Engineer - only useful on a helblaster, arguably an expensive combo
Cannon - despite point increase, still must take
Helblaster - reliable, good for killing knights and monster units
I'd recommand a battery of Cannon + Hellblaster with 1 Engineer. 305pts overall.
Align HB forwards, engie at 3" behind, cannon 3" behind engie.
When you start the game and as long as the HB's 24" bubble is free of enemies, the engie helps the cannon.
When the HB has a target, the engie helps the HB and let the cannon aim by itself.
When the HB is about to be charged, the engie remains in between, at the appropriate angle so the pursuit leaves the cannon out of threat. So much for 2 warmachines disabled in 1 turn.
When the engie has been killed in melee, the enemy can't overrun a second time, and stays there => grapeshoot them.
Crossbowmen - too expensive, outriders are a better choice for the points
Handgunners - too expensive, outriders are a better choice for the points
Agree, however they are both core, contrary to outrider.
A small unit of 10 plus 2 detachments of 5 are still useful to babysit a sorcerer.
Such a detachment won't do anything good anyway, so at least it can shoot.
Xbows have an interesting range for that purpose.
Back to the original question, now.
how to put it all together to make an army?
what units could come together to form a cohesive army?
People want all the goodies plus their favorite units.
In games <3000pts, you just cannot have it all.
- There is the 25% requirement for core.
With all the goodies available in rare/special/hero/lord slots, I foresee core troops to be kept to minimum 25%.
One bus plus 2 detachments as redirectors seems reasonable. Add 1-2 units of vanilla knights.
Alternative: a large unit of ICK. Add 10 Xbows + 2x5 bows for wiz babysit/redirectors.
I'd recommend to start with the core troop and restrict the other slots to what is essential.
Doing it the other way, you'd risk to leave 0% for core, and be forced to remove some useful stuff and replace it by suboptimal core.
- Note that Rare units are all at the same cost (or double that cost for STank).
1 HB = 1 wizcart = 1/2 STank = full allowance for 500pts.
There is a strong incentive to max the rare slot. Every 500pts, you'd wish to take more.
Before comitting 25% of the army to rare, make sure they all fit with your battle plan. The more you cans spare, the better.
That leaves you with 50% for lords + heroes + special.
- heroes are so good that there will be a wish to take many.
BSB is near mandatory. 1-2 WP are must-take. 1 engineer is great with HB+cannon. Captains are nice for "hold the line". Wizards are useful, especially in light with the importance of buffing troops.
Can't take them all. The witchhunter is out.
I foresee that lvl1-2 will soon be out, due to the competition with WP/wizcarts/popemobile/Lvl3-4. Simply said, there's not enough PD for every caster.
I don't expect many non/BSB captains either.
That leaves BSB + 1-2 WP + 1 engie as a candidate for the optimal list.
Not even sure for the engie. However, his duty cannot be taken by anyone except by more warmachines, and you're short of rare/special pts.
- lords.
I want a Lvl4 for magic defense, and the popemobile for flaming cannons/hatred for everyone.
I'd love the griffon general and the runefang GM. And another lvl4, too.
Can't take them all.
That should be either GOTE or TGM or none.
That should be either 1 Lvl4 or WA, possibly none if I get several WP and a wizcart.
I'm convinced that an army could do well with only WA/wizcarts/WP, and not a single sorcerer.
I don't say that it's optimal, you'd have to endure the opponent's magic, but you'd have plenty of use for your meagre PD.
I won't be surprised to see a no-lord competitive army, maxing rare/hero slots.
- Finally, special.
I put them last because I think that they are less mandatory than other choices.
Is there any pts remaining? If not, review your previous choices and remove anything which is not absolutely vital.
Cannons are still near mandatory. 1 or 2 depending on the size of the army.
Greatswords => consider a core bus instead.
Flagellants => the STank can tar pit as well. Either one is great, probably not both.
Reiksguard => consider ICK instead. Either one, not both.
Demigryph Knights => consider STank. Keep them cheap anyway.
Outriders => consider handgunners or RXB instead.
Pistoliers => consider archers instead.
Huntsmen => consider archers instead.
Once you've considered it all, some specials will remain, some will see their role more or less taken by core units or units you already plan to take.
Overall, the good point with Empire is that many units have roles which overlap with many other units.
This means that you could do without pretty much anything, except BSB, 1 WP and cannon.