Tactic assessment

[Castellan Blackmane]

Hello there, not too long ago I posted asking for tips with beginning my Imperial guard force (With space wolf allies) and you guys were really helpful. I've bought a few models (Company command squad and 2 veterans squads with the guard and half my wolves allies) and I'm in the process of thinking about what direction to take my guard force and was wondering if you guys could help me look at the pros and cons of a few tactics I was thinking of employing.

Firstly, when looking through the codex the vendetta really caught my eye, what with its 3 twin linked lascannons, and was looking for excuses to field it as I thought it was a tad dear in points cost to just be an attack gunship and its transport capacity was too small to use to deploy most squads. I had the idea of using a platoon command squad with a load of flamers so the vendetta swoops in and drops in its guys, they harass the enemy with flamers and the lascannons fire at any vehicles the enemy have and generally goes as close air support. Even when the command squad get charged they can each inflict 3D6 hits on the enemy thanks to wall of death special rule. But then when they get into combat they would just be helpless and would scarcely survive the end of the assault phase. So would it be worth it to join a munitorum priest to that he can use his war hymns to reroll saves or even use smash to take out something important?

It would come to roughly 80 points, is that worth it for a nice harassment unit and an excuse to field a vendetta?

Also which leman russes would you guys recommend? I kinda fancy the idea of the 20 shot gatling one but I'm not sure.

All ideas and suggestions welcome

[David Ravel]

1- A big + on the priest is that it gives Fearless. That means you can tarpit some stuff with him. Of course, a command squad don't have much to tarpit with anyway. The idea of flamer is good, it could also serve to wipe out objectives in the backfield held by support unit (long range weapon like Devastator, Heavy Weapon Team, Tau stuff, etc.). Then you sit on the objectives (ideally a ruin) and wait it out. 

 

2- Leman Russ you can have one for every job. For me, the Demolisher is the all around best. Ordnance str 10 ap 2 means it has a good chance of breaking heavy vehicles (Av 13-14), it wounds everything in normal game on 2+, and gives nightmare to deepstrikers/termis. Of course, you could also take the Eradicator for the ignore cover goodies and very low cost for an AV-14 tank, or the Eradicator for again a low-cost str 7 madness to shred some light transport, or take the normal Battle Cannon to deal with 3+ at very long range, etc. It all depends on what you need. I would not suggest the Punisher unless you take it as a Commander Tank (BS4), and then again if you want this, take Pask to get all the goodies (rending and reroll to pen). 

[Castellan Blackmane]

1- A big + on the priest is that it gives Fearless. That means you can tarpit some stuff with him. Of course, a command squad don't have much to tarpit with anyway. The idea of flamer is good, it could also serve to wipe out objectives in the backfield held by support unit (long range weapon like Devastator, Heavy Weapon Team, Tau stuff, etc.). Then you sit on the objectives (ideally a ruin) and wait it out. 

 

2- Leman Russ you can have one for every job. For me, the Demolisher is the all around best. Ordnance str 10 ap 2 means it has a good chance of breaking heavy vehicles (Av 13-14), it wounds everything in normal game on 2+, and gives nightmare to deepstrikers/termis. Of course, you could also take the Eradicator for the ignore cover goodies and very low cost for an AV-14 tank, or the Eradicator for again a low-cost str 7 madness to shred some light transport, or take the normal Battle Cannon to deal with 3+ at very long range, etc. It all depends on what you need. I would not suggest the Punisher unless you take it as a Commander Tank (BS4), and then again if you want this, take Pask to get all the goodies (rending and reroll to pen). 

Ah that's a good plan on the pask front, might have the punisher as the command tank then the demolisher for the ordnance s10 ap 2 seems pretty sweet. 

Also you're right I could use the command squad to hold objectives too, I would have used a bigger squad but I had to fit them in a vendetta and I thought tempestus scions were a bit too pricy as they're 85 points even before upgrades

[march10k]

85 points?  That's the tempestus command squad...which you can't take as your only stormtrooper unit, you need at least one regular stormtrooper squad for each stormtrooper FOC...and you only get two special weapons in a normal stormtrooper squad (so 80 points for five men with two flamers or 90 with two meltas), but the issue there is that you're paying for them to be able to deepstrike (and of course paying for carapace armor and hellguns), and then putting them in a transport after all...you don't need the vendettas to deliver stormtroopers, lol.  So probably not the best choice.

