All infantry army

[Spyboy]

Hey guys, just starting AM, got the codex yesterday. I have been a space marine player until now but I have played a couple games with my friends guard and loved it. So I was wondering if a completely infantry army (plus scout sentinels for filling in a brigade) would work? Looking at 1000 points to start and building from there.

[Mitchverr]

The joys of guard, 100% possible and viable!

 

Theres a great deal of ways to actually do a 100% infantry guard army, so it can be hard to give advice on the subject with reguards to progressing with the army, so if you can tell us how you would like to play it could give people an easier time on giving you advice for equipment, doctrines, command structure and heavy support. You can still use rough riders for the fast attack btw if its something that interests you given your "infantry focus".

 

I would also say dont forget about the death korps, which makes for a very good infantry focused army also, especially with death riders for fast attack slots.

 

For how to play them, theres plenty of options, mobile infantry, artillery infantry, gunline, wave assault and so on.

 

But yeah, welcome to the guard son, where the real men fight!

Edited October 13, 2017 by Mitchverr

[micahwc]

You lose out on the cool tanks and the cool artillery, but you still have plenty of options with all infantry, and between scions, special weapons, command squads, and heavy weapon squads you should be able to kill anything in the game. As a  bonus you tell people you are bringing guard and they bring a bunch of anti-tank weapons which are now wasted because you only have people.

[Mitchverr]

If you go forgeworld you still have the carriages though, i would argue they fit an infantry focus army myself :)

[Spyboy]

Playstyle I think cadians, sit back and shoot them to death, so gunline. Rough riders would work well as objective grabbers and flankers, didn't know I could use them so thanks for that.

 

My initial list thoughts were:

3x company commander w/ bolt gun

2x astropaths w/ Las pistol

1x commisar w/ bolt gun

1x command squad w/ 4x plamsa guns

2x 30 coscripts

4x infantry squad w/ boltgun, chainsword, plasma gun, and lascannon

3x scout sentinels w/ heavy flamer (looking into swapping them with rough riders)

3x heavy weapon squad with 2 heavy bolters and 1 lascannon each

 

 

 

I was thinking forge world batteries, but looks like they don't sell them anymore. I do agree that they fit an infantry army theme.

[HenricusTyranicus]

Looks solid. I'd run at least two commissars though. Too often I've brought one and they been sniped, leaving my conscripts to panic and die. 

I think a Cadian gunline that's infantry would REALLY benefit from an Aegis. Nothing like 4+ save conscripts to have your opponent tearing their hair out.

On second thoughts, might want to drop that command squad. Without a vehicle to hide in, any remotely competent opponent will take them out turn one.

[duz_]

I think that is a good list to start with

Guard infantry is certainly a viable option to play this edition thanks the removal of AP5, changes to cover and wound allocations! :D

 

[Spyboy]

Ok good points, where would I find the rules for the aegis defensive line? I will drop the command squad and put in an aegis and hopefully another commisar. 3+ conscripts (with psychic barrier) sounds like fun :)

[duz_]

Currently all the rules for fortifications and buildings are in Imperium Index 2

[HenricusTyranicus]

Ok good points, where would I find the rules for the aegis defensive line? I will drop the command squad and put in an aegis and hopefully another commisar. 3+ conscripts (with psychic barrier) sounds like fun

You can find them on Battlescribe while building your army list there, in case you don't feel like buying a whole book to field one thing :P

[Spyboy]

 

 

Ok good points, where would I find the rules for the aegis defensive line? I will drop the command squad and put in an aegis and hopefully another commisar. 3+ conscripts (with psychic barrier) sounds like fun

You can find them on Battlescribe while building your army list there, in case you don't feel like buying a whole book to field one thing :P

Thanks, that is quite helpful, I really only need the rough riders and aegis line from the index.

 

Now to start buying the needed guys, a lot of needed guys lol.....

Edited October 13, 2017 by Spyboy

[Feral_80]

Just a word of advice, in case you had not considered it yet: a static all-infantry gunline, while certainly viable, is one of the most boring armies *ever*. Takes ages to do anything: to paint, transport, deploy, face, and use. And it offers only very repetitive tactical options.

 

This is especially true for the typical old 150+ conscript-spam list, which fortunately is not the list you are considering. Still, it's good to have this in mind before buying - ask yourself if you (or the people you play with, if you care) are fine with that. If yes, proceed - otherwise, think twice.

Edited October 13, 2017 by Feral_80

[seriade]

If you are planning on going all infanrty i would get a friend who has an army and would let you proxy it first so you get a feel for what is going on and if you like the play style and actually point out 2k or so in lists to get an idea of volume of guys you need given you will probably double brigade.  With the way 8th is especially if your going all infantry you may need to get something to represent forge world drop troops to give you some kind of mid board presence otherwise your going to get overwhelmed quickly if you can not deal with first turn charges or force your opponent to play honestly.

 

Forge world does not make the battery any more the do however make gun carriages.   The only difference between them and the battery is the carnage actually has a crew.

 

A further note regrading the battery a lot of itc tournament play is cracking down on that model and a few others due people improperly representing that model as it is basically the back end of a basilisk on a 9 x 9 inch cross base and takes up a massive amount of space in deployment.

[Guardsman Bob]

I really only need the rough riders and aegis line from the index.

Now to start buying the needed guys, a lot of needed guys lol.....

In general fortifications are wasted on Guard. The biggest reasons to get the Aegis is if you are feeling hard up for anti-air or really like the fluffiness of it. By not getting an aegis with weapon I can afford two whole infantry squads and have spare points to play with. You can even get a large Scion Squad for those points.

