Jungle Fighters

[librisrouge]

Ok, I've been looking at the new Imperial Guard index datasheets and a few things stand out to me about ye old Totally-Not-Rambo Jungle Fighters. I figured I'd collect a few thoughts here.  With a grade for each option.

 

Catachan Exclusive (Is Catachan) Units:

• Catachan Jungle Fighters (C) - At first glance these guys look like guardsmen with fewer benefits. They can't take any special weapon except flamers and the sergeant can't upgrade his weapons at all. Easily the guard infantry squad with the least options. BUT (a big but) they have a few things working out for them:
  • Scout 6" - This will help them move up the board quickly and secure objectives in the middle of the board or to pressure the enemies.
  • Jungle Fighters - When charging or charged, they're stronger and pierce armor better in melee. Not enough to make them a melee unit but enough to matter in a pinch.
  • Flamers are actually much better in this edition. Overwatch is a great stratagem and getting 4d6 hits before the lasguns join in seems useful in the right circumstances.
• Iron Hand Straken (A) - It turns out that at least one guardsmen knows how to fight! Straken hits like a lot of marine characters and ups his game considerably when he gets the charge. Bonus points, he has Scout himself, so he can join a Catachan squad without denying them that. Perfect since, if they charge in with him, they get Lethal Hits, significantly upping their potential.
• Sargeant Harker (B) - What if guardsmen could hold guns like a MAN? Well, then they'd be Sargeant Harker. He has Scout, a FnP to help him survive attackers, and essentially grants his unit stealth if they're 12" from the enemy. Once per game, he can cut loose with his heavy bolter and really lay into enemies, gaining Sustained Hits 3 (instead of 1) and having 6 shots base.
• Sly Marbo (B+) - The Guard have an assassin! Kinda literally since he's probably as good if not better at taking out infantry characters. All of his attacks are Precision and he can shoot at enemies that shoot at your guys, giving him a secondary role as a bodyguard. He can also move-shoot, so he can play cagey with folks.

Not Exclusive But Still Thematic or Needed:

• Platoon Command Squad (B-) - These guys are the only non-special character officers that can join Catachan units. Unfortunately, they cannot scout, so the Catachan Unit they join would lose that ability. Still, 
• Infantry Squads (B) - What if your guardsmen want to have weapons that aren't flamers (heresy!) and maybe something with some real kick. Well, here ya go. They gain cover if near an objective, so that could represent the Catachan penchant for stealth. Kinda needed for holding backfield objectives and to take some bigger guns.
• Heavy Weapons Squads (B) - Speaking of bigger guns... Not much to say about these guys. They have three models with three guns. Perfect for adding more guns. Get guns!

Works Well With Above:

• Ogryn Bodyguards - Keeping officers alive is difficult in this edition. Precise weapons seem to grow on trees and guard officers aren't known for their toughness. Giving them a bodyguard means they'll have a 4+ FnP and the squad will have a nice hitter attached.
• Scout Sentinels - These guys are good for scouting and allow for boosts to indirect fire weapons (mortars) and shooting in general. With the chainsaw they are bad melee fighters but I wouldn't count on them for much.
• Ratling Snipers - While ratlings have no fluff connection to the Catachan, Catachan do love sniper rifles. Plus, their melee is NOT good enough to go after real hitters.

 

Potential army list, based on last edition points:

• Iron Hand Straken
• Sly Marbo
• Sargeant Harker
• Platoon Command Squad x2 - Medic, Lascannon, and Plasmagun
• Ogryn Bodyguard x2
• Infantry Squad (20 man) x3 - Lascannon x2 and Grenade Launcher x2
• Catachan Jungle Fighters (20 man) x5 - Flamer x4
• Scout Sentinels x3 (separate units) - Sentinel Chainsaw and Lascannon
• Ratlings x3
• Heavy Weapons Squad x3 - Mortars

 

Just shy of 200 bodies. 100ish of them are surging forwards with Scout and getting in the way. 60ish stay back, hold objectives, and blast away. Ratlings take out characters and sentinels make the shooting more effective. It is, of course, a metric boat load of models but it'd be fun as heck to field and might even work well.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Yeah their melee boosts only really makes much of a difference against tau or other guard.

[OttoVonAwesome]

On 6/14/2023 at 5:44 PM, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

Yeah their melee boosts only really makes much of a difference against tau or other guard.

No one expects to get charged by guard but smart players will do it. Your guys are dead either way when the turn changes over to your opponent so if you are in range you might as well. You'll be surprised how much damage Catachans can actually do and if they don't all die in your turn you just seriously slowed down the enemy unit forcing a fall back or costing them a turn of shooting and a chance to advance. I used to charge in crappier guardsmen in earlier editions and it was never a bad idea after all Guardsmen are just there to keep things away from the big guns while they do all the real work.

[Musty]

Awesome post !!

I'm starting a Pure Catachan army and this is absolutely helpful to a newish player.