Cultists v Guard allies

[Bat33.1]

I know very little about the IG codex as my painting is too slow to allow the use of a blob army but with 6th and allies things look to have changed, I still won't run a blob army but 'meatshields' are a useful option to consider.

 

As I am considering using Forge World traitor guard or DV cultists, or even a mix, with an Alpha Legion army but wondered which option would work best? So can anybody familiar with IG allies give a run down to compare them to Cultists please?

[Sinners Red]

Well if you take IG as an ally, you get access to the Vendetta and a crap ton of tanks.

IMO it seems like IG is taken as more of a boost to your forces where cultists are seen as meatsheild run with ICs to buff them or naked to hold objectives.

I would check out the chaos army list section, for some ideas as for what to expect.

[darth_giles]

I'll be honest, by not being able to take lasguns, these cultists look only useful for cheap meatshields as the FOC permits. They aren't going to be able to produce the sheer volume of fire of guard flashlighters, and they're limited to only three flamers or heavy stubbers. You might be able to use Small Bug tactics with them, but I kinda doubt it.

 

I could see using them as compulsory troops choices in a planetfall- themed list where the rest of the army is teleporting of flying in, but I doubt it would be a really viable list.

[Kevlarshark]

Autoguns and lasguns stats are the same.

 

Comparison Guard to cultists, ok.

 

Guard pros - 5 armour. Heavy weapons (can fit 5 squads of them in one troops choice. Flying transports (valkaries, vendettas). Lots of outflanking/deepstrike/surprise deployement options, Penal legion, Guardsman Marbo, storm troopers. Heavy tanks! Orders.

 

Guard cons - Not battle brothers so you cant use those flying transports, and the Guard cant benefit from leadership from a Chaos character. Actually quite expensive its 180 points for a minimum of one HQ and one troop choice to fill your allies slot... without upgrades, so no heavy weapons, then it starts adding up...

 

Cultists pros- No additional HQ s or other units necessary to field. Part of your army so benefit from you characters Ld and Psychic powers. Can take marks to fit with your armys theme.

 

Cultists cons- 6 armour, that 5+ save the guard have is better than nothing. No Heavy options. Perhaps not cheep enough, 5 points (what a guardsman costs) gets you a guy with a guardsmans stats and equivalent weapon but with a worse save.

 

So to conclude take guard if you want 1. More fire power. 2. Have plenty of points to spend. 3.Do not need your allies to synergise with your chaos troops.

 

Take Cultists if you need 1. Bodies on the field. 2. Not got a lot to spend. 3.Need a big bodyguard for a character Khârn, a Dark Apostle or even a Sorcerer are very nasty with cultists soaking up their wounds.

[Excessus]

Imp Guard denies you access to daemon allies though, which are really good! :P

[the jeske]

Not battle brothers so you cant use those flying transports, and the Guard cant benefit from leadership from a Chaos character. Actually quite expensive its 180 points for a minimum of one HQ and one troop choice to fill your allies slot... without upgrades, so no heavy weapons, then it starts adding up...

even if they were battle brothers you still wouldnt be able to use their transports and its not like our other option for ally ends up at 150 pts , if we take demons we invest 500/600pts in to them .

 

cultists question is a question of build . are we using demons ally and chaos sm DP in our builds or do we want IG with its manticors and flyers.