Let's Chat: Free Peoples

[Blitzel]

Had friendly match yesterday. First time I took my free guilds to battle. I run a fun list with the models I liked. But it worked okay-ish. 

Allegiance: Order

Leaders
Freeguild General On Griffon (300)
Excelsior Warpriest (80)

Battleline
20 x Freeguild Handgunners (200)
10 x Freeguild Guard (80)

Units
3 x Demigryph Knights (200)
- Lance and Sword
5 x Freeguild Outriders (140)

Total: 1000/2000
 

My opponent played Grots. 2 artillery pieces, 2x20 grot blocks, a fanatic, 5 spider riders, a big spider, shaman and a grot boss.

We played the hostage narrative scenario. I decided my warpriest was captured. The griffon is a beast! He did 11 wounds on the spider in 1 round. Demigryphs were not that effective for me. Maybe I played the wrong, but they needed the help of my pistoliers to chew through grots (buffed up, but still!! Grots!!) Kudos to the pistoliers, they were awesome! Fast, nice offensive ability with the running, shooting and charging (even better with griff generals command ability, I might take 10 in 2000 points). They killed the big spider in a gallop-by shoot out and saved the hostage. It was a cool game!

 

Edit: some thoughts about support. And wanting to reply to myself ;-).

The demigryphs were a bit disapointing in their performance. I am looking at alternative cavalry. Now my eye has fallen on questing knights. The might work pretty well with the griffon general. They are like great swords on steeds with a anti monster gimmick and a good save on the charge. They also have the free people key word, so they could benefit from the offensive command ability of the griffon general. I am planning to take 10 pistoliers. And questing knights may be a perfect addition to them.

[Thaumaturge]

I'd like to give my first list a try, using what I've learned lurking here. This is meant as a starting point to build off of, and I eschewed some fancier models that I definitely want to include down the road when I'm a better painter (greatswords and the Hurricanum).

Leaders:
Freeguild general on warhorse w/ stately warbanner (100pts)
-Reckless, Phoenix Stone

Amber Battlemage (100pts)
Jade Battlemage (100pts)

Battleline:
30 Freeguild Guard w/ swords and shields (240pts)
20 Freeguild Guard w/ halberds (160pts)
x3 units of 10 Handgunners w/ long rifle Marksmen (300pts)

1000pts total

I'm going to be brutally honest in my thinking on this list as a newbie. The general has a warhorse for mobility and I probably can't hide him from shooting even on foot, Reckless to help charges but also because my army is all infantry and rerolls for running will help mobility, and Phoenix Stone because I couldn't think of anything better. I used those two color battlemages because they seem most useful. The swordsmen obviously to hold things, protect things, and grind fights out. The halberds because....honestly I really like halberds. And of course handgunners to shoot things, and also to give me three snipers. Please dissect at your convenience, I'm hopefully starting to paint my first 10 Freeguild Guard this weekend, so everything is pretty mutable.

[Blitzel]

I like your massive infantry horde. But you might want to considder dropping the sword-guard to 20 and loose 1 battlemage, the jade mage doesn't add much in this list as you have no big wound models. 

With the points gained you could buy 10 more handgunners (making 1 unit 20) and add 1 unit of outriders (if you do, considder fielding your handgunners i  2x20, you then have 3 shooty units to order to greater damage output. Now if you considder swapping the halberds for greatswords, you have a small counter unit that hits harder.

[MrCharisma]

It's funny because  I completely disagree with @Blitzel. It just shows the flexibility of  the human factions.

I'm a big fan of large units of swordsmen and find they hold an opponent and objective with their  defence and attacking stats. I don't like Halberdiers and prefer to take Spearmen for their 2' range, allowing them to attack over the swordsmen.

I love the Jade wizard but your army doesn't need it. I leverage Lifesurge to keep my Hurricanum and Carmine Dragon healthy. If you keep the Jade wizard, I would drop the Pheonix Stone artifact and take the Quicksilver potion.

