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Hello there, and welcome to the 8th edition Empire handbook. The purpose of this thread is to
provide a handy reference for anyone new to the Empire army to get a quick primer on
conventional wisdom regarding what is known about the army, as well as a hub of discussion for
more experienced players to provide feedback and ensure that we are presenting the most upto-date and accurate thoughts on how to play this army effectively.
Assumptions:
Before we begin, I will point out a few assumptions made when making this handbook:
1. No comp is considered when rating units. While I'm aware of certain popular comp
systems such as ETC, I believe that the majority of environments actually play uncomped
Warhammer, and it's also too much of a chore to tailor the advice for whatever restrictions any
local group may or may not have. I'm not going to bother to do so, and I'm also going to give
less consideration to any argument for or against a certain unit that begins with "Well, in my
playgroup, we use [insert comp restrictions here]...".
2. This handbook assumes you're making a competitive army. If you're making a themed
list, maybe you can use some of the stuff that's in here, but know that you're not the target
audience. The goal of this handbook is to present an objective view of what an Empire general
can and should do to prepare a list that can win games. Themes often make sacrifices in
playability in the name of aesthetic cohesion, so I don't think I have to explain how there could
be some disagreement between that and what we're doing here.
3. This handbook is made for all-comers lists. If you only play one army over and over
again, there are certain choices that go up or down in relative value. In this case, we'll consider
all armies when making our choices (including the mirror-match), as tailoring is looked down
upon in certain circles and downright illegal in competitive tournaments.
Ratings Scale:
OK, with all that said, it's time to introduce the ratings scale. I prefer to do this in color-coding,
as shown below:
Red is dead. This is a choice that's so bad, it actively detracts from your army synergy and
makes your list a worse one overall.
Yellow is conditional. It may shine in certain matchup or when used in certain ways, but in
general it's a subpar choice.
Green is the average. Not necessarily a great choice, but it's rarely one you'll end up regretting.
Blue is an above-average or exceptional choice. These options frequently increase army synergy
and overall list strength.
Purple is the highest rating in this handbook, and it's reserved for choices that should be staples
in virtually all competitive lists. Don't leave home without 'em.
References:
Here, we will collect references to threads that may provide useful information and/or
mathematical support to the arguments presented in this Handbook.
This section is dedicated to discussing what a successful Empire army is expected to look like.
While there will obviously be variation based on an individual player's preferences and other
factors, you can expect a tournament-caliber Empire army to share most (if not all) of the
following characteristics:
1. The Empire is a versatile army. One quick look at the Army List section of the book will
show you a wide breadth of units, and most competitive lists will take advantage of it.
Maneuverability, magical might, shooting and close combat punch - we have access to all of it,
and it can be employed in various combinations to concoct a successful list. Which brings me to
my second point...
2. The Empire is a combined arms force. While we do have a huge variety of options, rather
few of them can be said to truly stand out on their own. This is an army where the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts, and concerted efforts will yield maximum results. This is
especially true for close combat, where the average Human doesn't stack up particularly well
with most of what's out there without a generous helping of other factors.
3. The Empire is a troop-centric army. Some armies in Warhammer Fantasy have the ability
to field overpowering characters, whose individual prowess is equal to or greater than entire
units. The Empire is not one of those armies. While characters play an important role in making
sure your troops stand their ground and are capable of doing what you ask of them, at the end
of the day, it's up to them to win the fights.
Detachments
The signature special rule of the Empire, this allows you to essentially "tie" units to one another
in order to extract some benefits, namely the carryover of a variety of special rules and the
ability to reduce the minimum size of units. Overall, I feel that this is an ability whose potency
is user-dependent. Allow me to elaborate:
1. The decreased minimum unit size is nice, but nothing special. While it's great that you
can field 5-man Detachments for chaff/redirector purposes (Archers excel at this role), multiple
armies have the ability to do so without having to tie their guys to a big block. In essence, all
that fielding them as Detachments does is bring you back up to where other armies were by
default, which takes some of the luster off.
2. The range of the transference effect is very short. While being able to get special rules
like Hatred, Stubborn, and even Steadfast on your Detachments can indeed be potent, one has
to bear in mind that it's only in a 3" radius. Now, the reason why this can be problematic (aside
from the obvious spacing issues) is that you are in no way protected from Panic tests if the
Detachment in question bites the dust, and the more tests you take, the more likely you are to
fail one.
3. The Regimental Unit can do little to protect its Detachment. Now, the flagship ability
that a lot of folks think of when discussing Detachments is either Counter-charge or Supporting
Fire, and those are indeed potent if they come to fruition. The issue is that a savvy opponent can
neutralize these abilities with units of his own - you're not saving points if you bring
Detachments large enough for those abilities to matter, and then the foe can have other units of
his own charge the Detachments while his big block goes about the business of fighting your
Regimental Unit, and there's not much that can be done about that.
