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This is my preliminary attempt to come up with the dirtiest possible empire list. To be used only at comp-free tourneys or when somebody brings something equally cheesy to the store. I know empire isn't ideally suited for this purpose, but one does one's best with what one has.

Arch Lector 125
Armor of Meteoric Iron 25
Van Horstmann's Speculum 30
Sword of Sigismund 45
War Altar 100
325

Warrior Priest 90
Heavy Armor 4
Shield 2
Rod of Command 50
TOTAL 144

Battle Wizard 65
Level 2 35
2x scrolls 50
TOTAL 150

Captain BSB 75
Full Plate Armor 8
Barded Warhorse 14
Griffon Standard 55
TOTAL 142

Steam tank 300
Steam tank 300

Great Cannon 100
Great Cannon 100

22x Greatswords 220
Command 30
TOTAL 250
-Det 9x Swordsmen 54

6x Pistoliers 108
Outrider 7
Repeater Pistol 10
Musician 7
TOTAL 132

10x Handgunners 80
Musician 5
TOTAL 85

10x Handgunners 80
Musician 5
TOTAL 85

10x Archers 80


Basic strategy: this is a balanced list, with the potential to be pretty attacky or sit and play with guns. All the characters except the popemobile will go in the greatswords, which will be screened by the skirmishing archers and tar pit things that need tar pitting. The Tanks and the gunline will be doing most of the killing.

If you can think of any way to squeeze more cheese into the list, by all means let me know.

Firstly; "Cheese"?

-Assuming the Warrior Preist is with the Greatswords, the Rod of Power is a Waste. Give him a Heavy Armour, Sword of Might, Enchanted Shield and Barded Warhorse= 1+ armour save and an extra strength.

-Also i've never been overly keen on the Griffon Standard; as it really depends on what you want to use it for. We get most of our kills by running foes down, so if you're content with just holding the line with (presumably) your Greatswords as opposed to pursuing then take it. However, if you also want to advance and run enemies down i'd switch it for a war banner, or even the Standard of Arcane Warding for some Magic Resistance


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Oh, and i'd drop one of the Handgunner units into a detachment slot for the Greatswords

-Also; you don't really have many units to hold the line, another unit of say 20 Swordsmen or Spearmen would be effective, dropping the Greatsword unit (possibly) would be able to afford 2 of these. But that's just if you think it's necessary or will offensives by your other more mobile troops prevent yourself being overwhelmed by sheer numbers of units. I can see you suffering badly against O&Gs or Skaven due to this

Why bother with the level 2 upgrade on the Battle Wizard if he's mostly going to be a scroll caddy?

Why not a Casket-wielding Captain on Pegasus instead?

I you are looking for the full cheese effect with empire. You could go with...
Arch Lector, Armor of M.Iron, Speculum, War Alter, whatever magic weapon you like.
3xLv 2's, with all scrolls and spell destroyer
3xKnights, 5-6 strong, no banners.
2 Stanks
4 Cannons

I think you have a handful of points left for handgunners, or a swordsman block for your lvl 2's to hide in. Its pretty gross, i buddy played it in the past and gave up on it. Essentially you have no VP's to give up from banners. Stanks just rumble forward and dig into combat and grind, you rarely fire your cannon. 4 cannons focus on character sniping. You have a obnoxious amount of magic from the War Alter+ Arch Lector.


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But a better questions is: why do you want to build an army that no one will want to play against and that a few GT's will not allow in? I've never understood the idea of purposefully building an army you cannot get a 1 off game with, or that your opponent pretty much will say "i'd rather have sat at the painting station at the store" after playing?

karl franz, dragon, ghal maraz
2x lvl 1 wizards, 4xscrolls

3x10 crossbowmen, 2x5 archers
4 cannons
2 steam tanks

These are all good ideas, thanks!

@njpc, I don't intend actually building, modeling, and fielding this list. It was just an exercise in army book manipulation, and also slightly a bet with a buddy who thinks Empire is a soft list. Which I suppose it is compared to elves (dark or high), daemons, counts, etc. I think it can be competitive in a pinch though, hence this list.

Thanks!

Yep - pretty cheesy. I agree though on dropping the standard on the captain and adding the casket. I would also maybe drop the rod on the warrior priest and add the "store dispel/magic dice" item. Depending on how the magic phase goes, you can almost always guarantee yourself at least 2 extra dispel dice from it.

Empire stank/cannon list went 5-0 at Conflict, defeating another stank/cannon list and GD BT demons..