New to Imperial Guard

[WarriorFish]

At the start of the shooting phase before you do anything you can issue orders. Start with the higher ranked officers (CCS) and work your way down the chain, upon a successful order it is immediately carried out then you move on to the next order. Voxes let you reroll the test if you have one in the CS and Guard squads.

 

Argun's Battleforce idea is a good one, short of finding a better deal online somewhere. Guard are very versatile so you can make a lot of different army lists with them. If you want an infantry company then you'll need support from Heavy Weapon Squads and Veterans to give you more punch, and some heavy armour or artillery would also help bring extra durability. An artillery company is a cool way to run an army with lots of infantry in and it can be pretty effective as well as looking great on the table.

 

Though if your opponents are big on yomping they might change their mind once your artillery pounds them into oblivion a few times! :P

[robins_d]

Just picked up a Cadian battleforce and Commisar. :) Excited to get painting! As an aside...the Jungle Fighters are cool but the rampant shirtlessness/sleevelessness is a little silly. Why not make them in fatigues with boonie hats or something less ridiculous? Just my opinion though.

[WarriorFish]

Excellent news! Post up your progress as soon as you can

As for the Catachans they're basically an army of Vietnam/Rambo soliders, so they look as they should and have a lot of history. The quality of their models is another matter though. The much newer Catachan Command Squad box is far better and has some really great bits in so this is what we should expect when they get updated. There's not even been a whisper of rumour about new Catachan models though.

A great shame as they more than deserve an update

[robins_d]

Excellent news! Post up your progress as soon as you can

As for the Catachans they're basically an army of Vietnam/Rambo soliders, so they look as they should and have a lot of history. The quality of their models is another matter though. The much newer Catachan Command Squad box is far better and has some really great bits in so this is what we should expect when they get updated. There's not even been a whisper of rumour about new Catachan models though.

A great shame as they more than deserve an update

Agreed. I actually like the concept (death world jungle fighters) but the models are harsh.

I should get building/painting ASAP and I'll try and post some pics, etc when I'm able. Thanks for all of the advice everyone. :)

[FashaTheDog]

If you like the Catachans, but the plastics anger you, eBay the old metal ones; they're what the plastic Catachan cry themselves to sleep wishing what they were.

As for what to run, plasma is always a solid answer to Marines and Termines. Also, exploding Guardsmen is hilarity that never gets old as an added bonus ! A Colossus is a fun way of telling 3+ saves where they can stick it, cover or no, but you may want to hold off until at least the 750 or 1,000 point mark so you have a little more wiggle room with the points. At the 500 point mark, if you really just want to be mean take a Vendetta and perhaps a pair of minimum sized platoons with a Command HQ and spend your remaining 60 points on some heavy and special weapons scattered about as few 500 point lists are prepared enough to deal with an aircraft and 55 infantry. For laughs, you could also try out a pair of Vendettas, each with a Veteran squad inside and either a Lord Commissar or Primaris Psyker (I like the latter), with 30 points to spend on upgrades (a plasma gun for each squad perhaps). Then watch the rage and whining over two aircraft in a 500 point game. Their tears will nourish your now withered and thoroughly corrupted evil soul .

[WarriorFish]

Well I hope those tears can play 40k, because you might not get many games otherwise

500pts is difficult for Guard as you've got to meet the FOC so your choices are either go light with Vets and run the risk of being too few in number or drop points on a Platoon. Both then cost more when you add in upgrades so they're not completely useless. I had a few 500pts games recently where I went with the infantry, with just a Sentinel and Chimera to support them.

My basic 500pt army crushed Grey Knights and their terminators, annihilated Orks and their mega armoured nobz and gave Sisters a drubbing they won't soon forget. Get the basics right and the rest works itself out ;)

[robins_d]

Alright, a few more questions as I start building my models:

Why does the Codex have single listings for a CCS, an Infantry Squad

AND an Infantry Platoon (which seems to be a Command Squad (PCS) and Infantry
Squads rolled into one)? Is there an advantage to taking the Platoon over the
single choices?

Is a Lord Commissar worth it for a troop/mob army of 500-750 points?

If I’m playing against players fielding mostly troops and/or some light

vehicles, what would be the best choice(s) for my Heavy Weapons Team? I like
the sound of mortars and autocannons, but I want to make sure I’m not screwing
myself by taking them.

For a troop/mob army, are flamers of grenade launchers the better

choice?

That’s all for now…likely more to come though.

[WarriorFish]

A platoon is a single FOC Troop choice, comprised of 1 Platoon Command Squad and 2 Infantry Squads as a minimum. They function as separate units so get their own unit entries but you can never take them individually.

