Warhammer Army Project/Estalia

This article needs rules updates. Upgrade plz.

Estalia: Warhammer Army Project, 9th Edition Tactica

Created by Mathias Eliasson, this project was a homebrew attempt at giving many of the nations and factions that never got Armybooks of their own (and those left behind and never got one in 8th Edition) such a thing.

It should also be noted that Eliasson is continuously updating his work, so don't expect this page to stay current forever. If anyone wishes actually to update this page and the items that need it, later on, go ahead.

Why play Estalia

Fantasy Spain is an Alternative to the empire playstyle, with a heavier focus on elite walls Spears, with many mobile flankers and ranged harassers.

Pros

• Bored of German Renaissance men in silly pajamas and French bluebloods riding horses? Then come right over to the Spanish age of Discovery.
• You have a pretty strong mage-hunting game - as long as the mages don't have armour and aren't decent in combat.
• Almost anyone has armor, even the dogs.
• Have you ever wanted to Play an Inquisitor in Fantasy? Witch Hunters don't have enough toys for you? You got em here.

Cons

• You lack the mass walls of bodies afforded by the Empire.
• going Spear heavy strategy requires the opponent to make the charges.
• lacks the usuals human rules to modify a unit's chances to flee.
• armour is a good conductor of lightning attacks and lore of Metal.
• half of your core units are just empire units with a mandatory light armour upgrade which you may not want to spend points on.
• The army is dull, it is basically an empire army in morion helmets, red and yellow and without the interesting bits

Special Rules

• Tactical Supremacy: when doing a Rally, March, Reform, or redirect Charge test, roll a 3d6 and discard the highest. This should encourage you to do more maneuvering as your units are more likely to do what told and bring fleeing units back into the fight.

• Tercio Formation: a Formation that Combines an Aventuro and a Rodelero unit into one unit during deployment. This will be further discussed as its own unit.

Inquisitorial Powers

These are the Inquisitor's special gear. Some are bound spells, some are just assistance and work more as warlord traits. These count as part of the Inquisitor's magic item allowance. Inquisitors can take up to 50 points while High Inquisitors and De Hojeda can take up to 100.

• Her Will Be Done: 50pts. Doubles the wounds dealt in close combat for the sake of combat resolution. For 50 points, you'll find better things.
• Holocaust: 35pts. Bound PL5 spell that slaps a small pie plate anywhere near the Inquisitor and hit anyone under it with an S4 hit (S5 against the undead, daemons, and wizards)
  • If you're playing a game in Germany, deny this spell at your peril.
• Sanctuary: 35pts. Bound PL3 spell that gives a constant zone that forbids daemons and undead from being within 3" of the unit. A can't be charged bubble is also useful to prevent other units from being charged by making the unit he is in a large wall Blood knights have to go around.
• Scourging: 25pts. Bound PL3 spell which deals d6 S5 hits to anyone within 12".
• Divine Pronouncement: 25pts. Bound PL3 spell. One unit that's not stuck-in within 18" immediately tests panic, subtracting the difference between the unit's leadership and the Inquisitor's.
• Might of the Goddess: 20pts. Bound PL4 spell that doubles the Inquisitor's strength but forbids magical weapons. With a Flail during the first combat round, it will nets you S10 attacks.
• Sword of the Witches: 20pts. Bound PL4 spell. Enemy wizards within 12" must test Ld or eat d6 S4 hits.
• Purge: 15pts. Bound PL3 spell. One unit and the Inquisitor roll d6 and add their Ld - if the Inquisitor wins, the enemy takes -3Ld, making the next combat crippling.
• Word of Myrmidia: 10pts. Enemies must test Ld to charge the Inquisitor or be barred.

Relics of Estalia

• Mace of Sacrifice: 50pts. Inquisitors only. Grants +2S and ASF, but you must roll a d6 each turn and lose a wound on a 5+.

• Wolf-Slayer: 50pts. Grants HKB and forces those wounded to test Ld or eat another wound. However, he must never flee lest he takes an unsavable wound.

• Sword of the Vendetta: 50pts. The wielder must always challenge one designated enemy character and gains +2 to hit and wound them. However, if they die to this weapon, the wielder now suffers -d3 to S and T as a reminder of the double-edged sword.

• Pistols of the Duel: 30pts. A brace of pistols with 4 S4 Piercing 1 shots. These attacks are also given during the first round of combat before becoming dual hand weapons.

