When choosing a unit of handgunners there are some top tips you should always follow.
1) stick to a unit size of 10 - so you can have several units each with an experimental weapon marksman
2) always take a marksman (+1 Bs and the option to take an experimental gunpowder weapon)
3) always take a...
Hochland long rifle
...they might seem expensive for +20 pts but their range of 36 inches and the ability to target individual characters in enemy units is legendary and priceless (well, worth at least 40 pts) Note: if you are using detachments you cannot take a marksman.
Trust me, your enemy will hate your Hochlands before long. They are not only useful for taking out enemy characters but they will also change the way your enemy deploys and moves his army.
Your enemy will most likely employ some kind of skirmish screen to protect important characters, thus using up valuable points that you can easily dispatch with the use of small units of cavalry or pistoliers or just by shooting them.
Your enemy's skirmishers may also slow his advance into combat if he doesn't move them carefully. Fewer combat turns favours an Empire force who can make better use of long range weaponry than virtually any other army.
