Longtime Dakkanaut
Painesville, Ohio, USA
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Hope this doesn't parrot too much of what has already been said. Anyway, on with the review.
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With effortless grace, the hands on Krueger’s pocket watch counted time. Each movement was meticulous. How well crafted the pocket watch was never ceased to amaze the engineer. Its precise movements always calmed down the old man. He had seen over sixty harvests during his lifetime, and still had all his fingers and toes… though sometimes he overheard discouraging comments about his lack of bravery. Bravery didn’t keep you alive in the Old World.
With the spring, the planting of war had begun again. Krueger sighed and shook his head. Yet another Imperial aristocrat, this time a clergyman, had mustered an army for conquest. Yet again, he waited in the noble’s office to give his report. The apartments of this Arch Lector were modest. It had several pieces of furniture, all well waxed with beeswax; however none of them were more than what a well-to-do farmer would possess. The modesty of the room made Krueger uneasy. So there he stood, reading his pocket watch, and awaiting the inevitable arrival of the cleric. Without announcement, the Arch Lector stepped into the office, and nodded for Krueger to begin.
The old man paused and stuffed his pocket watch back into his vest. Krueger never did care for most of the clergy of Sigmar. His faith in things scientific always seemed to perturb and upset the order. To settle his nerves Krueger fussed and crinkled his notes. At last he began, “Your Grace, I will begin with the easiest topics, and then lead into the more complex ones.
“I whole-heartedly agree with your choice in cannons. A brace of the artillery will serve you well, as they can range for each other. One thing I would like to suggest is that having a small reserve of infantry, even of the conscript Free Companies, can serve the guns well by protecting them from enemy fliers and fast movers. Usually a squad, ten-men strong, is enough to buy your guns those few seconds to acquire a target.”
The old man adjusted his glasses and continued, “Your Pistolier squadron will serve you well… however, with only one of them, and a small squadron at that, they can easily be dispersed or rendered combat ineffective. Perhaps you should pay a few more silver coins to get one additional Pistolier. Having a squadron six strong will increase their combat potency, still keep them highly maneuverable, and allow them to suffer a few injuries before coming ineffective.”
Krueger pulled out a parchment with a number of arcs sketched on it, as well as parabolas. “Your Grace, as you can see in these diagrams, the Hellvolley Gun isn’t terribly effective. It is prone to jamming, as well as poor-powder charges. This leads to an inconsistent amount of hits the gun will have. Some moments you’ll pepper an enemy company with upwards of thirty hits… others you’ll barely scrape them with six. I would suggest, instead, saving your silver and leaving the Hellvolley gun with the engineers at Nuln. In fact, with the silver you save, you could acquire a small troop of cavalry that could work in conjunction with your Greatswords and Steam Tank. I will discuss more on that in a moment, your Grace.”
As was a habit, Krueger scratched his almost bald head. “If I may, I understand the power of Master Leonardo’s invention of the Steam Tank, and I have seen it continuously be effective in combat. However, it works best when used in co-ordination with other heavy units, such as Imperial Knights. With just the tank, it will draw a lot of the enemies attention. And, while its hull is solidly built out of brass and iron, there are many creatures who can tear it open like a box. I would suggest, if you would permit me your Grace, that if you insist on keeping the Steam Tank, you need to get a squadron of heavy knights… perhaps six strong with a full command. Then, your anvil units can tie up enemy units, while your tank and knights crush them under Empire Steel... or… something else to consider. If you chose not to rent the tank from Nuln, with the silver you save, you should be able to employ a War Alter for yourself to use as a chariot.”
“I do have a quick note about your Greatswords, your Grace. If you or your Standard Bearer are to accompany them on foot, you might be able to save a few silvers by making them nineteen strong, instead of twenty. I would suggest that you get them a detachment as well… perhaps a squad of handgunners or crossbows. I suggest the missile units as, right now, you are light on your missile units. Detachments of missile units would allow you to bloody up and disrupt enemy formations before they even arrive at your lines. And, if you concentrate fire, you might even be able to panic some enemy companies due to the volume of casualties that are caused.”
