Topic: Some ideas for only 800 points (8th ed)

[wilful]

Hello Imperial citizens,

I've not played Empire in over 20 years, so assume I know nothing about the army list apart from what I've read today.

My son has challenged me to a  quick 800 points battle, all the regular rules applying (including army composition).

SO I'm thinking about 200 points of inner circle knights (8? 7 + command?), 200 points of outriders, a grand master as general with the knights and a luminark or a battle wiz on a warhorse.

They would all obviously be highly mobile and i wouldn't enter combat unless I got the charge off. Think I'df keep running around until I got them exactly where I wanted them.

Any advice on small magic items, or which lore wiz? Bit worried about the grand master getting his head chopped off in a challenge.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

Welcome!

Do you know what you are up against? And what do you have available? Some incoherent remarks:

- You need at least three units in addition to any characters. So, in the set-up above, you cannot take the Wizard or any other character.

- In smaller games, the Lore of Fire shines.

- Rather than the Grand Master, I would take a Priest, equipped for survival, in particular if you do not have a Wizard. If you give the Knights the Standard of Discipline, he would have a decent Ld 9.

- The Luminark is more useful in games of a bigger size. Depending on what you are up against, a cannon may be necessary.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

To add:

- In smaller games, it is best to limit oneself to a single character, preferably one that will provide the biggest boost to the whole of the army.

- So, one could either go for the Warrior Priest, or go magic heavy by taking a lvl 2 Fire Wizard. How is that magic heavy? Because there is a neat little trick: if you equip him with the Ruby Ring of Ruin, you'll be basically adding a lvl 1 Fire Wizard for 25 pts. And thanks to the Lore Attribute, "if a direct damage or magic missile spell from the Lore of Fire is cast at a unit that has already been hit by a direct damage or magic missile spell from the Lore of Fire in the same Magic phase (even if the spell was cast by a different Wizard) the casting Wizard adds +D3 to his casting total"(BRB p. 492).

Note also that "All of the spells in the Lore of Fire are Flaming Attacks." That means that the Wizard will cause Fear in war beasts, cavalry and chariots (as well as other effects against models with the Flammable and Regeneration special rules, which may or may not be your enemy).

- Give the Knights full command, since at 10 pts each, it is a bargain. The champion gives you an extra S6/S4 attack (compare Sword of Battle: 20 pts), and can challenge a dangerous character. The musician gives you the possibility of swift reform, of victory in case of a tie, and +1 to rally. The standard bearer gives 11 CR (compare War banner: 35 points).

- A musician may come in handy too for the Outriders.

[GamesPoet]

My sense is that Fidelis is on a good track with that advice.  Small point games are good with smaller units and costs, thta way when ya lose something it isn't a huge item making it hard to continue.  I'd definitely go with a cannon, consider only 5 or 6 Knights with full command, maybe even a infantry block of 20 with full command, musician with 5 outriders, definitely a warrior priest or a wizard as the hero.  My experience is mostly with 6th and 7th edition, so  hopefully that helps.