If you're looking to make the most out of this special rule, be sure to check out Holy Hand
Grenade's most excellentGriffon Formation. You'll find a very complete and interesting tactica
on how to make sure you make the most of it. I will also point out a nice trick for Detachments since the parent unit's ranks determines whether you are Steadfast or not, there's no reason to
field Detachments whose job is to hold units up in standard (which is to say, 5-wide) formation.
A 3 x 3 cube is very useful for this purpose, for example.
Battle Prayers
In this section, we will discuss the Battle Prayers avaiable to Warrior Priests and Arch Lectors,
and what situations they excel in. A key note to remember here is that Innate Bound Spells
won't impose adverse effects upon you if they are cast with irresistible force and won't break
your concentration if you fail to cast them, so you shouldn't be afraid to 1-dice or 6-dice them,
as the situation warrants.
Hammer of Sigmar - A big-time benefit when combined with Hatred, this ups your kill count
more dramatically than most other buffs out there, particularly if your troops are good at
piercing armor to begin with (or if you're not facing a whole lot of it). Once combat is joined, you
probably want to set aside 1-2 dice for this every turn. That said, if you think your opponent will
commit significant resources to try and stop it, go ahead and throw more dice at it; it's important
that you get this off.
Shield of Faith - This prayer takes a different tack than Hammer of Sigmar does - instead of
helping you kill, it protects your troops from harm. This is arguably just as valuable when State
Troops are its target, but it doesn't really have the same juice on Knights, who are already well
protected. Still a useful spell, though I wouldn't be going out of my way for it like I would for
Hammer of Sigmar.
Soulfire - Flaming on demand is pretty nice when you're fighting something that Regenerates,
and slapping on a couple of hits while in combat is also cool. You'll get maximum juice from this
prayer if cast by a Arch Lector on a War Altar, but it's something to be considered every time
you're in combat, as every hit does count.
Unbending Righteousness - While this prayer can only be cast by the special character Luthor
Huss, we'll discuss it here. Stubborn is good to have, especially for a Knight unit caught in a
grind-it-out combat, where a foe's static CR might be enough to tip the scales against them.
Last Edit: April 20, 2013, 04:30:58 PM by rothgar13
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Posts: 1795
Magic Analysis
Here, we'll be parsing through the magic selection available to The Empire. This is one of the
armies that have access to all 8 rulebook Lores, so there are lots of ways you can use magic to
your benefit.
Lore of Beasts
Lore Attribute - Wildheart: Lowering the difficulty on the spells of a Lore that has high casting
values is nice, but it doesn't apply to that many of our units. At its best if you're running cavalryheavy.
0. Wyssan's Wildform: One of the best signature spells in the game, and it's especially
valuable for us, because high Strength and Toughness are in relatively short supply here.
1. The Flock of Doom: A magic missile with low Strength. You can do better with your own
shooting and spells from other Lores. Not useless, but disappointing.
2. Pann's Impenetrable Pelt: A Toughness bump this large is nice, even if it only affects one
model. You'll get maximum juice out of it if you go for cheap characters, though the casting
value in that case is high.
3. The Amber Spear: A magical pseudo-bolt thrower or cannon shot, this helps deal with
Ethereals, as well as giving you another multiple-wound shot you can use to down other targets.
4. The Curse of Anraheir: This spell does a bit of everything; water down shooting, give you a
leg up in close combat, and (most importantly) really put a clamp on the movement options of a
large unit. Very nice.
5. The Savage Beast of Horros: Given that the gripe about Empire characters is that their
offensive statlines aren't much to write home about, this spell is valuable. Again, at its best if
you went the cheap character route.
6. Transformation of Kadon: Going from wimpy Wizard to big monster sounds cool in theory,
but being Remains in Play makes it a bit scary (since an opponent that can weather the storm
can pull the rug from under you), and it isn't easy to cast. I think this spell is too risky, especially
considering that the Wizard has to be on foot.
Overall: While this Lore isn't much of a ranged threat, Empire can get that elsewhere, and its
combat boons are much appreciated. This Lore is at its best when you use lots of cavalry and/or
cheap characters, so that you can charge in and use it to put you over the top, but any army can
make use of the signature spell. A L1 caster will suffice, but you can go up to a L4 and still get
good mileage out of it.
