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So, I already play 40k, and a bunch of my friends just started fantasy (Dwarves, Skaven, High Elves), I want to join them and want to start with the Empire. Is the Empire Battalion a good deal/ a competent force? What should I buy to start a 500 point army?

Any suggestions are welcome.

RIGHTO! Here to help ya with ya Empire needs!

With it being 500 points, I'd say the Battalion is a rather fantastic way to go about with forming a decent empire Army, and here's my tips for you! ^_^

1. Being such low points, I'd say the need for a BSB may not be needed, our LD isn't dear-god-awful, and won't be as critical in small-point games (Also, BSB will eat up a 1/3 of points and you still need a hero/lord).

2. You get 20 troopers (Halberds), 8 Knights, a cannon and 10 Handgunners/Crossbowmen. Definitely a good size!

3. Halberds are generally considered good, dealing enough damage to be useful and chip away that pesky armour!

4. Crossbows are usually seen as best, with longer range and still a decent impact, though do lack AP from handgunners, though it does depend on your board sizes I presume.

5. Knights...We often have two uses for knights in Empire. Big ol' killy block, or chaff blocks. Chaff blocks are great for blocking nasty units for a turn or two with their great armour, whilst a killy block can be utterly NASTY when buffed apprpriately (And at 500 points, Inner circle knights ona charge are beast)/

6. Do you have the army book?

7. For heroes...I'd recommend either a LV2 wizard, or a Warrior Priest...Depending on the magic from your opponents. WP can be buffed with decent magical items, and give great buffs for units, with hatred, and able to cast flaming attacks and such, that can make your knights or halbderds even better! Later on, definitely get the BSB!

8. Cannons...At such low point cost battles, they're not as efficient I think, since there's less chance of big monsters around, though you could try them to snipe enemy characters, but their efficiency may be hindered...Not to say they're FANTASTIC at smashing heroes and monsters.

Overall...I'd try this.

Heroes:

WP
Talisman of Endurance
Biting Blade (Hammer)
Enchanted Shield
Hvy Armour
112

Core:

20 Halberdiers
FC
170

10 Crossbowmen
90

5 Inner Circle Knights
125

Total: 497 I believe!

Thanks for the insight, I was planning on a wizard for a warlord, and seeing as Skaven and Elves (particularly skaven) have fairly awful armour, I'll probably go with Xbows (that also means pistols for 40k conversions )

I do have the army book, but I'm still learning all the rules, so I don't know a lot.

That was actually really helpful, thank you very much.

Welcome to the Empire!

The advice above is decent, though at 500pts ICK maybe a point sink. What type of army do you see yourself playing? That will help us steer you towards good purchases! Lastly do you see yourself playing just for fun or for tournaments as well?

As it stands I think the list above is fine to play with one exception, the WP doesn't really need a 5+ ward for 30pts, the WP has a battle prayer that gives the unit a 5+ ward though only in CC (which isn't normally a issue).

I would recommend a WP with EHW and armor of meteoric iron.

At 500 points I probably wouldn't bother with any of the core choices. Some Demigryphs and a Stank is solid (don't take a Champ so you can make the stank general). Or a gun line of a couple of Cannons a Hellblaster with Engineer and a pegasus wizard. Depends what you want to do??

 FlingitNow wrote:
At 500 points I probably wouldn't bother with any of the core choices. Some Demigryphs and a Stank is solid (don't take a Champ so you can make the stank general). Or a gun line of a couple of Cannons a Hellblaster with Engineer and a pegasus wizard. Depends what you want to do??

Don't take core? Make Steam Tank a general? Have a 250 point rare in a 500 point army? Have a 2 unit army?

Are you sure this is Warhammer you've been playing? :p haha

To the OP, the battalion is GREAT! The only thing you don't have is a hero or lord to be the general. But you have more than enough to make a 500 point army.

Common sense would be to build them as a cannon, Halberdiers, Crossbowmen and Knights with lances + shields. However if you are planning to have a wizard as your general, you might want to make them swordsmen over Halberdiers as they will stick around a little longer and you'll likely be gun-lining in this case.

