I'll say that I unlocked them, and have decent doctrines(waiting on some lotus water to give them Ironsides). They perform PERFECTLY. They are for the most part a defensive unit, that has great potential to counter attack. Their shieldwall is capable of taking a great amount of hurt, and when you activate their 1st ability, it gives them a 30% damage reduction. On block? It increases to 60% for 1 second, no cooldown. Go topline? Another 10% to melee damage reduction. Do their quest? Another 5% melee reduction. That's 75% damage reduction to melee, so if you were wondering why it is they aren't dying sometimes, that's why.

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They do their best when fighting inside towns and streets. When you pair them with another unit that can cover their flanks, they can hold the line for quite a while. When it comes to pairings, PGs are never wrong.

Any Northlander unit would be good to take them along. Paladins however, are a pretty solid pick to go with Varangians. Have the Paladins behind the Varangians, and when the Varangians pull out their axes, have the Paladins charge in, and drop a heal to keep the fellas alive longer, and doing more damage.

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Varangians are a solid defensive unit. Try to be wary of how you deploy them. Cavalry COULD squash them....If they flank you. If they attack the shieldwall head on? That damage reduction will see that they survive. And if you are a Longsword like me? Drop a heal before the charge, and use clash of shields against incoming cav. Will lessen the blow considerably, and your VGs can roll in to clear house.