Lore of Death
Lore Attribute - Life Leeching: While it is a bit unreliable, the ability to get dice to keep going
have already cast a spell on the target in order to get it means that your opponent can stop this
from being relevant even before it starts (though it can maybe push you past a casting value you
would otherwise not meet).
0. Fireball: While the hits are stuck at S4, having 3 different "intensities" make this a very
versatile damage spell capable of going after lone models, small chaff units, and even thinning
down blocks. Useful.
1. Cascading Fire-Cloak: I'll start by saying that this spell is cheap to cast, and it's a nice way
for your Wizard bunker to deal with chaff trying to harass it. That said, if that bunker is getting
hit by anything other than that, this won't save it.
2. Flaming Sword of Rhuin: Flaming and magical attacks on both close combat and shooting
enable you to deal with otherwise thorny issues (Ethereals and Regenerators), and the bump on
the To Wound chart is always welcome. Arguably the best spell in the Lore for us.
3. The Burning Head: It does a little damage, but its true purpose is to fish for Panic by hitting
several units and making them test. The value of that varies wildly, so I'm not a fan. That said,
hitting a big block straight down the line can hurt.
4. Piercing Bolts of Burning: A straight damage spell, aimed at thinning down blocks. That's
nice, but there are many other ways to do that here. Not bad, mind you, but not all that
impressive, either.
5. Fulminating Flame Cage: A great way for Empire to put enemy Hordes in a catch-22 - if
they don't move forward, you hammer them with shooting; if they do, this spell hammers them.
Very synergistic with artillery.
6. Flame Storm: A Fireball will usually get you more hits than this with better range, and that's
all you need to know about it.
Overall: While this Lore has a some nice spells, it's limited in scope (there's only so much you
can do with various ways of dealing S4 hits), it does not deal with armor well, and some of the
spells are duds. I'd say a L2 is about as high as I would go, and I might stick to a L1 Scroll
caddy.
Lore of Heavens
Lore Attribute - Roiling Winds: While this Attribute is conditional, it puts extra hurt on units
that you want dead ASAP, and lots of the spells in the Lore can deliver those hits. I think it's
fairly useful.
0. Iceshard Blizzard: This is a very versatile spell, as it can mess with the foe's ability to do
damage in both close combat and shooting, and it imposes a Leadership penalty as icing. Plus,
it's cheap to cast. A good mix of effects.
1. Harmonic Convergence: While re-rolling 1s may not strike you as the greatest benefit ever,
the fact that it applies to so many things we do, that it can be bubbled, and that it's easy to cast
make it an incredibly useful choice.
2. Wind Blast: At first, this spell doesn't seem like it does much, but the ability to get foes out
of easy charge range has use, as can knocking chaff units into each other and hoping to cause
Panic. You have to be creative to wring any use out of it, so you're likely better off swapping it
out for the signature spell.
3. Curse of the Midnight Wind: A great way to essentially turn off abilities such as Poison or
Killing Blow, as well as giving you a better chance against armor. Given Empire's statlines,
though, the impact in actually reducing hits and wounds taken is nothing special.
4. Urannon's Thunderbolt: A magic missile with few hits, but those hits have a lot of steam on
them. A good complement to Empire small arms fire (it also helps solve the Ethereal problem),
and it's got great range if you augment it too.
5. Comet of Cassandora: This spell can be brutal on foes in castle formation, and it will force
most chaff to vacate the premises, but it doesn't really have the hit output to scare big blocks,
and its unreliable range of effect really limits what you can expect from it. Not bad, but too
swingy for my taste.
6. Chain Lightning: Unlike its smaller cousin, you can lob this spell at just about any unit, and
then rely on the bounce to wreak havoc. My only gripe is that its damage is spread out rather
than focused, but it's still nice.
Overall: I feel that this Lore is a jack-of-all-trades - it can help you at a distance as well as in
close combat, and its effects range from damage to movement control to buffs. Because of its
versatility, I consider it one of the premium Lores for the Empire. Anything from a L1 to a L4 can
do well here.
Lore of Life
Lore Attribute - Lifebloom: An amazing Lore Attribute, the ability to heal multiple-Wound
models such as characters, Demigryph Knights, and Steam Tanks is rare, and for good reason.
This is one of the major reasons to take the Lore in the first place.
0. Earth Blood: While Regeneration on a unit is obviously a strong benefit, this spell's stock is
hurt by the fact that it only affects the Wizard's unit, which should usually be nowhere near
fights that matter. As such, it's of iffy value unless you find his bunker under siege.
1. Awakening of the Wood: A basic damage spell that gets a bit more formidable if your target
is within a forest. The most obvious application is to clear out small units using the forest for
cover, as well as Skirmishers that may look to jam your blocks via Stubborn. Nothing special, but
usable.