• Scintillating Shield: 40pts. Enemies take -1 to hit the bearer, and the bearer can parry even when mounted. For every save, they make an enemy model in b2b must take -1 WS.

• Cape of Velacruz: 25pts. War Beasts and Monstrous units must re-roll all hits and cannot hit this wielder with impact hits or stomps.

• Crown of Bilbali: 60pts. Grand Commanders only. Grants +1 Ld and adds +1 to combat resolution while he's within 8".

• Staff of Tomas the Pure: 50pts. Inquisitors only. Fires d3 S5 armour-negating shots against a model as opposed to shooting.

• Standard of Myrmidia: 75pts. For each unit the bearer's unit wipes, they gain either +1 to S, then WS, then A. Keep on a reliable unit you intend to kill lots with.

• Banner of Santiago: 50pts. let you pass your first break test by having it be automatically double-1s when the bearer's unit makes their first test before becoming useless.

Units

Lords & Heroes

Named Characters

• Isabella Giovanna Luccelli: High Priestess of Myrmidia and the closest equivalent to Saint Celestine. She's got wings, negates psychology for units within 12", and she has all the prayer powers of a priestess. She's no slouch in combat either, as her weapon ignores armour and makes enemies in b2b eat -1 to hit her, her heavy armour has 4+ (re-rollable 4++ against mundane attacks), and forces ranged attacks to re-roll to hit her.
• Juan Federico: Grand Master of the Order of the Righteous Spear. He's just as good on the charge and then some. He makes his knights roll 3d6 on break checks, his defenses give 2+ and negate multi-wound attacks and KB, and his weapon has +1S and flaming with d3 wounds.
• Santiago De Vivar: A legendary hero during Estalia's war with Araby. His heavy armour makes enemies re-roll wounds while his dual weapons cause fear to not only those of Ld below his, but also re-roll to hit and wound while successful wounds are multiplied by d3 for combat resolution. This fucker lives for combat.
• Grand Inquisitor De Hojeda: Grand Inquisitor and head of the Tribune. He's a buffed Inquisitor with a 2+/6++ save and a bound PL5 item that gives him a random spell from the Lore of Light each turn. As an Inquisitor, he can take powers as he wishes.

• Francisco Cortez: Yeeeaaaaaahhhhh, totally not Hernan Cortez, destroyer of the Aztecs. He's a Conquistador HQ with an optional horse that makes Conquistadors core and makes them use his Ld. His weapon is an insane one with Piercing 3 and Parry 6++ and a 4+ Regen thanks to his amulet.
• Don Lomente: Don Quixote? Who's that? He's got a killer 3+/3++ save and a lance, but he's subject to an insanity check not unlike Marius Leitdorf. His just don't suck as much.
• Alonso Diaz De Mirajo: A supreme Diestro. His unit re-rolls psychology, and his weapon let him counter-attack for every attack the enemy misses.
• Maria De Salvo: A holy assassin. She's unique with her ability to hide in other units while marking one unit to have KB against. Her dual weapons give her ASF, poison, and piercing, while her lone protection is a 2++ ward.

Generic Characters

• Grand Commander: An Empire General with Grand Master stats without the special morale boost, but has Tactical Supremacy. Though pricey, these fuckers get medium armour as default and have the lion's share of equipment. Can ride a Griffon, 1+ Armour, +4 Ward, and immunity to flaming attacks for a total of 279 Points (Full Plate, Shield, Dragonhelm, and Talisman of Preservation). Really not a bad option at all.

• High Inquisitor/Inquisitor: a Melee Witch Hunter, granting his unit hatred and reroll wounds against heretical things(Wizards, Undead, Chaos or Skaven). Able to take a flail to increase their strength to 6 in the first round and can take powers to fill in the lack of spells from your limited magi.

• Eminent Magus/Battle Magus: your empire Wizard Lords and hero but locked by the number of Inquisitors you have and have fewer Lores. Their spell lists are pretty broad from Fire, Life, Metal, Light, or Heavens. Metal will have a significant discount on the prevalence of heavy armor. Spamming wizards are harder with having to take the same number of Inquisitors. Taking an Eminent Magus and an Inquisitor is cheaper than 2 Inquisitor and 2 Battle Magus.

