State Troops

"Remember, when you build a wall to shelter behind, you are also building a trap. If the wall is strong, and flanked by towers, the enemies will be trapped. But if the wall is carried, then the other walls will hem in your defenders, and leave them ripe for massacre."

- Magnus the Pious, Saviour of the Empire



The Provincial Armies, also known as the State Troops or the Imperial Army are the professional standing armies of the Elector Counts and their respective provinces. Their functions are to protect and ensure the safety of their provinces, surrounding lands, and villages from Beastmen attacks, Northmen raids, Ork incursions, and bandit raids, among others. As well as forming a standing army, state troops often serve as city guards in order to enforce all laws. They are armed with a variety of weapons, with the most common being the halberd, sword, and spear. Some units are also armed with either handguns or crossbows.

Being a war-like nation, the Empire tends to field far more hardened soldiers than those in more hospitable places due to the constant wars they face. Such is the case that most seasoned Imperial armies are composed of veterans of several campaigns, and being a standing army tend to have more able-bodied generals and captains that have fought and lead their armies to glory and victory for many years. Along with this, the Empire has many innovations when it comes to war. Among such innovations are their usage of large quantities of gunpowder for their wars as well as the fielding of technological marvels such as the steam tank.

State Troop Unit Types
The Empire has a wide variety of infantry and maintains the only standing professional army in the Old World. Every Elector Count has a regiment of elite Great Sword troops as their personal guards. The Imperial army can call upon units of state troops. The state troops include units of spearmen, halberdiers, swordsmen, handgunners, and crossbowmen. They can also include a variety of militia units such as free companies, archers, and hunters. The armies of the Empire sometimes make use of mercenary crossbowmen, in particular Tilean crossbowmen. Imperial infantry regiments are ceaselessly drilled and can fight as detachments, giving them various abilities and flexible strategic options unavailable to any other infantry in the Warhammer world.

Infantry
The infantrymen of the Imperial army are the backbone of the Empire's military, and are considered one of the most diverse and multi-cultural armies in the Old World. The armies of the Emperor, Elector Counts, dukes, lords, generals, and even captains sport a large variety of troops ranging from mercenaries from the Old World and beyond, to local militia, professional troops, castle guards, knightly orders, and many more.


 * Imperial swordsmen are one of the three of the most common types of troops fielded in the armies of the Empire. Swordsmen are expert fencers. They are regarded as romantic dashing figures, often bravely engaging the best enemy regiments. Their tremendous skill with the sword and their flexible formation makes them a tough challenge for even the most skilled opponents. A skilled swordsman can strike at an opponent's weak spot while defending himself with his shield. They wear highly ornamental armour that bear the emblems of the Empire, their provinces, and other heraldries. The Empire is considered to have some of the finest swordsmen in the entire Old World, and some say even than those from rural Estalia. The Empire has many fencing schools that teach young nobles or talented warriors the art of sword and shield to smite down the Empire's foes.


 * Warhammer-empire.jpgial halberdiers are one of the three most common types of troops fielded in the armies of the Empire. A halberd is a long-hafted weapon with a heavy blade that is capable of smashing through heavy armour and the tough hides of creatures. Regiments of halberdiers are the most numerous, due to the Emperor's requirement that each Elector Count maintain a standing force of halberdiers because of their strength and versatility in battle. Halberdiers are both an offensive and defensive powerhouse, able to hold ground in a narrow passage against far more numerical or powerful opponents, or be the spearhead of a coordinated Imperial assault. Their skills as halberdiers mean that they can slaughter the Empire's foes with bone-crunching force.


