Topic: Hardcore 2500pt (with what i have...) Feedback requested!

[anvalous]

Our LGS is hosting a ridiculous tournament (which I don't know if it'll actually happen as planned) in October.  $50 entry fee (for a small community of WFB players... silly) with a $500 cash prize.  There are really only ~3 players who are contenders for this thing and I'm in that camp.  I pretty much have to bring my Empire army to be a threat (as my ogres won't be up to that range yet) and need to modify it a bit to get up to 2500 points. 

This is what I'm thinking about.  I will have 2 hard blocks with support, 2 fast, hitty elements in the knights and demigryphs, and a stank to hold up the deathstars.  I'm not convinced on the general's build, but he's there for Hold the Line! on another unit (likely greatswords) and another magical weapon in case of ethereals (of which there aren't many in my neck of the woods...)

Feel free to advise however you need.  If I don't have the models, I might be able to squeeze some more out of my budget, but it could be tough.  Thanks for the optimization thoughts!

General - Armor of SIlvered Steel, Fencer's Blades, Potion of Strength
Archmage of Light/Life (not sure yet) - lvl 4, dispel scroll

BSB - AoMI, Greatweapon
Warrior Priest - HA, S, Relic Blade, Ironcurse Icon

Halberds x44, FC + 2 detachments of 6 swordsmen
Knights x10, Mus, Std, greatweapons

Greatswords x40, FC, Standard of Discipline + 1 detachment of 6 swordsmen
Demigryphs x4, mus
Cannon

Helblaster
Stank

I'd love to fit in another cannon, but I had to choose between that and the stank... Any thoughts here?  With this apporach, I'd really just have to paint up another 19 greatswords and the demigryphs.  Not so bad...

[Amphretere]

Ok looking at your list I have a few questions that maybe you should think about. How are you dealing with Regen no fire = regen rolls all day. Even a noob with a hyrda or lore of life is going to give you an issues. why 44 halbs? seems like an odd number I would try and get them to 50 or drop them to 40. No crown of command ?  Demigyphs running halbs or lance here? I under stand why you want the groups of 6 swordsmen for redirecting and counter charging and with them on the Greast swords they are stubborn Yes? but not the ones on the halbs might Heres what I prapose you do. Your kit for the general I dont like no ward save on your boss could cost you. I would recomend something like this. Crown of Command, Sword of Might, Talisman of Preservation, Fullplate, Shield, gives you a 3/4 and stubborn with +1 str not bad for ws 5 str 5 3 atks. Also put him in the halbs then you have 5 stubborn units your opponent now has to play with. Knights I like lances but great weapons are good too. I would make them IC knights if you are going ot give them great weapons. I think you will find the extra str stubborn will go along way. I run my bsb the same way. Wizard lord i would run light pending the amount of undead or deamons you have to face other wise Life all the way for your list. If one of the two players your worried about isnt undead or daemons I would run life. Maybe a level two light might be worth it to cover your bases. your best bet is to go cheap with your warrior preists I have found. They are there for hate if anything give them things for survival not for dmg such as helms ward saves. I would run yours ha, sh, hand weapon, Iron curse Icon ( i love this item pays for it self every game) I run my wp with Gw,ha,IcI. Greatswords I would drop a few to make up the points to filll in the gaps I was talking about with your knights to make them IC, then pick which unit you want to put a banner of flame on to solve the regen issuse and that also makes that units attacks Magic so that solves any etheral problem. I would try to figure out how to put a wp in with your knights too that way your str 6 attacks can reroll to hit which in turn means more wounds which in turn means higher combat rez which = $500 duckets. Hellblaster good, stank good,  I would consider a Celestial Hurricanum as the hardest thing for empire is hitting, if we can hit we can win a combat.
I know I just threw alot at you and I hope it all will help I understand you cant fit all of this in a your list but its better to give you to much than to little. May Sigmar bring you victory and sully your foes that try to stop you.
Yours truly Amphretere

[anvalous]

Lots of info and suggestions!  Thank you very much for taking the time to put this together.

The suggestion for the general build is solid - I'll definitely think about that. 

Realistically, I'm not that worried about the need for flaming attacks, especially if I go with light (Shem's).  The two tough opponents are going to bring (probably) warriors of chaos and tomb kings.  While it is possible that the WoC player will bring a unit of 6 trolls and throgg, the tourney organizer is still debating whether to allow special characters.  Outside of that, regen is annoying, but not insurmountable.  I'm more worried about having a flaming unit hitting a character with the dragonhelm/dragonbane gem and getting stuck by a stubborn wall with a decent armor save and a 2+ ward.  Also, don't forget about the WP's prayer...

I'll try to fit the WP into the unit of knights.  I agree that the hatred is really nice for knights - really anything with high strength attacks.

Demigryphs will run with lances.

Halberds at 44 help me fill out my core and are just extra bodies.

Greatswords at 40 is the only tough part for me.  If I'm going to fit in an extra WP, I'll take from these guys first.  Maybe even pull them down to 30.

I'll see if I can whittle this a bit differently.  Thanks, again, for the input!

[Lord Solar Plexus]

Excellent list, anvalous. 5 combat units from Empire with enough buffs and unit padding should throw people off.

I'd drop the Potion of Strength. You're throwing points at a weakness, and your AL is not going to become a threat. Same with the GW on your BSB. Rather take a cheap magic weapon for ethereals. S4 is good enough. Think about investing saved points into wards.

I personally prefer to run Knights with lances but I assume you've got them modeled with GW, so there. You could perhaps lose one detachment and boost the other two a bit. 6 models is really awfully small unless you're conga'ing.

Two cannon should be all you need, so I wouldn't worry about trying to fit in a third.

How are you dealing with Regen no fire = regen rolls all day. Even a noob with a hyrda or lore of life is going to give you an issues.

He's got flaming attacks all over the place - Archlector, WP, Lore of Light. If someone puts his Life mage in a combat unit for Regen, he's rather exposed. Few sorcerors like being exposed to close combat, and those who do often cannot take Life.

44 Halbs + character = good number. Round ones just look nicer but aren't per se better in game.

[anvalous]

Updated list with feedback...

General - Crown of Command, Talisman of Preservation, FP, Shield, Sword of Might
Archmage of Light/Life (not sure yet) - lvl 4, dispel scroll

BSB - AoMI, Greatweapon
Warrior Priest - HA, S, Relic Blade, Ironcurse Icon
Warrior Priest - HA, S, Barded Warhorse

Halberds x44, FC + 2 detachments of 6 swordsmen
Knights x10, Mus, Std, greatweapons

Greatswords x30, FC, Standard of Discipline + 1 detachment of 6 swordsmen
Demigryphs x4, mus
Cannon

Helblaster
Stank

Only real question remaining is the lore on the archmage.  Life let's me bloom back my characters/stank, but Light has the more versatile buffs...  decisions, decisions...

Not that it realy matters as the tourney is scheduled on my wife's due date, but still, one can dream!

[Lord Solar Plexus]

Looks good. Those lores...they're equally good unless you absolutely need something like higher Ini for a particular opponent. You could as well toss a dice and take the other lore at a later point in time.

My first daughter's from October, too.  Good luck to the wife!