I prefer the Strategic Genius command ability, as it combines well with Hold the Line & Inspiring Presence. I imagine your army will be defending charges more than making the charge.

[Aezeal]

A Q for freeguild players. Is the Hurricanum only supplied with a rectangular Base? 

[MrCharisma]

41 minutes ago, Aezeal said:

A Q for freeguild players. Is the Hurricanum only supplied with a rectangular Base? 

Yes. I always put mine on oval 120's (?)

[Aezeal]

Increases price with 10% and leaves me with a rather expensive yet useless base. .. why gw? 

[nuttyknatty]

Just a brief update - played three games at the Cheltenham Warchief's one dayer yesterday. All my opponents generously allowed me to use all my terrain for our games, which created a lovely storyline for my Freeguild Regiment (and some great spectacles).

The first two games saw the Town ransacked beyond repair, but the final game saw the men of Hatton successfully repel a hoard of Ironjaws!

[Aezeal]

Is that a mat one can buy? It looks nice for a village, though maybe the streets are a bit wide.

 

Ofc your terrain and models look great too, that goes without saying. 4 ground terrain right? is it prepainted?

[nuttyknatty]

Village! Hatton is the largest urban area in all of Anglesea! At the last census, there were over 3,000 inhabitants (90% Human 9% Aelf, 1% undecided), although this number could well be lower after the weekend's events! ?

 

The mat is one from GameMat available here:

 

https://www.gamemat.eu/our-products/battle-mats/6-x4-g-mats/6-x4-g-mat-forgotten-realm/en/

The buildings are from 4Ground - all comes prepainted and goes together like a dream.

[Jamgoth]

Hi. Here is the list of an army I'm collecting. Thoughts?

 

1 General w Griffin  (300)

2 General (200)

10 Hand gunners (100)

10 crossbow men  (100)

10 archers (100)

10 Guard (80)

6 demigriffin Knights  (400)

10 Outriders  (280)

10 Pistolier  (280)

10 Greatswords (160)

 

Total 2000. 

[Aezeal]

My thought is that it's lacking a hurricanum.. if your still in the process of collecting/buying I'd consider one.

[Chaz145]

So I played fantasy a while back and played empire. I recently found my old collection and a partial built battalion box.

I would need some advice on a army list so I can get started in AoS.

Current Models

• Arch Lector
• 2 Generals *2-handed and Banner* (Forgeworld Empire Command)
• 2 Wizards
• 40 Helberdiers
• 20 Crossbowmen
• 16 Knights
• 2 Cannons
• Steam Tank

[MrCharisma]

@Jamgoth interesting list that will be super fast on the battlefield. I suggest dropping one of your Generals and replacing it with a wizard.

I'd also suggest a Hurricanum.

 

@Chaz145 welcome back to the Free Guild. Are these the only models that you own? 

My initial advice is to consider how to protect your cannon crew, since AoS has a lot of special deployment tactics which could knock them out before you even start.

I'd also suggest a Hurricanum.

 

Hurricanum's for all!

 

[Chaz145]

3 hours ago, MrCharisma said:

@Chaz145 welcome back to the Free Guild. Are these the only models that you own? 

My initial advice is to consider how to protect your cannon crew, since AoS has a lot of special deployment tactics which could knock them out before you even start.

I'd also suggest a Hurricanum.

Hurricanum's for all!

 

I was thinking something along the lines of 

• General with 2-handed
• General with Standard
• Gunmaster
• 40 Helberdiers
• 30 Swordsmen 
• 20 Crossbowmen
• 20 Handgunners
• 2 Cannons
• Steam Tank

[Jamgoth]

14 hours ago, MrCharisma said:

@Jamgoth interesting list that will be super fast on the battlefield. I suggest dropping one of your Generals and replacing it with a wizard.

I'd also suggest a Hurricanum.

