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Hey Dakka,

So this is a pretty typical question, as the title suggests, whats the best way to start an empire army? I'd prefer to keep this as cost efficient as possible. I know I'm going to want ~30 halberdiers, a couple cannons, some Demi-Gryph Knights and probably a Steam Tank. But just to get started at ~1000pt level what should I pick up? Best to go with a Battalion (despite not needing everything that comes in the box)? Or better to just buy the individual components that I need/want? At low points am I better to get a couple priests or a couple mages?

Thanks,

KO

Mages are always a good bet. Empire has access to all of the schools so they get a great varity of spells. Also you will need magic def or you will get eaten during the magic phase.

I'd look to getting some state troops, a wizard and some knights [maybe with a captain for moar punch].

A Battalion, a hero and mage box, and probably some more core is a great start.

why not get the boxed army??

Those were limited edition. Unless you can find one on Ebay. That was a great deal though.

 nathan2004 wrote:
Those were limited edition. Unless you can find one on Ebay. That was a great deal though.

there is one in ebay going for 175

2 hours till it ends though
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350851819560?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1431.l2649

Two battalions, mage box, Captain both for BSB and frontline combat. Warrior priests and some additional State troops or Knigths. Then add other things for flavour, my personal favorite is the Demigrypts

Thanks for the input guys. I thought maybe the battalions would be a good place to start, just wasn't sure about the handgunners. I didn't think of the army deal from Christmas. Might look into that too. Demigryph Knights are where I'm leaning too..

That limited edition box can give you a decent 1500 points.
Get a sorcerer and a battalion and you'll be good to go.
The 2 sets together will give you 20 knights and easily 2000pts that can actually compete.

-Captain BSB and Mage boxes are good places to get leaders--and they have plenty of extra bits for extra characters.
-Warrior priests are part of the fun of Empire, and they're cheap on points; at 1500 points its not that hard to fit in a lvl 2 wizard, a BSB, and a warrior priest.
-It's not that hard to build the handgunners as state troops--you may run out of halberds, but you'll have extra swords and shields for swordsmen. (Most people don't care for spearmen.)
-Although someone will surely disagree with me, conventional wisdom is that regular knights should have Great Weapons (so they're stronger stuck in), however if you build them with shield+lance you can also run them as reiksguard. If you're buying boxes, though, you'll end up with lots of knights anyway; two battalions is enough knights for a 10-man GW unit of core knights and a 5-man lance+shield unit of reiksguard.
-Demigryphs should have lance+shield (for the 1+ save, the rider does less damage that way but it's the demigryph that really matters)

Good advice so far. Looking at the Wayland website (with which I'm in no way affiliated), you could get

2* Battalions
box of Demis
box of wizards (2)
box of General (2), one can be used as a Captain
Warrior Priest

for less than 200 € + p&p. That gives you five characters, 60 infantry, 16 Knights, 3 Monstrous Cavalry and two cannon - plenty of staying power, fire power, magic, mobility, armour, and probably nearly 2k.

Once you're familiar with the army and game mechanics, look into a Hellblaster + Engineer, a box of Archers to run interference, a Steam Tank and the three buff wagons but for a start, the above is plenty.

 nathan2004 wrote:
Those were limited edition. Unless you can find one on Ebay. That was a great deal though.

Or you can come to sterling Virginia we have one here still.

I'd make the handgunners into crossbowmen that add't 6 inch range is worth sacrificing AP.