AoE Clearance

[Demelain]

In an upcoming game, the DM has been pretty clear that we're going to be facing significant horde-sized encounters. What are some of the better spells/powers/equipment for clearing out gratuitous amounts of enemies/BFC'ing large areas? I'm Artificer 6, which gives me a hefty sized pool of money compared to normal WBL - though I'm still restricted to lower CL stuff.
Normally I go with support style characters and do a lot of single/few target buffs/debuffs. AoE hasn't been a thing because we don't like dealing with arse-loads of units, so this is a first for me.

Party info:
Shaper Psion (CPsi nerfs to Astral Construct), his only BFC/AoE power (that he's told me of) is Energy Wall.
Some Full-BAB class with Great Cleave - if she can get them to swarm her, I suspect that she'll actually be able to chain-kill a lot of enemies.
Homebrew Illusion-based thing. He and the DM are collaberating on it. Neither really know what they're doing, and they've refused my offers to help. IDK how it will turn out - maybe good, maybe not...

[Jackinthegreen]

My first thought is get buffs for the character with Great Cleave (Enlarge Person comes to mind to be the biggest target), and get that character a reach weapon (guisarme is probably best) and some armor with armor spikes.

[Wolfe]

If you can convince the BABer to go for something like a Combat Reflexes/Improved Trip/spiked chain build you're pretty well set. They trip everything that comes at you (and get a free attack to boot) while you buff them and shoot things. If they don't want to do this, there's no reason you couldn't - your infusions and buffs can make you an interesting fighter. Bit of a feat tax, though.

A more entertaining option for you, given your wealth, might be your own horde of homunculi. Take Improved Homunculus and let your metal puppies store their own buffs or heals. Take Craft Construct and make yourself an iron golem to hide behind (don't think you'll be able to do this at 6th though). Get yourself some Bracers of Archery, infuse a bow, and plink away from behind your wall of metal.

[Demelain]

If you can convince the BABer to go for something like a Combat Reflexes/Improved Trip/spiked chain build you're pretty well set. They trip everything that comes at you (and get a free attack to boot) while you buff them and shoot things. If they don't want to do this, there's no reason you couldn't - your infusions and buffs can make you an interesting fighter. Bit of a feat tax, though.

A more entertaining option for you, given your wealth, might be your own horde of homunculi. Take Improved Homunculus and let your metal puppies store their own buffs or heals. Take Craft Construct and make yourself an iron golem to hide behind (don't think you'll be able to do this at 6th though). Get yourself some Bracers of Archery, infuse a bow, and plink away from behind your wall of metal.

I'll have a small group of homunculi, two Iron Defenders and two MMI UMD-Homunculi. As far as Craft (Construct) goes, even with absurd cost reduction, low level constructs tend to be expensive (and often without advancement). I'll stick to the homunculi for now, in a few levels I'll begin working on a siege team or two to manage a disrupting starburst Ballista, or perhaps have them toss cabers. For now, I'm looking for some wands to shape/damage/control larger areas than are typical. If you have a suggestion for specific constructs/homunculi that fit this and stay a reasonable price, though, go ahead.

The Cleaver (in previous games known as The Blender, The Shredder, and Teddy's Big Stick) is pretty set in her build, but I'll be helping out with her equipment and buffs. Enlarge Person is a given, and I've already given her some tactical teleportation (anklets of translocation) and an emergency heal (healing belt). Still waiting on her to decide what else she wants.

[kitep]

There's the weapon enhancement Whirling (MIC-46, +1 cost) that 3/day lets you attack all enemies within reach.  Combine it with something that let's you extend your reach and you could really take out crowds of mooks.

Edit: since it is only 3/day, I'd put it on a secondary weapon to keep prices down.