I'd be taking over management of whoever is in charge of provisioning the imperial army with weapons and armor, personally. Then make sure the blacksmiths have sufficient training to make high-quality stuff, improve the quality of all the existing equipment and start making better and issuing better stuff.
Then, start issuing magic destruction staves: fireball, lightning bolt (not chain lightning), and ones which do short range constant effects like frost. They'd only work for a limited time until they run out of charges, of course, but if the troops learn soul trap and get soul gems, they could recharge them (or they could buy soul gems or be issued them or whatever).
A platoon of enemies firing fireball staves at tightly grouped heavily armored enemy troops could be devastating since magic ignores armor and fireballs are AOE. Firebolt staves would be similarly powerful but less overpowered, and frost staves could slow enemies.
Any of these could be dual-wielded or wielded with a shield, and the troops can use them instead of bows, without needing any skill in either archery or magic - we'd just need enchanters to make them and mages to soul trap souls (for the best effect, grand or black souls).
(Imagine the imperial army or blades using fireball staves or ice bolt staves against dragons, depending on the dragon type. Hee hee. Although, I have tried a lightning staff and it wasn't as effective as running up and whacking it.)