First post!

Hey all you readers (that currently consist of me and anyone who accidentally comes across this blog). Welcome to what hopes to be a fruitful blog.
I guess my first post should really sum up my experiences of Runefang IV in Welly over the weekend. I was in the R.O.Man team (Realm Of Men) team sporting my empire army that I've spent the last forever painting. My team came last, but that didn't matter as it was great fun. My results were 2 massacres followed by being massacred  3 times. My army was based around hitting first and hitting hard with an overwhelming volume of attacks with solid lore of light support. In the first 2 games this worked just as planned and I walked over the opposing armies (in a really good mannered, fun sort of a way mind you...at least I hope that is how it came across...).
However, in the next 3 games my lvl4 failed to come to the party. First by not rolling the "crucial" spells (pha's illumination and speed of battle) and second by generally failing to cast. I personally blame skaven trickery as in game 3 vs Pete Dunn my wizard miscast 4 times, reduced himself to a lvl1 turn 2 (killed the opposing lvl4 due to a miscast in the best moment of the tournament ever!). The next game vs a pure goblin army my cannon failed to wound a giant, then the said giant destroyed by crossbow unit-panicing my Halberd horde off the board...Best part of that game was my 30 swords+ lvl4 machining it for me killing the giant (asf to the flank s3 ftw! though giant killed 10 as it fell on the unit), a pumpwagon, 2 trolls before it was cut down due to a flank charge set up by an animosity roll.
The last game was watchtower vs High Elves. Fantastic game, beautiful army (even if WiP) and a demonstration of why Empire pretending to be a High Elf army will always play second fiddle to a real High Elf army.

As for my army, the event brief said "try something new, find a hidden gem" so I took knight block and a unit of swordsmen (instead of another horde of Halberds and supporting unit of halberds...yes I love halberds). To be honest, I did not find a hidden gem. 12 1+ armoursave wounds is just not good enough with doomdivers everywhere and the comp not allowing me to bring enough artillery to soften the enemy up for a crushing knight charge. I spent most of the tournament missing my 2nd halberd horde and 2nd cannon-I would have gladly traded in my mortar for the ever so useful 2nd cannon.

The next event (hopefully to be announced soon) I'll bring a stank (though I think doomdiver ignores armour...might have to rethink that) + halberd horde, 2 supporting units of halberds, flagellant horde (sooo good), pistoliers, xbows, lvl4, BSB, w.Priest and hopefully TWO cannons. If I cant bring the 2nd cannon I'm not sure what I'll do with the spare 100 points...maybe up one of the supporting units to a horde with no hatred so as to not be "cheesy".

Anyway, that's my thoughts. Looking forward to the next event and list tinkering to get an optimum Empire list sans artillery.