A few weeks ago, we announced the arrival of a new Imperium sprue for Armoured Clash, which was available in Miniature Wargames Issue 514. It contains the parts to make a unit led by a unique Commander character, Master Siegbert Von Brandt, as well as a basic unit of Panzerwagen Armoured Transports. The unit profile and some gameplay tips for using Von Brandt may be found by following the QR code on the magazine that the promotional sprue came attached to. The unit card may also be found on the Warcradle blog here.
As you now have the new Teutonic Command Sprue and want to use it as the basis of a new Imperium force, what should you get next?
Starting Army (750 Points)
With just an Imperium Armoured Regiment box and the suggestions below, you can build a powerful 750 point force which will be a great starting point to learn the game.
To build an Armoured Clash army, you first need to download the Imperium faction’s Order of Battle or ORBAT. This can be found for free, along with other useful resources, here. The ORBAT details all of the units and battlegroups that make up your chosen Faction, as well as providing the narrative background for each unit to tell you how it functions (and why!) on the Dystopian Age battlefield.
Now you have your ORBAT, start with the Imperium’s faction Battlegroup. This will give you the minimum and maximum values for each available unit type. By belonging to a Battlegroup your units get access to a unique Commander Bonus that will give your force an edge in battle: in this case, any of your units that are close to each other boost each other’s morale values.
The modest force above packs a punch and is ideal for introductory games with the Armoured Clash system. It has three units that can control objectives, a transport unit to get one of them there quicker, and two hard-hitting armour units, a good balance that should serve as a taster for the game and the foundation for a bigger collection.
Master Siegbert Von Brandt and the Teutonic Armiger Castellans are tough units that can dish out a lot of punishment. With a survivable command unit, you can afford to be brave with it, backing it up with another elite unit as you push aggressively up the battlefield.
Their slow speed is their only disadvantage but they can use the Panzerwagen Armoured Transport to move more quickly. The Scion Heavy Dreirad are also ideally suited to rushing forward to claim objectives early on, or else working around the flanks if your opponent has left them undefended.
The Sturmpanzer Battletanks and Lucifyr Heavy Walkers, meanwhile, can confidently advance up the board, protected by heavy armour, to deal with any enemy units that might try to force you from your hard-fought objectives.
To round out the points, there are a couple of extra Boons that you can add alongside the Battlegroup Bonus. Countercharge can give your Scion Heavy Dreirad an extra punch at key points during the game. Meanwhile, Headstrong Commander will allow you to get the most from your Command and Conquest deck throughout the game.
Skirmish Army (1000 Points)
However, if you fancy a slightly larger force, you can pick up the Imperium Introductory Set and, with the following list, have yourself a 995 point force - the ideal size for playing skirmish-sized games. The quick-start guide, tokens, and dice that come in the box will be very handy too.
In addition to all of the units from the 750 point list, above, this force gains an infantry unit of every type available to the Imperium. The reliable Scion Grenadier Platoon should form the centre of your battleline, while Scion Vierling Heavy Infantry are excellent at keeping any enemy infantry and cavalry that your opponent may use to claim your objectives off you.
If you want to speed up your infantry’s movement across the board, you can transport them inside Sturmwagen Transports. Extra mobility is also provided by Totenkopf Jaeger Cavalry, who synergise well with Scion Heavy Dreirads in quickly seizing objectives.
An extra offensive punch is added to your list with Luftlancer Air Jaeger. These form a hard-hitting unit of melee combat specialists. Longer range firepower comes in the form of Essen Field Rockets, giving your force some anti-aircraft cover as well as an excellent indirect attack to terrorise enemy infantry.
From here, you can really start to explore the Dystopian Age through your games of Armoured Clash. With a few games behind you, you can expect to develop a favoured playstyle of your own. From there, you can expand your force to play Battle-sized games by adding units that lean into how you want your army to grow.
Enjoy your games, and remember that the defence of the Imperium depends on you now
Don't let Master Siegbert Von Brandt down!