Auxiliary Support Detachment and Pure Infantry Guard

[jarms48]

Playing pure infantry guard, maybe with a second detachment of scions for secondaries and aerial dropped special weapons. Then comes a choice, buffing characters.

- Commissars aren't often worth it, unless you're playing pure conscripts and even then you'd only take Lord Commissars rather than standard ones.
- Astropaths? Better for buffing Bullgryns with mixed shields for the 1+/3++ saves, and/or the -1 to hit.
- Inquisitors? Can double as Commissars with the Ld 9 bubble, but the real reason you would take one is the 5++ power. The problem here is that it can fail or be denied. It also unlocks the Abhor the Witch secondary (especially if you have Astropaths as well).

So, what do you do? Allied auxiliary support detachments, and you can keep them cheap, with 2 options.

1) Celestine: Costs 200 Points and 2 CP.

Everyone should know what she does for Guard by now, a simple 6++ to any Imperium Infantry units within 6 inch. She's also fairly respectable in close combat with 6 attacks, hitting on 2+ at S7, AP-4, D2, and the potential to cause mortal wounds. She can even be buffed by Astra Militarum Ministorum Priests.

 

 

We can do better for Guard though and cheaper too.

2) Vexilus Praetor (in or out of Allarus Terminator Armour): 110 or 115 Points and 2 CP.

These guys are awesome, they provide a 5++ save for any Imperium Infantry unit wholly within 9 inches. Basically a Kustom Force Field for Guard, think of it this way. Compared to Inquisitors, these guys are guaranteed to get their invuls off and you could potentially give it to multiple units. Using good positioning there's the potential to squeeze 4 units of 30 conscripts around him, 1 to each direction. Though that's highly terrain dependant, but an extreme example of how many Guard infantry models his invul can cover. The icing on the cake? He can double as a commissar as well, any Imperium Infantry units within 6 inches can reroll morale. Making this quite a decent investment and avoiding the extra 235 (minimum) point tax to field them.

Now, to the Terminator Armour variant. Very similar, except they can deep strike. You know how everyone says how good the Lions refractor field generator relic is? Imagine having 2, or playing a different Scion regiment and still having a source of deep striking invuls to keep some of those squishy suicide squads alive. Now you could use your Tempestor Prime with the refractor field to cram all your Taurox Primes around to make them more durable. Similar to the Conscript example above you could probably fit 4 Taurox's around the Tempestor, again terrain dependant.

The normal Vexilus Praetor is also no slouch to close combat, certainly not as good as Celestine but definitely better than an Inquisitor or any generic characters we have. With their Guardian Spear you get 4 attacks, hitting on 2+ at S6, AP-3 and DD3. Obviously don't go crazy and charge him at dedicated melee threats.

What else can you do?

Sadly, I don't think there's any other allied units that are worth using the auxiliary support detachment on. Here's some other suggestions for somewhat cheap allies for pure infantry Guard though.

1) Adeptus Custodes Emissaries Imperatus Patrol: 340 Points and 3 CP (includes stratagem).

HQ:
- Shield-Captain (in or out of Allarus Terminator Armour): 100 or 110 Points.
Tax, either keep them cheap and near your Vexilus Praetor to keep them safe. You can pay 1 CP for Captain-Commander traits but I don't think many are worth it, maybe Swift as the Eagle or Defiant to the Last. In terms of relics, they're not that great. You could buff their damage output. If you're taking the Terminator variant you can deep strike him with Scions to give them some melee punch.

Troops:
- Custodian Guard: 135 Points.
Tax, pure Troop tax. Use them like Bullgryns. You can pay 1 CP to give them deep strike. Like the Shield-Captain you can drop them with Scions for some melee damage.

Elites:
- Vexilus Praetor (in or out of Allarus Terminator Armour): 110 or 115 Points, and 1 CP.
Vexilla Defensor, Ten Thousand Heroes and Voice of the Emperor. This is the creme-ala-creme, with Voice of the Emperor you now have a wholly within 12 inch 5++ aura, a 9 inch Ld9 aura and a 9 inch re-roll morale aura. This guy has basically become a Lord Commissar and at least 3 or 4 Inquisitors combined in terms of 5++ coverage. You can even make this better, now that you're taking a Patrol you get access to Detachment and Stratagem abilities, the Detachment abilities just make him a little more durable with a 4++. What really makes him shine is the Plant the Vexilla Stratagem.

