Ultramar PDF/Guard Regiments - gameplay

[Captain Idaho]

I was thinking about themed armies and what a soup list might look like that is very Ultramarines/500 Worlds heavy. What would that look like?

 

I consider it has to be soup or else it just won't really be thematic enough, sadly. Otherwise it's just blue-Cadians.

 

So what sort of choices play to the theme?

 

Plenty of infantry speaks to me, but we need to illustrate Ultramarines and the 500 worlds character.

 

• Highly industrious and resourced, so plenty of vehicles.

 

• Tempestus Scions represent highly equipped and trained forces and restricting to their vehicles would provide a character of "different" Guard.

 

• Agents of the Throne - Inquisitiors, Primaris Psykers, Astropaths, Officer of the Fleet and Wyrdvane Psykers all give an impression of the wider political machine that represents Guilliman's new Imperium.

 

I feel that last one was the most important so far.

 

Ultramarines

 

Since odds are we have the troops available, we can probably focus on Elites stuff for taking objectives. Terminators are my not so secret favourites, but Vanguard fit the bill nicely. Primaris amongst you can use Impulsors with Bladeguard too, whilst Inceptors can drop in and shoot stuff dead as always.

 

A solid Captain, smash variant works well of course but I quite like a Bike Captain with Power Fist and Vengeance of Ultramar and the Warlord Trait Paragon of War does a good job too.

 

Melta can be done with the Scions but Attack Bikes are a good option as always. Since we're likely using CPs more than usual, Eradicators might be too CP heavy to get in close with Outflank, so I consider them a dangerous choice.

 

Those are my own thoughts but what about you guys? Anyone have experience here creating an Ultramarines themed Astra Millitarum force? Pics it you got them!

[L30n1d4s]

So, this is a little out of the box, but if you want to represent an elite AM type force that serves as an Auxiliary to the Ultramarines, you might consider using AdMech Skitarii units and proxy them with models that are more appropriate for UM auxiliaries.

 

For example, Rangers could proxy as an elite version of PDF troops, Infiltrators could be the "commandos" of the PDF, Ironstriders could proxy as "elite" Sentinels, Duneriders could be their transports, Disentegrators could be their Tanks, and Stratoraptors could be their aerial gunship support. Finally Skitarii Marshals could be the PDF Officers that provide the Tactical "link" between the UM and their supporting troops.

 

The hardest part of this would probably be finding appropriate proxy models that look like they are UM Auxiliaries, but still actually model what Skitarii units have (i.e. Carapace style armor for the infantry 4+ saves, vehicles that can represent the Skitarii weapon loadout while still looking like the came from the Ultramar sector, etc.)

 

In terms of the Agents of the Throne, well, some of the various Techpriests could be modeled/proxied as Inquisitors, Administrators, sanctioned Munitorium officials, etc etc to represent all of the trappings of Guilliman's "kingdom."

[Captain Idaho]

That's a pretty cool idea. If you got the conversion potential or decent proxies it works very nicely for an "alternative" infantry force of a human empire.

[spiros14]

I'm not sure if you've considered it, but the Tyrant's Legion found in Badab War part one follows that idea of a mix of Space Marine and Guardsman forces. 

Of course, the guardsman are considered little more than meat shields by the marines, and worse, there are astartes positions not found in the codex astartes; something an honourable Ultramarine would never warrant, but it's certainly something to check out and change to suit your own needs and the edition of game you're playing. 

[Captain Idaho]

I'll check that out, good idea. A bit of self restriction and restraint can help. Edited December 22, 2021 by Captain Idaho

[Lord_Ikka]

A small Patrol or Vanguard detachment of Marines would work as a Tetrarch or Legatus and his hand-picked bodyguards, in conjunction with an Astra Militarum force representing Ultramar's Defense Auxilia-

 

An army of Scions would be fluffy; lots of melta/plasma in the squads providing the anti-tank needed, with Taurox Primes as their transports. Maybe include an Inquisitor here, as well as Astropath/Psykers/other various Imperial members. The bulk of the force, flexible and fast on the table.

 

A Patrol detachment of Ultras- Captain or LT, one squad of Infiltrators, one squad of Bladeguard, one Impulsor. Gives the force a melee unit, but it would very clearly be a secondary force.

[Emurian]

Do you have much experience playing IG Idaho?

Thing is,  Guard is played in a couple of ways in general:
-Pure Scions
-Pure Infantry
-Mechanized
-Armoured Company

The recent rule changes concerning flyers deleted their Valkerie approach. Not that it was played often, and its a thematic approach rather then competitive but hey, it used to be a choice.

So are we looking for like a 1:1 ratio with building the army? AKA we make 2x 1k pts each? 

For a 1000 pts you can not field that many vehichles tbh. Leman russes are nearly always upgraded to tank commanders, so thats going towards the 200 pts range a piece. (If you keep them cheapish) 2 commanders thats 400.

Now I will advocate to take along ONE manticore. They are to good to pass on, likewise they add something that our army lacks: Indirect fire (seeing as the Tfire cannon has bee nnerfed 6 ft under) 

Thats roughly half your list right there. Cheapest troop spam is going to cost you another 110 pts but I wouldnt be surprised if you rather bump up the bodies with another 20 orso to claim objectives / screening to free up your intercessors from objectives and allow them to stay mobile.

So I am guessing you are going to sit at 3 tanks, maybe some chimera transports. If this is the way to go then you sortoff have to make use of all that armour with your marines by going more towards a dreadnought / vehichle list then pure infantry. I personally believe our army rules are better suited for infantry. For a vehichle / walker list I would apply the latest BT rules to get that 5++ on your redemptors / impulsors.

I will give you a 1000 point list that I run with my Vostroyans:


Docterines: Gunnery Experts / Jury Rigged Repairs

HQ:
Tank Commander Demolisher cannon, Lascannon 200

Troops:
3x Infantry squad w/plasma gun, Sgt w ccw/pistol
-Chimera w/2 heavy flamers

Fast attack:
2x Sentinel w/multilaser 70

Heavy Support:
2x Manticore 290
-Tank ace: Full Payload

Total 995 (Tend to throw a HKM on the Manticore as the Tank Ace makes it a flatout 6D rather then a D6.

You could free up the 2nd manticore above and scrap the sentinels to net you 215 pts that would let you put down a 2nd tank commander. The main job of the sentinels in this list is to provide cheap screening + their decent at scoring secondary objectives. I did the math in my discord before for our other guard player and from what I remember it takes close to 40 bolter shots (36 orso?) to get rid of a single 35 pts sentinel. 

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Guard is pretty horrible right now. They need some help.