Topic: If Emperor Karl Franz lead a warhost...

[Feanor Fire Heart]

Would the army be made up of Altdorf (blue and red) troops, Reikland (red and white) troops, or a mix of them?

[S.O.F]

For a localized defense of the Reikland or the Emperor's personal demesne sure with a number of other liveried direct vassals, lesser nobles and free towns and such. If on campaign for the sake of an "Imperial threat" the core sure but provinces threatened would be involved as well and I would imagine a heavier amount of of "awe" troops as well, more Reiksguard, Engineer detachments, or anything else falling under the "Imperial" title (Halfings Corps and the Pistoliers as well) more as a proof on the power of the Imperial crown than anything else.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

What SOF says.

The army composition would depend on the immediacy of the threat, size of the enemy, location and availability of Empire units. It would invariably include the Reiksguard - KF does not leave home without it, as confirmed by the tidbits of information on named units from "historic" battles fought by KF.

Battle of Norduin (? IC) against Bretonnia: Reiksguard
Battle of Broken Pillars (2507 IC) against Skaven: Reiksguard
Third Battle of Blackfire Pass (2520 IC): Reiksguard, Altdorf, Reikland and Averland

There is a full 4th edition scenario for the Battle of Blood Keep (2510 IC), against Dwarfs and Wood Elves, with the following army list:



However, that list seems to have been mainly determined by the availability of painted models.

[Feanor Fire Heart]

I'm thinking kind of like the 2nd main threat for the Empire in the Total War games. Sylvannia. If Karl was to raise troops to lead there to remove the Vampire threat in Sylvannia, would he be bringing Reikland, Altdorf, or both. I imagine many randos from different provinces would join along the way, but what force would he be leading? I mainly ask from a "painting an army" perspective.

[commandant]

It depends I think on whether he is reinforcing or it is his baby. If the first then I'd say the main bulk would be stirland  with some riekland/aldorf and knights. If the second then mainly riekland with some assorted others I'd say.

However (as Charles I found out in the 1630's) it tended to be hard to get the regiments to fight outside their home area (like when he tried to get the London trained bands to fight i  scotland) so Karl Franz could have similar problems with riekland and aldorf troops

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

Last entry of the Vampire Chronicles:
2522: Rumours begin to circulate in Stirland that Castle Drakenhof is once again inhabited by the Undead. Screams can be heard upon the winds and ever more people are going missing.The Witch Hunters grow increasingly frantic as the name  Nagash is once again whispered in the shadowed corners of the Old World.

You can develop that as you like (although that threat seems in its early stages), and given that the build-up of the army is situational, you are basically free. That said, whatever the situation, there are some units that you might expect:

- the Reiksguard
- an Arch-lector and/or Warrior Priests: the Sigmarite Church is in the forefront of the fight against Undead. Karl Franz might be involved e.g. because the Grand Theogonist is not convinced that the Stirland Elector is taking the threat seriously enough.
- Ludwig Schwatzhelm, if he is not otherwise engaged by a task for the Emperor.
- a Witch Hunter
- Units from Altdorf and Reikland (size dependent on the threat). Karl Franz is the Elector Count of Reikland after all.
- Stirland units.  Sylvania is now part of Stirland. Even if the Elector did not take the threat seriously (but then the threat would not be that obvious), there still would be at least a token Stirland unit in the force, for instance a unit of Archers or Hunters to act as guides as well as keep an eye on what the Emperor is doing.  Apart from Imperial etiquette and political restraints, without the support of the Elector, the Emperor would not/could not mount a campaign in Stirland, as he would be dependent on his logistic support.

[Feanor Fire Heart]

Thanks! I've been building lists on BattleScribe with this idea in mind and I have included Ludwig, a warrior priest, and a Bright Wizard in the list, with a witch hunter if I can fit it. The rest of the army is pretty much 2 handgunner units (I can break them up into detachments if needed), 1-2 units of halberdiers, a unit of swordsmen, a unit of greatswords, Reiksguard, Knights of the Blazing Suns, a couple of cannons and a helblaster volley gun.

Karl takes up a lot of points and in more conservative games I'd theoretically take Kurt Helborg instead. I'm broke AF right now with enough Horus Heresy miniatures to paint to last me a while, but when those projects are done I am thinking of starting up the old empire. For the first time too. I am at a lost on which edition everyone has been using since End Times blew everything up. I have the 7th edition Empire army and rule book handy though.

Not sure how I feel including a unit of Stirland or which of the units I mentioned would be them, and I've been leaning toward a mostly Reikland army with maybe a couple of Altdorf units like the helblaster. I guess the idea is for the army to be Karl's quick response army to threats to the Empire, supporting the other Electors' armies with his war host. But what should his warhost be? Reikland or Altdorf, or both?

Edit: I went through the 7e army book, wow. Why does it seem so sparse? No Witch Hunter or Reiksguard Knights? 8th on Battlescribe had both and WAP will even let you have specific Knightly Orders like Knights of the Blazing Suns and Knights Panthers.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

Basically, he could muster units from his own fiefdoms, from cities (Altdorf, Carroburg...) and of his subordinate lords, whose troops would wear the colours of the respective lord.

On  a side note: one of the famour regiments is Helhunten's Redeemers. "Led by zealous witch-hunter Joseph von Helhunten, the Redeemers are Vampire-hunters. Hailing from the region around Siegfriedhof in Stirland, the Redeemers shun the green and yellow of their home province, choosing instead black and tan. All members of the regiment have experienced loss at the hands of the Undead and have vowed revenge."

[Victor]

Give this a read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Army_(Holy_Roman_Empire)

Imperial Army =|= Army of the Empire
Imperial Army = Army of the Emperor

I intend to apply the concept of the Imperial Army to my own army project as well.
(If I find the time to continue)