How best to introduce and infantry blob into a mech army?

[slowclinic]

I've been running a mechanised Guard army for a while, and have a number of comfortable wins under my belt. What I'm lacking is boots on the ground, and I know from reading countless threads that blobbed infantry platoons are favoured for their staying power. Having never played massed infantry armies before, I'm hoping for some advice on this additionally infantry platoon I'm thinking of bringing in for defensive objective holding tactics. The platoon is as follows:

 

Platoon Command Squad, Vox Caster, Heavy Flamer, Autocannon - 55pts

 

Infantry Squad 1, Vox Caster, Flamer, Autocannon - 70pts

Infantry Squad 2, Flamer, Autocannon - 65pts

 

Ministorum Priest - 25pts 

 

Totally, 215pts

 

As far as I know, once blobbed up, the unit receives orders as a whole, so an additional vox caster isn't needed. The Priest brings Zealot and War Hymns, but is the addition of a Commissar to add Stubborn necessary? Finally, I am trying to base the unit on Catachan models, but not necessarily their fluff, so load out is flexible. 

[duz_]

You are correct in regards to orders and vox caster.

 

The priest will make the unit fearless so it will override stubborn.

 

Given this looks like back field support for you a commissar and defence line might help you more.

Leadership 10 for orders

4+ cover save

Maintain ability to goto ground for a 2+ save behind the defence line (fearless prevents you from doing this)

 

Load out is fine. Although remember the PCS cannot blob up. So they will be on their own. I usually like to keep them cheap and mobile and use them as objective grabbers.

Something like 0-2 flamers in a Taroux. Hflamer if I have the points.

[WarriorFish]

There's a few tricks to running infantry, but yes a combined squad only needs a single vox. I'd probably drop a weapon on the PCS, or take cheaper ones as they'll be a tempting target in most cases so you don't want to make it an easy choice for your opponent. I run mine cheap and they do well enough :)

 

The priest is good, as he makes the combined squad a lot better however he's best suited to an attacking blob. For one that stick back less so, but still better than nothing of course.

[Akrim]

Ditto both Duz and Warrior, the general equation is Priests for advancing/assault, Commies for sit and shoot.

 

What's the rest of the force look like? Autocannons are always a solid selection for Inf Squads, cheap and help pop transports at range. HBs are an okay second choice. MLs and Lascans are better elsewhere.

[Indefragable]

My first question, of myself and others, is always what is the purpose of this unit? Saying you want boots on the ground could mean a few different things.

 

-If you are looking for bodies to gum up the enemy works, then a blob with as many bodies as possible and a Ministorum Priest (or 2, or 3) is pretty good.

 

-If you are looking for an anti-infantry force, then I recommend never having less than 20 bodies in a Combined Squad with a PCS in the background for that sweet, sweet FRFSRF. I would personally keep the PCS as cheap as possible: you want to keep their profile low so they live long enough to belt out Orders. Giving them weapons only draws more attention to them. A 10man Tactical Squad of Space Marines (before upgrades) costs 140pts. 3x combined IG Infantry Squads = 150pts. That is roughly the parity you need to hang tough with them. 

 

-If your purpose is cheap scoring then I recommend keeping them bare-bones and splitting them up. Their cheapness and minimal threat level will be their saving grace: 10x Guardsmen are so easy to kill that enemies may ignore them entirely. You can "safely" run onto OBJ and GtG on them for some OBSEC goodness. Use the PCS the same way. Also consider adding a few SWS with 3x Sniper Rifles (2pts/ea) for a 36pt OBSEC unit. 

[Akrim]

I even tend to mech up my PCSs if they aren't manning a Quad Gun. Don't like giving up an easy kill point. That and they can shoot out to grab a midfield objective if necessary with a few flamers ; )

[Pablo Benigno]

First step: Add a Platoon.

