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So I was thinking about porting over to Fantasy once again. My local GW store has a escalation league making it easy to pick up the game. I was wondering if it was possible to make a traditional European horse and musket army with the Empire. Anyone have any experience fielding one? What would be the best way to go about it?

Yes and no. Handgunners are a little overpriced now. Though knights are amazing. Thier optimal outfit though (IMO) is far from the knights of old (gw instead of lance and shield). Pistoleros and outriders are only ok. A little too expensive for what they do IMO.

If you want to do it you certainly can, but my guess is it'd be difficult.

It can be done, handgunners are a bit pricy but they work well. As long as you dont mind using altermative moddels for your knigths then may I suggest these fellows for knigths?

http://www.warlordgames.com/store/pike-shotte/the-english-civil-wars-1642-1652/royalist-parliamentarian-royalist-cavalry.html

Stoupe wrote:Yes and no. Handgunners are a little overpriced now. Though knights are amazing. Thier optimal outfit though (IMO) is far from the knights of old (gw instead of lance and shield). Pistoleros and outriders are only ok. A little too expensive for what they do IMO.

If you want to do it you certainly can, but my guess is it'd be difficult.

The GW thing isn't too bad, in the warfare of the early 19th century not everyone had lances, lots (Dragoons, cuirasers, the lifeguards, all sorts of heavy cav) used big heavy swords...so GW would be fine for that I guess. Lances were more on the light cav anyway.

Edit: Also, if you don't mind using alternative models, I have to recommend perry for your handgunner models. I mean, if you are going for imperial british kind of army...these guys; Riflemen (for your skirmishers if handgunners can skirmish) http://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?products_id=1673 Line infantry; http://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=1655 . Completely awesome. I want them so bad, but I have no reason to buy them apart from as models to paint, and I have enough of them as is...

Handgunners are not skirmishers. Neither are crossbowman. Archers are however.

I wasn't sure if handgunners could purchase it as an upgrade or anything. Thats a shame. Use rifleman as archers? Just find some way to include the greenjackets. They are badasses

I'm not so much worried about the look I'm just looking to play that kind of strategy line up and open fire smash flanks with cav as needed. If I go for an alt figure line I'll find some 25mm Prussians from the 7 years war era or even some French.

A more obvious choice would be 17th century - ECW/30 years war - Pike and Shot.

Though there are 18th century armies that could offer you all the options in the Empire book - Turks/French Indian wars/ndian Confederacy/Chinese.