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.

This is what I am brewin for the new rules. I have always liked Empire but in the world of hard knights and dragons, they just werent good. GW is obviously doing many things to ensure the big block is best in the new edition and I like that. Means I can do empire.

This isnt the whole list just what I know I want for now. Needs more characters and is only about 1800/2250 pts.

BSB on foot banner of Stubborn (if magic items stay)

30 swordsmen
- 15 Halberdiers (break ranks)
- 12 handgunners (shooting in two ranks and maximizing that)

30 swordsmen
- 15 Halberdiers
- 12 handgunners

50 Spearmen (for the horde rule, so fighting in 4 ranks. BSB goes here)
- 15 halberdiers
- 12 handgunners

Cannon
Cannon
Cannon

Mortar
Mortar
Mortar

I am going to wait to see the rules before I even touch the helblaster or helstorm rockets. Problem is the rules for the helstorm are very well defined in the army book so I doubt a sweeping BRB change would affect it much. If it works like a mortar (which will work like a blast in 40k and no partials) I am definitely down.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Benefits that are likely to be given in 8th:
- Step up means as long as I have the models in the unit, every man that can fight, can. In 7th of course if you get charged and lose 9/10 of the guys that can fight you only fight with one.
- Fight in two ranks (3 for spears) just means more attacks and empire blocks can actually do damage back.
- Horde rule means the huge infantry block fights in 4 ranks.
- Need two ranks to break ranks on the flank (hence 15 man detachments)
- Shoot in 2 ranks
- Mortars are like in 40k. You put the template down and roll the scatter die. No partials. This multiplies a mortars effectiveness greatly. Not to mention the fact people are going to be taking more blocks anyway.
- Parry: Swordsmen get either a bonus to save or a 6+ ward in CC
- Armor works like 40k. There is a reason to take 5+ armor now.
- Missions like 40k. This is HUGE. Core needed to win games = best core is hard to kill stubborn core.

umm, according to latest batch of rumors, its any unit with a standard, not just core, that can claim objectives

My bad, you are right. That is a rumor. Its usually big blocks that have standards though.

Same effect though, as you are going to have the equivalent of Plague Marines in Rhinos in 40k. Big stubborn or unbreakable blocks will be king, and good luck killing them or getting that standard.

Well if you have all of these models already then it looks fine and I think that it would be a solid list, except I like free company detachments more than halberdiers (more attacks usually better then +1 to Str IMO).

But, I would probably wait until the new rules come out before buying/painting all of those models. For instance, some of the rumors that you based your list off of may be wrong, in which case having 110+ state troops built an painted which you can't use might be annoying, well it would be for me.

Well to be honest I have always wanted to do empire, but the fact that they arent too hot under 7th has kept me away. If there are any reasonable buffs to empire through the new rules I will be happy.

And yeah free company are great, I just want my army to be 100% empire uniform. I might do swordsmen without shields or convert them or something...

Empire will profit from 8th edition. Mortars and cannon are cheap.

Also if the 25% cap on character spending is true then empire will have nothing to worry about. Most empire armies can have a solid general with 3 supporting heroes for about 25% in a 2000-2500 pts game, which most other armies cannot. I think that Empire may become my main list in the next edition if most of these rumors are true.

As for the swordsmen converted into free companies, that sounds cool to me (I always like theme conversions), but free company are 110% better than halberdiers in my opinion. Just find some extra swords, or any other weapons and they should look fine.

Its pretty much officially 25% lords 25% heros 50% total.

Well what I was getting at was that Empire characters are generally cheaper than comparable characters from other armies, so they won't need to adjust their tactics too much in the next edition.

So, Empire is not like other armies which have a supper strong (close to 500pts) character supported by a few others which seems to be how most other lists play at the moment.

From everything I've been reading, the special and rare selection choices are still in 8th, so not exactly sure how'd you'd run that many specials. . . . .

I saw the rumor about only points and not the selection restrictions, but pretty sure thats been debunked.

Mattbranb, I believe I heard that you can only run up to three of any one type from a selection, but are still limited only by the total cost percentage. So, if those trio of cannon and trio of mortars are within the points, he can take them.

When I was looking at Grimstonefire's 8th Edition stuff on here, I saw the part that said:

[*]Categories for core/special/rare are remaining.

I thought that that was referring to the normal caps for choices, but I'll ask him and see what exactly he was talking about.

The only problem I see with the list is that with folks having much better charge ranges, having an artillery gunline is going to be harder to protect.