Plant the Vexilla increases his Custodes Vexilla aura range to wholly within 18 inch for the 5++ and within 15 inch for the morale re-roll. That's insane. You get this guy in the middle of a 44 by 60 inch board, he has a 36 inch diametre that's about 40% of the entire board covered by a 5++ aura. This is what you take the patrol for, to increase the survivability for the majority (if not all) of your pure infantry army.

As for the Terminator Armour, I'd only take it to again, deep strike with Scions. Though, I probably wouldn't give it any of the upgrades above due to how dangerous that kind of deployment would be. Assuming you're dropping all your Scions into the enemies deployment zone and across both their quarters of the board for secondaries.

Edited July 5, 2021 by jarms48

[sairence]

If you want to go with Custodes, there's plenty that can shore up Guard weaknesses. I've been thinking of a unit of Vertus Praetors in there before, as fast melee hitters and countercharges, which we just don't have. The jetbikes aren't the menace they used to be, but they are still potent.

 

One comment re Abhor the Witch: It often feels like a bit of a trap to me. Not taking psykers to benefit from it often denies you useful buffs for only occasional benefits. And since the change bringing 2 or 3 psyker characters gives up less then 10p, which is fine. So if Psykers might help your army, I don't think Abhor should be a reason to avoid them.

[jarms48]

I'll need to update this with the new CA and Sisters codex.

 

I'm happy to say that Celestine is still possible to have join a Guard force as she has the Imperium keyword for her 6++ aura. Sadly though she is more expensive, and her 6++ no longer works on vehicles.

[Diagramdude]

Blood Angels jump librarian with the tome of malcador to know both wings of sanguinius and null zone can be an amazing buff to your high AP weaponry. He can get the null zone deep into the enemy formation turn 1, turning off invulnerable saves on multiple targets for your demolisher cannons and meltas.

[jarms48]

Blood Angels jump librarian with the tome of malcador to know both wings of sanguinius and null zone can be an amazing buff to your high AP weaponry. He can get the null zone deep into the enemy formation turn 1, turning off invulnerable saves on multiple targets for your demolisher cannons and meltas.

 

It might be worth looking into some debuffing characters to add to this. Currently I've only been look at units that can further buff your Guardsmen. I've skipped past Roboute Guilliman because he's an obvious case, but also he's incredibly expensive.

 

If you know of any other good debuffing units that can work in an Auxillery Support Detachment, or can be taken in a very cheap Patrol definitely let me know. I'll look into them. 

[Lord Raven 19]

Blood Angels jump librarian with the tome of malcador to know both wings of sanguinius and null zone can be an amazing buff to your high AP weaponry. He can get the null zone deep into the enemy formation turn 1, turning off invulnerable saves on multiple targets for your demolisher cannons and meltas.

The tome now locks you into one discipline, see the rulebook update on generating psychic powers, so that's gone.

[jarms48]

I've been looking at Space Marines and how they could be taken in Auxiliary Support Detachments for Guard.

The biggest utility character definitely seems to be a Librarian. This is the list of options I found:

1) Generic Marines Librarian (No Chapter Specific) with Librarius Discipline: 90, 95, 105, 115 points (depending on Librarian chosen) and 2 CP.

Take Null Zone, it's a great utility power for Guard. It removes invul saves for any enemy units within 6 of the Librarian, and it halves the amount of powers enemy psykers can manifest. A jump-pack Librarian can get you in range very quickly. 

The second power depends on how you take the Librarian loadout. Which could be either Might of Heroes for some close combat support, for example a Primaris Librarian would have S6 and 5 attacks, or Fury of the Ancients to stack with smite for mortal wound generation.

The best thing about a Librarian is that they give Guard a more reliable means of being able to Deny the Witch than both Guards own Psykers and Inquisitors.

2) Librarian in Phobos Armour (No Chapter Specific) with Obscuration Discipline: 100 points and 2 CP.

Take Tenebrous Curse, perhaps not as good as Null Zone, but it can definitely slow down scary melee units.

As for secondary powers there's Mind Raid which can help get you back some CP, not really great if you're already taking Grand Strategist and/or Kurov's Aquila. Hallucination is probably my preferred choice, giving an enemy unit a -1 to Hit until your next Psychic phase. I would actually rate this higher than Guards own Nightshroud ability, as you can specifically target an enemy unit.