 

@Chaz145 welcome back to the Free Guild. Are these the only models that you own? 

My initial advice is to consider how to protect your cannon crew, since AoS has a lot of special deployment tactics which could knock them out before you even start.

I'd also suggest a Hurricanum.

 

Hurricanum's for all!

 

Really, you think it will be fast on the battlefield? You see, my thinking was, since most of the units are ranged, I would just stand in one place and let the enemy walk into my gunfire. The Demigriffin Knights, Greatswords men, and guard were just protection for when the enemy gets to close. 

 

Granted, I'm a total newbie, so I don't really understand the finer points of AOS strategy. I flipped through TGA:order handbook and picked units that seemed interesting to me. 

 

I see your logic in replacing one of my generals with a wizard, since I'm lacking any magic. But what should I get rid of to get the celestial hurricanum, and why is it so good? I dont see where I can drop 320 points to my list to mare room for one. Should I just add 10 more guard and 10 more hand gunners and say it's a 2500 point list instead of 2000? 

[Aezeal]

5 hours ago, Jamgoth said:

Really, you think it will be fast on the battlefield? You see, my thinking was, since most of the units are ranged, I would just stand in one place and let the enemy walk into my gunfire. The Demigriffin Knights, Greatswords men, and guard were just protection for when the enemy gets to close. 

 

Granted, I'm a total newbie, so I don't really understand the finer points of AOS strategy. I flipped through TGA:order handbook and picked units that seemed interesting to me. 

 

I see your logic in replacing one of my generals with a wizard, since I'm lacking any magic. But what should I get rid of to get the celestial hurricanum, and why is it so good? I dont see where I can drop 320 points to my list to mare room for one. Should I just add 10 more guard and 10 more hand gunners and say it's a 2500 point list instead of 2000? 

That is not a way to win objective games, but you can try. But the Hurricanum does mortal wounds and increases hit chances. One of your shooters (handgunners I think) hits on an abysmal 5+.. a hurricanum will increase damage output by 50%. Since you get a bonus for larger units I'd go at least one units of 20 shooters instead of 3 different ones of 10 bodies. In addition to that damage increase you also get mortal wounds, a decent spell, access to mystic shield which you still lack (and you shouldn't miss it: that spell saves games), and unbinding.

 

I think you can probably drop either the outriders or the pistoliers(I don't actually play freeguild so I don't really know which one of them is best), especially since you already have demigryphs.

[Jamgoth]

17 minutes ago, Aezeal said:

That is not a way to win objective games, but you can try. But the Hurricanum does mortal wounds and increases hit chances. One of your shooters (handgunners I think) hits on an abysmal 5+.. a hurricanum will increase damage output by 50%. Since you get a bonus for larger units I'd go at least one units of 20 shooters instead of 3 different ones of 10 bodies. In addition to that damage increase you also get mortal wounds, a decent spell, access to mystic shield which you still lack (and you shouldn't miss it: that spell saves games), and unbinding.

 

I think you can probably drop either the outriders or the pistoliers(I don't actually play freeguild so I don't really know which one of them is best), especially since you already have demigryphs.

Hand gunners equipped with longgun actually hit on a 4+ and wound on 3+ IIRC. Plus if they stand in one place they get +1 to hit, as well as the general's hold the line ability which grants +1 to hit and wound. So, if these abilities stack, and TBF I don't know if they do, that's a 2+ to hit AND wound. If I have one unit of 30 long gunners, one, I no longer meet the battle line requirement and two, they will get another +1 to hit, and having them automatically hit their target, again, assuming abilities stack. 

 

Outriders and pistoliers are almost identical except outriders have repeater handguns instead of pistols. Repeaters have D3 attacks not 2. Repeaters also have longer range but you can't use them in close combat. I'd say they are about equal, but I prefer the outriders.