 

Actually, my favorite stormtrooper unit is a stormtrooper command squad with four plasma guns...it's 145 points for five models, but hello, it's four deepstriking plasma guns.  Take them from the stormtrooper codex, and they can give themselves twinlinking or rending through an order, and either one of those is straight nasty when you're talking about eight shots!  But that's another story...

 

Have you considered special weapons squads as the vendetta passengers?  You can get three special weapons on those squads, and even a demo charge, if that's your preference...

 

The worst thing about using the vendetta's transport capacity is that you have to choose between two problems...if you go into hover mode and let the passengers disembark, you're vulnerable to ground fire, which is bad when you're sporting three godhammers but only AV12.  If not, the passengers grav chute in...which means scatter (bad for flamers and meltas) AND dangerous terrain tests (2/3 of the time).  

[Commander_Moustache]

Or if you want a punisher cannon and a flyer, why not both? There is a gunship available that has a twin-linked punisher cannon (thats BS4 against ground targets) with pinning. Point it at somethign and watch it delete it

[David Ravel]

@march10k : If you take Scions, you don't do dangerous terrain as per the USR Move Through Cover (not saying you didn't know, but some other people might not). 

[Commander_Moustache]

@march10k : If you take Scions, you don't do dangerous terrain as per the USR Move Through Cover (not saying you didn't know, but some other people might not).

 

By jove, he's right. This presents a lot of tactical options for deep strikes.

[march10k]

Right, I mentioned that in the context of special weapons squads using the vendetta...

 

To be perfectly accurate, though...you do take the dangerous terrain test with scions, you just automatically pass it, lol

[Castellan Blackmane]

Or if you want a punisher cannon and a flyer, why not both? There is a gunship available that has a twin-linked punisher cannon (thats BS4 against ground targets) with pinning. Point it at somethign and watch it delete it

What kind of amazing gunship is this??!?!?!?! Where can I find it?

Right, I mentioned that in the context of special weapons squads using the vendetta...

 

To be perfectly accurate, though...you do take the dangerous terrain test with scions, you just automatically pass it, lol

Thanks mate you've given me some seriously interesting options here

[Commander_Moustache]

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Navy/VULTURE-GUNSHIP.html You have to buy the punisher cannons seperate. But you could save a little money and modify a valkyrie to be a Vulture instead.

[Castellan Blackmane]

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Navy/VULTURE-GUNSHIP.html You have to buy the punisher cannons seperate. But you could save a little money and modify a valkyrie to be a Vulture instead.

Where do I find the rules/datasheet for that?

[Commander_Moustache]

Imperial armour vol1 2nd edition, or Aironoughtica Imperialis

[Castellan Blackmane]

Imperial armour vol1 2nd edition, or Aironoughtica Imperialis

Much appreciated mate :D

[Commander_Moustache]

No problem. I Repd one once and whatever I pointed it at, it deleted. Gettign around 10-12 wounds on GEQ

[march10k]

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Navy/VULTURE-GUNSHIP.html You have to buy the punisher cannons seperate. But you could save a little money and modify a valkyrie to be a Vulture instead.

 

Yeah, but for the price of the twinlinked punisher cannon, you can instead get FOUR multiple rocket pods!!!

[Commander_Moustache]

 

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Navy/VULTURE-GUNSHIP.html You have to buy the punisher cannons seperate. But you could save a little money and modify a valkyrie to be a Vulture instead.

 

Yeah, but for the price of the twinlinked punisher cannon, you can instead get FOUR multiple rocket pods!!!

 

True, but the punisher can shred tanks and aircraft

[march10k]

Meh....S5 is completely unimpressive against tanks and marginal against aircraft...too many aircraft have AV12 sides for a flying twinlinked punisher to be considered effective air defense.  It's not like Pask is flying the vulture, LOL

[Commander_Moustache]

True it should be used on light vehicles and flyers if you are using it in that role. BUt never let it be said, that there are a lot of vehicles that are AV11 on side armour which flyers can get to easily. And in the end, its for fighting things with lots of wounds (be it hords or MC)

[cypherthefallenangel]

Meh....S5 is completely unimpressive against tanks and marginal against aircraft...too many aircraft have AV12 sides for a flying twinlinked punisher to be considered effective air defense.  It's not like Pask is flying the vulture, LOL

I think your overlooking Vector dancer, I almost always get rear armor on tanks and fliers. If I do it will average 6-7 (5-6 flier) hull points a turn vs AV10 rear armor. Thats bye bye to most fliers and vehicles in the game in one round of shooting. That doesn't suck. :)

[march10k]

Yes, I was overlooking vector dancer!