 

* * * * *

 

Note on Generic Librarians, here's all the ways to buff them:

Remember as an Auxiliary Support Detachment you cannot use SM stratagems, Chapter Command, and you lose Chapter Tactics for not being a mono-SM army.

 

Custom Traits: 

- Knowledge is Power, for the rerolls of 1.

- Then any secondary traits are up to you though I'd suggest Duellists, Hungry for Battle, or Whirlwind of Rage.

 

Warlord and Relic:

While you cannot use stratagems to give a Librarian a warlord trait or relic when they're taken in an Auxiliary Support Detachment, you can still make them your warlord to gain one of both. Guard warlord traits aren't amazing, and if you don't need a second tank ace then it could be something to think about.

 

- Custom Chapter WL Trait and Relics (Duellists or Whirlwind of Rage): The Imperium's Sword or Iron Resolve. The Armour Indomitus, Reliquary of Gathalamor (if Primaris), or Tome of Malcador.

- Custom Chapter WL Trait and Relics (Hungry for Battle): Fear Made Manifest or Iron Resolve. Reliquary of Gathalamor (if Primaris) or Tome of Malcador.

- Custom Chapter WL Trait and Relics (Phobos): Lord of Deceit or Master of the Vanguard. Reliquary of Gathalamor or Tome of Malcador.

 

* * * * *

3) Dark Angels Librarian with Interromancy Discipline: 90, 95, 100, or 105 points (depending on Librarian chosen) and 2 CP.

Take Mind Wipe, it's pretty good in the fact it can shut down one enemy aura.

Engulfing Fear can be a good second power as it removes obsec from an enemy unit. Otherwise Trephination can be a nice secondary source of mortal wounds.

 

Personally, I wouldn't bother taking them as a warlord for the warlord trait or relic. If you're thinking about it you might as well take the below.

4) Dark Angels Ezekiel with Interromancy Discipline: 125 points and 2 CP.

He's a little expensive, but if you think of it this way he's 20 points more than a Librarian in terminator armour. Which gets you WS and BS of 2+, the best combination of a force axe and force sword, more reliable casts, +1 attack on himself (because you have no-one else to give it to), and a 4++.

As with the standard DA Librarian you can take all 3 of the above and use whichever 2 suits the situation the best.

Edited July 26, 2021 by jarms48

[Lord Raven 19]

For point 2, the obscuration discipline is only on the phobos Librarian, all the others must have the librarius.

[jarms48]

For point 2, the obscuration discipline is only on the phobos Librarian, all the others must have the librarius.

 

Thanks for that. I've edited the above.

 

Onto the second part of my taking SM Librarians with Imperial Guard. I've looked through the other chapters and determined they're not really worth the investment as the ones above. None of the other chapters have an detachment ability that benefit Psykers, so in order to buff them they must be your Warlord if taken in an Auxiliary Support Detachment, which also means your relic will often be the one that buffs that disciplines casting. 

 

Though what might be interesting is some of the other unique characters, at least the ones with in-built buffs. Such as:

 

5) Chief Librarian Tigurius with Indomitus discipline: 135 points and 2 CP.

 

With the Indomitus discipline take Scryer’s Gaze, Storm of the Emperor’s Wrath, and Psychic Shackles. This gives Tigurius the ability to generate CP, it's also very reliable, with re-rolls to the result and a +1 you have a great chance of him not only paying off his own CP cost, but netting you more over the course of the game. 

 

Is he worth the points cost though? Potentially not. Guard have several methods to generate CP, as do Inquisitors, or even Assassins who are far cheaper and cost 0 CP to add. 

 

6) Njal Stormcaller with Tempestas discipline: 140 points and 2 CP.

 

With the Tempestas discipline take Living Lightning, Tempest’s Wrath, and Jaws of the World Wolf. This makes Njal an excellent source of mortal wounds generation, as well as debuffing an enemy with a -1 to Hit.

 

The question still however, is that besides the -1 to Hit much of this can be done for cheaper. You might as well take the Librarian in Phobos Armour for 40 points cheaper. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by jarms48

[jarms48]

I've been reading through the Adepta Sororitas codex recently, something dawned on me. You don't have to take Cult Imperialis units in an Adepta Soroitas detachment, thanks to every unit also having the Adeptus Ministorum faction keyword. Which means you could instead take an Adeptus Ministorum Vanguard or Spearhead detachments with solely Cult Imperialis units. 