2. Flesh to Stone: A Toughness bump is very welcome in an army that frankly doesn't have the
best numbers in that stat - it can take Knights from tough to almost unkillable, and even State
Troops have staying power when under its effects. Nice.
3. Throne of Vines: While this spell seems formidable on the surface, because everyone
obviously loves ignoring miscasts and boosting other spells you cast is always good, I have
several issues with it:
1. It does almost nothing on its own - it can protect you from a miscast if it happened while you
cast it, but otherwise you need to keep going.
2. It takes up one of your spells known - Since Loremaster or even bonus spells known items are
not available, this takes up a space a standalone spell could have taken.
3. Empire doesn't have many sources of bonus dice - Apart from a Hurricanum and/or a good
round of channeling, you're stuck with what you roll for power dice, and that means that a savvy
opponent will let this spell through, and focus on stopping the spells you try and cast later.
With all that in mind, I'm going to say it's a decent boost, but nothing you should bend over
backwards for.
4. Shield of Thorns: While the Strength of the hits is kind of meh, this is one of the few
damage spells that you can sneak into a combat, and it sticks around. To boot, it's an easy cast
for a high-level Wizard. Nice.
5. Regrowth: Sure, it won't heal your beefy lone models like Lifebloom will, but putting dead
guys back on the table is kind of a big deal, especially for cavalry units who are hard to put down
in the first place.
6. The Dwellers Below: This "nuke spell" is a potent one, because it's guaranteed to catch
everyone in the unit, and characters don't get Look Out, Sir! rolls against it. That makes it one of
the best ways to try and pick off enemy Wizards and other support characters, as well as dealing
with Hordes. One of the best spells in Warhammer, even if the range and casting cost are less
than ideal.
Overall: I think this is the best Lore that we have access to, thanks to its presence both at range
and up close, and its synergy with our heavily armored, multiple-Wound models. I don't think it's
great on a L1 caster, but anything other than that and you should strongly consider it.
Lore of Light
Lore Attribute - Exorcism: A conditional Attribute, given that most armies won't have a target
for it and that a lot of the spells in the Lore can't use it. That said, it is potent enough to still be
considered useful.
0. Shem's Burning Gaze: A basic magic missile in its default version, but the boosted version
broadens its target range by boosting both range and Strength. I'm fond of this spell.
1. Pha's Protection: Imposing difficulties on enemies trying to attack you is good, and the fact
that it can be bubble-cast makes it even better. A potent defensive spell.
2. The Speed of Light: Given that Empire troops don't have much to write home about in the
WS/I departments, taking them all the way up to 10 is a huge swing, especially if you affect
multiple combats. Works well on both offense and defense.
3. Light of Battle: While auto-rallying and auto-passing Leadership tests is a nice way to make
up for the dice failing you, its applicability is limited, since you have to be in a situation to take
those tests (and where passing is unlikely) for this to make an impact. Not bad, but not
something you'll be throwing out there every turn.
4. Net of Amyntok: This spell is unique in that it's one of the few ways you can try to inhibit
your foe from casting spells. It can also be used to try and hold down a foe fleeing combat.
Unfortunately, passing a Strength test isn't exactly the most stringent restriction, and if they
pass this does nothing. It has potential, but I think you need to be lucky in order to get good
mileage out of it.
5. Banishment: One of the beefier damage spells out there, this one feeds off having more
casters with the Lore nearby. Not the greatest if you have a lone Wizard, but if you commit to
making it better, it can be quite powerful.
6. Birona's Timewarp: This spell is very potent - doubling a unit's movement opens up a lot of
options, and Always Strikes First with +1 Attack isn't chopped liver. The casting cost on the
bubbled version is a bit tough to meet, but well worth it.
Overall: This is a Lore I'm very high on, because of how well it patches up weaknesses in the
army. It also gets better the more you invest in it. I would consider having a L1 Scroll caddy in
every list, and it really comes into its own if you are willing to pay for several L1 casters plus a
L4.
Lore of Metal
Lore Attribute - Metalshifting: I feel the designers dropped the ball here. Given that most
spells for the Lore of Metal don't inflict hits, this ability should have been written into the text for
the few that do, and then a nice Lore attribute should have been written up. As it stands, I am
disappointed.
0. Searing Doom: This is a conditional spell, but if you went light on armor penetration, you will
be glad to have it, particularly because it can do double duty and beat up Regenerators with an
armor save (looking at you, Hydras and Chimeras).
1. Plague of Rust: It's a permanent effect, but it's rather incremental for my taste, and I'd
rather go for the kill using Searing Doom than whittle away at their save and then shoot or fight
- less moving parts involved.