Second step: Mechanise your two infantry squads (Chimera + Autocannon + Grenade Launcher)

Third step: Add a bunch of Conscripts with a Priest and an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor

 

With this steps, you still have a mechanized army, as you keep your infantry squads in Chimeras (the Platoon command can ride a Vendetta to break the enemy lines), and you can have a 50 men squad with Ld 10, Stubborn, Fearless, that can protect your tanks against any attempt of assault. It is a big meat shield that can attract a lot of shooting, but hey, they are 3 points each, what's not to love?

 

In hand to hand combat, this unit is great, as you can give the Inquisitor Rad Grenades, or even Hammerhand, and with the War Hymns and Hatred, the damage output gets ridiculous.

[CoffeeGrunt]

My personal preference for a Platoon is this:

 

Platoon Command Squad

3x Flamer, 1x Heavy Flamer

Chimera

 

20-40 Guardsmen

1 Flamer per 10 Guardsmen

 

50 Conscripts

1 Priest

1 Primaris Psyker

 

Granted, one could say I'm over-investing in the Platoon, but I get a fast moving unit in the PCS that can really hurt cover-huggers. Have used them against the likes of Plageubearers or other objective campers to great effect, and they can put a lot of hurt on normal squads as well. Give them the Pinning order for even more pain. Once had them wipe out a good half-dozen Raveners after my friend's 'Nids were advancing as a line, and they managed to hit them from the side and line the Flamer templates up perfectly to hit most of the squad. They very rarely fail to kill more than they cost. :)

 

The Guardsmen blob up on a home Objective, normally with a Commissar to keep them loyal. Flamers are for receiving charges, and lately I've been using Aegis Defense Lines to make them really hard to get rid of.

 

The Conscripts become a marauding mass of bodies that the Primaris Psyker can make into something utterly terrifying. Giving them abilities like re-rolls to Hit, using Misfortune to give them Rending against a target, or give them a 4++ is nasty. Even the Force Axe on its own is handy, you smash into a valuable Monstrous Creature with the blob, they do a few Wounds with re-rolls to Hit from Zealot and to Wound from Rites of War, and then take the hits themselves. Then you pull the Primaris Psyker in, swing with the Force Axe re-rolling to Hit and Wound, and one-shot something exceedingly-valuable.

 

It's especially nasty if your opponent struggles to get the necessary volume of fire to kill them. :)

[slowclinic]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I think the first thing Inderfragable brought up is that I hadn't addressed the actual purpose of this unit. It's partly for additional tactical options, and partly aesthetic. Experience from previous games is that I'm lacking anything solid at the rear-field that can hold objectives effectively. I'm not intending on basing the army around this infantry platoon, hence keeping it to a minimum of a PCS and two infantry squads plus/minus an IC. This puts a large blob of Conscripts out of the equation in my eyes, as the providing long range support in the form of Autocannon HWTs is a benefit of the infantry platoon alone. There's also the option of introducing Corteaz for some interception goodness. 

 

I could drop the flamers in the PCS and the additional vox caster, which puts the entire platoon under 200pts. This opens up a little room for a SWS, and as I'm basing this platoon around Catachan models, the snipers would be well suited for a little bit of fluff. 

 

To summarise, I suppose I'm looking for minimal expenditure that can secure objectives comfortably and can provide some supporting fire.

[Centurio]

I use an inquisitor with the psyocculum and divination in my blob and he also bestows Stubborn Ld10. I'd use him instead of a commissar. I have melted daemon princes with the FRSR/psyocculum combo.

[slowclinic]

I have the Inquisition codex, and that does seem like a viable option depending who I'm up against. It's a little pricey compared to what I was imagining, but the flexibility when it comes building lists will be helpful. 

 

Now the big question... How can a Psyocculum be modelled? A miniature Numinous Occulum?

[Centurio]

The inquisitor is expensive with that gear. I don't always take the psyocculum and the stubborn and prescience is still worth it. I haven't modelled the psyocculum on my inquisitor.

[slowclinic]

I suppose it comes down to what the opponent is fielding. When it gets to that amount of points, Corteaz may be just as good an option for the sake of bringing in Interceptor.