IG 2,000 points tentative list from almost beginner

[Mikalichou]

Hey guys,

first of all, I'm quite a newcomer, so some rule points might not be clear to me; I played fantasy like 10 years ago, and I'm starting again, with Imperial Guard. So, the list:

HQ - Company Command Squad (305pts)
- Creed
- Vox Caster
- Regimental Standard
- 2 flamers
- Carapace Armor
- Astropath
- Master of Ordinance
- Chimera

Elite 1 - Ratlings x5 (50pts)

Elite 2 - Psykers x5 (60pts)

Elite 3 - Marbo (65 pts)

Troops 1 - Platoon A (265pts)

- Platoon Command Squad
-- 4 flamers

- 3x infantry squads
- 2 with GL, 1 with flamer
- 1 autocannon, 1 mortar, 1 lascannon
- vox caster for each

Troops 2 - Platoon B (525pts)

- Platoon Command Squad
-- 4 meltagun
-- krak grenades
-- al rahem

- 5x infantry squads
- 2 with GL, 1 with flamer, 2 with plasma gun
- 1 autocannon, 2 heavy bolter, 2 missile launcher
- vox caster for everyone!

Troops 3 - Veterans (265pts)
- 3*meltagun
- vox caster
- carapace armour
- vendetta

Heavy - Leman Russ Executioner x2 (460)
- plasma cannon

Total: 1995
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Ok, so i should explain how I see this working

CCS: Stay in the back, use the standard to improve the snipers, and shoot/flame whatever comes its way
Try to stay still, so that MoO can blast. Astropath helps the rest of the army outflanking.
Creed gives the Scout ability to Leman Russ squadron (because tanks outflanking is cool)
Not really sure if Carapace armour is useful, or should be changed into more psykers/ratlings
Chimera cover them and psykers/ratlings

Psykers: Lower the morale of whatever they can, or blast

Ratlings: shoot at what psyker demoralized, to improve pinning

Marbo: well... just appear and Marboes whatever he finds, if possible in the backlines (like an isolated psykerish guy)

First platoon: stand in front of the HQ/elites, cover them while moving to objectives. Stay flexible

Second platoon: outflanks, thanks to Al Rahem. used to reach objectives or tanks faster

Veterans: outflanks in the valkyrie; the same than second platoon, but more focused on tanks

Leman Russ: outflank, thanks to Creed. Mind**** the opponent and blast whatever they find

So yes, the goal is to mass-outflank helped by the astropath, because that's fun. And I like to have options during a game. Couldn't find the points to get another astropath

was thinking about splitting the Leman Russ squadron, so one is outflanking, the other comes normally. But still a tank squadron outflanking..

Oh, and about the infantry squads weapon! I know it would be more efficient to get something like "all flamers + mortars" in the first platoon, and "all meltagun + autocannon" in the second one, or at least get consistent weapons, so why?

It's absolutely not from rules thinking, it's just that for this army, I'm thinking about taking a different regiment for each squad (like first platoon is Cadians + Valhallans + Mordians, second is Vostroyans + Steel Legion + Death Korps + Catachans + Tallarn), because I can't bear painting 100 times the same model. First, based on fluff, they have preferred weapons, and second, each regiment box already comes with its preferred weapon (more or less), so it makes it easier for me. Anyway, I don't think it's a major point yet.

wanted to take some hydra flak batteries, but... FW models are too expensive, that's stupid

So, what do you think? Is it balanced? Any suggestion?

[Commander Vimes]

Carapace armor is generally poor for the points you pay. You would be better off with more psykers and snipers.

The psykers, Platoon command squad, and Al Rahem would all love chimeras. Walking meltaguns and flamers struggle to get in range, and the psykers are a huge target so, they chimera's protection really helps.

The best way to field infantry platoons is pretty much always with combined squads and a commissar. Normal squads will break and run frequently. Three squads combined with a commissar has a 3% chance of falling back regardless of the odds. They fight to the last guardsman. Combining also saves a lot of points on voxes, makes orders more efficient, on order affects 30 rather than 10 guys, and makes them a semi-respectable unit in close combat through sheer number of attacks.

Also, Al'Rahem's platoon will make little use of its heavy weapons. Turn 3 is the earliest they could shoot them, and with outflanking they will tend to be close to the enemy, so it's quite possible they will be in close combat the turn after they arrive, or soon after.

I don't think outflanking the Russes is a great plan. They're great shooting units with long range, so they're best firing from turn 1. They're also better individually rather than as a squadron because they can split fire and not die to immobilized results. If you're looking for something cool to outflank, try a demolisher or a hellhound variant.

