Topic: 2 weeks later - how's the new book holding up?

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

I know 2 weeks still isn't enough for thorough testing and all... but I'm really impatient and want to start my Empire army!  (speaking of, hurry up w/ the Battalion, GW)

So I'm wondering how the new units and changed units are doing?  Are Demigryphs a "mandatory" unit?  How're the College WMs performing?  Are infantry better now w/ the additional buffs?  How are Witch Hunters?  etc etc.

Hopefully this isn't too rash of a question, but thanks for any and all input!   

[finngoalie]

Demigryphs and magic war machines are both mandatory............for GW to sell.

[Forgotten Beast]

As time goes by the book is growing on me.  One turning point was realizing that not only could Demigryphs kill Mournfang and enemy armored elites in a cost effective way, but they could even grind down things like stormvermin hordes and actually come out on top, point for point.  So I'd say Demigryphs are very compelling.  They're also one of the few units we have that can execute its mission without magic support.

And given how dependent everything else is on magic, the Hurricanum is also very compelling.  An extra power dice to fuel prayers and magic buffs, along with its innate buffs, could go a long way.

It seems to me that Empire is strongest as a magic-dependent close combat army.  Shooting might still be effective but you'd have to engineer your magic around it, going with the lore of shadow to make those strength 2 mortars actually do some damage.

[Azyr]

I've run my Empire as I did before minus all the new goodies and found that they are still pretty good.
WP are a must IMO

[embir]

Slightly offtopic.

I haven't played Empire very long time  - I stopped during 7th edition (Graham McNeill "work" was too much to handle).
Last i heard Empire got a new book - thus I have a few questions: What is new? How is it all hold up with 8ed. rulebook? Is there Army Builder update already available?

Thx for answers in advance.

[Robert Klemic]

I've played 1 game with my empire at this point and I can pretty much say that the hurricanium is definitely a must have.  I was playing a 2v1 were I had 3k empire vs 1.5 Lizards + 1.5 Skaven.  My Inner Circle lancer unit that I had almost ripped a saurus brick of 20 with shield and spears to shreds in 1 turn thanks to the +1 to hit so I was hitting and wounding on 2+.  The new helblaster with Engineer is also a deadly piece.  Managed to take down a non-ethereal Slann in one blast of 26 shots with about 15 hitting and then 9 wounds (had withered the toad for -1 T that turn)

The only reason I ended up having the game really go south on me is that the Rat player was rolling out of his kiester with his doomwheel.  The darn think took out 4 demigryphs before I had a chance to attack.  Rassle Frassing grumble snarf.  I should have looked at his book.  the darn thing is ITP NOT UNBREAKABLE.... 

[Count]

I find the new book makes the Empire army more vulnerable to the enemy's magic.  Without the automatic dispel dice from WPs and the carryover dispel dice from the Rod of Power (the two gave me 4 dice before rolling for Wizards), the army can be more easily hurt by spells. 

The Stank seems to be better and worse...it takes more wounds and is more easily killed, but its ability to charge in any direction makes it more difficult to avoid.  I also miss a lot of the "Empire specific stuff" that made for some interesting characters (like the Hero on a Pegasus going around stealing spells). 

Since I don't field unpainted units, I can't provide any feedback yet on the Luninark of Hysh, the Hellblaster Volley Gun (though the Helstorm seems to be less valuable except in special situations), and the Demigryph Knights. 

I think the "new stuff" will be necessary especially the Demigryph Knights to give the Empire more shock power. 

For fun, I have enjoyed using Wulfhart with a unit of archers in the woods as scout skirmishers just to annoy my opponents when the terrain allows it and for smaller monsters he can take a real bite out of them before they close on your shock units.  I can also see using the Witch Hunter in situations where the enemy has a specific character worth "hunting".

I think it will take a dozen or more games to find tune my tactics against various enemies as some of the old ones don't work as well.  I do think the "best" Empire army will vary more so than in the past based on your opponent's army. 

This leads to one of the things I struggle with...the idea of using a single list in a tournament.  One of the key strengths of the Empire army is its ability to flex more than most other "races".  Limiting Empire to a single list is like forcing them to fight with one hand tied behind their back.