Any IG players out there use Al Rahem?

[Shadoq]

So....
I'm enjoying using Flamers way too much but have trouble sometimes getting my mech guard into range with them. I feel this may be eliminated one of two ways. Air Cav or Outflank. Air Cav would require squadrons which I am not a fan of at all. Al Rahem on the other hand allows an entire platoon to outflank which with a fully stacked platoon would mean 6 squads in Chims with flamers outflanking. Excessive? Perhaps but I am just curious what everyone' thinks about Al Rahem?

[DaveLL]

(Clue warning: not only do I not play Al'Rahem, I don't even play IG. However...)

I'm reasonably sure, from my reading of the book, that all the units in the platoon outflank separately. I'm not sure if this has occurred to you, but that means they'll be coming in on different board edges, piecemeal. (Second turn, 2 on one side of the board and 1 on the other; third turn, maybe if you're lucky two more on the same side; fourth or fifth, the last one). You also don't have the option of deploying them normally; they must be outflanked.

To me, he seems interesting and potentially fun, but unless you've got an excellent pre-planned strategy beyond hoping that enough units happen to come in together or that your opponent is terrified of a single IG squad in a chimera, probably not particularly competitive. The default mode for a platoon is massing, and this guy removes that as an ability.

[somerandomdude]

(Clue warning: not only do I not play Al'Rahem, I don't even play IG. However...)

I'm reasonably sure, from my reading of the book, that all the units in the platoon outflank separately. I'm not sure if this has occurred to you, but that means they'll be coming in on different board edges, piecemeal. (Second turn, 2 on one side of the board and 1 on the other; third turn, maybe if you're lucky two more on the same side; fourth or fifth, the last one). You also don't have the option of deploying them normally; they must be outflanked.

To me, he seems interesting and potentially fun, but unless you've got an excellent pre-planned strategy beyond hoping that enough units happen to come in together or that your opponent is terrified of a single IG squad in a chimera, probably not particularly competitive. The default mode for a platoon is massing, and this guy removes that as an ability.

On page 96 of the codex it states that you roll collectively for infantry platoons for reserves. Also, with an Astropath you get +1 and can reroll the side for outflanking.

[ElCheezus]

I've used Al'Rahem a couple times, and I've seen him used pretty often by one of our foot-guard players in my local store. I definitely think he's awesome, with lots of potential. He has "Bring it Down" as one of his orders, which you usually can't get on the platoon level. His special order "Like the Wind" essentially give you fleet, increasing the mobility of any blobs you outflank with him by a ton.

I'm not sure he's worth it for your proposed uses, though, Shadoq. I think his best benefit is when you have power blobs running around and swarming from the side. A fleet of Chimeras coming in might work, too, it just feel like there's a lot of potential to get in your own way with all those hulls. Let me know how it works out. If you do run it, I'd suggest a combination of blobs and SWS. Make a power blob of say, 20 guys, and outfit it in the normal way (priest, PWs, Commissar, MBs), as well as a couple SWS with flamers. Buy Chimeras for the squads, but deploy them on foot when they outflank. The SWS can run in behind the Chimeras and get in the turn they come on, even though they technically can't roll on in them. I'm not sure how effective all of this would be, but if you play with it, you might find something you like.

If your main goal is to outflank flamers, there are a couple of other options: Scout Sentinels with HFs; two of the doctrines for Stormtroopers give them infiltrate or scouts, which you can use for outflanking; Harker gives a Veteran squad infiltrate, so you can outflank their Chimera and its flamer (or if you really want, give them flamers); Creed can outflank a Hellhound (too many points unless you really like orders, but that's a heck of a flamer).

Hope some of those ideas help, and let us know if something "wierd" works out.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the whole platoon comes in on the same side, since they're come in from reserves as one, and aren't considered separate units until they're deployed. That's the way we play in my store, which makes more sense, in fluff and RAI. Otherwise Al'Rahem would be considerably weakened, even with an Astropath. Compare to the way that marines don't split into combat squads of 5 until after they've come out of a drop pod.

[Rissan4ever]

I'm an IG player, and I typically use half mech and half foot.

If all you're looking to do is get your flamers in range, Al-Rahem is a pretty expensive way to do that. Instead, maybe you should look at what's stopping you from getting into flamer-range. Chimeras move 12" and come with smoke launchers. When I need to lay on the flame, I just move up 12" and pop smoke on the first turn, then move 6", turn, and fire the flamers on the second turn. Are you doing something different?

[Shadoq]

Where I play there are a lot of shooty shooty armies that like to deploy in their back half in spearhead or pitched battle. Getting to them proves problematic quite often, especially against the Tau who can strip away cover saves with their darn marker lights.

I figure with Al Rahem I can get closer, ....a lot closer. I'll play it this weekend and report back.

I like those scout sentinels... but AV 10, open topped means they're gonna get vaped if a missile launcher so much as sneezes at them.

[Lerra]

Al'Rahem is a lot of fun. I've seen him come off the board edge with a huge blob squad, use Like the Wind to move, shoot, move another d6, and then assault the survivors (Like the Wind is not a run, so there is nothing stopping you from assaulting).

Or, you run the blob with autocannons and outflank for side armor shots.

[Shadoq]

Interesting you should mention that. A local suggested I blob the platoon but still take the chimeras and use the chimeras as "gun trucks"with multi laser and hull heavy flamer.

[hewhowalks]

The one time I used him I made the mistake of not taking an astropath. I set my platoon up with meltas for tank hunting, then rolled the table edge farthest from my opponents tanks. epic fail.

I think Al Rahem has potential, I've seen some competitive people on the interweb using him. But I would just plan on saving 30 points to buy the astropath.

[Shadoq]

Got a couple games in with him today:
I used him in a large platoon, fully mechanized with 6 Chimeras. Each squad had a flamer and the Platoon Command had 4 meltas.

My thoughts:
It was fun opening a whole new front to attack the enemy with. Having the Astropath was clutch because I got him in on turn 3 and turn 2 in a second game with my choice of flank both times. It was difficult getting all 6 tanks on the board though due to their footprint. I think I will continue to use him though I will probably drop 1 or 2 squads from the platoon because of the footprint.