 

If I got rid of the pistoliers and got a Hurricanum I'd have 2040 points. I could get rid of 5 of the 10 outriders as well and add 10 more longgun. That would add up to 2000. 

[Malfunct Bot]

Only the unit Champion can be equipped with a Long Gun, everyone else is stuck with the standard 5+ Musket, though even that isn't so bad since Freeguild is littered with ways to increase your To Hit rolls without even venturing outside of the faction (20 Models, standing still and Hold The Line! will still bring your models to a 2+, 2+).

[Jamgoth]

38 minutes ago, Malfunct Bot said:

Only the unit Champion can be equipped with a Long Gun, everyone else is stuck with the standard 5+ Musket, though even that isn't so bad since Freeguild is littered with ways to increase your To Hit rolls without even venturing outside of the faction (20 Models, standing still and Hold The Line! will still bring your models to a 2+, 2+).

Ah okay. I should read the rules more closely.

[MrCharisma]

11 hours ago, Jamgoth said:

Really, you think it will be fast on the battlefield? You see, my thinking was, since most of the units are ranged, I would just stand in one place and let the enemy walk into my gunfire. The Demigriffin Knights, Greatswords men, and guard were just protection for when the enemy gets to close. 

I see your logic in replacing one of my generals with a wizard, since I'm lacking any magic. But what should I get rid of to get the celestial hurricanum, and why is it so good? I dont see where I can drop 320 points to my list to mare room for one. Should I just add 10 more guard and 10 more hand gunners and say it's a 2500 point list instead of 2000? 

6

* I see your army as fast because you'll need to move your shooting units forward in order to win objectives. The old Empire strategy of defence is dramatically different in AoS. Your calvary are shock troop while your shoots are moving forward in support. I used to play the old Warhammer way... and while I would win in kill points, it meant nothing because my opponent would win the objective.

* I would say to start your list again and make the Hurricanum your first choice. There is nothing in my army more important than the Hurricanum.

 

[Jamgoth]

11 hours ago, MrCharisma said:

* I see your army as fast because you'll need to move your shooting units forward in order to win objectives. The old Empire strategy of defence is dramatically different in AoS. Your calvary are shock troop while your shoots are moving forward in support. I used to play the old Warhammer way... and while I would win in kill points, it meant nothing because my opponent would win the objective.

* I would say to start your list again and make the Hurricanum your first choice. There is nothing in my army more important than the Hurricanum.

 

I found a way to get a battlemage and a hurricanum. I would have to get rid of my pistoliers and half of my outriders though. 

 

I came up with a new list that is an alliance between free people, devoted, and Arcanum. I might get it once I collect my pure freeguild army. 

 

2 Battlemages

2 Warrior priests

1 witch hunter

1 war alter of sigmar

30 flagellants 

3x20 freeguild guard

Luminark 

Hurricanum 

[MrCharisma]

8 hours ago, Jamgoth said:

 

2 Battlemages

2 Warrior priests

1 witch hunter

1 war alter of sigmar

30 flagellants 

3x20 freeguild guard

Luminark 

Hurricanum 

Interesting list my main man, how do you plan to use it all on the battlefield?

Super curious because I haven't put my Devoted of Sigmar on the table yet 

[Dotification]

Say, has anyone tried running 20+ Freeguild Guard Militia as a picket screen for the Hurricanum/support units??  Instead of a shield they get a 14" shooting attack.

Is it me, or should Archers be a touch cheaper than their fellow ranged cohorts, like they were in 8th??  (I've only ever considered taking them to pair with Markus Wulfhart from The Empire/Compendium.)  It seems like people only ever consider Crossbowmen or Handgunners in this role, no matter what the unit size . . .

[nuttyknatty]

I've been mostly using my 10 man archer unit as a nice little speed bump. The pre-game extra move is nice to get something out in front to stop anything charging first turn (I'm looking at you Necrosphinx, Gore-Gruntas).

Sadly, and obviously, they die horribly, but at least its quick.