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Author Topic: The empire only survives on steel, gunpowder and technology. The fix.  (Read 3208 times)

Offline Smythen

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  • - Pikemen to the Empire, NOW!
I have read a lot of interesting ideas on this forum, but only a rare few seem to be in line with GW policy and the history of the empire.

Lets face it the standard empirial trooper has 3 in all stats and 7 ld and we have the fantstic detachment rules.
So the only respectable changes that can be made is in regard to weapons and armor. After all the empire only survives on steel, gunpowder and technology.

The halbardier fix. (kill the sick dog)
For fluff reason made up what seems to be a century ago (or whas that it was the only model available in plastic), halbardiers have been shown as the standard empire state troop.
Time goes and things changes, so now with the technology learned from the south, pikemen starts to apear in the empire armies. (Tilean mercenaries at first and then as empeiral state troops.) bla. bla. bla. new fluff story.
yes the halbard wil never return as parent unit (and good riddance), but will now be used primarily as detachements for the pikes.
(and dont u know, this will all be mimmicking historical correctnes of the european armies, from the period that the empire is supposed to look and feel like, 15 - 16th century) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_and_shot)
Points cost? whatever Dogs of war Pikemen cost. and can only be fielded as a parent unit.

Where are all the empire heroes? (Flashy stuff for everyone):
Ever noticed that unit champions seems to be armed differently than the core choice, ever noticed that in the shooty regiments they have weapon options? Statetroop seargents should have options for weaponry; heavy armour (only WPs seem to wear them these days, what a shame), pistol, shield, greatweapon etc. (no need to ad magic item options as the elves have).

Greatswords:
Magic banner 50 points, 9 points each.

Archers:
7 or maybe even 6 points.

Knights:
No fix they are core! with 1+ armour save, nice!
one unit of IC are core if u have a grandmaster.
Reinstate the good old cavalry hammer for whitewolves 6th edition.

Spears?:
Outdated replaced by pike's, stays in armylist to represent poorer provinces (fluff)

Swordsmen:
(see; Where are all the empire heroes? (Flashy stuff for everyone))

And give us that engineer that is worth including in an army:
Stay safe, doesnt die if warmachine blows up.
Gives defended obstacle option to all warmachines x points pr. warmachine.
bs 5.

More options for the arillery:
Ad engineer aprentice, to warmachine as extra crewman +x points. with +1 bs. has lightarmor and a repeater pistol, and pistol.
Pistols to the crewmen.
(all other armies have way better crewmen than we do so, dwarfs t4 lightarmor ld 9, elves ws bs 4, asf, ld 8 lightarmor, orcs t4 etc. so these changes wont be unfair.)
A single artillery dice reroll pr. battle. (its simply too gamebreaking having your greatcannon blow up i turn 1)

Summary:
All in all none of these changes will change the empire strategy options, just fluff up the army and make it a little better at what it already does. The ballance will be in the extra point cost for the Pikemen and and the extra options for champs and artillery.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2010, 07:54:04 AM by Smythen »