Scouts are one of the most important strategic tools in Travian: Legends. They allow you to gather information about enemy villages, armies, resources, and movements. No matter which tribe you play, understanding how scouts work—and how to use them effectively—can make a significant difference in both offense and defense.

Scout Units by Tribe

Each tribe has a dedicated scouting unit, each with different strengths, costs, and requirements. All scouts have zero base attack, but they excel at intelligence gathering and anti-scout defense.

Scout Units Overview

• Teutons – Scout
  Cheap and consumes only 1 crop per hour.

• Gauls – Pathfinder
  Fast scout unit with good overall stats.

• Romans – Equites Legati
  A cavalry scout that becomes extremely crop-efficient (1 crop) when supported by a level 10 Horse Drinking Trough.

• Huns – Spotter
  The fastest scout in the game; excellent for rapid intel.

• Egyptians – Sopdu Explorer
  Balanced stats and standard speed for cavalry scouts.

• Spartans – Sentinel
  The strongest infantry scout for anti-scout defense but also the most expensive infantry scout.

• Vikings – Heimdall’s Eye
  Very cheap infantry scout, similar to the Teuton version.

Scout Highlights & Advantages

Teuton, Viking, and Spartan Scouts (Infantry Scouts)

• Consume only 1 crop per hour.

• Ideal for stationary anti-scout defense in key villages.

• Spartan Sentinels are expensive but provide double the defensive strength of most infantry scouts.

Huns Spotters

• The fastest scouts in Travian.

• Excellent for quick checks on enemy activity, timing army launches, and tracking enemy movements.

Roman Equites Legati

• When supported by a Horse Drinking Trough (level 10), they also consume only 1 crop per hour.

• Their combination of speed and efficiency makes them ideal for alliance-level scouting operations.

How Alliances Use Scouts

Scouts become even more valuable when coordinated within an alliance. Some advanced uses include:

1. Calculating Enemy Army Size Through Crop Consumption

By scouting specific villages and comparing crop usage, alliances can estimate how large an opponent’s hammer is and prepare defenses accordingly.

2. Timing Enemy Army Launches

Scouting villages at intervals helps determine when enemies send their attacks. This allows defenders to prepare stacks or plan counter-attacks.

3. Scouting for Hidden Hammers

Sending even a single scout to key villages or nearby oases can reveal if a hammer is hidden there.

These tactics are standard in organized alliances and often determine the outcome of major battles.

Tips and Tricks for Better Scouting

• Upgraded scouts do have offensive power.
  They show “0” attack in-game, but smithy upgrades give them real attack values due to crop consumption scaling.

  • Upgraded infantry scouts: ~6.4 attack

  • Upgraded cavalry scouts: ~12.7 attack
    This can matter when escorting chiefs or senators during a conquest.

• Walls strengthen anti-scout defense.
  Even a small number of scouts can become significantly harder to defeat behind a high-level wall.

• Daily quests like “Raid/Attack Natar village” or “Attack/raid an oasis” can be completed using scouts, which is helpful for defensive players who rarely attack.

• Crop consumption depends on the village where scouts are stationed or reinforced.
  For example, Equites Legati only consume 1 crop in villages with a level 10 Horse Drinking Trough.
  If you send them as reinforcements to another village without one, they will consume 2 crop, regardless of their home village.

• If you want to hide the hero from showing up during scout defense on the home village, enable the setting:
  “Hero will hide during an attack on their home village.”

Summary

Every tribe has access to effective scouting options. Choosing the right scout unit depends on your tribe, your role in your alliance, and your preferred playstyle. Scouts help you gather information, anticipate enemy actions, and make informed strategic decisions—making them a crucial part of successful gameplay.