Help equiping new guard

[stev]

I have no experience playing with or against imperial guard but have decided to start a small force (~100pts).

I wanna be able to use it on its own or potentially ally with my World Earers or Daemon cult forces for a change or if I need more shooting (which since my forces are khorne based I do!!)

 

I reading thru the codex and have the following models...but am still working out how best to arrange equip everything so would appreciate the advice of more experienced astra militarum generals!

 

My models...

-company command squad

-infantry platoon

-command squad

-3x10man guard squads

-3/4 heavy weapons

-veteran squad (+commisar with power fist) (or I could make these another squad for infantry platoon or special weapon squad)

-a chimera

-leman russ

-basilisk

-setinel

 

Questions:

1. How to equip command squad. Should I add a lascannon to make use of bs4?

 

2. How to equip platoon command squad. I see both commands squads sitting back giving orders rather than rushing forward.

 

3. For the infantry platoon - do I add heavy and special weapons to the squads or keep a seperate heavy and special weapon unit? Do I blob the all together or keep them seperate? (I know people like large blobs but with more smaller squads surely I have more options when it comes to choosing different shooting targets and recieving orders??)

 

4. Veterans or a 4th squad of infantry. And if veterans what do I do with them? Do they get the chimera?

 

5. Scout or heavy sentinel and how do I equip it?

 

 

Sorry thats so long...look forward to yr advice!

S

[scatmandoo]

1, ccs can be a Warlord target so I would give them a regimental standard and lascannon in the chimera or bunker.

 

2- platoon command, either a suicide flamer squad, no upgrades or a A/C are my usual builds.

 

3-if advancing the priest, blob up and mixture of assault weapons ie krak grenades, flamers and meltas maybe even G/l if no other choice.

If holding, heavy weapon and only blob if kilpoints are in force. If points spare get a melta or flamer as deterrent/back up use (for podding troops etc.)

 

4 - I normally have a vet squad with 2 melta, 1 HF, KG, and sometimes demo and cara either in a chimera or valk as linebreaker/reactionary heavy hitters.

 

5-if flanking go scout and HF or multiple shot weapons for side armour.

If not flanking go armoured and I personally use plasma cannons as it is hard for such cheap plasma to be ignored.

 

Sentunels work best in pairs or more either sqn or not.

 

Hope this helps.

[WarriorFish]

I'm assuming that's a typo and you're planning on a 1000pt force not a 100pt one Welcome to the Guard stev! We've been strong over the last couple of codicies and best of all we have plenty of variety and viable options

scatmandoo gives some good advice so I'll just expand on this a little. The CCS is best thought of as an Order machine - Orders are fantastic for infantry and the best use for your CCS so you can't go far wrong building them with this in mind (i.e. keeping them alive mostly!). This is less so for the PCS, though their Orders are useful they're often best employed as a special weapon delivery units - flamers being popular thanks to their BS3. Try to keep them cheap as they're only a 5 man unit.

For the infantry I'd recommend going one or the other - HWTs in squads or Infantry Squads only. Lets you focus your points better unless you plan to make nefarious use of blobbing (Combined Squads). Chimera mounted Veterans are a great unit, give them some melta or plasma as they'll do a good job for you - you're generally best off with either a pure Veteran force (watch your numbers though) or a mix of the two. Fortunately a single Platoon will have all the troopers you could need

I like Sentinels, especially as part of a combined arms approach supporting your troopers but as scatmandoo said they're better in number. Scout Sentinels should be cheap, give them multilasers or autocannons and have them outflank. Armoured Sentinels can have the bigger guns but need more AV12 armour to help them survive (mechanised lists!).

Leaving the most important bit until last: do you have a colour scheme for your army? There's a lot of good information to find here and experienced Guard commanders so don't be afraid to ask if you have any questions

[stev]

Cool thanks guys, thats all been really helpful. Ill maybe try and knock out a wee list to get yr opinions. Everything yr saying makes sense, my though leave the command stuff near the back and keep it alive cuz the orders seem really important. I plan was have everything else forming a gun line and using the vets and chimera and sentinel to move to objectives.

 

As for colour scheme, not decided...I was planning some minor conversions and spiky bits and maybe black or really dark green with deep reds, something that will fit if I use them as traitor guard allies with my chaos but not so chaotic I couldnt field them as allies (albiet pretty hardcore, badass looking allies) with my dark angels. Is their a middle ground that would work for both?

[WarriorFish]

We're always glad to be of assistance, especially to new recruits Your colour scheme sounds interesting so I'll be looking forward to seeing that, if you need help planning it then create a topic in the main Guard section and everyone will be jumping at the chance to help

Gun line is too static for my tastes though, easy to get outmanoeuvred and punked by tricks. Guns are good, the more and bigger the better - but to be truly good they need mobility. This comes from putting the bigger guns on vehicles and the lots of guns in transports usually, or by keeping the squads mobile by not taking heavy weapons to hinder them. That aside, the missions call for flexibility so you can't sit back and expect to win easily.

It's true that Guard are a slower army, but we can make up for that without too much effort Chimeras are great, and of course Valkyries and Vendettas will get you anywhere on the table if you need it but never forget that mobility can also come from infantry squads - get enough of them and you can cover a lot of ground

[Thoqqu]

Warriorfish, there are gunlines and then there are gunlines... cram in 2 platoons armed to teeth with heavy weapons sitting behind aegis line, add a battle tank and a deathstrike and they will kill anything in line of sight while basically ignoring return fire with 2+ cover. (Just use ccs to get them up next turn.)

Even in maelstorm enemies will have hard time scoring objectives if their units die before reaching them (tested! ;)

[stev]

My thought about gun lines was that it would compliment my chaos stuff if allied. My stuff is mostly combat based so let the berzerkers run forward and do what they do while the guard hold objectives and support them.

My other thought was use the guard as a primary and ally in cypher and a few squads of marines to represent a pdf that he has influenced and possibly slowly corrupting??

Anyway thats just thinking out loud, my real question...
If I decide to keep my heavy weapons in a squad of three...heavy bolters seem good cuz no. of shots right? Or missle launchers, the template might be soghtly more forgiving of lower bs and if I need to risk a krak shot I have that option. Is it better to stick to just one type of weapon for the 3 or would 2 heavy bolters and a missle launcher work? I can always use orders to split fire them.

Also in the regular platoon squads and gernade launchers the best choice...same idea...versitality of blast or not?

[WarriorFish]

Building an allied list is different to a stand alone one, so you can gun line an allied in Guard force if your other army is taking the fight forwards. The key with allies is to make them complementary so they can work together for greater effectiveness.

 

HWSs should always have the same weapon type, Guard do best specialising generally especially in smaller units. Grenade launchers are a nice support weapon in infantry squads I find, but the flamer is my favoured weapon upgrade as it hits well without a BS test :)

[stev]

Yeah, choice was between gernade launcher and flamer. Might do one of each in 2 squads. What would the general concensus be on hwt loadout. People mention autocannons but surely heavy bolters give more shots and are better with low bs guard? Or missle launchers?

[WarriorFish]

HBs are great weapons, but you usually have plenty of them from other sources such as hull weaponry on vehicles. Plus Guard aren't hurting for AP weaponry which is why for the same cost most prefer autocannons as they're good weapons that can turn on light vehicles and even aircraft. So a single squad to bolster your ability to scythe down hordes is the most I'd go for.

 

Missile Launchers can be useful but for a single shot weapon you can get the same stats from a Russ's battle cannon they don't often find a place. Their versatility is good but I find them on the expensive side for what you get so I'm of the opinion that you may as well upgrade to a lascannon for something special.