the backbone of your army. They gather gold and lumber to pay for your units, buildings, and spells. You should never really stop training these guys, I usually have 20 or 30 by the time I get to fortress. You should have enough to constantly train ogres in 6 or 7 barracks and not be hurting. Cost:400 gold
Grunts are the first military unit you have available. They are weak compared to the later units, but early in the game, they are invaluable. Many people go straight for ogres and build no grunts. These are the people who lose a lot. Grunts are necessary at the beginning of the game, but once you have 9 or so, then go for stronghold. When you can get ogres, forget grunts. Cost:600 gold
Axethrowers and later Berserkers are the other military unit you have available in the early game. They are generally a waste of money. Early in the game, you'll want grunts, since they are tougher, and later in the game, you'll have ogres. I never make these unless dragons come onto the scene. Cost:500 gold,50 lumber
Ogres are the strongest land unit you have available. Once you can get these guys, don't make any more grunts. They will chew through grunts and axethrowers like you wouldn't believe. Never stop training ogres, they should make up your entire army. Cost:800 gold,100 lumber
Ogre-Mages are one of the best units in the game, and the best for orcs. Bloodlust is the best spell in the game, on either side. It triples the damage your units do. Only the most careful human player will stand a chance against bloodlusted ogres. Bloodlust is pretty much the orcs' solution for everything. Research this as soon as possible! It will be your main weapon. Cost:800 gold,100 lumber Upgrade:1000 gold Spells:1000 gold each
Death Knights are the magic users of the Horde. Details on them and their spells can be found on the land strategy page. Cost:1200 gold
Catapults are the land units that can do the most damage. No land unit can decimate an enemy with more firepower than a catapult. However none can be decimated faster than the catapult. They are extremely slow, and cannot launch their missiles at a target closer than 2 or 3 squares. This leaves them vulnerable to attack by melee units. The solution is to protect them with ogres or grunts. They do, however, take a LONG time to build (nearly as long as a town hall) and will tie up your barracks for a while. Most people don't use catapults except for defense against the invisbile mage trick (see the human strategies for a description). Otherwise, don't bother with these. Cost:900 gold,500 lumber
Sappers are your kamikaze destructo units. They can deal 400 damage to anything touching them when they blow. Use them to destroy farms, important structures (barracks, blacksmith, ogre mounds, fortresses...), or even your opponent's troops. (This ususally isn't too economical for you though, unless you get 5 or 6 guys). Cost:700 gold,250 lumber
Zeppelins are your scouts. Use them to watch the areas around the entrance to your town and detect oncoming attacks. Use them to draw fire from archers into an ambush. Scout out territory, keep tabs on your enemy, anything like that. I ususally have 5 or 6 of these at once. These should have a higher priority than sappers at first. Cost:500 gold,100 lumber
Dragons are referred to in the instruction book as the "ultimate destruction force". Well, that is a bit far off. The only times Dragons are any good are when you haste and bloodlust them, and then only if your enemy isn't expecting them. If you do make dragons, keep them hidden until right before the attack. Otherwise your enemy will be prepared for them. They die too easily. A mage will polymorph them, upgraded rangers will tear them apart, and a death knight will death coil them apart. Only use them if the enemy is unprepared. Try to take out the lumber mill first, so they can't make archers. Otherwise, forget them. They're too expensive, die too easily, and take too long to make. Cost:2500 gold