 * Imperial spearmen are one of the three most common types of troops fielded in the armies of the Empire. A formation of spearmen makes an excellent defensive regiment. Enemies who charge a unit of spearmen are faced with an impassable wall of sharp steel points. Spearmen are more common in the northern provinces, due to the cheapness of the spear's manufacture. In the southern provinces, pikes are used due to nearby Tilea's influence, where pikes are the main weapon of choice. The traditional spear is often replaced by variants such as half-pikes. Spearmens are common in the lands such as Ostland, Hochland, and Nordland due to the lack of funds and metal to field more heavily armored and armed troops such as halberdiers or handgunners. As such, the local armies of both provinces will tend to field more spearmen than other kinds of infantry.
 * Karl_kopinski_empire_militia.jpgA Free Company is the polite catch-all phrase for a band of sell-swords, mercenaries, cut-throats, and bandits paid to fight for the Empire. They are roving bands of mercenaries and bandits returning from such wild and lawless places as the Border Princes' provinces or the Wastelands and are a plentiful source of irregular troops for Elector Counts. Battles in far-off lands have forged these men into hardened warriors. They are hardy fighters and are well-accustomed to the rigours of war, but are undisciplined and unruly, liable to cause more harm than good when roaming around in armed bands. An Elector Count might employ these men for military service, but must ensure such men are under close watch to prevent them from running amok in his lands.
 * Handgunners are considered one of the primary ranged units used by the Imperial army. Utilizing gunpowder technology, the handgunners are considered the more "modern" troops of the Empire, often used to dwindle down the enemy forces before they reach their lines. These men are able to kill whole droves of troops with a few volleys of their rifles, even being able to mow down heavily armored troops. Fielding handgunners are very uncommon in the poorer northern provinces, due to the prohibitive cost of creating, training, and maintaining a single regiment of handgunners where both recruits and supplies have to be brought in from the Nulns Artillery School. In the richer and more fertile south, handgunners are a nice commodity, where armies of the provinces of Wissenland, Reikland, Averland, and parts of Middenland can field whole regiments of these troops in battle.
 * Greatswords are the elite infantry of the Imperial army. Operating as a crack fighting force, their main duty is the protection of their Elector Counts, often the very men who promoted them to the ranks of the Greatswords in the first place. Greatswords would more than often act as bodyguards for their Elector Counts, but can also act as an individual unit, often attacking the Empire's foes at their flanks, where their swordsmanship puts even the most battle-hardened of foes at their toes.
 * Imperial archers are an often irregular group of hunters and trappers that usually band together to form their own regiment of scouts and support units. Archers are far more common in the northern provinces where the dense woods and harsh living breeds a hardenered group of hunters. The more experienced and exceptional hunters and archers hail from the woodland province of Hochland, where hunting is a very popular sport among both the noblility and commoners alike. Hochland has some of the deadliest archers in the Old World, where from even a very young age, these sons of the empire would regularly hunt down the beasts living in the forests or come to the annual Beastmen hunting to control the population living in the dense dark woods of the Great Forest. These men are often fielded when crossbowmen and handgunners are in short supply.

Cavalry
The cavalrymen of the Empire are considered to be the strongest and most disciplined fighters in the Old World (with the possible exception of Bretonnia). Imperial cavalry come from a variety of backgrounds such as from knightly orders to pistoliers and other types of cavalry. However, the bulk of the Imperial cavalry are often knights from knightly orders or even those serving as household guards.


 * Knights are the most common cavalry troops deployed in battle. Many knights have a certain color scheme or heraldry that identifies them with either a knightly order or a noble household. They are considered heavy cavalry, wearing heavy plate armour and wielding lances and swords. Knights tend to be born from the nobler families of the Empire, where many of the Empire's knightly orders contain the sons of powerful noble families and houses. Those of common birth who are exceptionally-skilled with a weapon often serve as sergeants and squires for their knights. Although not considered full brothers of their orders, sergeants and squires play vital roles in supporting the knights in battle.


