Empire Master Engineer

"The engineer can create machines to counter all foes. From the precision fire of the master-crafted pistol, to the massed volleys of the handgunners, there is little that can stand against the effective deployment of blackpowder weapons. But there is one thing he cannot counter, no matter how skilled he is with iron, steam and steel. That is fear, the devourer of men. Let terror enter the hearts of your troops, and all the guns in the Old World will not be enough to ensure victory."

—Address of Master Engineer Lukas Grendel to the Imperial Engineers School at Altdorf.^[6a]

Capturedgdgd — A master engineer of the Empire surrounded by his array of experimental weaponry.

An Empire Master Engineer, also simply called a master engineer, is a rare sight within the lands of the Old World, for these quiet men are considered one of the Known World's most progressive and intelligent individuals of their age.^[1a]

These enlightened men of many talents have learned to write scripture, design outlandish architecture, and invent strange machinery for the benefit of their civilisation. But it's not just their penchant for deadly weapon supplies that makes them a valuable asset on the battlefield. Master Engineers that grow weary of the quiet life step into combat with their firearm expertise and utilise their patriotic nature to achieve victory.^[7]

Role[]

"You can also rely on the Engineers' School to try their experimental weapons on the field. I've heard they are quite effective, if they don't blow up the first time they're fired."

—Excerpt from a lecture to Konrad Ludenhorf by his preceptor, Erasmus von Nuln.

An engineer comes from a variety of backgrounds, as the need for nobles to become engineers is rather few. To become an engineer is mostly dependent on the intellect of the person rather than their status in Imperial society, and at times requires a considerable amount of money to pay for their education. The path of an engineer can branch out towards all other kinds of avenues, such as artisans, architects, and sometimes writers, but those who have a knack for inventing strange machines for the benefit of the Empire tend to become inventors and participate in the workshops of the Imperial School of Engineers in Altdorf.^[2b]

It is from this illustrious institution that eager and youthful engineers of the Empire are tutored by the older and wiser engineers of the school, a significant percentage of which consist of renegade Dwarf Engineers who were thrown out of the strict and deeply traditional Dwarf Engineers Guild of the Karaz Ankor, where upon joining the Empire, these Imperial Dwarfs 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 for the benefit of the Imperial war-machine.^[2b]

ImperialMasterEngineerTWWIII — An Imperial master engineer as depicted in *Total War: Warhammer III*.^[7]

In fact, most of the greatest inventions of the school are geared towards war. As such, most of the master engineers, from their own fatal experiences, tend to keep away from prototyping their deadly inventions in battle, preferring to send enthusiastic youths to test them on their behalf. However, there are always a few master engineers who grew tired of the quiet life of the workshop, and began to take charge of a crew and a very big and deadly cannon.^[2b]

However, it is not just their positions as inventors and suppliers of deadly weapons that make master engineers valuable on the field of battle. While they are not soldiers at heart, master engineers are no less patriotic in their cause to defend the Empire, and as such they can still be a common sight amongst the larger Imperial armies, where their expertise with powerful experimental handguns and devices could help turn the tide of battle with a single well-placed shot from their rifles. In other situations, these engineers also participate in the repairing and maintenance of complex machinery such as prototype cannons and the Empire's massive Steam Tanks.^[2b]

Notable Empire Master Engineers[]

Leonardo da Miragliano - Considered one of the most greatest minds of Mankind, this Tilean genius was credited with the creation of many wondrous inventions, his most famous being the Steam Tank, produced in the Empire for Prince Stephan Franz of Altdorf.

Volker von Meinkopt - The deranged master engineer Volker von Meinkopt was a prolific inventor responsible for the invention of such contraptions as the Repeater Handgun, Repeater Pistol, and Helblaster Volley Cannon.^[1a]^[2b]^[3a]

Empire Engineer[]

An Empire Engineer is a Human engineer who pursues a life similar to that of their more skilled and gifted masters, though instead of leading troops into battle, they opt to nestle themselves within it as a support unit for their fellow Imperial soldiers.^[7]

Wielding the same gizmos and gadgets as those that trained them, Imperial engineers often favour a two-handed Repeater Rifle, with the option of a warhorse or even a self-made Mechanical Steed manufactured at the Imperial Engineers School in Altdorf for a mount. With this, they stillprovide their artillery expertise for their Imperial comrades, as well as their own skill with various firearms.^[7]