Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Alright, I've finally got some time to form my very first army. Please bear with me as I have absolutely no experience with tabletop wargaming whatsoever.

What I tried to go for was a disciplined hard to break infantry (so no Flaggllents and Free Companies) and cannon army with some cavalry and Crossbowman support.


LORDS-145 Point total

1x Arch Lector of Sigmar - 146pts
...Enchanted Shield
...Heavy Armor



HEROES - 513 point total


1x Bright Wizard - 130 pts
...Level 2
...Rod of Power

1x White Wizard - 100pts
...Level 2

1x Empire Captain - 100 pts
...Armor of Meteoric Iron
...BATTLE STANDARD BEARER

1x Warrior Priest of Sigmar -98pts
...Great Weapon
...Heavy Armor

1x Master Engineer - 85 pts
...Hochland Long Rifle

CORE UNITS- 605 point total (285 pt detachments)

40x Spearmen- 220 pts
...Full Command
===> Detachment: 20x Crossbowmen with Marksman - 165 pts
===>Detachment: 20x Swordsmen 120 pts

15x Knights of the Blazing Sun (with great weapons) - 385 pts
...Full Command


SPECIAL UNITS- 699 points Total

20x Greatswords - 230pts
...Promoted Musician
...Promoted Count's Champion
...Promoted Standard Bearer

2x Great Cannon- 200 pt

1x Mortar - 75 pt

10x Pistoliers -194 pts
...Full Command

RARE UNITS- 110 Points Total
1x Hellblaster Volley Gun- 110 pts

It should come up to a total of 2248 points.

Okay.....now you can tell me how much my army sucks

First off, mate. You have to take off all those individual points costs. Those can get this site in trouble with Gee-Dub. Just list the total points cost for each unit, not the individual for each addition such as standard bearer, musicians, etc.

Spearmen aren't very good for detachment's. I know many people like to use halberdiers as detachments, for a flank charge, since spearmen can't really take full advantage of their spears in the small size of the detachment.

I'm not very familiar with Ludwig, so I don't know, but you shoul defintely use a BSB (Battle Standard Bearer) for your army. They got HUGE buffs in 8th edition, and allow you to reroll all leadership based tests and such. They really are invaluable for all that they give you.

I'm not an expert on empire, so that's really all I can give you.

Ah...is it so people might use it to piece together the points and therefore not buy the army book? Makes sense.

Anyway, I chose spearmen because I heard they were the best defensively and I wanted something to protect the Crossbowman's flank.

Also, I think Ludwig counts as a BSB.

Just a thought:

40 spearmen with shields in a horde: 40 possible attacks (if everyone fights) for 240 points

30 Free company: 40 possible attacks (again if everyone fights) for 150 points. For two hundred points you could bulk up the unit to 40 guys and get most of them to close combat. I know they have no armor, but you may consider bringing in these guys to free up points elsewhere.

I really don't want to use free company as an aesthetic choice really.

I also don't know about using the spearmen as a horde. I want to maintain tactical flexibility and have 2 twenty model spearmen unit but.....I guess if I do that I can enlarge the detachments...

40 spearmen with shields in a horde: 40 possible attacks (if everyone fights) for 240 points

40 Halderbiers would be the same cost do more damage and can take 10 casualties before it's damage out put is effected...

In 7th Ed Spoearmen had double the attacks of Halberdiers now they only have 50% extra which drops to 33% extra in a Horde. They are not worth it anymore.

As for the army:

What is the point of AoMI on a model with a 1+ save anyway? THat's just throwing points away.

Why take Lance Knights when the Great weapons are so much better now. Lance Knights are reliant on breaking the opponent opn the charge. Something that is much harder now as most of your opponents will be steadfast, and you can't guarantee you'll even get the charge! Even if you do get the charge in many cases you'll be striking simultaneously or 2nd anyway. Take great weapons you've actually got a chance then.

Ludwig seems a bit Meh to me. That is a lot of points for a BsB that is tooled up into tempting you to put him in harms way.

Captain is a poor choice, use him as a BsB, Warrior Priests make much betr unit leaders due to the hatred and would offer you some magical protection.