• Diestro: A fanciful swashbuckling hero that's never a general but stated like a Grand Commander. He's purpose-built to fight challenges and can use one of three techniques each round of combat so long as it's not the one from last turn (ASF, a 6++ parry, or KB). His significant weakness is that he can only get light armor and a buckler for protection.

• Captain: Your BSB unless you buy an altar, you'll find a need for him in any case.

• Priestess of Myrmidia: Your Warrior Priest that has ASF during the first round of any combat. Her Prayers last the rest of the game until dispelled, stay with your Death Stars to reapplying dispelled Prayers (being a secondary General with Inspiring Presence; giving +1 armor and (5+)Ward Save against missiles; +1S and AP and Magical Attacks) all of which are an Easy 3+ to cast. Should always prayers cast.

Mounts

• Warhourse: The most reliable steeds ever.
• Pegasus: Grand Commanders/Captain and Eminent Magi only. Lets Magi best position themselves for their vortex and line spells like Burning Head. also good on monster and cannon hunting Captains that's running solo towards his pray.
• Griffon: Grand Commanders only. 125pts. 1S & 1W less than the Imperial Version and 50pts cheaper. No upgrades though.
• Altar of Myrmidia: Priestess only. It's not quite as grandiose as the War Altar of Sigmar, but it's a chariot Battle standard drawn by bulls that join units and gives them stubborn.

Core

• Pikemen: Equivalent to Empire Pikemen but can't take shields. All as well, these guys are meant to stab the charging fuckers. You can instead give them halberds, barring them from being Aventuros, but these become your can openers. for a refresher, pikes let you bring in 5 ranks worth of dudes into combat without being focused to being exposed to more of the enemy's ranks.
  • Aventuro: An elite version of Pikemen with +1 WS and I for a point/model, about to outfight humans in one-on-ones even when you charge. This allows them to join the Rodeleros as a Tercio.

• Rodeleros: Imperial Swordsmen with Bucklers, making them better protected in melee but weak to missiles but good at holding in melee.

• Tercio Formation A unique unit with sword and Bucklers in front and Pikes in the back, giving it defense and multi-rank fighting. When models are removed, take the pikemen first. Also, like State Troopers, Crossbowmen and Handgunners within 3" can shoot enemies charging this unit as their Reaction.
  • a maximize ranks of a Tercio Formation, two ranks of Rodeleros and 3+extra ranks of Aventuro. This cost 350+ points.

• Crossbowmen: Imperial Crossbowmen with Light Armour. Longe rang and punched through light armored infantry, but cant reposition and fire, so set them up in an Ideal spot and don't move them often.

• Handgunners: Imperial Handgunners with Light Armour. A bit shorter range than Crossbows but packs more power and pierce -2 amour.

• Caballeros: Heavy armor Cavalry As a Core unit. Kickass. Only wears heavy armour rather than Knightly order fullplate and barding in exchange for full horse Mobility without penalty. They have the Lances, shields, and pistols(shooting on the move, extra attack in combat, and charge) optional so you can go cheaper also.

• Genitors: A Fast Cavalry unit that chucks javelins. they are only 16pts to w/ spears, so they can run circles around infentry until they find the perfect flank to charge.

• Almogavars: Skirmishing foot Javelin throwers, Take Light armour and Shields also to make them into makeshift swordsmen once the distance closes too much for them to run correctly. They are your cheapest shooters the same price as Pikeman, and being Skirmishers let the Almogavar get an early movement lead and reposition themselves without penalities.

• War Dogs: Not part of the minimum core cost. Play them like any Hound unit, vanguard up, and tie enemies down. They can also take armor if you think a point of armor will buy you one more turn.

Specal

• Marines: 2 points more than Empire Free Company with Ambushers. Useful as a Backfield distraction, especially when replacing the AHW with pistols so they can get in the shot the turn they come out of reserves.

• Royal Guard: Stoic Elite Hand gunners in Medium armor, with 30" Handguns, immunity to panic(unit losses and fleeing comrades) and ignores the penalty to stand and shoot. For more close-range fire, the Champion can take Brace of Pistols for free. May also Take a magic Standard upgrades (useful ones include STANDARD OF SHIELDING for shootouts, LICHBONE PENNANT protection from spells, or BANNER OF ETERNAL FLAME to shoot up trees and trolls).

