Ok to answer in a more constructive way, I will recomend you to read this post by Calisson Tactica: how to balance an army of the Empire.
Thanks for the quote.
In fact, I'm pushing for as much variety as possible and encouraging non-cookie-cutter lists.
An earlier attempt to define the cookie cutter was made by Warlord:
What everyones 8th edition Empire army will look like.Based on what I've read lately here, there are some unit settings which are more expected than others:
Core:
Infantry:
- 1-2 Large buses of Halberdiers, 5x8, FC, with GOTE (CoC), BSB, WP
- Detachments of Swordsmen, 5x4, or small detachments of 8 Archers.
Cavalry:
- One large unit of 10 IC Knight, FC, lances, with TGM, BSB, WP
- Several units of 5 vanilla Knights, muso, either lance or GW.
Special / Rare:
1-2 units of 4 DemiGriph, lances, muso, pennant
1-2 x {Cannons + Engineer + HVG}
1-2 STank
0-1 Hurricanum (especially with infantry)
Hero/Lord:
Either GOTE or TGM
1-3 WP
As many Engineers as HVG
1 Lvl4 + 1 Lvl1 - Lores are shifting fashion from Life/Shadows to Heavens/Light.
In addition, an Empire army should include either one fast cavalry unit (Pistoliers or Outriders) or a Captasus, but often they are missing.
Reversely, some units are less obvious to use and could raise interrogations:
- AL, especially without WA
- Griffon Beast Wizard
- Witch Hunters
- Several HLR (engineers, Handgun champions)
- Free Companies
- Flagellants
- Handgunners
- Mortars, Helblaster rockets
- Pigeoneers
There is one absolute no-take, that's the Robohorse.