Empire 2000pt list, first try

[Magister]

I wanted to see if this idea is crazy, it's my first try at building an Empire list so please be critical. Also please point out if I've done something blatantly illegal, it's my first try at a compendium army.

Empire General w/ Stately War Banner  100pts
-Inspiring

x2 Battlemages (Amber and Grey)  200pts

Volkmar the Grim     100pts

Celestial Hurricanum w/ Wizard     320pts
-Phoenix Stone


20 State Troops with Sword/Shield    160pts

30 State Troops with Halberds      240pts

30 Handgunners                 300pts

20 Greatswords       320pts

5 Pistoleers         140pts


State Troop Detachment    120pts  (the Greatswords are part of this, the Pistoleers are not)


If I'm reading it right I have another artefact and no idea who or what to use. Also not sure if any of my heroes should get horses. Anyway, please commence the criticism and tear this list to shreds, I haven't started collecting this army yet.

[Double Misfire]

Looks solid and fun to play. The pistoliers combo with a hurricanum very well, and Volkmar's prayers will be all kinds of scary on a big block of state troops/Freeguild guard.

The State Troop detachment is as it stands per the latest faq, currently impossible to use in matched play as the units required to use it no longer actually exist, having been replaced by their freeguild counterparts.  Very frustrating, as it's a great detachment; maybe put the points towards 5 more pistoliers if you can squeeze them in, or Valten, Valten is a great objective jumping damage sponge.

The Phoenix Stone's a very good choice on the hurricanum, but I'm not sure I'm not sure Inspiring's the best command trait for your general. With so many characters operating at the back of the field your units are bound to be in range of at least one of their reroll battleshock bubbles anyway. Reckless is always worth taking, even if you plan on playing defensively using the general's command ability most of the time - you never know when you might roll snake eyes on a crucial charge!

[Magister]

Ah, well grumble. But thank you for pointing that out. I was also worried Inspiring was too redundant, so I'm changing that to reckless as you suggested. Dropping the State Troop detachment and downgrading Volkmar to a normal warrior priest gives me enough for a second pistoleer unit. Alternatively I could drop the Grey wizard instead of Volkmar and get a regular warrior priest. Does the rule of 1 count for prayers in matched play? I'm still a bit new at this. Anyway, much appreciated.

[Double Misfire]

17 hours ago, Magister said:

Ah, well grumble. But thank you for pointing that out. I was also worried Inspiring was too redundant, so I'm changing that to reckless as you suggested. Dropping the State Troop detachment and downgrading Volkmar to a normal warrior priest gives me enough for a second pistoleer unit. Alternatively I could drop the Grey wizard instead of Volkmar and get a regular warrior priest. Does the rule of 1 count for prayers in matched play? I'm still a bit new at this. Anyway, much appreciated.

Rules of 1 don't count for prayers in matched play, only spells, Stay in church kids.  

Regular warrior priests are currently a bit rubbish and not worth taking due to the latest version of their warscroll updating the Empire compendium one so that their prayers only affect friendly units with the Devoted of Sigmar keyword (basically flagellants, the War Alter, Witch Hunters and other Warrior Priests). A decent substitute is the Excelsior Warpriest, who has a healing prayer that affects all friendly models - not particularly useful in your current list though as you don't have any big monsters that will need regular wound replenishment. If you're not opposed to a bit of cross faction pollination, I'd say your best bet would be to swap the Grey Wizard out for a Dark Elf/Darkling Coven Sorceress, who costs 20 points less than the wizard and has a very similar spell (-1 to wound instead of -1 to hit). (Volkmar's prayers also seem a bit too good to swap out, I just glanced at his warscroll and I might have to have him turn up on an exchange program with my dwarf army!)

[MrCharisma]

I've become a big fan of the Strategic Genius command trait, allowing me to use Hold the Line AND Inspiring Presence in a critical combat. 

Good choice on the Pheonix Stone, though I would take a Jade Wizard as one of your choices to keep healing that Hurricanum. 

I'd switch your Guard units, making the Swords 30 and Halberds 20. Swords in range of the Hurricanum with mystic shield, and inspiring presence will hold up the deadliest foe and most objectives. 

Spliting your handgunners out to units of 10 will give you 3x long guns. Nice for sniping characters. 

[Double Misfire]

@MrCharisma excellent call on Strategic Genius. I don't often look too far past Reckless!

[Magister]

I hadn't thought of splitting the handgunners. I was mostly keeping them together for the Handgun Volley bonus. That is an interesting idea.

Also, thank you again Double Misfire, I didn't realize the Devoted of Sigmar warscroll overrode the Empire one, I thought they counted separate units. I'm still getting the hang of this. So does this mean that wizards use the Collegiate Arcane profiles and thus don't have the Free People keyword anymore? Not a huge deal but relevant to the Greatswords.

Also, if I'm reading the FAQs right, I could take two Volkmars if I wanted to and count them as different characters? Just want to make sure I'm reading that correctly.