What's a good starting list to just get started with the game?

[StreetBushido]

What it says on the tin: what's a good starting list if you just want to get into the game and start playing?

I plan to introduce a few friends to Frostgrave, and I'd like to be able to hand them a ready-made warband so that we can get stuck in. Then, once they've got a feel for the game, they can start fiddling around with building their own warbands.

Also, this information would help me decide what figures to build! I'm aiming for a "What you see is what you get" sort of approach.

Thanks for reading!

[Ogrob]

I like to start with something like Wizard, Apprentice, Barbarian, 2 Archers, 3 Thugs, 2 Thieves. That spends all your starting cash and gives you a full band. Barbarian can be exchanged for Templar or Knight if you like, and the ratio of thugs to thieves can be varied by prefence as well.

Bears, imps and zombies are multi-purpose in that they can be both summoned and used as random encounters.

[Karadek]

That's about what my usual starting force is as well, although I often sub in an Infantryman for an Archer.  Our group tends to run very scenery-heavy, and firing lanes are mostly nonexistent. 

That being said, the last match I played my Wizard was one-shotted by a Captain with a bow, so YMMV.

[giles the zog]

Wizard
Apprentice
2 x Archers
2 x Thugs
2 x Thieves
Apothecary (healing potion !)
Leaving something like a war hound to round it out.

[Red Kop]

Out of our group I was the one who got into Frostgrave first and brought it into the group.

To get interest I made up a few warbands for the different schools and kept the lists similar so everybody started evenly.

My lists were similar to what has already been posted:

Wizard
Apprentice

3x Thugs
2x Thieves

Combo of 2 Archers and/or Crossbowmen

An 'elite' soldier type such as:

Knight
Treasure Hunter
Templar
Barbarian

This meant that most soldier types were the same, with a different elite soldier type for each warband.

These were good enough for the group to get into the game and learn the basics and I was also able to create a couple of the warbands straight from the Frostgrave soldiers box (with a few conversions here and there from my Warhammer days)

[Xintao]

If you want to introduce new players, I'd limit the Archers to 1. Nothing will send a player packing faster than an archer one shotting someone from across the map.

Keep it simple.
1 Archer
1 Infantryman
1 Barb or Knight or Templar( Pick one, based on player choice)
4 Thugs
1 Thief

10 figures(with Wiz and App)
500 points

So this list does a couple of things.
1 Keeps the list simple
2 Allows players to experience a few different classes, but not to many.
3 Keeps bow fire to a minimum, You don't want this to be a firefight. Also remember most wizards have a shooting attack of some kind. So with a Wizard and Apprentice and an archer, that has the possibility of 3 shooting attacks per turn.
4. I'd almost suggest ditching the thief in favor for a another thug. Most people forget the Weapon modifier for the dagger, so just go with thug anyway.

Hope this helps.

[mdauben]

My usual "starter" warband is:

Wizard
Apprentice
Thief
Thief
Thug
Thug
Archer
Archer
Infantryman
Infantryman

This leaves you 20 gp unused, but you can just save that for when its time to start upgrading your warband.  It also gives you a full ten man warband and especially for a starter list quantity is IMO more important than quality.  Plus you can make two of those warbands out of one plastic box.  No need to buy any metal figures (except Wiz/App) or a second plastic box to start with.

If you want to introduce new players, I'd limit the Archers to 1. Nothing will send a player packing faster than an archer one shotting someone from across the map.

I know its hard when someone is just getting started, but IMO if you have LOS across the whole map, you don't have enough terrain.  

[StreetBushido]

Thanks for all the input, guys!

There seems to be a definite consensus about starting warbands, and that's a big help.