Free People Help¡¡

[Mjolnertf]

Hi everyone, could anyone help me get started with this army? I know that it is an army that has not renewed, but I miss playing with humans .... in my area of play we usually play 1000 points, if someone could tell me units that are indispensable, heroes to take into account ... etc, thank you very much and sorry for my English

[MrCharisma]

This is a 1,000pt list that I wrote up for a friend. We’re testing it this weekend over a Doubles Tournament;

Leaders
Freeguild General (100)
- Stately War Banner
Battlemage (100)

Battleline
40 x Freeguild Guard (280)
30 x Freeguild Crossbowmen (300)
10 x Freeguild Handgunners (100)
10 x Freeguild Handgunners (100)

980pts

[Mjolnertf]

Thank you very much for the quick answer

[someone2040]

So to offer another point of view.

Personally I feel that while MrCharisma's list is probably quite strong, it's also a bit 1 dimensional and boring at 1k points. While the 30x Xbows are definitely a power pick in the Free Peoples, and something you'll likely want to include later on, at 1k points that takes up almost a 3rd of your army. Coupled with the large unit of Freeguild Guard, this limits the flexibility your army has and makes it quite slow overall. The obvious intent of the army is to sit back and shoot. In a doubles format, that may be fine, but in a singles format I think it'll lead to quite 1 dimensional games (Where either your army grinds over the other, or the other army picks you to pieces).

 

IMO the only things a Free Peoples army that are must haves are:

Freeguild General with Stately War Banner - This guy makes your battleshock tests more reliable, and has the excellent Command Ability in 'Hold the Line'.

20+ Freeguild Guard + 2x10+Freeguild Xbows/Handgunners - Essentially a Great Company. In larger games, this usually ends up as 20x Guard, 30x Xbows and 10x Handgunners.

 

Personally I would suggest just going onto Warscroll Builder and playing around with lists that appeal to you. Here are two that I think would be interesting to play. Not necessarily the strongest lists, but IMO offer flexibility as they have units that are mobile also.

List 1:

Spoiler

Freeguild General with Stately War Banner - General

Battlemage

20x Freeguild Guard - Great Company

10x Handgunner - Great Company

10x Handgunner - Great Company

10x Xbows

5x Pistoliers

5x Outriders

List 2:

Spoiler

Freeguild General with Stately War Banner - General

Freeguild General on Griffon

20x Freeguild Guard

10x Handgunner

10x Xbows

10x Greatsword

5x Pistolier

 

[MrCharisma]

5 hours ago, someone2040 said:

So to offer another point of view.

Personally I feel that while MrCharisma's list is probably quite strong, it's also a bit 1 dimensional and boring at 1k points. While the 30x Xbows are definitely a power pick in the Free Peoples, and something you'll likely want to include later on, at 1k points that takes up almost a 3rd of your army.

Personally I would suggest just going onto Warscroll Builder and playing around with lists that appeal to you. Here are two that I think would be interesting to play. Not necessarily the strongest lists, but IMO offer flexibility as they have units that are mobile also.

3

I don't disagree with you.

@Mjolnertf : At 1,000pts I would pick up models that I like... and worry less about the list. General with a banner, some shooters, and some guard are definitely staples.  Pick up a Griffon if you want a big model, pick up some Demigryph Knights if you want some calavery, Outriders/Pistoleers if you want some fast and annoying (for your opponent), or make up bigger blocks of units.

I started my army just with models that I liked and built it out from there.

[Slick_Kid]

On 10/17/2017 at 2:11 AM, MrCharisma said:

I don't disagree with you.

@Mjolnertf : At 1,000pts I would pick up models that I like... and worry less about the list. General with a banner, some shooters, and some guard are definitely staples.  Pick up a Griffon if you want a big model, pick up some Demigryph Knights if you want some calavery, Outriders/Pistoleers if you want some fast and annoying (for your opponent), or make up bigger blocks of units.

I started my army just with models that I liked and built it out from there.

Especially with an army like Free Peoples, I cannot emphasize enough what MrCharisma stated: start with the units you like and build from there.

Free Peoples don't necessarily have that many warscrolls to choose from, but what we do have are solid choices to start with and the army allows for endless personalization and customization. I say this coming from a being a Bretonnian player and when I picked up Free Peoples, I started an all demigryph army because I love cavalry units! They're beautiful models and with my paint scheme, I tied everything into the background story I developed in my head. I think that helps too, in order to make the army yours - create a background story and paint scheme in your head; you can't go wrong with choosing the units you like. For example, I also had some of the old Dogs of War units, so I incorporated them into my army to add fluff and story behind them. It makes my army mine and flares my passion for the Free Peoples, making me pick up a few more units I liked to fill out a full army.  Just do you man and you can't go wrong!

[nelsonus]

@Slick_Kid how does the demi-gryph army do? I love the models but wasnt sure how they would do

[Josh]

I also agree regarding its good to have 30 x crossbows there but not always to run them initially

I ran the army below because thats the models I had, but resulted in not many people wanting to play me locally, same time if its a tournament and you want to be competitive its a solid choice! 