Actually at such low point values you could make 15 Swordsmen and have a 5 man Halberdier detachment to counter charge. That way you'd have a block of 5+ armour guys to hide your wizard in but still have some cc bite.

Don't take core? Make Steam Tank a general? Have a 250 point rare in a 500 point army? Have a 2 unit army?

Are you sure this is Warhammer you've been playing? :p haha

Yes that is all legal in the current Warhammer rules.

 FlingitNow wrote:

Don't take core? Make Steam Tank a general? Have a 250 point rare in a 500 point army? Have a 2 unit army?

Are you sure this is Warhammer you've been playing? :p haha

Yes that is all legal in the current Warhammer rules.

Sadly it is true, with what the Archaon rules brought to the table...However if you're playing with friends, I'd ask them about that first, since playing 8th could be better, and at least a tad more balanced than what has recently occurred. Bottle does bring up good points about having swordsmen over halberdiers, as they do last longer, 5+ AS and a parry! Never tested detachments myself, but could be worth to experiment! Depends really on how you want your army to play (Inf heavy, cav hvy or balanced)

 Bottle wrote:

 FlingitNow wrote:
At 500 points I probably wouldn't bother with any of the core choices. Some Demigryphs and a Stank is solid (don't take a Champ so you can make the stank general). Or a gun line of a couple of Cannons a Hellblaster with Engineer and a pegasus wizard. Depends what you want to do??

Don't take core? Make Steam Tank a general? Have a 250 point rare in a 500 point army? Have a 2 unit army?

Are you sure this is Warhammer you've been playing? :p haha

To the OP, the battalion is GREAT! The only thing you don't have is a hero or lord to be the general. But you have more than enough to make a 500 point army.

Common sense would be to build them as a cannon, Halberdiers, Crossbowmen and Knights with lances + shields. However if you are planning to have a wizard as your general, you might want to make them swordsmen over Halberdiers as they will stick around a little longer and you'll likely be gun-lining in this case.

Actually at such low point values you could make 15 Swordsmen and have a 5 man Halberdier detachment to counter charge. That way you'd have a block of 5+ armour guys to hide your wizard in but still have some cc bite.

The Archaon book threw out all limitations. Random scrub number 123 can be your general if you have no characters. All percentile and duplication limits are gone too.

Lol, okay. Do you still need 3 units minimum?

Considering how unbound in 40k never seems to be played (at least in my local GW) I'm sure fantasy unbound will be the same. So I'll say it's not useful to the OP to suggest unbound lists.

No 3 unit minimum. And Unbound 40k gets played a lot, even though 40k allows you to choose another method of army building where Warhammer does not.

Have they errated this into the rulebook FAQ? If not its End Times specific.

And there you go OP. Just buy 2 steam tanks for your 500 point list and the archaon book so you can laugh in your friends' faces and show them how "legal" your list is when they complain that your army isn't fun to play against.

Or instead you can be a gentleman. Put together an army that is fun to play with, and against (just like a battalion and a wizard would be) and have a great time with your buddies

The Archon book is pretty emphatic.

I just went and read the rules for it. Does seem it will likely get included in the errata soon enough. (But then the new magic rules from End Times III didn't so who knows?).

Still, for the OP who is just starting out, I doubt he and his friends will be playing End Times V rules.

And if it is fun for you and your opponents that you value, a balanced and varied list based on the battalion is going to be much more fun to play against than a steam tank and 3 Demigryphs.

ET magic is a choice and is only use able under certain circumstances (listed in the book). The new army building rules are not a choice, they super cede all previous rules.

Of course if you want to use the battalion you can. Or pick up some Demigryphs and a Stank which to me would be more fun to build paint and play with. I'm just putting out suggestions, suggestions that also give you an army capable of winning.

A steam tank or 2 isn't a bad long term investment, as are Demi's. I love swordsmen, but halberds are better in every way, cheaper and stronger, the fact your WS 3 doesn't matter if you have a hurricanum, and the pary save doesn't matter if you have a priest.

Lastly you may consider great weapon Knights, as non inner circle they are not horrible.

Just remember what makes empire work, cheap units, tons of buffs, and unholy amounts of shooting!