[Ben.lamancha]

Agreed with Commander Vimes about Chimeras. No matter who you're fighting, they HATE CHIMERAS. Multilasers are the bane of transport vehicles.

I also almost Never put heavy weapons in the individual infantry squads. If you want to move them at all, then they aren't getting their points worth back that turn. Heavy weapon squads are great for that. Keeping your infantry free to maneuver is a better plan, in my opinion.

Just my own opinions, all of this. What I like to do is leave my main field squads ungrouped, so your enemy has to split their fire, and can probably only assault one of them at a time. Now, Al'Rahems squads, I tend to group. I'll put 2 combined squads of 20 guys with Al Rahem, with commissars. It's fun to put an objective as close to a table edge as you can, there's a pretty good chance of them coming to the side you want, and they can storm the objective or swamp any nearby enemy units.

Melta vets in a vendetta with carapace armor= Great idea. If you want a really nasty trick to use though, give them shotguns, give the sgt. a shotgun and a powerfist. If they wind up too close to something nasty like terminators or assault troops, you can blast them with everything you have, AND THEN ASSAULT. Takes away any bonuses from your enemy getting the charge on you. It's a wonderful trick, because honestly, nobody expects the guard to assault. I've had so much fun with shotguns. You might as well get in those 2 free shots before you charge, since you'll hit on a 3+ (instead of needing a 4 or better in HTH), even if it's still just str. 3, like your close combat attacks.

And remember, if you squadron your tanks, they can only target one unit a turn. I'd say look in to taking one vanilla russ, and put those extra points towards some other goodies we mentioned (or a medic in the command squad, FNP is awesome), or maybe a Demolisher tank. I still like the vanilla russ because of it's absurd range. It's a nice offset to the shorter range of the demolisher and executioner tanks. So, that, and the heavy weapon teams is about all i'd change.

[DarkLink]

Guard loves Chimeras. Especially the psykers. The psykers are f'ing annoying, so people will blow them away first chance they get. They need a Chimera to stay protected.

And as mentioned above, carapace armor on 5 T3 guys really isn't worth it, especially if they're hidden in a Chimera. Russes are much better off staying hidden behind a wall of dudes and chimeras.

There's quite a few sites out there with some quality advice for Guards (and most any army, really). Off the top of my head 3++ is the New Black has a few articles discussing them.

[Mikalichou]

Ok guys, thanks a lot for the advice!

What I changed to the list:

HQ - don't have carapace anymore

Elite2 (psykers) - There are now 9 of them, in a chimera

Troops 1 - PCS gained a commissar, infantry lost its heavy weapons

Troops 2 - PCS has a chimera, infantry lost its heavy weapons

Troops 3 (veterans) - Shotguns (which I so approve, because rushing out of a flying tank by shooting shotguns is Cool. They'll flee in front of that much awesomeness)

Heavy 1 - Now only 1 executioner, still outflanking (since it needs to be close to shine)

Heavy 2 - Vanilla Russ, with Lascannon. Stay behind, and shoots

again, thanks for the advices! I think it needs to be played, so that I can see more clearly. This way I will see if outflanking an executioner is worth the point (since I could actually remove the executioner and Creed (total 320..) and add two more vanilla russes)

Not so sure about the commissar; quite expensive, and 1wound / stubborn, and cool model. Again, needs to be tested

and I'm reading quite a lot (new job, lots of time..), that's how I went with that list; this review (http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/5th_Edition_Imperial_Guard_Codex_Review_%28Poloniu s%29) especially helped a lot

[zeffo]

I have found creed to only be really effective when useing HW teams. if not i much prefer straken (HW teams may be fragile but 12 TL'ed AC or LC really lays down some covering fire and makes things fall down go boom)

thing to remember about marbo, is NEVER EVER throw his charge at a vehicle. and ideally he should kill/rout any threats to him when he pops up. he is quite "just a human"

the close range russes do not need to OF to get up close and personal, with the cost of them, i would want mine firing from turn one

[Archduke]

Yea, that is alot of points for a CCS, i would lose the master of ordinance. Also, why do they have flamers, unless you want to put creed within a flamer template distance of anything, which you should never do, you want to take advantage of the BS 4 on the vets and give them some fancy weapons like plasmas or meltas.

Heavy weapon teams are awesome and you should think about having some in your platoons. Remember that the platoon does not need to be moved together so you can keep them in back shooting while moving around your meat shields infront. I generally prefer to keep heavy weapons out of me foot squads because they normally move around.