The Lord Commissar can be a nice commander, but if you're focusing on infantry a CCS offers more. At lower points orders can be vital for giving you the edge over an opponent that can play at low points better than Guard. He's a good second choice HQ to support your troops which is where I usually see him but that's not to say you shouldn't give him a go if you fancy it!

Mortars and Autocannons are indeed good choices for taking out troops and light armour, they'll always have a useful place in any army for just this reason

Flamers are great for Guard as they're better than lasgun fire and don't require any BS tests, and the extra punch they provide to reaction fire against charging is also handy. Grenade Launchers are cheap like the Flamer and versatile so useful to have but I generally find them better as supporting weapons to work with more specialised weaponry. A mix of special weapons is always beneficial.

Hope that helps

[clanfield]

try platoon command squad with 4 flamers in a chimera with 2 heavy flamers great fun :)

[robins_d]

Update:

Finally finished building all of my models from the first battleforce (minus the walker) and began painting the other night. Here’s a 1000-point list I came
up with, based on what I have available. Thoughts?

*models in italics have been built already, so not much room for variation there.

**keep in mind that I’ve already decided to run a foot-slogging, mob army.

HQ – CCS (152pts)
+bolt pistol
+medi-pack
+regimental standard
+heavy flamer
+plasma gun
+carapace armour

2^nd HQ –
Lord Commissar (90pts)
+power sword
+carapace armour

1^st Infantry
Platoon
PCS (115pts)
+medi-pack
+platoon standard
+heavy flamer
+plasma gun
+krak grenades

Infantry Squad (65pts)
+grenade launcher
+krak grenades

Infantry Squad (65pts)
+grenade launcher
+krak grenades

Heavy Weapons Squad (60pts)

2^nd Infantry
Platoon
PCS (115pts)
+medi-pack
+platoon standard
+heavy flamer
+plasma gun
+krak grenades

Infantry Squad (65pts)
+grenade launcher
+krak grenades

Infantry Squad
(65pts)
+grenade launcher
+krak grenades

Heavy Weapons Squad (75pts)
+lascannon

Armoured Sentinel Squad (140pts)
2 x Sentinel
+lascannon

TOTAL: 1007 pts

I’m trying to make the best force with the models I have available (I don’t want to spend more money), which are: 2 x battleforce box, 1 x Command Squad, 1 x Lord Commissar.

[WarriorFish]

I assume all the kraks are to use up points? I wouldn't really bother with them otherwise, maybe those points might be better spent on Voxes to assist in orders? I like the army, it's similar to how I run my infantry and considering you're using what limited models you have it looks pretty good.

 

Your Command Squads seem a bit expensive though, I'd focus their weaponry a bit more as a plasma and flamer don't really mix that well. That and with small squad sizes you don't want to tempt the enemy to attack them by making them too expensive/dangerous.

 

When do we get to see pictures? :D

[robins_d]

I assume all the kraks are to use up points? I wouldn't really bother with them otherwise, maybe those points might be better spent on Voxes to assist in orders? I like the army, it's similar to how I run my infantry and considering you're using what limited models you have it looks pretty good.

 

Your Command Squads seem a bit expensive though, I'd focus their weaponry a bit more as a plasma and flamer don't really mix that well. That and with small squad sizes you don't want to tempt the enemy to attack them by making them too expensive/dangerous.

 

When do we get to see pictures? :D

I had heard that Voxes weren't worth it, but I guess they're more valuable than krak grenades? When you say "focus their weaponry" do you just mean two of the same ie 2 x Heavy Flamer or 2 x Plasma Gun? From what I understand flamers are good anti-infantry; what are plasma weapons best for? Would a plasma and melta weapon be a better fit? Thanks for the help.

[WarriorFish]

You'll hear a lot of things, for example "Guard are only good with Vet/Vendetta spam". These are filthy lies spread by traitors and heretics and are to be ignored! :P Orders are a good way to get more from your Guard army, especially with lots of infantry. For an entire army of PBI they'll become core to your success - for modest points Voxes will help make orders more reliable for you and for points left loafing why not give them a go?

 

Flamers and plasma don't really mesh no, but the main issue is the small squad size that magnifies any problems. Command Squads are vulnerable due to their squad size, the best armour they can have besides faith is to be less threatening than other units or ride in a Chimera. Taking multiples of the same weapon is a good way to specialise them obviously, but plasma and melta have good cross-over :)

 

For your CSs though keep them cheap, especially Platoon CSs - I usually run mine with only a Vox!

[Giarc]

Also, think of the range of the weapons too. A Plasma gun can shoot out 24", where as a flamer is just a template. So if you are going to use that unit to sit on a objective, they can use the range with plasma. Otherwise a flamer unit may never be in range to hurt the enemy.

