Veterans with Plasma Guns.

[UltratoDA]

Hello All.

I've only really just taken up Guard and would like some advice on veterans and what to equip them with.

I like the idea of vets with plas shooting out of a Chimera.

However I feel kitting out the vets with plasma is risky due to "gets hot" and their 5+ save, I don’t really fancy losing the 20point gun.

What is everyone else’s experience with vets and plas? Do the pros outweigh the cons?

 

[Kierdale]

They're 15 points each, but you could always take carapace armour if you want to make accident-survival 50/50.

To be honest I'd say it's a very good choice for veterans. I dislike putting plasma in the hands of anything with less than BS4: so veterans have a fair chance of doing damage with them, plus the plasma gunners' squad mates can act as ablative wounds if you keep the plasma gunners back/wrapped.

[Tenebris]

Veterans with Plasma Guns are THE killers in the IG codex. But you have to take some considerations first. The first thing to know is that they operate best in the 12'' range thus you need some transport to get them in the optimal range. Second the Get's Hot! result happens more often than not but it is not an instant kill as many people think, with Carapace Armor you have quite a solid chance to live trough that, so include it in stock with the Plasma Guns. The third and the most important thing is to keep your Veterans always safe since they are perhaps one of the most pricey units in your army. If they die you give your adversary and average of 180 points.

 

Now a combination that I love to field is a Flamer Chimera with hull and turret flamer, the Plasma Veterans kill the enemy transport with relative ease and than it is bacon time. Also keep in mind that you can move with your Chimera, use your Veterans to shoot and than move Flat Out in the shooting phase of the vehicle. This will allow you to play with Hit&Run tactics that are very effective.

 

My personal favorite combination is a Veteran Squad with Carapace, three Plasma Guns and a Lascannon. This unit is rock solid, perfect to keep your half of the board safe from many Deep Strike units since everyone would be worried by this little unit. The Lascannon gives you great range and benefits from the BS 4 of the Veterans more than any other heavy weapon, and the Plasma Guns, trust me are the major deterrent for those pesky SM Drop Pods or Terminators to arrive anything close to that. So you can effectively make a safe zone if you play right.

 

Oh have I mentioned that the squad above is golden when combined with some solid orders or an Aegis Defense Line...

 

 

So in short a Plasma Veteran squad is almost a must in every solid IG list, it brings versatility, killing power, safety and a way to deal with many threats on the board. The Get's Hot! is a risk but so it is for every army that fields Plasma, for example I have lost two out of five chaos terminators to some bad rolling on Get's Hot! even with their 2+ save. But keep in mind, you have THREE Plasma Guns in a single squad for a budget price, enemy codexes hate us, and this is one of the reasons for their hate. Combine your Veterans with a Transport or some nearby officer commands for some really nasty combinations.

 

My vote would be 8/10 since you cannot field more plasma in there :)

[UltratoDA]

Thank you for the comments guys.

 

I'll be sure to have chimera packed with some plas and LasCan.

 

The twin linked order, would be helpful in trying to minimise Gets Hot and getting in those extra hits.

[WarriorFish]

Agreed, they're probably one of the best platforms for plasma out there but I wouldn't go crazy and spam the board with them. They'd get expensive fast and that's not really playing to the Guard's strengths.

 

I generally prefer cheaper units, especially when ranging ahead/engaging the enemy so I'll echo the Deep Strike/supporting tactic with them. Your opponent will have to think carefully when there's a squad like this waiting to pounce once he makes his move :)

[spafe]

Slightly different role, as mine often die in their sucide charge, but 3 meltas, demolitions in a chrimera keeps them cheap, and very very threatening. the trick is to make sure you have other things that your enemy thinks are more threatening that they overlook your vets. demolishers are very good at this I find

[Tenebris]

In my army setup I always field three "specialist" Veteran squads. The first are my Forward Sentries with three Sniper Rifles, Mortar and Cloaks, which allows them so sit on an objective, exploit cover and provide Pinning or Precision Shots depending on dice rolls. The second squad are my Demolition Experts with three Melta Guns, Melta Bombs and a delivery system in the form of a Vendetta or a Chimera to kill nasty things or to clear objectives. Last is my Grenadier squad with three Plasma Guns and a Lascannons to either be used in defense as a protection against Deep Strike heavy lists or as a middle field killer unit.

 

But never spam Veterans. They are our aces, our finest troops and they have to be specialists to make their points back. Devise a role for them, kit them according to their role in the battle order and always plan in advance their deployment and use. But never spam them. While many lists focused on Mech Vets in the previous edition, mostly with the king of that edition, the Melta Gun it is a faulty strategy and the IG is all about versatility.

 

I would say one solid unit of Plasma Veterans in a Chimera is more than enough for every list, use the other points to get them in place to do their job. Kit out transports, provide bubble wrap with cheap infantry or kamikaze them with a Valkyrie. Know the following, once they are on board they will be fire magnets for the threat of six plasma shots is not to be ignored. They will have to last and they will have to make their points for they are probably the most expensive Troops that you will field. So waste no expense on their protection. 

[Hellios]

My AirCav is vets with 2 plasma guns and a heavy flamer. I hope my vendettas an drop sentinels will destroy heavy armor. Plasma guns were to help me with MCs in 5th ed, but they help against lighter vehicles or TEQ as well. I give me vets too much equipment :'( I also give the demolitions XD. Things will die when they jump out of their transport... The vets don't always last very long :X but they normally make their points back.