Empire: making an army and playing with it

[jchaos79]

Hi, This poll is just for fun and to explore how the people make their list.

I will show you a Empire list I did some years ago, and ask for your comments and to complete the poll.

The army is 1500 of Empire.

900 points of core units (60%) halberdiers + Xbowmen + Knight + skirmishers. 60%=29% cavalry + 31% infantry.
I decide to have more than 50% of the army in core units. So 440 points for knights and 460 for core infantry.

250 points of Command (17%) General + Hero + Sorceror-
The General and the hero are a must to move my army, and I decide I want to play with magic, so sorceror was my option instead a griffon or other hero.

350 points of special units (23%) Special units are the rest of option of the list. I want to have artillery, because I love it, so I maximize: one cannon and a hellblaster. Then I though that if I will face monsters or terror units I will need a driven force in my army so I took a flagellant unit. At last just to use my spare points I take a pistolier unit to have in reserve and to send fast to eliminate reduced enemy units in the last turns of the battle.

The army in coarse terms will have: 1/4 knights (core units)+ 1/4 Infantry (core unit) + 1/4 command + 1/4 artillery, fanatics and light cavalry (special units). The army looks like:





Next step is thinking the brigades configuration. The last step is deployment (that decision will be in the table of game, deploying one brigade the oponent one brigade myslef, so I am not going to enter in this part).

Knight orders: Striking force.
It is compose by 3 regiments of Reiksguard and one of Kislev allies.
Their role in battle will be very agressive trying to take the center of the table or hit the nasty brigades of the enemy army.
Leaded by the Hero



Ostlan brigade: Striking force
This wild inhabitants of the Empire have bring to the battlefield a unit of Knight of white wolf on foot supported by zwihanders (halbardier+skirmishers), a bunch of mad flagellants eager to battle, a halberdier regiment and Xbow regiment.
Their role in battle will be agressive, face terror units or assault enemy defensive positions.
Leaded by the General



Middenland brigade: Defensive force
It is compose of 4 halberdiers and two free company reinforcement (skirmishers).
Their role in battle is defensive (they will have a longer battle line due to the skirmishers). They could take a central piece of terrain or stay firm being the backbone of the army. This brigade will give cohesion to the army and keep the breakpoint high.
Leaded by the mage.



Nuln brigade: Artillery force
It is compose by cannon + hellblaster and two units of crosbowman to defend the artillery.
Their role in battle is to influence in the movement of the enemy, creating "forbiden corridors" of fire, lead and grape shots.
Leaded by the general



Averland reserve: scout force
It is compose by expert rough raiders from Averland,
Their role in battle will be pursuit the breaking enemy if the army is close to victory, and stay in reserve if not.
No command assigned.

[


My question are:
1) How do you modify this army to fit in your game style?
2) do you like it?
3) do you prefere playing with it or against it?
4) do you use to make something like this when making your list? or how do you make your armylist?

Comment and have fun doing it

[marell le fou]

I have never played with Empire, so i won't give any probably wrong advice or opinion. But i do like very much the way you're constructing your army.

It makes me think to a simple question.

Do you, guys, often send all your forces forward against the ennemy as soon as possible, or do you keep units for futur turns at the beginning of the game, purposely keeping them for late combats ?

[David Wasilewski]

I own 6K of Empire and love them. One of my regular opponents (Forbes) has a huge Empire army too.

Knights and cannons are what will win you games generally (if they are well handled).

The Empire is fun because you can play offensively by taking LOTS of knights or defensively by taking infantry and artillery, or you can play a mixed game.

You have a good, general list that should do o.k. vs most opponents.

Dave

[Jurisch]

I would raise the number of pistoleries.

[Stormwind]

I like how characterful the army is - I would think of it as slightly defensive due to the amount of infantry.

[forbes]

I'm looking at this, and it's so long since I played at this points level if have  no idea!!

As Vos says I've got several 1000 points of painted Empire (unlike his rather shiney 6k) - I think this  list is a bit cavalry light for me, I might have got rid of a couple of xbows for another knight. Or for another hero to give a bit more mobility. I think I would be likely to break the knights up in this size of game to give me a couple of manoeuvre points.

It does look a bit of a sit back and shoot army, do low number of commanders may be fine.

I'm never sure about skirmishers - though I would probably add them to the Flagellents 

[robbohammer13]

Great Empire army! Sigmar smiles upon you!

1.) I would modify the list by throwing in a Steam Tank somehow. It's like having an extra cannon allowance, and in my humble opinion cannons are amazing in Warmaster. Also if you use the latest Warmaster Armies updated amy list, the Steam Tank always counts as being defended.

2.) Really like this army you have here!

3.) I'd rather use this army than go against it! Lots of Knights and a Hellblaster are scary.

4.) I haven't played my Empire army yet but I plan on using the 2 units of halberdiers and crossbowmen, 2 units of knights backed by a hero on griffon with a magic sword, a wizard, cannons, a hellblaster and a steam tank. Don't know how many points that is offhand, but I usually play 1000 point games.

[jchaos79]

I have never played with Empire, so i won't give any probably wrong advice or opinion. But i do like very much the way you're constructing your army.

It makes me think to a simple question.

Do you, guys, often send all your forces forward against the ennemy as soon as possible, or do you keep units for futur turns at the beginning of the game, purposely keeping them for late combats ?

Yes of course.
I only attack with all my army since turn 1 with certain confugartion of chaos army. It is risky but sometimes give the glory to the Dark gods.

Tactics is a compromise between what and when you want to do something on the battlefield, what is reallly happening because the dice rolls and what and when your opponent do something.
 
Then you have to choose between follow your plan or change it.

For example a lot of orc n warrior armylists (low command) is good to change your plans during the developtment of the battle, because green skins usually do not do exactly what you want to do.



Also, having a reserve, usually is important.
In the example Empire army above, there are 17 units so Breakpoint 9.
Attacking units 8 (knight brigade and ostlan brigade).
So in the extreme case my two full brigades were completely destroyed, I would not reach my breakpoint.