Welcome, servant of the Celestian Emperors! Whether you followed the path from our Global Update blog, or would have found your own way here regardless, you are likely here because you want to bring the fight to the Empire’s enemies in this new season of war. Well, good news, because bringing the fight to the enemy is precisely what this new update will allow you to do.
Our original Tips and Tactics blog is still a great place to learn about the core ideas of playing the Empire, but with the Global Update some aspects have been changed a little bit, and some points costs may no longer be accurate. Not as much as most though! Quite simply, the Empire was already doing really well , and they needed less tweaking than most. While other factions are enjoying newly discounted Transports, the Empire (obviously lacking in transportation of their own) are more than capable of dealing with the reinvigorated melee threats from the other factions. Indeed, as a largely close-ranged faction, it can only be a good thing that their enemies are encouraged to bring themselves into perfect burning range.
There’s no better time for new Empire generals to jump on board with the Empire Faction Battlegroup, serving as a perfect entry point.
Implacable Executioners
While the Empire boasts a number of powerful melee-threats, the only unit we felt truly fit the bill as a pure melee monster was the iconic Jianhuren Terracotta Automata. Tongshii Lion Automata have their deadly Ranged (Light) attack, and Bulnabang Winged Infantry their incredible objective-holding abilities, but Jianhuren truly are simply walking (very tough, very resilient) halberds. For their points cost, however, they were struggling to make contact with the foe before falling to the Ranged (Heavy) firepower that such a tough unit inevitably attracted. Thus, to encourage their presence across armies of the Dystopian Age we have given them a slight points reduction, allowing generals to field even more of them as mobile bulwarks.
Hunters on the Ground, Prey in the Clouds
The biggest change in this Global Update is actually to the humble Biao Flak Launcher. This unit was not quite living up to its purpose as one of the Empire’s premier anti-aircraft units. The addition of Stalker should make it easier for them to be On Lookout, prepared to fire at any incoming Air Support Sorties, while their newly Devastating Ranged (Aerial) attacks will ensure any Aircraft that do brave their line of fire regret that choice
Honoured Losses
A few of the Empire’s Infantry units had VPR stats that we felt were a little too high in practice. As a treat, we have reduced these to be more in line with other, similar units. This change, whilst looking relatively minor, will ensure that no matter how many Green Banner Pai give their lives for the Celestian Emperors, victory always remains out of your opponents' reach.
Changes in Practice
With the Changes of this Global Update in mind, you may be asking yourself how to go about building a list to make the most of these improvements. To that end we have revisited the Battle-Scale List from our original Tips and Tactics blog, to offer a little bit of inspiration, and a solid place to start if you’re new to the faction.
A 2000-point list
This Force, composed of units that can be built by combining the contents of the Empire Faction Battlegroup Starter Set and the Empire Introductory Set, takes advantage of the large number of units that can be Bolstered in an Empire Faction Battlegroup and an Empire Baihu Strike Formation Auxiliary Battlegroup. These large units of Infantry and Cavalry pose a significant issue to the enemy, both in the number of hits they can receive and the sheer size of their Attack Pools.
Thanks to some points saved on our Full-Strength unit of Terracotta Automata, and from replacing the original list’s Jindouyun Steambikes with the newly improved Biao Flak Launchers, we were able to upgrade the Green Banner Command Platoon from Reinforced all the way to Full-Strength. With the list’s anti-air firepower covered by these capable flak chariots, we could replace the Ruishi Lion Automata with Tongshii Lion Automata, all the better to hunt down enemy melee units while they are still inside their Transports, tearing apart the vehicles to expose the succulent treats within.*
With the Ready For Anything Boon this list will ensure that your San Lei Heavy Artillery, Green Banner Jezzail Teams, or Laoshan Landship get off that key early shot.
Points values correct as of the Empire v1.04 Beta ORBAT
* We are not currently aware of any Tongshii Lion Automata designs capable of eating and digesting soldiers, but the Empire is always looking to further perfect their creations. You never know!
For more information regarding the overall changes of this Global Update, read the summary blog.
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