Hi all,
I'm Roger's brother-in-arms organising this battle. I have a few issues which I made a note a month ago, but couldn't publish before because of this forum registration process... finally! I got registered
And many thanks mates, your contribution is so appreciated!
The Reiksguard in their current format were commissioned by Emperor Wilhelm III sometime after his ascension in 2429. The Reikland certainly had Knightly Orders representing its Elector, the Reikland Guard of the era of the Vampire Wars or the Reiksknecht during the late first millennium.
The Helstorm is considered newer by the way it is presented in the fluff. since it's appellation comes from the Elector of Middenland, 7th generic and in the 8th the current sitting Elector. It could have been nameless for hundreds of years or had another nickname but the presentation suggests it would probably be more recent.
Also repeating weapons from the College of Engineers would have only been available to the Elector of Reikland's personal troops during the Great War as well. A few may have slipped into the service of other Electors but certainly no other province would field Outriders.
Regarding the Reiksguard I seem to recall that there are contradictory sources on its origin. We had a discussion on this forum some time ago but I was unable to dig it up. In any case, even if you don't call them Reiksguard, I think some form of elite knights with Reiksguard rules are called for. Magnus deserves a stubborn bodyguard!
Interesting facts I haven’t read before! Do you remember the source where it appears? I want to expand the dialogue introducing a few questions, any help will be appreciated!
Reiksguard: Our plans are to deploy two regiments of this troops (mounted and on foot respectively). As you said, they were not a Reiksguard but a Reikland Elector’s Guard. They were a knightly order? It would be interesting to know the exactly name, and the Grand Master who commanded it then.
Engineers and repeating guns: Is there background that assures a concentration of the engineers on Reikland before the war? Really it’s not a problem as we only will play an outriders unit and they are from a Reikland contingent.
The College of Engineering and the Imperial Gunnery School were created after the war by Magnus. According Lexicanum, Leonardo da Miragliano was its founder and first Chieft Engineer. May also we include him in the battle?
Then I assume there are not historical contradictions on include other engineer stuff:
Steam Tank: Leonardo’s main creation. The heraldry of the tanks can correspond to a province or are only releated to the engineers?
War Wagon: Thinking about not being mounted by engineers but handgunners. Same question about the colours.
Hellblaster: Non found an historical reference further that was an engineer Von Meinkopt’s invention
Hochland Long Rifle: Reliable source on Mordheim background appearece, centuries before. I imagine that a veteran shooter who has contacts and money could get it on that era.
Helmstorm Rocket Battery: I guess we can manage to justify its appearance as a bizarre war machine, even not enrolled on the empire army but from a mercenary contingent. There will be an appreciable presence of Dogs of War on the Magnus side - approximately 150 infantry ones, regiments of light and heavy cavalry, and galloper guns. Also we will field a few Halflings and hot pots as part of the Averland troops, and ogres as Rogers Kul mentioned.
The inferno magazine article has a bunch more names for heroes and units. Consider using the ones that don't contradict the newer version, e.g. Haszteech, Chaos champion, charged in at the head of his dark knights or Aylmar Benjakson’s band of Dwarfish Longbeards, from Karaz-A-Karak, help defend the city.
Do you remember the Inferno’s issue where the Great War was mentioned? May it’s a long shot but it would be superb to get any reference to the contemporaries Elector Counts and the Magnus’s Battle Standard Bearer. We plan to organize the empire army on contigents from as many provinces and City States as we be able, If we know more details it would be exciting.