 * Pistoliers are considered light cavalry and are equipped with light armour and a brace of pistols. Their main duty is to harass the enemy with gunfire and retreat before they could suffer any reprisals. Most pistoliers have a certain amount of knowledge when it comes to gunpowerder technology and most talented pistoliers hail from the Nuln Artillery School where they are taught to handle a firearm in combat. The rank of a pistolier is mostly reserved for the noble families of the Empire, where young Capture1`2`12`141.pngmilitary-minded youths go if they aren't able to become a knight or even a captain of an Imperial army.
 * Demigryph Knight is one of the Impeiral armies most powerful and potent shock calvary. Not only are these fearsome horsemen execellent knights, they are also riding one of the most dangerous and fearsome creatures living in the depths of the Reikwald Forest; The Demigryph. A Demigryph is another variant of the Griffon, a creature similar in appearance, but are somewhat smaller, more numerous and often have no wings. These beast are often seen in the depths of the Reikwald Forest, where the forest shelters more safety for these prides of beast against creatures such as Beastmen or Greenskins living in the more hostile Forest of the North. Thought smaller and flightless, these beast of war are no less fearsome in their attacks, as a single Demigryph Knight can wrack havoc upon many battlefields, shredding foes with claw and steel.

Artillery
The Empire has an artillery school at Nuln which supplies the gunners and engineers to operate their artillery. The majority of the artillery are cannons and mortars. The Empire also uses experimental artillery in the form of the Helblaster Volley Gun, a carriage mounting several barrels similar to a repeating handgun but on a larger scale, as well as the Helstorm Rocket Battery. When used in battle, the Helblaster Volley Gun and the Helstorm Rocket Battery are extremely unreliable, but are potentially devastating and capable of wiping out the enemy ranks.


 * Great Cannons are common pieces of imperial artillery and can sometimes be used by several other kingdoms of men in the Old World, due to the Empire and their Dwarven allies being the largest producers of gunpowder and cannons. Great Cannons are among the largest of the mobile cannons built and employed by the Empire. Imperial cannons are made primarily at the Gunnery School of Nuln and it is from here that both the cannons and the crews that operate them come from. Most provinces of the Empire maintain an artillery train and many cities have cannons of varying sizes to defend their walls. Great Cannons are slightly larger than the cannons of the Dwarves or the famous Bronzino's Galloper Guns that hail from Tilea. Cannons can be somewhat unreliable and may misfire, wounding or even killing their crews.
 * Mortars are squat cannon that fire at a high angle, able to lob a projectile over intervening troops or even tall walls. They fire an explosive shell which can cause severe damage to a tightly packed regiment of troops.


 * The Helblaster Cannon is an experimental cannon, created in the factories of Nuln by the famous Von Meinkopt, a former engineer of the great School of Engineers. This infamous weapon has the ability to fire multiple cannon balls in a 3 round-burst. It has enough strength in it to be able to tear whole regiments of men or beasts into limbs and torsos. However, it is also known for its unreliablity since the weapon regularly malfunctions or even explodes.


 * The Helstorm Rocket Battery is another experimental weapon, created by the Master Engineer Herman Faulkstein. This eccentric piece of artillery is notoriously inaccurate yet when it does hit its intended target the effects are devastating, with entire enemy regiments blown to smithereens by an earth-shaking cascade of shrieking explosive rockets.

War Machines
Many in the Old World consider the Empire of having some of the most glorious machines and atomiton in the Old World. Along with this, the Empire has been reputed to being the first human nation to be able to create War Machines for the use against the Empires foes. One such invention to be created, and probably one of the best would be the grand Steam Tank, created and thought of by the great and genious Leonardo of Miragliano. Other such inventions are also created by magical means, such as the Luminark of Hysh created and maintained by the College of Light. No matter what size or what purpose, many if not all of the machines made by men are bred for war.
 * Captureth.pngSteam Tank  are monstrious, smoke-belching creations that rumble towards the enemy, firing deadly cannonballs to plow through the enemy ranks, while simualtanously charge headlong towards their foes lines, ramming through their formations like a battering ram against a decayed door, near unstoppable with their thick and powerful steel plate that protects this beast of metal from harm. Indeed these wonderous inventions are powerful and as well as fearful to face, for only the most potent weapons can sheer through the tough outer hide of this beast, but these creations have many drawbacks as well. The most important one is the rarity of these machines, for once Leonardo's untimely disappearance, no one has ever been able to create another one and the secrets to create one was lost. Leonardo made 12 of the might tanks, but as the years grew on, the lost of steamtanks were inevitable, and only 8 are left in existence. They also are becoming more and more unreliable and less potent then their eariler years, as it proves difficult to properly repair the machine without Leonardo's guidance. Nevertheless these machines are the dread of the battlefield and it is a legendary day to have all 8 of these monstrous beast to be persuaded to run at the same time.