2. Enchanted Blades of Aiban: This is a nice spell, as Armor Piercing and +1 to hit are both
big-time benefits in close combat and shooting (though much of our shooting already has the
former). It's also an easy cast for a high-level mage.
3. Glittering Robe: This spell is a good survivability boost for Empire troops - nothing in this
army has Scaly Skin, so this can put your saves way up there. To boot, it can be bubbled. Pretty
rothgar13
Posts: 1795
Stubborn prayer, all for a marginal points increase over the norm. Sweet.
Markus Wulfhart - A waste of a character, given that Empire doesn't struggle against monsters
and his abilities aren't that good. No. Just no.
Master Engineer - This guy ups the performance of nearby war machines, and he has access to
several weapons, though I'm not a fan of any of them. He's nice if you have the artillery to
benefit from him.
Warrior Priest - These guys offer several cheap Bound Spells, above-average Ld, and (most
importantly) Hatred for the units they're in. Pretty useful.
Witch Hunter - An intriguing character, he brings some nice Magic Resistance, and can pick at
an enemy character (particularly if he's a Demon, Undead, or a Wizard). Not reliable, but he can
be a nice boost to a unit or a lottery ticket for the Snipe-a-Character Roulette.
Core
Archers - These guys make nice chaff units, particularly when fielded as 5-man Detachments.
Larger units can serve as mage bunkers and sources of Look Out, Sir! for Engineers.
Crossbowmen - Not exactly a powerhouse and Move Or Fire is annoying, you could do worse
than S4 hits and 30" range.
Free Company - Anything you do with these guys, Halberdiers or Spearmen can do better. A
fluff choice.
Halberdiers - The State Trooper I recommend in most armies, these guys are cheap sources of
S4 attacks, and while fragile, you can mitigate that with support and sheer numbers. A good
choice.
Handgunners - Against the sort of targets that are threatened by small arms fire, Armor
Piercing is not as good as longer range. Overshadowed by Crossbowmen, and that's saying
something.
Inner Circle Knights - While these guys are pricey, they get better stats than most Empire
troops, a magic banner, and the standard Knight gear options (though in this case I give lances
the edge). If you're not going for Halberdiers, this is likely your main Core unit.
Knightly Orders - Good Weapon Skill and gear options (I prefer great weapons on these guys),
speed, and great armor saves. You should see a couple of small units of these regularly.
Spearmen - The cheapest unit available to Empire, and you can give them Shields for
respectable armor saves. Not flashy, but decent.
Swordsmen - The best defensive infantry unit in this section, they make for a nice bus as well
as CR-denying Detachments. A bit pricey, though.
Special
Demigryph Knights - This is the Empire's best point-for-point fighting unit, and it's not close. If
you're looking to win fights and run units down, these are your guys. That said, if left
unsupported, they will tend to get into grinding combats (because they can't really break
Steadfast).
Flagellants - Very squishy, and their secondary effects are unreliable, but they will do some
damage on Round 1 and they have to be slain to the man. Overpriced, but not useless.
Great Cannon - Artillery is important, especially if it's accurate. A cannon with a proper firing
lane hits hard and hits often, and as such I consider it an integral part of a competitive list.
Greatswords - If you're looking for a big unit that puts out respectable damage and is very hard
to get points out of, these are the men to do it. Combine Stubborn with Hold the Line! and a
BSB, and these guys are virtually immovable.
Huntsmen - They're cheap and can Scout, but at the end of the day, they're just guys with
bows. Only the weakest of units will be bothered by them, though they can redirect in a pinch
(but that just makes them overpriced Archers).
Mortar - Its Strength outside of the central hole leaves something to be desired, but if you can
get Toughness debuffs and large blocks of infantry to hit, it can put on some hurt.
Outriders - Their rate of fire is pretty intimidating, and their range isn't an issue thanks to being
Fast Cavalry. I feel they need to be fielded in units large enough to be a threat, as they are too
pricey to be redirectors and chaff killers.
Pistoliers - While Fast Cavalry with Braces of Pistols has potential, the price tag (considering
their stats) is too high.
Reiksguard Knights - Basically Stubborn Inner Circle Knights with no 1-of restriction, these
guys are best as mobile roadblocks to hold the foe down while you bring your army to bear.
Rare
Celestial Hurricanum - A bonus to hit is nice, as is bonus power dice every phase, it has an OK
Bound Spell, and it can provide Impact Hits in a pinch. A quality support piece.
Helblaster Volley Gun - The range could be better, but whatever is in range is going to get
beat up. Have an Engineer provide a re-roll on an artillery die and his Ballistic Skill for best
results.