Leaders
Freeguild General (100)
- Stately War Banner

Battleline
30 x Freeguild Crossbowmen (300)
10 x Freeguild Handgunners (100)
10 x Freeguild Handgunners (100)
10 x Freeguild Guard (80)

Units
5 x Freeguild Outriders (130)

War Machines
Helstorm Rocket Battery (180)

Reinforcement Points (0)

Total: 990 / 2000
Allies: 0 / 400
 

[Mjolnertf]

Thank you very much for replying, the truth that it is an incredible community, in the end I decided not to start with Free people, basically because in my area and in general it is difficult to get models, mainly infantry basics, I hope this article helps somebody , sorry again and sorry for the inconvenience

[Slick_Kid]

17 hours ago, nelsonus said:

@Slick_Kid how does the demi-gryph army do? I love the models but wasnt sure how they would do

It is a very specifically themed army. I was so used to running an all cavalry army like Bretonnia of Honour Guard in KoW, but they do not play at all like the demigryphs we used to know in WHFB. They have okay movement and do okay on the charge, but there are very few synergies and buffs left across the board to make them work with the new updates in GHB17. What I mean is that I love the fact that there is a point reduction, but personally it is not worth taking more than 3 in an army because the ability for the demigryphs themselves to do D3 damage on a wound roll of 6 or more is too unreliable. You used to have buffs where you can give them +1 wound so they'd do D3 on 5 or more, but abilities form your general and trait abilities don't transfer to the mount. It is just to underwhelming for me to take them over any other option I can think of.

[someone2040]

5 hours ago, Slick_Kid said:

They have okay movement and do okay on the charge, but there are very few synergies and buffs left across the board to make them work with the new updates in GHB17. What I mean is that I love the fact that there is a point reduction, but personally it is not worth taking more than 3 in an army because the ability for the demigryphs themselves to do D3 damage on a wound roll of 6 or more is too unreliable. You used to have buffs where you can give them +1 wound so they'd do D3 on 5 or more, but abilities form your general and trait abilities don't transfer to the mount. It is just to underwhelming for me to take them over any other option I can think of.

It's only magical artefacts and command traits that don't effect mounts (The GHB mentioning command abilities was errated, and should just mention traits). So Demigryph units will get all the perks of both magic and command abilities affecting both the rider and the mount.

So you can still Wildform Demigryphs to give the bons damage on 5's, or the General on Griffons command ability 'Rousing Battle Cry' to give them +1 to hit.

But I think you are correct in that there are not much synergies you can really do for Demigryphs. Our 'big' synergy is Hold the Line, which sadly is not very useful if the intent is to charge with your fast moving Demigryph's.

At the moment, they feel like the first unit I'd cut from the list (above Pistoliers and Outriders IMO).

[Josh]

27 minutes ago, someone2040 said:

It's only magical artefacts and command traits that don't effect mounts (The GHB mentioning command abilities was errated, and should just mention traits). So Demigryph units will get all the perks of both magic and command abilities affecting both the rider and the mount.

So you can still Wildform Demigryphs to give the bons damage on 5's, or the General on Griffons command ability 'Rousing Battle Cry' to give them +1 to hit.

But I think you are correct in that there are not much synergies you can really do for Demigryphs. Our 'big' synergy is Hold the Line, which sadly is not very useful if the intent is to charge with your fast moving Demigryph's.

At the moment, they feel like the first unit I'd cut from the list (above Pistoliers and Outriders IMO).

yeah they are literally there because i dont have any other models to use haha, they are pretty useless but, nice little distraction/harassment unit

[Somanlius]

I've been playing Freeguild quite a bit recently and have had some really great success against my friends. For 1000 points I'd probably go with something like this:

Freeguild General

30 Freeguild Guard

20 Crossbowmen

20 Greatswords

3 Demi Gryphs

I usually bubble wrap my Crossbowmen with the Guard and turtle up and wait for a charge. With the Indomitable command trait and Hold the Line, those Guards with shield and sword save on 3s rerolling 1s and probably wont get too badly damaged, depending on the enemy. Also on the charge those Crossbowmen can open fire on the enemy and whittle down the opposing player pretty quick. If you position the Greatswords nearby they can try to counter charge via the Great Company rule as well and next turn demigryphs should be able to make a charge.

Granted, this type of strategy can be pretty unsuccessful against any heavy shooting army. I am usually playing Gutbusters, Beastclaws, Nurgle, Death, Khorne, and Dark Elves so most of my opponents have to melee me. 

If you take the demigryphs and freeguild general out and put in a General on Griffon with Indomidable and Armor of Meteoric Armor good luck trying to kill it. Mine faced off against Nagash and didnt lose a single wound to his melee or shooting. Also a group of 6 Ironguts, 3 orgres, and a Tyrant couldnt take him down.

[GammaMage]

I'm building towards a mixed Anvilgard army, though it's more about the flavour of the city than making use of their special allegiance trait. At the moment I have a Darkling Covens army, with some Shadowblade models, a Kinght-Azyros and a witch hunter. Was thinking of adding demigryph knights as they look cool, but not sure how they play. Think they are more worthwhile than Drakespawn Knights?

[Salyx]

Well, comparing Drakespawn to demigryphs seems very legit, because they perform the same role: Run up, take an objective and not die. 

Don`t expect these two units to do damage, they are not fit for that. They are mobile anvils who can challenge or take objectives. 

So to answer your question: You could take both. Whereas Drakespawns can re-roll 1s and 2s to save in melee, Demigryphs can only re-roll 1s having more wounds.

They perform the same role and are equally fit for this role. So it is only a matter of personal flavor imo. 

[Patapoef]

I still have to play free people since the 2017 book.

Im thinking of trying this list on 1000.

Freeguild General with standard (100)

30 x-bow (300)

30 handgunners (300)

40 guard sword and shield (280)

Id play this list defensive. Let them come and try to charge any unit and feel the shooty stuff kill everything. Just keep the guards in the middle and the x-bow and gunners 6 inch away. Id like to see any melee heavy army try. And vs shooty lists i think this should hold well.

 

[MacDuff]

Consider a unit of Greatswords for some of the Guard Swords for a counterattack bump.