Commander
Every Imperial Army, no matter what the size or strength needs strong men to lead them. Such mens are varied amongst the glorious Empire, where a few are nothing more then high-living sons of nobles, while others like von Raukov of Ostland are expirenced Warlords who love the clash of steel and the sounds of horn, but many of the more succesful ones are battle scarred veterans of dozens of battles, who know the grim reality of their world, and knows the perails the Empire will face if the so much as stray from their honourable path. An Imperial Army can be lead by not only generals and common commanders of the Empire, but also Religious leaders, Knightly Grand Masters, and even a powerful Wizard of one of the great Colleges of Magic, but they all had one trait that is common, they are magnificent leaders and warriors.
 * Generals
 * Capture2423432.png command an army requires the courage to send Men to their deaths without doubt or hesitation. The armies of the Empire are led by those warriors, usually members of the Imperial nobility or even, in rare cases, the Emperor Karl Franz himself, who have been trained to direct their forces as a swordsman wields his blade. As with all Men, however, these commanders can differ in their levels of skill and courage, with some, like the extraordinarily fierce Elector Count of Middenheim, Boris Todbringer, embodying the unwavering valour of the people of Sigmar Heldenhammer. Others are little more than highborn fops, yet still possess the right to command Men in battle because of an accident of birth. The castles of these generals are hung with banners from ancient times that were once borne into battle during the glorious days of their noble ancestors. Especially wealthy Imperial nobles may even own a banner that has been woven with powerful enchantments, and such works of magic are proudly carried into battle despite the poor reputation witchery has in the Empire in general. The Empire has always been a dangerous land, and never more so than at the present time, with marauding Beastmen, Orc tribes and even rival Imperial nobles pillaging its towns and slaughtering its people, often with impunity. The Elector Counts must stand against such foes, though in practice it is not feasible for them to personally command every one of the forces that must be despatched in their names. Often command is delegated to a trusted soldier considered to be an honourable leader of Men, and this officer will lead the province's troops into battle. Of course there are always exceptions to every rule and some of the more militant Counts, such as Valmir von Raukov of Ostland, have a great love for the clash of steel and the roar of the cannons. These leaders take to the field of battle whenever they can. Most of the Men appointed by the Elector Count to lead their province's armies will also be nobles of the Empire, such as Aldebrand Ludenhof of Hochland, educated in martial pursuits from an early age -- hunting Beastmen in the Imperial forests, and engaging in falconry and swordsmanship. Others, however, are commoners who have risen through the ranks as a result of their ability on the field, perhaps having first stood in the battle line themselves wielding a bloody halberd or greatsword. These officers vary greatly in rank, depending on the size of the force they lead, and are usually known within the Empire as captains, marshals, generals or sometimes simply commanders. Regardless of their social status, they will be tested veterans of many years' experience in soldiering, having spent most of their lives practicing the arts of war in defence of their besieged homelands. Generals of the Empire are variable in the arms and armour they like to wield and wear; some make use of melee weapons, while others prefer ranged weapons like the longbow, crossbow or firearms like the pistol. While most ride powerful warhorses into battle, some of the greatest nobles of the Empire who serve as generals for the Elector Counts ride Griffons like the Emperor himself or winged Imperial Pegasi into combat, their enchanted bannners streaming out behind them in the wind. Such a spectacle is always an enormous morale booster for Imperial troops.


