The Lord Commissar Paints

[WarriorFish]

Been a while since I did anything Guard, but I can report finishing the repaint on the Stormies:

I've got a few projects outstanding to keep my busy but it's good to finally get this done. My future Guard plans are still Stormies but I'll need to see what the future brings, perhaps later in the year?

[The Pounder]

Looking good WarriorFish!

 

Glad to see you haven’t forgotten the Guard!

[duz_]

Great to see some progress from the lord commissar himself! :tu:

[WarriorFish]

I'd never forget the Guard, they are with me every day if not in thought than in person - for I wear the Imperial Guard belt GW sold all those years ago Then there's the Imperial Guard beanie which the weather is returning for also

 

I got a game in with my Stormies over the weekend I'll be writing a batrep up for, though it's really an Inquisition list so I'll link to my Inquisitorial topic when it's done. Worry not as I also got a proper Guard game in too where the soldiers of Arukan fight to hold off a Chaos incursion... both batreps hopefully this week at some point

[WarriorFish]

One batrep - it was good to get my Guard on the table top once more as games have been few and far between these days. Not quite enough for the codex to feel new... more like a comfortable old hoodie you've rediscovered This was technically my second Guard game of the day, the first being a 500pts Stormtrooper list but as this featured an Inquisitor that makes it an Inquisition list so the batrep can be found in the appropriate place

144th Arukan

Hidden Content

+++ September 2021 Guard 1000pts (Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition) [5CP, 1,000pts] +++

Regimental Doctrine: Regiment: Cadian

+ Stratagems +

Tank Ace [-1CP]

+ HQ +

Company Commander [35pts]: Display Astra Militarum Orders, Laspistol, Relic: Kurov's Aquila

Tank Commander [200pts]: Display Tank Orders, Hunter-Killer Missile, Lascannon, Turret-mounted Vanquisher Battle Cannon, Up-armoured, Warlord, WT: Grand Strategist

+ Troops +

Infantry Squad [60pts]
. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun
. Guardsman W/ Special Weapon: Flamer
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [60pts]
. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun
. Guardsman W/ Special Weapon: Flamer
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [60pts]
. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun
. Guardsman W/ Special Weapon: Flamer
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [65pts]
. 7x Guardsman: 7x Lasgun
. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [65pts]
. 7x Guardsman: 7x Lasgun
. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [65pts]
. 7x Guardsman: 7x Lasgun
. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter
. Sergeant: Laspistol

+ Heavy Support +

Leman Russ Battle Tanks [195pts]
. Leman Russ Battle Tank: Battle Cannon, Lascannon
. . 2 Heavy Bolters

Leman Russ Battle Tanks [195pts]
. Leman Russ Battle Tank: Battle Cannon, Lascannon
. . 2 Heavy Bolters

Black Legion

Hidden Content

Jump Lord

- Lightning Claws

Lord Executioner

10x CSM

10x CSM

Rhino

10x CSM

Helbrute

- Multimelta

Predator

- Lascannons

It's not all old hat though, I managed to forget the HWTs That'll teach me to make last minute changes luckily some 60mm bases were on hand to fill in

Deployment

As part of our scaling up to learn 9th and the more regular games in we're using proper missions albeit not yet with secondaries. This one has a diagonal deployment with a sort of S shaped pattern of objectives in the centre. Up to 15 points a turn are available for capturing multiples, and having more than your opponent.

Unfortunately this is not an ideal mission for Guard as the centre is pretty open, and the CSM list is made to get in close. I deploy with an aim to move up as soon as I can, but practically that means thinning out the risks to my infantry before it's viable. The other side of that is of course my opponent isn't going to be that keen on going for objectives under the gazes of my tanks - the difference being advancing under cover to get closer is much more advantageous to the traitors.

My opponent sets up accordingly - out of Line of Sight while staying as far up as possible to move. It's going to be an interesting game, perhaps made in the first turn even...

Turn 1

I give my opponent first turn in the hopes I can see what's going on and adapt accordingly. This almost blows up in my face when the Predator scoots out and freems the Tank Commander down to 3 wounds... The increased save pays off here. Barely! Not the best of starts but at least I am unscathed otherwise. With the Rhino moving up down the centre quickly things are already looking interesting.

