Improving Leadership and Morale

[Hawkeye252]

Hi all, I didn't really look around for the answer so it might exist already. I want to improve my guardsmen morale and I'm looking for ways to do that. I like banners but what else do you seasoned veterans suggest? Company commanders don't have an aura, right?

[Tirak]

They do if you're Catachan. Mordians gain +1 LD for being base to base. Inquisitors buff guardsmen morale around them. Venner with a few buffs is an outright god, something in the order of 13-15ld. The Officio Perfectus Tank stratagem buffs leadership as well.

[Tallarn Commander]

I sometimes take a lord commissar. And while they do like to execute a trooper here and there, their lead 9 aura sure is nice.

[Frater Cornelius]

Give ‘em a few beers, the occasional hug and some icecream...

 

Oh, you mean in game. Have you considered the 2CP Commissar tank? It won’t execute anyone. Slap it on your least threatening Russ and call it your icecream dispenser :D Remember, you can also use CP to have less people run away. 1CP for D3 instead of D6 and 2CP to outright pass. Guard hardly lack CP in most lists.

 

Having saud that, you may also consider a different approach. Instead of trying to improve their Ld, you may consider MSU. Scions in 5man squads and never consolidate Infantry Squads. That may the amount of casualties are highly limited.

[Halfpint100]

Banners for +1LD

Catachan officers have +1LD aura

Mordians get +1LD if they are Base to bade

Inquisitors have LD9/10 bubble (depending is basic or named)

Commissar have LD 8 bubble (not worth it IMO)

Lord commissar have LD 9 bubble (have some worth, but nothe a lot)

Custodes banner, imperium ignore moral bubble

 

Personally I use banners and inquisitors, banners give HWT LD 7, so you need 2 to die and to roll a 6 to loose the third. And LD 9 guardsmen are very strong and it means I can remove the srg to keep more lasguns.

 

Plus make liberal use of autopass for 2CP and roll d3 instead of d6 for 1CP

[NatBrannigan]

Yep, what they said.

 

NEVER consolidate Infantry squads unless you want to use the autopass Strategem. I was also scarred by my clever idea to combine a squad, give them FRFSRF, put them near Yarrick for the re-roll 1's and give them the Mordian volley fire stratagem. It must have taken 20 minutes to resolve that round of shooting and I promise my opponent I would never put anyone through it again! And I killed about 5 Chaos marines....

 

Love the banners, Love my inquisitor and love the ranked Mordians for plenty of LD. If you want to Venner does seem incredible, not sure where his rules are or how he works with various regiments though.

[Withershadow]

Inquisitors for Ld10.

 

Custodes for Fearless banner.

 

Inquisitor Lords are still quite good due to being non-regimental IG HQ, solid in melee, and Ld9 aura.

 

Valhallans have the relic pistol, and Catachans/Mordians hit Ld9 with a banner.

 

Krieg has the most resistance to morale of all Guard regiments, between cult of sacrifice, Venner, banners, and Krieg commissars.

[Frater Cornelius]

Inquisitors for Ld10.

 

Custodes for Fearless banner.

 

Inquisitor Lords are still quite good due to being non-regimental IG HQ, solid in melee, and Ld9 aura.

 

Valhallans have the relic pistol, and Catachans/Mordians hit Ld9 with a banner.

 

Krieg has the most resistance to morale of all Guard regiments, between cult of sacrifice, Venner, banners, and Krieg commissars.

 

Wouldn't any of the above come at the cost of regimental doctrines though? I am not sure if I would want  to give up some very solid special rules for a Ld buff.

[Halfpint100]

 

Inquisitors for Ld10.

 

Custodes for Fearless banner.

 

Inquisitor Lords are still quite good due to being non-regimental IG HQ, solid in melee, and Ld9 aura.

 

Valhallans have the relic pistol, and Catachans/Mordians hit Ld9 with a banner.

 

Krieg has the most resistance to morale of all Guard regiments, between cult of sacrifice, Venner, banners, and Krieg commissars.

 

Wouldn't any of the above come at the cost of regimental doctrines though? I am not sure if I would want  to give up some very solid special rules for a Ld buff.

 

 

You can use a supreme command detatchment of inquisitors mixed with primaris psykers and 1 elite choice for an assassin or the custodes banner

[Colonel Cross]

I like to run a Supreme Command sometimes with Celestine, Greyfax, Marbo, and an Assassin. Greyfax has a great LD bubble.

 

IF you do like do like to combine squads you should probably keep a Psyker around for the fearless power.

 

I had a 20 man blob buffed with Psychic Barrier AND used the Take Cover stratagem to hold 2 different OBJs before. Guard with a 3+ save is hilariously trolly. If Celestine was around that could be a 4++

[Tirak]

 

Krieg has the most resistance to morale of all Guard regiments, between cult of sacrifice, Venner, banners, and Krieg commissars.

 

Krieg Commissars were FAQ'd with the rest of them when the Commissar nerf hit, so no they're just as useless as the rest.

[Withershadow]

They are more useful because they have the Krieg regiment, and thus benefit from banners for a stacked Ld9 for nearby units.

[Tirak]

They are more useful because they have the Krieg regiment, and thus benefit from banners for a stacked Ld9 for nearby units.

I see your point, but I disagree with their usefulness. Death Korps Commissars don't give their leadership to non Krieg units, and so the fact that they are effectively Lord Commissars next to banners when granting leadership buffs is made largely irrelevant thanks to Cult of Sacrifice.

[Arganias]

Also the Inspirational warlord trait from the main rule book that adds +1 leadership and can stack with banners.