Helstorm Rocket Battery - On the surface, this looks like a nice block-muncher, but the
variable number of rockets and the fact that they always scatter just kills this thing. It's not
worth its points.
Luminark of Hysh - Bonus dispel dice and a 6+ Ward for nearby units doesn't have the same
pop as the Hurricanum's more aggressive benefits, but they're not bad, and the Bound Spell is
nice.
Steam Tank - This bad boy is the most versatile unit in the Empire army - it has great
Toughness, Wounds, and armor, it hits hard on the charge, it has a cannon, and it can spit out
breath weapon shots. It gets a bit wacky as it takes damage, but even then it will still function. I
consider it to be a necessity in competitive Empire lists.
routine.
Magic Armor
The Armor of Meteoric Iron - While a 1+ armor save is great, this only appeals to a Warrior
Priest or Arch Lector, as the other fighting characters can get there in other ways.
Helm of the Skavenslayer - The price is high for +1 armor and Fear, and I'm not sure whether
the extra effects against Skaven are good or not.
Magic Talismans
White Cloak of Ulric - A penalty to hit is nice, especially on characters riding monstrous
mounts, and it gives you a 5+ Ward (2+ against flaming) as icing. Pretty nice.
Magic Standards
Griffon Banner - A variable bonus to combat resolution is not worth this much, plus no magic
gear on your BSB and being unable to chase foes down.
Steel Standard - This amounts to +1 Movement on units with barding, and re-rolling 1s on
charge/pursue/flight rolls is pretty cool. A nice item.
Enchanted Items
Ring of Volans - While not getting to choose the spell and being One Use Only are annoying,
getting to choose the Lore you want is nice.
Van Horstmann's Speculum - This can be a way to keep enemy characters from savaging your
army, though only applying on challenges is limiting and the stat swap being forced make it iffy
when unit champions are present.
Warhammer Rulebook
Magic Weapons
Berserker Sword - Not a whole lot different from just +1A, and it has drawbacks. Not a fan.
Biting Blade - Armor Piercing is not flashy, but it's cheap and reasonably effective.
Fencer's Blades - Weapon Skill 10 and +1A is a nice offense-defense combo.
Giant Blade - A big Strength bump, but the price tag gives me pause.
Gold Sigil Sword - Striking at I10 is nice, though you'll have to endeavor to put some steam
behind those hits.
Obsidian Blade - Given that Empire characters aren't very beefy, not allowing armor saves has
use, and while wounding will still be an issue, this item is cheap enough to allow for some nice
defensive gear.
Ogre Blade - A nice Strength bump at an affordable price.
Relic Sword - I'd rather boost my Strength than "settle" for wounding on 5+ all the time.
Shrieking Blade - If you're running a lone character, Fear (and immunity to Fear) is useful.
Spellthieving Sword - Kill the mage and you don't have to worry about his spells.
Sword of Anti-Heroes - A bit of a gamble, but you only need one character in the unit to win.
Sword of Battle - +1A is nice, but nothing special.
Sword of Bloodshed - Lots of attacks... but not enough Strength for them to matter.
Sword of Might - A nice, cheap Strength bump.
Sword of Strife - This gives you the attack output, now you need the buffs.
Sword of Swift Slaying - Striking first and potential re-rolls are nice, though you can get the
latter elsewhere.
Tormentor Sword - A cool ability, if you manage to wound. Also very cheap.
Warrior Bane - A cheap way to get magical attacks, and it might do something every once in a
while.
Magic Armor
Armor of Destiny - A juicy Ward save, though the armor save leaves something to be desired.
Armor of Fortune - I wouldn't lower my armor save for anything less than a 4+ Ward.
Armor of Silvered Steel - You can get this save (or better) for way less points. Terrible.
Charmed Shield - A nice way to protect important pieces from counter-battery fire.
Dragonhelm - More armor is always nice, and this one comes with a handy Ward save against
flaming.
Enchanted Shield - +2 armor for next to nothing. Nice.
Gambler's Armor - Why an Empire character would take this is beyond me.
Glittering Scales - Sure, it's a low save, but sometimes the best defense is not getting hit. A bit
corner-case, though.
Helm of Discord - I like the armor bump, but I don't see the secondary effect happening often.
Shield of Ptolos - Put on real armor and have a 1+ save against everything instead.
Spellshield - MR1 isn't worth this much.
Trickster's Helm - Forcing opponents to Wound you twice sounds nice, but Empire doesn't have
the Toughness values on their characters to really stop foes cold.
Magic Talismans
Dawnstone - Re-rollable armor saves are quite the commodity.
Dragonbane Gem - Dirt cheap, and a quality Ward save against flaming.