 * Wizard Lord
 * Captures.png Wizard Lord is one of the most powerful practicioners of the fell arts of magic among the race of Men. Trained as masters of one of the 8 Lores of Magic at the Imperial Colleges of Magic in Altdorf, arcane power courses through their veins and lurks behind their eyes like the thunder before a storm. The services of a Wizard are always much sought-after by the Elector Counts for their armies, as they often face foes in battle who employ potent shamans or fell Sorcerers of the Ruinous Powers. A Wizard Lord is a true master of his craft, an individual who has come to embody one of the 8 Winds of Magic within his own body and has often spent many decades training other Wizards-to-be in their particular Lore at the Colleges of Magic. Only the most powerful Imperial armies are normally able to employ a Wizard Lord, and Wizard Lords often lead teams of their fellow magi into combat. Only the most dire of threats to the Empire can get a Wizard Lord to leave the comfort of his laboratory in the Colleges of Magic to face the difficulties and endless frustrations of the field. Once on the field they are the masters of the battlefield, able to send lighting bolts from the sky, massive infernos hurling towards their vile enemies, or even in some cases, send a massive meterorite from the very heavens crashing molten rock upon those who dare to defy the glorious Empires realm. Very few can armies can withstand a battle against a Wizard Lord, for they also bring in a conclave of their own apprentices and magisters that can only bring in more mayhem in the battle field.


 * Arch Lector of Sigmar
 * The High Priest of the Cult of Sigmar is known as the Grand Theogonist and beneath him are his two Arch Lectors. In the dark times that now confront the Empire, the curse of Undeath and the worship of Chaos infest the lands of the Old World and it is the duty of the Arch Lectors and their clerics, the Warrior Priests of Sigmar, to destroy such evils. Arch Lectors are very imposing figures. They are clad in Sigmarite ceremonial vestments and wear the finest-crafted mail, plate-and-mail or full plate armour adorned with the Holy Hammer and the twin-tailed comet of Sigmar. Their prayers are calls to war, their hymns the clash of arms and their benedictions the smiting of the Empire's foes with their mighty warhammers, forged in the image of Sigmar's own Ghal Maraz. An Arch Lector can be assigned by the Grand Theogonist to serve in the army of an Elector Count that will be engaged in a battle of particular import for the Cult or for the Empire, though it is far more common for lower-level Warrior Priests to accompany smaller Imperial armies in the field as the representatives of the Sigmarite clergy. The Arch Lectors of Sigmar possess the same divine abilities as their Warrior Priest subordinates, though their abilities are even more potent because they stand in greater favour with Sigmar. When war calls the High Priests of Sigmar to battle, it is an awe-inspiring sight to see them ride at the head of an army atop the mighty War Altar of Sigmar. Fashioned in the time of the Emperor Magnus the Pious, the War Altar is a massive chariot, ornnate and gleaming with the towering statue of a golden griffon placed upon it. The griffon was the personal heraldic symbol of Magnus the Pious and is still a source of raw magic, seethig with potent arcane energies that a High Priest of Sigmar can draw upon to devastate the enemy. Against the Forces of Chaos, where the danger of moral corruption is as great as death, the Grad Theogonist may despatch one of his Arch Lectors into combat from the back of the War Altar. Bellowing verses from the Canticle of the Heldenhammer, the Arch Lector then imbues the army's soldiers with righteous fury, the power of Sigmar, flowing through the Arch Lector shielding the souls of the Empire's troops from the unnatural horrors that can stand against them.


 * Templar Grand Master
 * The famed and powerful Knightly Orders of the Empire, also called the Templar Orders, are led by the warriors who hold the position of Grand Master within the Order. The Grand Master is a warrior and leader of unparalleled valour, having fought in dozens of battles from atop his great warhorse and whose military prowess is beyond question. An Elector Count can request that a Knightly Order provide knights to fight alongside his army as heavy cavalry, but the decision to enter combat on behalf of any lord rests solely with the Grand Master. This makes the Grand Master of an Imperial Knightly Order a very powerful individual within the Empire and a condition of his Order's aid in any martial endavour may be that he himself takes command of the army. Most Elector Counts are only too happy for a general of such extraordinary ability to lead his province's soldiers, though this has not always proven to be the case and ego, ambition or sheer lunacy has sometimes resulted in a Knightly Order withholding its aid to a prince of the Empire. Most Templar Grand Masters are armed with a lance and shield or another great weapon like a greatsword, greataxe or warhammer and wear full palte armour. They fight from the back of a great destrier trained for battle and often possess a number of enchanted items within their personal armoury.