 

Why would you do this? I hear you ask.

 

1) It gets around the Decree Passive Adepta Soroitas restriction. Which means you can avoid any kind of Soroitas character tax. 

2) You do lose out on any kind of stratagems, relics, and detachment abilities. However, you do get some synergy with taking them with Imperial Guard Ministorum Priests, who give them +1 attack. While you could say the same for Adepta Soroitas units they lose access to Miracle Dice, while Cult Imperialis don't have access to Acts of Faith anyway and also don't benefit from any detachment abilities. So the losses for them is only their stratagems and relics.

 

What units should I take? 

 

HQ:

- Missionary: Either as your typical tax, or buffing unit with their war hymns. You are only limited to the War Hymn, Refrain of Blazing Piety, Chorus of Spiritual Fortitude, and Psalm of Righteous Smithing.

 

Elites:

- Arco-flagellants: Which if near a Guard Ministorum Priest has 3 attacks base, then if they're under the effect of War Hymn that goes up to 4 attacks base. Then thanks to their Flails that jumps up to 8 attacks per model, with 1 model getting 10 attacks if you give them the upgrade. The only unfortunate thing is that they do lose access to their stratagem that makes their Flails 3 hit rolls instead of 1. However, you do have to consider that a stratagem only affects 1 unit while a Ministorum Priest can buff multiple units, as well as not having to use the stratagem saves you CP, as well as the chance of models killing themselves. So it's not a complete loss.

- Crusaders: They're cheap. 11 points per model in the Adepta Soroitas codex so you get 3 of them for less than a Bullgryn. That's 198 points for a full 18 of them. Near a Ministorum Priest they each get 3 power sword attacks. A unit with War Hymns that's 4 power sword attacks.

- Death Cult Assassins: I would take them over Arco-flagellants personally. 4 attacks base. 5 with a Ministorum Priest. 6 with War Hyms, hits on 2+ rather than 4+, has S4 and AP-3. 

- Preacher: Does the same job as the Missionary but cheaper, and doesn't take up a detachment slot. Can have an awesome heavy flamer.

 

Heavy Support:

- Mortifiers: While they don't benefit from Guard Ministorum Priests they can still benefit from War Hymns. They're also very efficient units. If you're thinking of taking Sentinels take these instead. 

- Penitent Engines: Personally, I think they're worse than Mortifiers. You're basically getting a worse statline but you gain the ability to advance and charge.

 

Example Detachment:

 

HQ:

- Missionary

 

Elites:

- 3x Crusader Squads: With 6 models each.

- 3x Death Cult Assassin Squads: With 6 models each. One of these doesn't count towards your Elite slot.

 

That's only 472 points. If you stick a Ministorum Priest in the middle of those Death Cult Squads are capable of a minimum of 30 S4 AP-3 attacks at WS2+. Even each of those Crusader Squads can put out 24 S4 AP-3 attacks at WS3+ when near a Priest. 

 

So if you want some cheap melee punch and are sick of relying on Bullgryns you could try giving this a go. 

 

One funny thing is that a Missionary/Preacher can give Gotfret de Montbard a War Hymn, because he's a Adeptus Ministorum character. Not competitive. Just a fun thing to point out.

[sairence]

I've just recently painted up my Celestine (only had her since the original triumphvirate) and used her against a nasty craftworldersist yesterday.

 

She's ...very good. Took out a small Shining Spear unit that had charged one of my Manticores turn 1, finished off the second unit later, soaked a bunch of shadowspectre fire and survived being punched by an Avatar of Khaine for a turn. She only finally went down T5.

 

The 6++ for Imperium infantry is a nice little gimmick, but the main thing she brings is a fast countercharger. Fly makes her super-mobile, 6" heroic makes her very prickly in your lines, her 2+/4++ and -1d makes her kinda annoying to remove and you get a shielf of faith deny. She might be replacing my Bullgryns for at least a few games.

 

I wouldn't rush her up, but for keeping her back against early pushes she seems to be excellent. And for 200p and 2CP I think she's in the budget.

 

Main downside is that she's worth 9VP for Assassinate...but my Guard lists isually have enough characters to max that anyway, so no real big loss here.

Edited August 6, 2021 by sairence