• Conquistadors: Heavy armour Pistolers and Mobile Gunmen, able to move and fire handguns. They also have pistols for close-range staffing and get off two pistols shot, one during the charge and the other at the start of the first round of combat. Unlike Empire OutRiders, they are not fast Cavalry, treat them as Handgun platforms that can become Shock Cavalry.

• Grenadiers: Grenade throwers, give them cover as they get close to the front line and obliterate it. These Grenades deal d6 S4 AP(-1) hits (d3 on skirmishers and lone models), allowing them to blast shit up.

• Knightly Orders: both are the same unit with a different Special ability. They are the same as the Empire Full Plate Knights and can take the Inner Circle for +1S but become Rare choice.
  • Knights of the Righteous Spears: Re-roll wounds on the Charge. This + lance change means a model will die.
  • Knights of the Blazing Sun: on charge and a roll of +2, the enemy loses -1 WS and BS for a turn. Makes charging guns and enemies with WS5 safer and better hit enemies with WS4.

• Sisters of Fury: Elite Spearwomen in heavy armor that get ASF during the first turn of combat, and with their I4 (5 if charged) they reroll hits agents most human and slow armies. A good unit to Achore your defense lines.

• Mountain Bandits: Ruffian skirmisher Bowmen than can move after shooting (this counts towards the moving and shooting penalty). like any Skirmish, run them in to pick on a unit, then move them out of retaliation, especially the enemy shotting range.

• Mountain Gun: 50pts for a Smaller cannon: a single 36" range S7 shot for single entities, or can fire 2D6 S4 Ap(1) shots within 12". Sign me up, this is probably the best bang for your buck artillery in the game. Could take two of these instead of a great cannon and cause almost twice the damage.

Rare

• Black Watchmen: Full plate Halberdiers that hate undead, very brave and Stubborn.

• Culverin: A Cannon, use it to hunt monsters.

• Fire Bulls: A herd unit of bulls that catch fire on the owner's say-o. Your herder can unleash the bulls in a direction and set them on fire during the movement phase. After this, they become aimless in their rampaging with 3d6" movement and randomized direction. Anyone they run through takes an S5 flaming hit per bull.

Building Your Army

Most Estalian units are a 16th century Spanish-themed version of standard Empire units.

Army Composition

Estalia appears to be a dedicated version of the Empire's Static Spearwall and Gunlines supported by kiting Skirmishers. Using Pikes and Grenades to dissuade the enemy from charging while picking them off with mobile missiles darting in and out of threat zones and Static Crossbows and Handguns.

Magic

• Fire: always good for melee, and ranged DPS, like being a secondary Warmachine and giving out that +1 to wound rolls.

• Metal: With the prevalence of Estalia steel, you can always get a discount on your augments. This also will work in reverse, and your side may needs improvements to hits chances or more armour.

• Life: healing and defense augment are away welcomed especially on point investments. regrowth and regen on Watchmen, yes.

• Heavens: an array of buffs and debuffs damage, Ice to slow elves, lighting for Dwarfs and Chaos Knights.

• Light: allows for more defense with debuffs, Improved Initiative, and WS and stoping a low strength unit from taking actions.

Tactica

VS

• Empire: as 9th had made armor and shields optional for State troopers they can afford to outgun you. Their troops support each other better then yours as the situational TERCIO FORMATION rules are difficult on all troopers. They even have a better selection of anti-infantry Warmachines and get all the magic Lores from the core book. Despite how much better the empire is at punishing charges, you would prefer to beat them in melee than try to win a fight against a more cost-efficient gunline.

• Vampire Counts/Tomb Kings: Inquisitor and BlackGurad were made for this. Inquisitorial powers can prevent Undead from ever getting a charge on a unit, and hatred it hard against skeletons.

• Elfs:

External Links

The Project's website

Warhammer Army Project Tactics Articles
General Tactics	About 9th edition Magic Items Magic Tips Regiments of Renown
Forces of Order	Albion Amazons Bretonnia Cathay Cult of Ulric Dwarf Empire Estalia Halflings High Elves Kingdoms of Ind Kislev Lizardmen Nippon Wood Elves
Forces of Destruction	Beastmen Chaos Dwarfs Daemons of Chaos Dark Elves Orcs & Goblins Skaven Vampire Counts Warriors of Chaos Zombie Pirates of the Vampire Coast
Unaligned	Araby Dogs Of War Hobgoblins Norse Ogre Kingdoms Pirates of Sartosa Tomb Kings