Luckstone - A one-use re-roll might save your character's bacon.
Obsidian Amulet - A solid amount of MR, but you can get this for cheaper by employing a Witch
Hunter.
Obsidian Lodestone - Lots of MR (maybe even overkill). Decent, I guess.
Obsidian Trinket - A touch of MR, it's unlikely to make a difference unless the target already
has a Ward save.
Opal Amulet - One good chance at a save is better than several bad ones, especially when you
only have 2-3 Wounds.
Pidgeon Plucker Pendant - Conditional as heck, but a solid save when it does come up.
Seed of Rebirth - A poor man's 6+ Ward save. Meh.
Talisman of Endurance - A decent save, though the dropoff in quality from 4+ to 5+ is pretty
noticeable.
Talisman of Preservation - A potent Ward save that should find its way into most (if not all)
Empire lists.
Talisman of Protection - Too weak to matter much.
Arcane Items
Book of Ashur - Expensive, but +1 to cast and dispel matters.
Channeling Staff - Effectively doubles your odds of succeeding on a channel. Could be worse.
Dispel Scroll - I consider this the essential component of an army's magic defense, and am very
leery of not including it.
Earthing Rod - A "break in case of emergency" item to make sure your Wizard stays in the
game.
Feedback Scroll - The opportunities to use it are limited, and it doesn't have enough bite to
justify letting a spell through.
Forbidden Rod - A bit risky, but it's not like power dice grow on trees for this army.
Power Scroll - A nice way to cast powerful spells for cheap and try to sneak them past an
enemy that's out of dispel dice.
Power Stone - Extra dice in case you're trying to meet a tough value.
Scepter of Stability - A nice extra boost to dispel to make sure you stuff a critical spell.
Scroll of Shielding - If your opponent is casting a big damage spell, this Ward save can
minimize or negate the impact.
Sivejir's Hex Scroll - It's tough to catch a L4 with it, but it's a nasty trick to spring on anyone
using a combat caster with a low Wizard level.
Staff of Sorcery - Pricey, but +1 to dispel rolls can keep an enemy magic phase in check.
Trickster's Shard - Just doesn't come up often enough to matter.
Wand of Jet - If you're going for a tough cast and find yourself falling short, this can put you
over the top.
Enchanted Items
Arabyan Carpet - If you want a character to fly around, I'd opt for a Pegasus.
Crown of Command - Stubborn is a nice ability to have, especially if the rest of your force lacks
it.
Featherfoe Torc - An interesting way to protect your characters from flying monster riders.
Fozzrik's Folding Fortress - While Empire small arms troopers aren't the best, a bunch of
them garrisoning a building make for a major annoyance.
Healing Potion - Looks nice at first, but most characters don't have the Wounds for you to milk
this.
Ironcurse Icon - Dirt cheap, and this sort of shooting inflicts enough hits for a 6+ save to
matter.
Potion of Foolhardiness - Very cheap, and ItP plus an extra attack are nice to have.
Potion of Speed - Sometimes, the difference between victory and defeat is who goes first. This
figures to put you on the winning side.
Potion of Strength - A formidable Strength bump, which can help a lot if you have the attack
output side covered.
Potion of Toughness - This can help your character hang on for a critical round of combat.
Ruby Ring of Ruin - I would just cut out the middleman and bring a L1 Fire caster.
The Other Trickster's Shard - Mitigating Ward saves can be key when fighting enemy
characters.
The Terrifying Mask of EEE! - Amusing name, and useful on a lone model not expected to
provide Ld.
Wizarding Hat - Bring a real Wizard.
Magic Standards
Banner of Eternal Flame - Although Priests give you easy access to fire, sometimes having it
always on is necessary.
Banner of Swiftness - This can either help patch up your infantry's low Movement, or give your
cavalry even more speed.
Gleaming Pennant - A cheap emergency re-roll for units that will spend time outside BSB
range.
Lichebone Pennant - There are easier and better ways to get this benefit.
Rampager's Standard - Too expensive for anything but a BSB, so not that useful.
Ranger's Standard - Decent on a big block of Knights, meh elsewhere.
Razor Standard - Every bit of armor penetration counts, especially for units whose job is to
grind.
Scarecrow Banner - Very cheap, but too conditional.
Standard of Discipline - Can wean a unit off the Ld bubble, or provide you with the coveted
Ld10.
Wailing Banner - Causing Terror can be useful in the right army.
War Banner - Too many points for just +1 CR.
