Topic: Provinces and Knightly Orders.

[kermitthefrog3]

An idea I had to add some diversity and background to armies, and find a greater use for teh general of the empire.

Choosing a Province

When making an empire army, you msut choose one of the many provinces from which it comes from. Each province has certain advantages based on its surroundings and traditions. If your army includes a General of the empire, his influence and contacts allow additional bonuses for the army.

Reikland - Governed by Karl Franz himself, Reiklanders and known for thier discipline and exelent equipment.

Units of Swordsmen, Halberdiers, Spearmen and Greatswords may always march, even if there is an enemy within 8" of them, and may take a unit of inner circle Reiksguard knights OR a unit of Greatswords as core see the Knightly orders section below).

A Reikland army that includes a general of the empire reduces the cost of Spearmen, Swordsmen, halberdiers and greatswords by 1pt, and halberdier and Spearmen units may be given shields for free.

Middenland - The men of Middenland are known for thier strength and Determination

All units of Swordsmen, Halberdiers, Spearmen, Greatswords and knights may reroll failed panic checks (indluding detachments).

A Middenland army that includes a general of the empire grants Units of Swordsmen, halberdiers, spearmen, greatswords and knights the ability to reroll all failed phycology tests.

Averland - Though struggling in the conflicts without a ruler to lead them, the men of Averland are none the less brave soldiers.

An Averland army may make a single unit of up to 10 crossbowmen BS 4.

An Averland army that includes a general of the empire may give this bonus to 2 crosbowment units of up to 10 men each.

Nuln - Nuln is home to the imperial gunnery school, and known for its artillery trains and many units of handgunners

A Nuln army may upgrade a model in 2 units of either handgunners, Pistoliers and outriders to Champions for free.

A nuln army that includes a general of the empire MAY take a Cannon or Mortar as a core choice or a Hellblaster Volley gun or Hellstorm rocket battery as a Special choice. Including a general also allows you to take 3 free champions in the units listed above, rather than 2.

Just a few, you could make up some more

Knightly orders - Units of Inner Circle Knights may choose to belong to one of the orders listed below to represent a regiment of one of the many Knightly orders in the empire.

If an army includes a unit of Inner circle knights from a specific order a Single Captain (must be mounted) or Templar Grand Master may choose to lead it, representing a Captain or Grand master of the same order. As long as the character deploys in the knight unit at the start of the game, and does not leave the unit, it recieves the same bonuses as the unit. For instance, an army includes a unit of Reiksguard inner cirlce knights, so a captain or Grand Master leading the unit would recieve immunity to Fear and terror on the charge as long as they remain within the unit.

Reiksguard - Probably the most famous of all the knightly orders, lead by the Grand Marshall Kurt Helborg, one of Karl Franz's most trusted allies.

Units of Reiksguard Knights are Immune to fear and terror on the turn they charge, and the sight of the most fabled knights in the empire grant +1 combat resolution to friendly units of State troops within 6", so long as they are not fleeing.

Knights of the Blazing sun - Although distrusted because of thier faith in Myrmidia, they are without a doubt possesed with incredible martial skill and fury.

Knights of the Blazing sun have armour piercing attacks (not mounts)

Again, feel free to think of some more.

What do you think?

[Wolfsgaum]

I'm not really a fan of single province armies. Sure, they're good for creating a theme and keeping an army cohesive but I don't like the straight jacket approach.

[Lord Fenington]

If people want a themed province army, they can just choose units that are common in that area, you don't need special rules as some armies are mixtures of different province's troops, and otherpeople prefer to make up their colour scheme etc.

[Hendrid]

I kind of like the single province approach, but could be an either or choice, ie a nilla anything goes army or a province specific army with a couple of bonuses or add ons and a couple of limitations. It's sort of been done before, way back when in The Citadel Journal and then sort of touch on in WD specifically to do with the Knightly orders. I like that idea that not every knightly order is excactly the same other than the colour of their armour.

[Joonz]

Stirland archers (and huntsmen) could get +1BS for 2pts!  Otherwise I like these ideas except it creates confusion on the battlefield when playing Empire vs Empire matches. Of course they are nice for fluff reasons but generally I would say no. 

[Furball]

You could always do something similar to the old Imperial Guard doctrines. Each player would have the choice between playing the normal army book or playing a province army. A Province Army would remove all the non-basic choices from the Army Book, leaving a bare bones army of Captains/Generals, Halberdiers, Spearmen, Swordsmen, Archers, Crossbowmen, Knights, Pistolliers, Mortars and Great Cannons. You then have five slots to fill, either buying back the missing units or buying additional add ons. These would come in the form of say:

Stirland: Hatred of the Undead For the first round of combat, all State Troops and Captain/Generals hate Undead models

You would not be restricted to buying only one Provinces special abilities, but it would be a suggestion for theme. The problem with most methods (i.e. the Space Marine trait system) is that they don't offer any real drawbacks for gaining an advantage. Here though, everyone will use some units that are not on that list, be it Warrior Priests, Wizards or Inner Circle Knights - you will have to lose somethings in order to get the special rules. It might be complicated and hard to get right, but I think it would be the best situation if this route was taken.