 

Just a though.

[robins_d]

So, better like this?

 

HQ – CCS (115pts)

+vox caster

+regimental standard

+carapace armour

 

2^nd HQ –

Lord Commissar (90pts)

+power sword

+carapace armour

 

1^st Infantry

Platoon (255 pts)

PCS

+vox caster

+platoon standard

+flamer

+heavy flamer

 

Infantry Squad

+vox caster

+grenade launcher

 

Infantry Squad

+vox caster

+grenade launcher

 

Heavy Weapons Squad

 

2^nd Infantry

Platoon (300 pts)

PCS

+vox caster

+platoon standard

+melta gun

+plasma gun

 

Infantry Squad

+vox caster

+grenade launcher

 

Infantry Squad

+vox caster

+grenade launcher

 

Heavy Weapons Squad

+lascannon

 

Armoured Sentinel Squad (140pts)

2 x Sentinel

+lascannon

 

TOTAL: 900 (100 points to play around with - maybe add a character somewhere?)

[WarriorFish]

Looks good, though I'd move the flamer from the PCS to one of the Infantry Squads. Flamers are a great weapon for them and a HF is more than enough fire power for a 5 man squad and should make them a bit less of a target. Though having said that you already have 100 points begging which is quite a few, you could get another squad in for that if only you had the models!

 

Might be difficult to find a character worth spending points on, but without any more models to put in you may as well splurge it all on upgrades :P Camo cloaks for your CCS would help them survive a bit more, do you have any suitable models from other armies to stand in as bodyguards perhaps?

[robins_d]

Looks good, though I'd move the flamer from the PCS to one of the Infantry Squads. Flamers are a great weapon for them and a HF is more than enough fire power for a 5 man squad and should make them a bit less of a target. Though having said that you already have 100 points begging which is quite a few, you could get another squad in for that if only you had the models!

 

Might be difficult to find a character worth spending points on, but without any more models to put in you may as well splurge it all on upgrades :P Camo cloaks for your CCS would help them survive a bit more, do you have any suitable models from other armies to stand in as bodyguards perhaps?

Okay, I'll mess around a bit and see if I can tweak the list some more. I just finished painting the first model and I'll post a pic as soon as I get my hands on a quality camera. Thanks for your help; very clear and concise. :)

[WarriorFish]

Glad to help, given the option between working or spending the time to type out a good reply the choice is clear I've just got to claw my way to the end of the week when I can finally get my grossly overdue holiday

I look forward to seeing your model; the first glorious step on the road to crushing your enemies beneath the boots of countless Guardsmen! :D

[robins_d]

Here's the first painted model. I'm no pro painter and I'm trying to strike a balance between quality and speed in pumping them out. I'm creating my own regiment for fluff - Rusgard 113th Light Infantry.

 

 

*also, I'm aware that I put the empty sheathe on the guy without a bayonet attached - oops :P

[Argun]

I like the paintjob, it's nice and dark.

And don't worry about the sheathe! Just say he's 'lost' it in the chest of some heretic!

[WarriorFish]

I like the scheme, have you applied a wash? That's a good way to spruce a model up without much effort and works well on the folds of the clothing. I'd give all the winged skulls a coat of something (white would look good), it's not that much effort with the new base paints and working in batches but it makes a big difference to the model :)

[robins_d]

Yea, I used a dark wash on the clothes, armour wash on the armour/lasgun and a brown ink/dark wash on the leather bits. I think adding some white on the skulls/aquillas may be a good idea, as they seem to get lost right now. I'll report back shortly.

[WarriorFish]

It's what I do, a little bit of work can sometimes go a long way :)

[robins_d]

A few questions:

When using an Infantry Platoon as a single troop choice,

does the entire platoon count as a single unit, or are they separate units i.e.
PCS, IS, etc., for the sake of attacking, taking hits, morale, etc..

Also, I used my Armoured Sentinel w/ lascannon for the first

time and I was wondering; does it really only get one shot? Is it affected by
orders i.e. “Bring it down!”? What’s the best way to use a Armoured Sentinel
squad with two Sentinels?

[Argun]

Platoons are counted as one unit for sake of reserves, but after that they are treated as separate entities for everything else (unless you've blobbed infantry squads together, then they're one big happy shooty squad!) 

Unfortunately, sentinels (and every other vehicle for that matter) cannot be ordered in the standard codex. Yes, lascannons only get one shot. If you want multiple, I'd suggest the autocannon, or the multilaser. Or if you really like lascannons, fill up that entire squadron with them! Sentinels are pack creatures, not lone wolves, so specialize accordingly.

 

Any other questions for us? We'd be very happy to help!