Joining the ranks

[Nehcrux]

Hi,

 

Been out the game for a good few years, well except the odd visit to the forums for a gander, but I've got the urge to build some tanks, so guard were the obvious choice!

 

No codex yet, so just after some advice on what to buy and a small army list to work towards.

 

With the help of BattleScribe I've came up with the following

 

++ Astra Militarum: Codex (2014) (Combined Arms Detachment) (750pts) ++

 

+ HQ (315pts) +

 

Tank Commander (315pts)

····Command Vanquisher [Lascannon, Tank Commander]

····Exterminator [Lascannon]

 

+ Troops (285pts) +

 

Infantry Platoon (130pts)

····Infantry Squad [9x Guardsman]

········Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

····Infantry Squad [9x Guardsman]

········Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

····Platoon Command Squad [4x Guardsman w/ Lasgun]

········Platoon Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Orders]

 

Veterans (155pts) [Flak Armour for Squad, Veteran w/ Heavy Flamer, 6x Veteran w/ Lasgun, 2x Veteran w/ Meltagun]

····Chimera [Heavy Flamer, Multi-laser]

····Veteran Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

 

+ Heavy Support (150pts) +

 

Leman Russ Squadron (150pts)

····Battle Tank [Heavy Bolter]

 

So if I pick up 3 start collecting boxes and 1 of the genestealer cult troops/chimera boxes that should cover pretty much everything for around £140 with 25% off.

 

Not sure if 3 tanks and a transport are a bit brutal for 750 points, so any help with the list or what to pick up are greatly appreciated!

[WarriorFish]

Welcome to the barracks Neh :D This looks like a good start to me, though that Platoon could do with some upgrades. Cheap additions like flamers would give them some capability and also help them deal with enemy infantry so the rest of your force can take on the big stuff. Three Russes at 750 is potent, but more fragile for it so it isn't as brutal as you may think.

 

If you purchase from an online reseller you can save more money, especially those with a nice rewards scheme :D Have you decided on a colour scheme for your Guard?

[Tallarn Commander]

Welcome to the guard!

 

Warrior Fish has made some great points. Most IGers prefer to give their infantry platoon squads at least 1 special weapon (and/or 1 heavy weapon) per squad. This makes them much more effective. If you dropped the Exterminator's lc, then you'd be able to give each infantry squad a flamer.

[Quneitra]

Welcome as well!

 

I'll just repeat what WF and TC have said, you need some special/heavy weps in the infantry. I'd also question bringing an Exterminator paired with a Vanq; one's a long-range tank killer, the other is designed to chew up infantry. Maybe a vanilla LRBT (all-purpose Str 8 ordnance) or Executioner (AP2 blasts for eating up light armor) would match more?

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Special Weapons in the platoon is a great idea. I've become particularly fond of the idea of taking Special Weapons squads though, in place of special weapons in my Infantry squads. A couple of flamer SWS is a neat idea for an assault platoon, other than that GL SWS are a neat idea as well. Then there's the Heavy Weapons Squads, which can give you a decent base of fire. Mortars are fun, even if they can't hold a candle to the wyvern. If you don't have a Wyvern or the list you use can't take them (Like Death Korps of Krieg, Elysian Drop Troops, Armoured Battlegroup, etc...), mortars are your best alternative. 

 

I agree with Earlier comments about your choice of tanks in your command group. I'd go with a Vanquisher for the TC and a Battle Tank for his wing man. Simple reason, both tanks share the same range profile, and large blast on the BT makes up for the lack of BS4. The BT cannon can be a big threat to armor, as well as infantry, so it's versatile. If the Vanquisher fails to kill the target outright, you can always throw the battle cannon at it to strip another hull point, maybe even grab an immobilize result. Or, if the Vanq does it's job, use the split fire order to throw the battle cannon at something else that needs to die. Far more versatile, and in the end cheaper, since the Exterminator almost requires sponsons to be 100% effective, where the battletank is more effective without them. 

 

A Word about sponsons, the Eradicator, Punisher, Executioner, and Exterminator are the only tanks that do better with sponsons. The Eradicator can do well with Heavy Flamer or Heavy Bolter Sponons, the Punisher Begs for Heavy Bolters only, the Executioner begs for plasma cannons for 5 PC blasts of doom, and finally the Exterminator begs for heavy bolters for the shredding of infantry. If the tank has an ordnance main gun, forget sponsons. In the Case of the Vanquisher, as it's a tank hunter, multi-melta sponsons are tempting, but I'd stay away. The MM's need to be very close in to work and that doesn't jive with the Long range of the main gun. 

 

Looking at FW tanks the Annihilator looks good, but you can get more BS3 lascannons than you can shake a stick at, so leave it be. The Conqueror is neat, because it's the only turreted Russ Chassis in 40k that lacks the Heavy rule, making it faster and quite useful, though it lacks the punch and range of the Battle Tank, still worth a look.

 

I hope this helps.