Last Edit: July 05, 2013, 04:12:32 PM by rothgar13
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My philosophy on gaming, courtesy of Herm Edwards.
rothgar13
Posts: 1795
Halberdiers - The main role I would use them for is to be a Regimental Unit built to give and
take damage, and as such fielded around 40-50 models strong in Horde formation (10-wide) if
you fancy your chances and 5-wide if you don't, with your choice of Detachments. Alternatively,
they can used as units to flank with and add punch, in which case you likely don't need more
than 20 in any given unit. You can also go for both - a big Regiment of Halberdiers, with smaller
Halberdier units as Detachments.
Handgunners - Take Crossbowmen instead.
Inner Circle Knights - Their price tag and extra muscle as compared to normal Knights pegs
them into more of a mainline combat role, and thus I like them in a 5-wide, 3-deep formation
once characters are taken into account. Incidentally, their positioning also depends on how many
characters they are housing - if it's no characters or just a Warrior Priest, you'll be fine with them
manning a flank, but if you have the Grand Master + Captain BSB + Warrior Priest pseudodeathstar going on, they'd better be front and center.
Knightly Orders - The main purpose I see for this guys is as "heavy chaff" - their job is to move
fast, take out weak units, and get in the way of bigger ones. For that, 5 men with great weapons
and a musician does fine, though a standard-bearer also helps. If you also want to use them as a
secondary combat unit, you're better off upping the model count to 10 or so, and adding a
standard-bearer.
Spearmen - The way I would usually field these guys is as a "bus" unit - which is to say always
5-wide, and with as many ranks as you can get (usually 8- to 10-deep) - that unit's job is to
engage the toughest unit they can find, hang on for dear life using Steadfast, and allow heavier
hitters to crash the party and turn the tide. That said, if you get something like Okkam's
Mindrazor on them, Horde formation can also be an option. Given their job description, Shields
likely won't make much of a difference (anything S5 or higher will allow them no saves), so bring
more bodies with those points instead.
Swordsmen - I think the 2 main ways to use these guys are either to field a large bus (as
described above) as a Regimental unit, or several 15- to 20-man Detachments. In the first case,
you basically use them as slightly superior Spearmen. The latter option is there for CR denial they'll crash into a flank, negate the foe's rank bonus and give you a flank charge, resulting in a
massive CR swing.
Special
Demigryph Knights - The key question here is whether to invest heavily in one unit, or whether
to go for several smaller ones. If you go for smaller units, 3-4 of them is enough; if it's only one
unit, I'm a fan of 5, but I can see going up as high as 8. In all cases, every command model you
can buy helps the unit noticeably. If you have a champion, don't be afraid to challenge any
Heroes in the enemy unit - most armies' Heroes can't take him on solo, and you get bonus VPs if
you drop them.
Flagellants - I consider these the "spike strips" of the Empire army - squads of 10-12 guys will
put out a fair amount of damage, and will hold most things up for at least a turn. Feel free to
play around with the formation to make sure that is the case - they are Unbreakable, so how
they're ranked up should be the least of your concerns.
Great Cannon - The question here is how many of them to take; I think that 2 is the ideal
number, because they won't do much once combat has been joined. That said, if you have Steam
Tanks, maybe these are not strictly necessary.
Greatswords - I think their best application is in a large brick, front and center - at least 30
guys (preferably 40), with character support, and Horde formation should be strongly
considered, in order to up their offensive output and take full advantage of Stubborn.
Huntsmen - Their minimum unit size is 10, and I wouldn't recommend going any higher; that's
more than enough to take down war machines and the like.
Mortar - 2 of these guys along with the proper setup (a mage with Toughness debuffs, other
sources of shooting) is what I'd go for, and nothing more.
Outriders - My preferred use for these guys is to bring a couple of units of 10, and either
overload one flank or sit on one each side. The former strategy allows them to focus fire,
whereas the latter expands the threat area. If points are tight, you could try and make do with 2
units of 5 in combination with artillery.
Pistoliers - These guys are your garden-variety unit of Fast Cavalry - you run them around and
try to get them in the way of your opponents' blocks, try to pick off other chaff units with their
shooting, and just generally being annoying. I say stick to the bare minimum - 5 guys, no
command.
Reiksguard Knights - I like these guys pretty bare-bones; 2 squads of 5 guys, each with a
2 x Great Cannon
Rare - 500 points
2 x Steam Tank
Heroes - 143 points
Captain, BSB, Dawnstone, Dragonhelm, Full Plate Armor, Shield, Sword of Striking
Lords - 475 points
Arch Lector, Armor of Meteoric Iron, Crown of Command, Great Weapon, Opal Amulet [General]
Battle Wizard Lord, Dispel Scroll, L4 Wizard, Talisman of Preservation [Lore of Life]
Grand Total: 2500 points