Krueger took a deep breath to steel his nerves before continuing. “Your Grace, I understand that the very devoted to Sigmar often form into mobs which whip themselves into a frenzy of madness. I would have to suggest, however, that you dispurse the mob which has accompanied you. They lack any sort of martial skill or the toughness to survive combat. And, while their flails give them superhuman strength, so weak is the skill with weapons that they will rarely hit anything. Worse, so heavy are these flails that after the first swing, they become little more than heavy clubs. Yes, I understand that so crazed are these followers that they cannot be broken in combat and fight to the last man, yet there are better units that have this same effect.
“There is a dwarven sailor called Long Drong. His company of pirates is highly skilled, unbreakable, and weild modern weaponry of pistols. Long Drong’s Slayer Pirates are expensive to hire, true, but they are a great combat asset. Capable of doing anything that this mob can do, and do it better.”
Krueger again paused while he shuffled through his notes. Deciding on a sheet after much deliberation, he continued, “Your Grace, your two companies of swordsmen will serve you well. They are well armored, and well trained. I would suggest just minor tweeks. If your wizards or your other captains are to accompany your swordsmen companies, you might be able to save a few silver and lower the company’s sizes to twenty-four. That way, when your captain joins them, they will be twenty five strong. I would also suggest instead of halbards, getting some small detachments of crossbows or handgunners. They’re ability to pepper fire into enemy formations will help disrupt enemy companies before your swordsmen charge them, or cause an enemy charge to lose its steam. If you would prefer to keep the melee detachments, I would suggest a squad, nine strong, of free companies. They are cheap, have a decent number of attacks, and will provide the much needed flank attack. Yes, free companies don’t carry the heavy halbard, but it has been my experience that Imperial soldiers are just underequipped and undertrained when it comes to using the pole-axe.”
“I only have a couple more comments sir, and then my review of your mustered soldiery will be complete.” The old man flipped to the last sheet of parchment in his hands. “As to your magical support, I’ve noticed that you’ve hired two middling wizards. Now, one of them apparently has been tasked to be counter-magic. Apprentice wizards can accomplish this just as well. I would, instead, send the prodigal sorcerer home, and hire an apprentice wizard. He can still be equipped with the pair of nul-scrolls, and still is an expert at counter magic. While his offensive magic will be a bit weaker, the silver you save will allow you to pay for more knights to assist the assaults of your Steam Tank. And, you still have a second prodigal sorcerer of some merit with the Rod of Power, who should be able to cast offensive spells fairly regularly.”
“For your Captain, your Grace, I understand the desire to see the standard, and hence why you’ve put him on horseback… but doing so makes him more obvious as well. In addition, I don’t think he can carry a shield since he has a banner… and, you’re not taking advantage of the fact that Imperial Bannermen are allowed to borrow magical banners from the Armory. Instead of the sword of the Knights Panther, I would suggest your Captain obtain a War Banner, blessed to increase the courage and combat prowess of your units. I would also put him on foot… unless you obtain a unit or two of horse, in which case he can keep his barded warhorse. Having him on foot will allow him to keep up with the line companies. He may lose a bit of mobility, but with your predominatly infantry army, it’ll be a moot point.
“Though, if you do choose to donate for a unit or two of Imperial Knights, then your Bannerman could keep on horseback, and offer his combat prowess to those knight units.”
“Lastly, your Grace, I have a couple of suggestions about your own arms and armors. With your ability to summon upon Sigmar’s grace to protect you, you might be able to save a bag full of silver, and not have to donate for the Holy Relic. And, I would suggest a hammer-and-shield over the great-hammer. A shield will allow you to ward away enemy blows, and you still have a great prescience in combat. Though… I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t wield both the great-hammer and the hammer-and-shield… then you could switch as needed.
“I do understand the Meteroic Iron that you have used in your suit of plate… though, I would suggest that, if you do decide to donate for a unit or two of Imperial Knights, that you might be able to save some silver, and bring some mundane heavy armor… you could then get a barded warhorse, and accompany your knights into the fray of melee. If you chose to lead your knights, you could then leave your Captain with your line units, bolstering their courage with his leadership.”
With shaking hands, the old man folded his notes neatly, and stuffed them into the pocket of his cotton-and-silk greatcoat. “Unless your Grace has any questions, I will take my leave.”
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skaven
knights
Ogres 