I Jury Rig a wound back, and then start throwing Orders and Stratagems at the Predator - it takes my Tank Commander and a Russ but it is battered down and taken out. The other Russ plays a blinder and chips off just enough wounds on the Rhino to destroy it. Several squad members are slain (including the Champion) leaving the remnants to be picked off by infantry, again just squeaking by with the last wound!

As far as first turns go I don't think I've had many better (certainly after how it started)!

This does raise the question of how I'm going to get those objectives though. One CSM squad is entrenched in their building close enough to secure one, and the other has moved into the opposite building to do the same and threaten my weaker left flank. I'm going to have to follow up my shooting with further good turns to thin them out enough to be able to confidently move up to claim them for myself.

That depends on how many points my opponent can stack up first however, and there are plenty more Chaos units to come.

Turn 2

My opponent focuses his efforts on my left flank, with the CSM squad and jumppack Lord securing their building and objective. Shooting fortunately achieves nothing but the Victory Points are mounting.

I'm not worried though, as it's only turn two so I have plenty of time to reverse the trend especially as I have one objective to keep me ticking over. I consider dashing the right HWT squad up to claim the other but it would be a one way trip and I'd be unlikely to get the points from it so I hold to keep them shooting.

I'm confident that even if I start losing my left flank I can pull my tanks back and advance with other forces to both claim objectives and counter attack. With this in mind I move a squad up to try and hold them back and threaten the objective. I quietly hope that they can do more than this and so it proves as withering fire is thrown upon the Chaos Marines holding the objective and they are wiped out!

This is a great result as while it doesn't unhand the objective now (the Lord Executioner) it does make it a lot easier for me to capture. Aside from the noted character and Helbrute that is. Things go pretty well elsewhere too, as the CSM holding the other objective are slowly reduced. Things are looking quite positive and without any losses yet I have the upper hand.

Turn 3

Which is all well and good but there are objectives to be had to win the game, but I'm in a good spot so can make my moves after seeing what my opponent does. Shooting is once more ineffective, and to make matters worse the Executioner and Helbrute moving up also fail their charges... the dark gods are presumably on holiday.

Things couldn't really be going better for me, so I start moving my line up. So much so I decide the right flank need not go for any objectives and can hold to shoot. The Executioner gets splattered by Leman Russ fire and lasguns, followed by the Helbrute. The game is in my hands, all I need to do is get those objectives and hold them which should be easy enough as I can safely secure more than my opponent without risking units.

Turn 4

My opponent has little choice but to make a move and play for objectives, the Lord jumping to claim one. All the bonuses in the World can't save him though as cannons thunder and 4++ saves don't work. The last of the Marines holding the objective are slain leaving dominion of the table to the Guard - victory to His Hammer!

I don't think you could have scripted a better game. The dice came through, although that said my "classic" Russ builds have always done be well with reliable shooting especially from their battle cannons. A sterling first turn saw the advantage given to me and it apparently couldn't be bothered to leave That I didn't lose a single model says it all. The dark gods waned in the face of His faithful.

What can you do in such situations though? In the end the game went differently and I ended up having the initiative, though I can't pretend my plan was by any means guaranteed. If I hadn't managed to sneak the last wounds of the armour it could have gone very differently. For example had the Rhino survived to deliver that squad I'd have needed to dedicate effort to remove them from my lines - all the while my opponent would be gathering VPs to my none, and moving up his other forces unscathed.

In that situation it'd be a lot harder for me to come from behind to get more VPs. That's the game though, with dice at its heart, but I'll not complain when it's in my favour and for such a good start to 9th for my Guard

[Tallarn Commander]

Thanks for the fun batrep! As a Guard player and CSM player for over 2 decades this game turned out like almost all my Guard vs Chaos Marines games regardless of whether I'm playing my Tallarns or my Night Lords/World Eaters/Death Guard: a failed charge of the Light Brigade by the forces of Chaos.

 

Some day my Tallarns will fail to stop the CSM advance and someday my CSM will actually reach the Guard lines with enough mass to win. But I'm not holding my breath.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Tallarn Commander

[Commisar Necros]

Good work! You play your guard a lot like I play mine and its great to see someone winning with it! Ive found that taking the russes as commanders will always play out better than HS russes. I love the sponsons too, they give a lot of extra firepower for not too many points. My friends are trying to get me to use Ogryn and id say the same to you, they can be a pain for your opponent to remove and help with the objective game. Inspiring me to get some painting done today and convince my friend and his DG for a game.