 

If you are a serious about keeping something alive behind it then consider a laspistol Astropath Psychic Barrier Caddy. He only has one job to do and he does it cheep.

[Spyboy]

Just a word of advice, in case you had not considered it yet: a static all-infantry gunline, while certainly viable, is one of the most boring armies *ever*. Takes ages to do anything: to paint, transport, deploy, face, and use. And it offers only very repetitive tactical options.

 

This is especially true for the typical old 150+ conscript-spam list, which fortunately is not the list you are considering. Still, it's good to have this in mind before buying - ask yourself if you (or the people you play with, if you care) are fine with that. If yes, proceed - otherwise, think twice.

Hmmm ok, I did realize it was going to take a while to collect and paint, but did not think about as much about the use of it. I don't think I would mind it, but coming from a 7th edition battle demi company player (cue the hate), it will take a bit of getting used to. I will talk to my friends about if they care if I play a static gunline but I think they will not.

[Spyboy]

If you are planning on going all infanrty i would get a friend who has an army and would let you proxy it first so you get a feel for what is going on and if you like the play style and actually point out 2k or so in lists to get an idea of volume of guys you need given you will probably double brigade. With the way 8th is especially if your going all infantry you may need to get something to represent forge world drop troops to give you some kind of mid board presence otherwise your going to get overwhelmed quickly if you can not deal with first turn charges or force your opponent to play honestly.

 

Forge world does not make the battery any more the do however make gun carriages. The only difference between them and the battery is the carnage actually has a crew.

 

A further note regrading the battery a lot of itc tournament play is cracking down on that model and a few others due people improperly representing that model as it is basically the back end of a basilisk on a 9 x 9 inch cross base and takes up a massive amount of space in deployment.

I don't think I have a friend with enough models for a 2k army, he has enough for a 1k though.

 

As for drop troops I was planning on scions once I get past 1k points. It was probably going to be a brigade and either two battalions or a battalion and a spearhead at 2k. (One of the battalions would be a scion battalion).

 

Wow that is a large model, makes sense why the itc is cracking down on it. Maybe carriages are better just due to size.

 

@Guardsmen Bob

I have two astropaths in the list atm, but seeing as I can't cast the same psychic power twice, only one unit can get the buff, that is why I was considering the aeigs line.

Edited October 14, 2017 by Spyboy

[Tirak]

Astropaths are too cheap to lose. Denying on a 2d6, having the remove cover ability and a psychic power there's no excuse not to have them. I was running Supreme Command Detachments with 3-4 Primaris Psykers in all of my lists. Since the codex I've swapped to only 1 Primaris and 3 or so Astropaths to give good battlefield coverage. Now in order to placate your concerns about only one astropath being able to use a defensive psychic power, remember that we have both Psychic Shield (+1 Saves) and Nightshroud (-1 Ballistic Skill shooting this unit). Knocking 15% accuracy off your opponent is better than adding 15% chance to save.

[Spyboy]

Astropaths are too cheap to lose. Denying on a 2d6, having the remove cover ability and a psychic power there's no excuse not to have them. I was running Supreme Command Detachments with 3-4 Primaris Psykers in all of my lists. Since the codex I've swapped to only 1 Primaris and 3 or so Astropaths to give good battlefield coverage. Now in order to placate your concerns about only one astropath being able to use a defensive psychic power, remember that we have both Psychic Shield (+1 Saves) and Nightshroud (-1 Ballistic Skill shooting this unit). Knocking 15% accuracy off your opponent is better than adding 15% chance to save.

Right I forgot about the -1 to hit, that is even better. Easily run two atm, I am hoping for 2 primaris psykers in the 2k list as well.

[Halfpint100]

I run 3 primaris and 1 astropath in my 2k. In my 1k i go for one of each. just so good and cheap (be careful though. astropaths only smite on 1d6)

[TheShredder]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Conscripts in an Infantry-IG army. They're useful for when you want to protect fragile artillery pieces, less so when you're relying on your infantry to do all the heavy-lifting.

 

What's more, your army is already going to be very model heavy (which will slow down movement and such), do you really want to make it even more model-heavy? 

 

Some other things I'd say are:

 

- Try to avoid using the Cadian doctrine. Yes, it can be strong. Yes, it fits a static army, but that's the thing - by taking it you're cementing yourself into that role. Why not try one of the other Doctrines (Vostroyan, Armageddon, Valhallan, even Tallaran), whereby moving doesn't lose you the bonus? That way you're not walling yourself into the role of 'immobile gunline' right from the outset. If you use Tallaran, then you gain access to their stratagem which allows allowing you to outflank up to 3 units - thus giving you far more mobility than would otherwise be possible.

 

- If you don't use Tallaran, it might be good to include some Scions to give you some backfield reach.

 

- I'd strongly consider giving one of your characters the Dagger of Tu'Sakh. Similar to Tallaran (but not limited to them), it will let you outflank with a unit and a character.

 

Basically, I'd try to add some tricks and such to your army so that you're not just a dull, immobile gunline.

Edited October 14, 2017 by TheShredder

[Spyboy]

@TheShredder

 

I was including conscripts as a mobile shield for my infantry squads, but maybe just some infantry squads would be better.

 

I like the cadian doctrine for the strategem as well, but I do see your point. I did consider vostroyan and tallarn, and they are cool, but I was planning on putting as many plasma guns, and lascannons in the army as I could, and they both benefit greatly from the rerolls of one. Kind of a lore thing for the regiment I am planning, all high tech weaponary.

 

I am also planning on scions and rough riders as my backfield reach, although the dagger could be interesting as well, no problem spending a command point to get another relic.