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How do you make Platoons?


Marshal Rohr

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I am currently trying to update an IG army for 8th but I cannot figure out how the hell to make a platoon. Is there something I am missing in the Codex?

 

The old platoon option was removed. Now you just take all the separate units in any combination you want. You can just take loads of infantry squads if you want, without the need to take command squads or commanders. Of course, you probably want to take a few commanders anyway.

You can take 6 troops in a battalion, but you could always take a second or third battalion to get more. Or you could take a brigade, which gets 12 squads each. So you could still take 360 with 3 brigades, although the elite/fast/heavy requirements would probably prevent that at normal point limits.

However you want! "Platoon" is not a specific designation in 8th ed Astra Militarum so you do you. Technically a platoon consists of groups of soldiers led by a lieutenant. So call a company commander "Lieutenant Wolfe" and poof! You now command a platoon.

We don't.

 

Yes, it's terrible.

 

Not really that bad. If we still had platoons then brigades would be almost impossible to field. Needing to take 12 squads and 6 commanders minimum would be insane. I like just taking 2 x 30 man "platoons" that I have the freedom to build myself. Sure, there could be some sort of restriction, like command squads have, but platoons had plenty of flaws. For example, why did I need to take 20 Guardsmen to field conscripts? What if I wanted to have an entire platoon of just conscripts?

I use a Vanguard Detachment.

 

Compulsory HQ - Primaris (attached to command Squad).

Compulsory Elite - Platoon Commander.

Compulsory Elite - Command Squad.

Compulsory Elite - Ratling Snipers.

Troops - Infantry Squad.

Troops - Infantry Squad.

Heavy Support - Heavy Weapon Squad.

Fast Attack - Sentinel Squadron.

 

The Vanguard Detachment is good for arranging old school platoons... whether or not it's any good on the table top, I've no idea :) (I don't game... I just collect).

The worst part really is what the rule of 3 did to taking ersatz platoons. You can take all the infantry squads you want, but only a total of 3 sws and 3 hws in the entire army. I didn't mind it before since a battalion was basically a platoon structure anyway, but now it's kind of annoying.

60 Guardsmen should be like a very small game. They should've just altered the platoon system instead of ditching it. Its force org slot should be based on what squads the platoon has.

I find it to be a mixed bag. In some ways, it makes guard more flexible to not have platoons. There are other things that I wished they'd bring back, like templates.

 

There are other things that I wished they'd bring back, like templates.

 

Personally I am glad that they are gone. They caused a lot of arguments and made everyone play silly coherency games to avoid hits. The current system could use improvements, but markers were pretty horrible by comparison.

Platoons were one of those things that, yeah, it's more than likely a 'good' thing they were removed but on the other I really like how - like Orders - it went that bit further to make Guard feel like you were organising a proper military force compared to the other armies of the 41st Millennium.

 

I feel dirty taking two Company Commanders, six+ Infantry Squads but no Platoon Commander/Command Squads. I know I can do it, I know my list is stronger for it, but I don't know if I should.

Platoons were one of those things that, yeah, it's more than likely a 'good' thing they were removed but on the other I really like how - like Orders - it went that bit further to make Guard feel like you were organising a proper military force compared to the other armies of the 41st Millennium.

 

I feel dirty taking two Company Commanders, six+ Infantry Squads but no Platoon Commander/Command Squads. I know I can do it, I know my list is stronger for it, but I don't know if I should.

 

Eh, just make one a Lt.Col and one a major/captain. Although I do actually like to use 1 platoon commander per 30 men. They are pretty nice with power fists, and even have a refractor field these days.

Platoons would make guard almost unplayable in 8th ed. This is the edition of filling your detachment slots. Sisters have a lot of shenanigans now to not take up slots. It makes army building really difficult as I could almost fit a brigade but stuff doesnt take up a slot.

Except its not though...two troop choices could be 100 men if you wanted. Now you basically never see Platoon commanders any more in matched play. Fundamentally they changed Guard in that aspect for the worst due to how "unfluffy" according to the lore it is. Of course in Matched play your not going for Fluffyness, but still.

 

Guard as a whole should demand regimented structure. Not just willy nilly take what you want. Guard have always been about regimented tactics and stagnation(both in game and in fluff), it was part of there charm.

 

Krash

I think it’s far superior this way. You have more flexibility to build what you need, no taxes. And if you like the fluff based regiment style, build a list and play that.

 

My current fluff list has 2-3 CC and 3-4 PC. They all have different ranks to more properly reflect command structure. I even bring a command squad with a standard and vox caster.

 

But, when I run a competitive list, I cut a lot of that out for our more competitive options. And that’s why I like the list building structure for guard in 8th edition. We can taylor and adjust a lot easier. The structure is there, it’s just up to the individual on how to use it, and much less forced then prior editions.

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