Heroes
Though great generals and lords are the ones who command the vast armies of the world, it is often then not that within these armies lies man who have the strength, courage and skill to surpass many of their own comrades. These men have fought many war, won many battles and have seen the horrors that this world has sheltered wether in the deep dark forest of the Old World or the frozen wasteland of the North, a time of death and misery, a time of war and battles, a time of Chaos and the end of all things. In this time the world more then ever needs man and woman who are brave enough to call themselves heroes.
 * Captain of the Empire


 * Capturejh.png Captain of the Empire is a veteran military commander possessed of a variety of different formal titles who leads a smaller regiment or other unit of troops within an Imperial army. These leaders take to the field of battle whenever they can. Most of the Men appointed by an Elector Count to serve as officers in their province's armies will also be nobles of the Empire, educated in martial pursuits from an early age. Others, however, are commoners who have risen through the ranks as a result of their ability on the field, perhaps having first stood in the battle line themselves wielding a bloody halberd or greatsword. These officers vary greatly in rank, depending on the size of the force they lead, and are usually known within the Empire as captains, marshals, generals or sometimes simply commanders. Regardless of their social status, they will be tested veterans of many years' experience in soldiering, having spent most of their lives practicing the arts of war in defence of their besieged homelands. Generals of the Empire are variable in the arms and armour they like to wield and wear; some make use of melee weapons, while others prefer ranged weapons like the longbow or firearms like the pistol. While most Imperial officers ride powerful warhorses into battle wearing full plate armour, others have been known to ride winged Imperial Pegasi into combat, their enchanted bannners streaming out behind them in the wind. Such a spectacle is always an enormous boon to the Men these captains lead under arms.


 * Warrior Priest of Sigmar
 * Sigmar is a warrior god, and to pursue his creed is to live a life dedicated to battle for the good of all Men. The Cult of Sigmar demands that its followers fight all forms of evil in the world with the strength of their arms as well as their faith and many of its priests accompany the Empire's armies when they march off to war. In this role these priests not only lead and inspire Imperial troops in battle, but also minister to their spiritual needs. On many an occasion a rousing speech by a Warrior Priest of Sigmar has restored the troops' faith, brought hope to a seemingly lost cause or prevented a mutiny when the words of even the most respected commander had fallen on frightened and angry ears. Throughout the Empire it is considered only right and proper to honour all the gods and even those priests who serve only one deity will still show respect to other gods in appropriate situations or when their portfolio is predominant. But where the older gods are seen to care little for the plight of Men, Sigmar is the patron of the Empire and its people, the reason why the people of the Empire often refer to themselves as Sigmar's People and venerate the sigil of the Twin-Tailed Comet. This remains true in every province of the Empire, even in those places were Ulric, Taal and the other gods are more actively worshipped than the Heldenhammer. The High Priest of the Cult of Sigmar is known as the Grand Theogonist, and he is served by two Arch Lectors. Beneath these ecclesiastical officials, all three of whom serve as full Electors of the Empire, are the Warrior Priests. Almost every town and village in the Empire has at least one shrine dedicated to Sigmar and so Warrior Priests of the deity are a common sight wherever the writ of the Emperor's law extends. In battle, the divine power of Sigmar stirs within their hearts and his divine might is their sto command, allowing them to perform extraordinary miracles in the name of their god, so long as their faith in him remains strong. A Priest of Sigmar can unleash the Heldenhammer's wrath to smite creatures of darkness like daemons and Undead or even less malevolent beings like Forest Spirits, call upon divine protection for fellow Imperial warriors engaged in battle to enhance their defences or even return a badly wounded comrade from near death, miraculously healing all his wounds. To see such blatant signs of Sigmar's favour fires the hearts of all Men and leads them to redouble their efforts to defeat the foe. Warrior Priests of Sigmar normally wear mail or full plate armour underneath their holy vestments, wield the mighty warhammers that are the favoured weapon of Sigmar and ride into battle atop powerful Imperial warhorses. Among the most commonly employed divine powers of a Warrior Priest are the following, known as prayers:


