The Empire are a army mostly dependant on artillary and technology do do their work for them so they obvisouly arn't the best at close combat at least not compared to Chaos (ouch!)
The Learders are Good but not on the Toughness/Strength stats eg. T4/S4 so they use great weapons +2s or Lances +2s the Griffons are good mounts for Elector counts causing terror and decent stats for a lords mount at 200pts S5/T5/4A and they can fly, or give a Pegasus at 50pts they also Fly.And the wizards also can use any lore because there is no Empire magic.
Core units are good in large units because 7 leadership is only average and it's an average roll on the dice anyway so give them a decent rank bonus and a muscian and possibly a Standard bearer.To increase that leadership that extra small bit of needed LD but at leat the LD isn't as bad as an average Skaven LD5!Hangunners 24range S4 -2 armour piercing.Spearmen fight in two ranks,Halberdiers 4S not bat for humans!Swordman WS4 these are just the hightlights for the core units bonuses and all kinghtly orders have a 1+ armour save and a lance +2 strenght when charging.
Gratswords are good special units armed with great weapons +2S Cannons are excellent units as long as they don't misfire!They do D6 S10 hits on each model they hit!Most lords couldnt survive 6 S10 hits these weapons are good against chariots. Motars can scatter though and they are ay not as powerful but they do have a larger blast radius.
Steam tanks are very powerful they cause Terror and instead of wounds they have HP (hull points) and use SP (steam points) to attack move etc... the steam tank can move in and out of close combat as it pleases and is naturally immune to phsychology,unbreakable since it has no Toughness anything that needs the steam tank to take a toughness test does nothing or Initiative tests etc.Flagellants arnt the best at hitting with WS2/BS2 but they have T4 and 2 attacks.Helblaster volley gun S5 bout 24range not spectacular but is good for medium attacks it does have 3 shots a turn though!
