Armies of the post-An Lush-an years get a bad, undeserved rap (check out any of the few army lists that attempt to cover them). While it's true that the Shence (imperial capitol) armies only rarely confronted the almost autonomous regional commanders in the North East and North West, that was more often an issue of economics or imperial reluctance rather than competence. In ferocity they were second to none, often eating (yes, eating) a cowardly or otherwise unpopular commander.