[WarriorFish]

Thanks comrades, it felt good to game with my Guard again - winning was the icing on top. The cherry was not losing a single model It was a very strange game, but as noted so it goes sometimes - when it does be glad you're on the right side as we've all been on the other...

 

I used to play infantry heavy back in the day and it worked well as it upset the meta, people didn't expect it and struggled to deal with it. That was before the current era when a solid troop element feels all but mandatory. It would be great for HWSs to feel more viable again.

 

I've made good use of Bullgryns - I had them in this list before adjusting (and forgetting I put in the HWTs when packing...). If you've not built yours yet check out their magnetisation tutorial Don't forget to report your model progress to the commissariat at regular intervals

[INKS]

everything looks awesome. I am looking to start a Tank Army. I am going to have to take some troops, probably mechanized. What is the mix or ratio of tanks vs troops?

[WarriorFish]

There's no right answer, as much depends on your meta and the overall list. For example at 1000pts, six squads to protect three tanks worked nicely here. The caveat is all three tanks were intended to work closely together (both from a support perspective, and Tank Commander orders) which means you can protect more with less. This is followed by the additional consideration in that those squads were needed to protect the tanks, which meant I had limited options early game to move forwards.

 

Which brings us to the game itself, and the objective - best form of defence is attack yes, but what if my opponent had reserves that could teleport in for example? Gets complicated quick :lol: Which is also why I don't worry too much about any specific number and go with my gut on the list I'm building, which doesn't help much when trying to answer your question :P That said, I am pretty sure I've been maxing out my Troop slots since 8th...

 

With a tank heavy/mechanised list I think some Armoured Fist squads would do well protecting and advancing, but best done with supporting units that can do the same. Fast Attack choices are great here, Hellhounds are great for pushing on your opponent and Sentinels are flexible. Along with the Chimera squads you can mix and match units to advance or hold back, flexibility goes a long way here.

 

I've not run a mech list in quite some time, I think it might be a bit tougher in the current game. It might be worth starting a topic on mechanised Guard in 9th to gather more thoughts and help.

[WarriorFish]

Back again for the Sally Forth event, for the remaining four Stormtroopers:

I thought I have five, but this still works as a Command Squad :P One slightly modified to remove the hand on the gun for the pointing arm for something a little different :) Once these are done I'll need to work on the Taurox Primes but all things in good time ;) I need to PVA the basing sand but I'll not be able to prime them right away so it should work out to get some base coats on this week :tu:

[WarriorFish]

Plodding along, but getting there:

Aside from the details (which involves a fair few lenses and screens) it's mostly washes and the odd layer so I'm finally on the downward slope part and with a quiet weekend I reckon I can see them done or near enough :) With these all my Stormie infantry will be done! :D

It'll form a good core to such lists, though I may add some more troopers in time that will likely depend on what treatment GW gives them in the new codex whenever that may be.

[Tallarn Commander]

I love dropping 1 to 3 stormtrooper squads in

 

It's fun and those stormie squads often conduct linkups with outflanking Tallarn squads.

[WarriorFish]

Stormtroopers have long been a good way to add extra "reach", all the more so with clever additions to support them :) I've completed all my (current) troops now:

It's a nice achievement, and good to get some more Guard done (albeit technically my Inquisition...) :) I feel like I have been away from the camouflage too long though, so maybe a few lasgun troopers at some point to ensure I don't forget how to do it is in order? ;)

[The Pounder]

Congrats on reaching your milestone!

 

What’s left in the pile of shame?

[duz_]

Indeed! Perhaps a tank or two as well ;)

[WAR]

Look Great Warriorfish!

[Arkaniss]

They look great as always! So am I reading this right? You have no more IG kits to assemble?!

[WarriorFish]

Thanks comrades! :D This is just all the Stormtrooper infantry done... and excluding the metal Kasrkin I've not decided what I'm doing with yet :lol: I have plenty more Guard models to do of course :P Mostly infantry as I have an open box of the legendary 20 man kit, some HWTs and a couple of Command Squad boxes (mostly for bits and kit bashes). Vehicle wise only a Valkyrie, plus two Taurox Primes as I'm pretty well stocked on armour - but I do need a few more Sentinels at some point.

 

This is why I'm thinking of some line infantry to get back into the swing of things, then maybe a few HWTs and perhaps specialist troopers here and there? I'm not expecting a new Guard codex for a while so my rough plans are to get back to my Guard proper later this year as I should have cleared a few project debts then :)