Some help with IG Escalation League?

[Kilofix]

Currently, I have a Chaos Space Marine main detachment but am thinking of building an IG Lost & Damned detachment (basically regular 6th edition IG except I'm painting them with a Chaos scheme); initially for small 500 point games and for use as allies.

 

Later though, I will likely also use it for a GW Escalation League (not the new Lords of War, but the bi-weekly league starting at 500 pts and going to 2000 pts).

 

Can I get some recommendations on what to buy / build to progress from 500 pts to 2000 pts? I believe it will start at 500 and +250 every two weeks. I'm open to anything in the IG codex.

 

Thanks for the opinions!

[Kierdale]

Here's my regular 500 point list.

 

One bare bones CCS

One bare bones PCS

Two infantry squads, both with autocannons, one with a flamer

One veteran squad with two melta-guns in a chimera

One Leman Russ (I once changed this for an enclosed Medusa...just because I wanted to use the model)

 

Plenty of boots on the ground.

ISs can be combined as the mission needs dictate.

Command squads are low-threat.

Two pieces of armour on the tabletop.

 

That's one suggestion :)

 

When you expand you can always up the veteran, PCS and CCS armament, add more infantry or veteran if they seem to be dying too quickly. Or add an Aegis and quad if people are bringing flyers (or even add your own vendetta. Anti-tank/flyer and troop transport). Or you can always add more Russes :D

[WarriorFish]

Kier pretty much nails it. At 500pts you're somewhat limited so you may as well invest in what you have and spend the points to make your Platoon useful, they'll also be the core to your expanding army so at higher points you can dedicate more points to the toys. Mobile Veterans are always good, plus at low points Chimeras provide respectable fire power along with Sentinels without breaking the bank.

 

A Guard army that is built to be balanced and have elements support each other is one that is on the road to victory. Make sure that is done with lots of models and guns and that road will be a mountain one, paved on the corpses of your enemies! :D

[FashaTheDog]

I've long toyed with 500 point Guard lists.  One silly idea was:

 

[70] Primaris Psyker

[70] Veterans

[70] Veterans

[130] Vendetta

[130] Vendetta

+ 30 points of Veteran weapons

 

If your league goes by the 1 HQ, 1-3 Troops, 1 FA, 1 Elite, 1 HS, then merge the two Vendettas into one unit.

 

Another thought I had was fortress Guard:

 

[50] Company Command

[30] Platoon Command

[50] Infantry Squad 

[50] Infantry Squad

[250] Fortress of Redemption - Krakstorm missiles

+ 70 points of weapons

 

You could always just spam Guardsmen with 75 bodies:

 

[50] Company Command

[30] Platoon Command

[50] Infantry Squad

[50] Infantry Squad

[50] Infantry Squad

[30] Platoon Command

[50] Infantry Squad

[50] Infantry Squad

[50] Infantry Squad

+90 points of weapons

[Kilofix]

The 2xVendetta or Valkyrie is interesting (and I really want to paint them) but I think I'll avoid being called a cheese until we get to a higher point level.

 

That said, after Chimeras, which actual offensive 'tank' should I get first? Coming from CSM, the armor options in IG are slightly overwhelming.

 

And if a Leman Russ, which version is recommended to start with at lower point levels?

 

Then at higher point levels, is it better to have a wider variety of tank and artillery types (and / or armaments) or stick to a few types? If so, which ones?

 

Thanks again.

[FashaTheDog]

Does your group allow Forgeworld? If they do, my favorite Leman Russ is the Annihilator with the turret twin-linked lascannons and is the same cost as the regular Russ. Otherwise, I personally lean towards a Demolisher for anti-Terminator and close ranged anti-tank, although many people prefer the Exterminator with plasma cannon sponsons. Ideally you should see about magnetizing the turret if you can. Barring that, you could order additional turrets from Forgeworld which is a little expensive (~$25 each), but also expands your options without too much fuss. A word of warning, those turrets are a 'gateway drug' into heavy Forgeworld purchases, so be warned .

[WarriorFish]

Don't discount the Hellhound variants! They're solid medium armour and potent too, maybe you should look at them before moving to the heavier stuff?

For Russes the cherished classic is less desirable with the 6th ordnance rules, just run then without additional upgrades now. The Demolisher is a great tank, very tough and you can keep it cheap without spending additional points - the cannon and hull heavy flamer are more than enough! Otherwise my Eradicator sees a lot of use as it removes entrenched infantry with contemptuous ease.

Regarding the variety of armour to take I think you should go big or go home. If you don't mechanise heavily you just make what vehicles you do take easier pickings for enemy AT. Once you've done so I usually break what I have down into light/medium/heavy as an additional level of saturation; your opponent isn't going to shoot his S6 at Russes after all! From there it's mostly a matter of ruthlessly targeting enemy AT so your holy machines can dominate the table with impunity

[curt1893]

For the league I'm in, I started off cheap with just buying a battleforce and a Russ. I magnitized the turret so I could switch out barrels and sponsons to maximize possible set ups per $$. I dropped a lot of points into my units, but went with:

 

CCS w/ Autocannon and Master of Ordenance (switched out depending if I need points for different Russ varients)

 

2 x Vet Squads with Missle Launchers or Lascannon.

 

Leman Russ Exterminator with 3 Heavy Bolters

 

or

 

Leman Russ Battle Tank with no extras

 

The first/only game I've played with it so far was against Dark Eldar and the Exterminator ate them up easily. Moving around the vet squads without a Chimera is a little rough.