 * Witch Hunters 
 * Capturewe.png Hunters are a very dreaded figure in the lands of the Empire, feared by both enemies and allies alike. These zealous warriors are part of the Church of Sigmar, also known as the Order of Sigmar, whose job is to eradicate and kill any if not all Chaos Worshippers that dare to defile the lands of the God-King Sigmar of Old. Though the average Witch Hunter dosen't have much in the case of authority compared to a noble of the Empire, these feared warriors have a large aura of influence with those of similar fanatical sense. A Witch Hunter's regime can be as small as a band of flagellants to as large as an army of Zealots. These men tend to attract those in the brink of insanity, often flagellants and zealots who have nothing to live for but seeks to destroy those that have done them this misfortune, where the Witch Hunter would gladly direct themselve to. Witch Hunters can also attract the attention of Warrior Priest of several cults, often acting as their spiritual caller, invoking the gods power and aids the Witch Hunters in their effort to fine any taint of Chaos, as their holy prayers have the potential to detect those that are tainted. The orginizational pattern of their order is divided between 3 Witch Hunter Generals, one for each of the North, Eastern and Western provinces. The order also field a similar kind of Witch Hunter, called a Vampire Hunter who presense is increasing common in the lands bordering Sylvannia, and whose purpose is to hunt down these beast of the night.


 * Master Engineer
 * Capturedgdgd.pngr Engineers are a rare sight in the entire Old World, but these quiet individuals are considered one of the most intellectual and progressive people of this age. An Engineer comes from a large variety of backgrounds as the need for nobility to join and become an Engineer is rather few, where it mostly depends on the intellect of the person, and at some times a considerable amount of money. The path of an Engineer can branch out all other kinds of avenues, such as artisans, architects, and sometimes writers, but those who has a knack for inventing strange machines for the benefit of the Empire tend to become Inventors and participate in the workshops of Altdorf's School of Engineers. There the eager and youthful Engineers are tutored by the more older and wiser Engineers of the school, and sometimes these Engineers are renegade Dwarf Engineers thrown out of the very traditional Engineers Guild of Karaz Ankor where they teach and help create many inventions for the benefit of a wide array of subjects. Some create simple innovations in common life such as the first mechanical clock while others make deadly weaponry of war. In fact, most of the greatest inventions of the school are geared towards war as many of the powerful weapons made by the Empire are created and invented by these same Engineers. Though most of the Master Engineer's by close call experience, tend to keep away from prototyping their deadly inventions in battle they send more enthusastic youths to test it for them. However there are always some Master Engineer's who are tired of the quite life of the workshop, and love being in charge of a crew and a very big and deadly cannon.


 * Battle Wizards 
 * Wizards are strange figures to the people of the Empire who wield arcane magical powers and are privy to secrets beyond the ken of normal folk. Trained at the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf for many years, arcane power courses through Wizards' veins and lurks behind their hooded eyes. No sane inhabitant of the Empire willingly courts the attention of a Wizard, for they are unpredictable and, some believe, damned by the magic they can wield. The services of a willing Wizard are much desired by the Elector Counts, as many of their enemies make use of shamans, corrupt Necromancers or powerful Chaos Sorcerers. Such foes bend the Winds of Magic to destructive and usually malevolent ends and only those similarly skilled in the arcane arts can stand against their power. Battle Wizards hurl bolts of lightning at the foe, confound them with illusions or steal away their will to fight. Each of the Lores of Magic has the power to smite the enemies of the Empire in a different way and it is a rare Imperial army that goes to war without at least one Battle Wizard accompanying it. To be a Wizard is to understand the power that truly drives the world and though each Wizard can bend only one of the 8 Winds of Magic to his will, such power is never wielded lightly, for to lose control of one's magic is to condemn one's soul to damnation as a plaything of the Ruinous Powers. The 8 different Orders of Wizards available to serve in the armies of the Empire and are all stationed in the Imperial Colleges of Magic