Getting back into the hobby with guard/ 1850pt circuit ideas

[Just4uCupCake]

Greetings everyone I have been away for quite some time and I'm very glad to be back into the hobby again! I am starting IG and have picked up a few boxes of minis already and have gotten painting. I have no idea how to play guard and would appreciate some help into building a competitive tank list with at least 4 veteran squads with chimeras as a starting point. The circuit is next month and it is 1850pt limit. If anyone has any ideas on a list of models to buy or tank squads to run together please let me know. I had the idea to throw two wyverns in the mix but I'm sure way else. Any help would be appreciated.

[WarriorFish]

Welcome back As this is more general Guard army building I'm pushing it to the barracks proper for more varied discussion before anyone starts number crunching.

Other than an armoured Vet list is there anything else you're interested in? Four Vet squads will cover your troops nicely, I'd recommend a Tank Commander as HQ. A couple of Wyverns as a Heavy Support choice would offer some nice anti-infantry capabilities for a good price too. That would be a solid core to your army, then you can look to flavouring.

For the Tank Commander, Pask in a Punisher is always good as is a Vanquisher for some heavy duty lifting at range. An Exterminator for a buddy is a good default, though you can mix it up of course even if it's an Eradicator to keep costs down.

[duz_]

What WF said

 

How competitive is your scene? Tanks are slow and go down easy to hard hitting assault armies, deep strikes and Knights. So be aware of that.

2 wyvrens are almost a requirement in a competitive sense too.

[Just4uCupCake]

What would you recommend as a substitute for less tanks? I know there are a few flyer armies. I have no idea what to do for AA I hate flyers. Should I use a hydra battery or heavy weapons squads with flak middles? What about for centurions and termites? Executioner? What other infantry should I try and field? What should I load my vets with ? 3 meltas ? Mostly my meta is a lot of marines and with marines comes deep striking. I wouldn't mind making a list where I just sit back and rain hell from a distance. I love artillery. I have a medusa I could use but only one so far.

[WarriorFish]

Flyers are one of those things where you should judge the meta, if they're regular enough you should look to counters. For example it's only recently that my games have started seeing flyers with any sort of regularity! Hydras are sadly a little underwhelming, and will find few targets against Marines so you may be better off with an Aegis line and cannon? It'd allow you to fortify in preparation for drop podding Marines too.

 

Against such lists artillery is not ideal, as the enemy close instantly leaving you with fewer opportunities to fire. A Platoon is great to help protect your forces from deep strike, as they can act as a bubble wrap as well as tackle threats directly. For the harder targets an ambush unit waiting works well. This can be a Vet squad loaded with plasma ready to rapid fire, or melta for taking down Dreads. Last but not least nothing says "come and get it" better than a Banewolf (or two) waiting for him to deliver his 3+ expensive units to your lines :lol:

[Just4uCupCake]

So maybe I can go with a firestorm redoubt with las cannons? Or should I go with two aegis lines with two quad cannons ?

[Inso]

My advice is always the same.

 

The strength of the guard is in their troops and tanks. Getting the mix right is what matters.

 

I would always start with two basic platoons (command and 2 infantry squads) of troops with an army command squad. Depending on how you want to 'roll' I would then add a heavy weapon squad or two.

 

Then, I would get some basic armour... Leman Russ (sqn of 3) with battle cannon and no sponsons.

 

That gives you some heavy hitting units with plenty of infantry to support them. Only then would I start adding other stuff.

 

I know you want your 4 veteran squads with Chimeras but you could probably get a five-squad + command infantry platoon in chimeras for less and it wiould offer more support options.

[duz_]

My favourite AA for guard is Pask in a punisher or a Vendetta. :)

[Just4uCupCake]

And what option for the platoons ? Vox or no? Any special weapons on sergeant or perhaps give him a las gun instead of las pistol? What special weapon do I include flamer or grenade launcher or something else ? What gear for the command squad? How many weapons teams per platoon and what load or for them ?

[WarriorFish]

Platoons are best kept lighter on upgrades, as part of their appeal is lower costs. Vox is something you should build to use across the army - an all or nothing thing in my opinion. For infantry squads I only get a single weapon upgrade - either special or heavy. Sergeants get nothing, though if you plan to blob for combat an axe is best. Flamers and grenade launchers are my favourite choice, they're cheap and make the squad focused on tackling enemy infantry which is what they're best at.

Flamers are my preference, as they hit well and without a BS test. Grenade launchers have some flexibility though, and I've found the option to throw some kraks out (S6 AP4 is quite good) very beneficial, so a mix is generally what I like. As grenade launchers do require a BS tes tI prefer them in number, so I usually give the infantry a flamer and PCSs a couple of grenade launchers as my default build

These squads are intended to picket, protect my valuable units and capture objectives. They will also handle enemy infantry and intercept units to buy time/movement/etc, which is also why I like to keep them cheap. Helps get more on the table, making them more effective at their role. It also means opponents have to "waste" effort dealing with them. When you see death stars glumly attacking a 55-60pt Guardsman squad a turn you know you're doing attrition right

This is all how I use them though, for my particular needs and preferences so it is not by any means the only way (e.g. I don't really use combined squads, nor conscripts). A lot depends on how you want your lists to work but generally I'd say most Guard lists can benefit from a Platoon with three or four infantry squads. This is because there's a lot of nasty things out there so your valuable tanks that do the bulk of the killing will need protecting, and the Platoon offers a cost effective way of doing so.

How you build your lists and equip your troops is always something best discovered yourself, but hopefully we can give you some ideas

[duz_]

No more lasguns for sgts you can give them a bolt gun though. ;)

[Inso]

I'd always have vox in all my units (if they can have them).

 

The weapons depend whether you want to sit back or advance. One of the platoons would only get additional assault weapons (flamers/grenade launchers for anti troop or meltas for anti vehicle) and no heavy weapon squads - that keeps them mobile. The other platoon would be more defensive with assault and heavy weapons in the squads plus a couple of heavy weapon squads. I would go for missile launchers in the infantry squads with the heavy weapon squads having auto cannons and lascannons.

 

The load-out of command squads is a personal choice thing. Keep them light to use less points or load them up and try to get them in the thick of it.

[Just4uCupCake]

What do you guys think of a firestorm redoubt ?

[WarriorFish]

Expensive... I've never used it, but I feel that points would be better spent on units. Fortifications don't move, and Maelstrom of War means mobility is essential in order to capture objectives and Guard can struggle with that enough as it is.

[Just4uCupCake]

I really think I could go with aegis lines I really need anti air

[Just4uCupCake]

What do you guys think of heavy weapons squads with missle launchers and flak?

[Inso]

Anti air? Hydra or your own aircraft work as well. The added bonus with a hydra is that it is good cover on the advance and can point the 4 autocannon at the enemy ground forces as well (even if it is just snap fire).

EDIT - A heavy weapon squad with 3 Flakk missile launchers would run at 120pts. Yes, it still has the frag/krak option but it's a lot of points.

A Hydra is 70pts.

[Just4uCupCake]

We'll see I've heard and seen that hydras aren't all that good. And I don't want any flyers in my army I personally hate them so I'm trying to find another option

[Just4uCupCake]

Ah I see what you are getting at now I don't have the codex in front of me

[robofish7591]

I would skip on the flakk missiles, I usually find them pretty underwhelming for the points they cost.  Either vendettas or an aegis with a quadgun would be my preference for anti air.