No wizards seems a mistake too. Just 100 point Bright wizard would give you better magical protection and the potential for some serious extra attack in a phase you're ignoring. Take Fire ball as it is ideal in games where you have only 1 low level wizard as you can cast it at 3 different levels meaning you can blast away no matter how generous or poor the winds of magic prove.

Engineers should be kept vanilla for me and are more worth it in an army with a decent amount of artillery.

Oh and get full command squads on every unit.

FlingitNow wrote:

40 spearmen with shields in a horde: 40 possible attacks (if everyone fights) for 240 points

40 Halderbiers would be the same cost do more damage and can take 10 casualties before it's damage out put is effected...

In 7th Ed Spoearmen had double the attacks of Halberdiers now they only have 50% extra which drops to 33% extra in a Horde. They are not worth it anymore.

But are spearmen worth using in smaller units?

As for the army:

What is the point of AoMI on a model with a 1+ save anyway? THat's just throwing points away.

The Templar Grand Master? But doesn't he have a 4+ armor save for his full plate armor?

Why take Lance Knights when the Great weapons are so much better now. Lance Knights are reliant on breaking the opponent opn the charge. Something that is much harder now as most of your opponents will be steadfast, and you can't guarantee you'll even get the charge! Even if you do get the charge in many cases you'll be striking simultaneously or 2nd anyway. Take great weapons you've actually got a chance then.

Okay, I'll replace the Panthers with Blazing Sun then.

Ludwig seems a bit Meh to me. That is a lot of points for a BsB that is tooled up into tempting you to put him in harms way.

Captain is a poor choice, use him as a BsB, Warrior Priests make much betr unit leaders due to the hatred and would offer you some magical protection.


No wizards seems a mistake too. Just 100 point Bright wizard would give you better magical protection and the potential for some serious extra attack in a phase you're ignoring. Take Fire ball as it is ideal in games where you have only 1 low level wizard as you can cast it at 3 different levels meaning you can blast away no matter how generous or poor the winds of magic prove.

Guess I'll drop Ludwig and use the captain as a BSB (Should I give him some magical banners like the griffon standard?) and add in a Lv.2 Bright Wizard.

Engineers should be kept vanilla for me and are more worth it in an army with a decent amount of artillery.

I think one engy for three cannon is a good deal. :(

Oh and get full command squads on every unit.

Sure thing.

Thanks for the help!

But are spearmen worth using in smaller units?

Not really anymore. Spearmen have become the weakest state troop option.

The Templar Grand Master? But doesn't he have a 4+ armor save for his full plate armor?

Yes but he also has a shield (3+) and rides a Warhorse (2+) which is Barded (1+)... Your Knights have the same save. Great weapon Knights only have a 2+ save though but for all the other bonuses they more than make up for it.

Okay, I'll replace the Panthers with Blazing Sun then.

It's White Wolves that have the great weapons out of the standard orders. But you can arm your Order as you want and call them what you want.

BsB genrally have magical protection because they are so importatn to a leadership army like Empire. Enchhanted shields and the like. Griffon standard is only worth it if you have counter charging Detachments otherwise you win combat with your +8 resolution but can't chase them down to fully benefit...

An Engineer is good for 3 Artillery peices but I just feel you need more artillery. 3 peices is really few for an Empire army at this point level in 8th Ed. A lot of people will start with 3 Mortars and 3 Cannons as a base...

I thought of two ways you can go with your state troops (just some ideas)

A big block of 40 Halberdiers, 5 wide, 8 deep, with two handgunner detachments.

Your halberdiers hold if you get charged, while both of your handgunners stand and shoot. Some nasty hurt before you even engage in combat.

Another idea would be 40 Swordsmen, 5 wide, 8 deep, with two halberdier detachments.

Double Flank charge, with a huge block of swordsmen holding them.

Okay I've updated my army list the main changes are:

-Ludwig out
-Armor of Meteoric Iron on Grandmaster is out
-Added a Lv.2 Wizard
-Added more Halberdiers instead of spearmen (I still like the look of spearmen too much so I kept one in)
-Full command on most infantry squads
-added an additional mortar