# Guard tactics



## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

As per gris' request, im posting up my tactics. This is my most recent list, i like it and i think it plays well. I know it lacks plasma guns, but apart from that i think its pretty well rounded.

When playing this list i would set up the Guard in a piece of heavy cover, as a static firebase. Obviously this would depend on the terrain available.

The roughriders would advance behing the armour. The one weakness of this plan is the low armour on the chimera, as if that goes my roughriders will die.


HQ 
JO - Honorifica imperialis, storm bolter 
- Master vox, standard bearer 101 
Commisar - Storm bolter, bolt pistol 46 

Fire Support Squad - 3 autocannon 95 

Elites 
7 Stormtrooopers - Vox, 2x meltagun, inf/DS 
Veteran Sergant - Stormbolter 108 



Troops 
JO - Pwr wpn , bolt pistol, storm bolter 
- vox, grenade launcher, autocannon 78 

Squad 1 - Grenade Launcher, Lascannon 92 
Squad 2 - Grenade Launcher, Heavy Bolter 82 
Squad 3 - Grenade Launcher, Heavy Bolter 82 

Armoured Fist Squad 167 
Chimera - extra armour, pintle mounted heavy stubber, 
meltagun, vox 

Fast Attack 
7 Rough Riders -hunting lances 77 
7 Rough Riders -hunting lances 77 

Heavy Support 
Leman Russ - Battle cannon, lascannon 155 
Leman Russ - Battle cannon, lascannon 155 
Demolisher - Demolisher Cannon, lascannon, plasma cannons 185 

1500 

So, where am i going wrong? any thoughts suggestions appreciated.


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## MarzM (Jan 26, 2007)

Ok, so what im going to do is have a look at each section and see what i think. During this i will have to guess exactly what you want from each unit, and then throw in my 2 bits about what id expect. 

The problem with Imperial Guard IMO is that quite alot of the cool stuff is relatively rubbish in the table top. This is partly because of the people i 
normally play and also because you can sometimes get something better for roughly the same points thats better. 

Ok here we go;- 

HQ 
JO - Honorifica imperialis, storm bolter 
- Master vox, standard bearer 101 
Commissar - Storm bolter, bolt pistol 46 

ok a JO with HI, is pretty much a common thing. He's cheaper than the big man and does the same thing. Now there is no heavy weapon in this unit which implies that it's going to hide and give much of the army Ld10. So that begs the question, why give him a storm bolter? thats wasting the 5pts that you just saved! On that note why does the Commissar have a SB and a bolt pistol? Again a bit daft, scrap the 2 SB's and either save the 10pts or get another heavy bolter if you do plan to put them in the open. For example, put the heavy weapons team in a woods and the rest behind. you get to shoot for a couple of turns. When they die, you don't lose points for them coz the unit is still above half strength!

Fire Support Squad - 3 autocannon 95 

This is generally ok. Multiply shot. Strong enough to naff off light tanks and dreads. Keep close to general so that they can use his leadership for priority tests! 

Elites 
7 Stormtroopers - Vox, 2x meltagun, inf/DS 
Veteran Sergant - Stormbolter 108 

Im sorry, i know people who swear by ST's but i think they are a complete waste of points, First of all, you've wasted the chance to get a power weapon into the army. With their 4+ save ST's are not bad in combat (by guard standards) but you need the power weapon. I personally think the drop troops ability with Hardened vets is much better. More special weapons and also the chance of a hidden power fist! Only strength 6 but that kills marines good!



Troops 
JO - Pwr wpn , bolt pistol, storm bolter 
- vox, grenade launcher, autocannon 78 

Ok whats with the SB's and bolt pistols? You don't get to shoot 2 weapons! Also he has 3 weapons, that not allowed! Other than that possibly upgrade the GL to plasma, but thats it. 


Squad 1 - Grenade Launcher, Lascannon 92 
Squad 2 - Grenade Launcher, Heavy Bolter 82 
Squad 3 - Grenade Launcher, Heavy Bolter 82 

These are ok, Although in 6x4 tables you might want to give them vox's! 

Armoured Fist Squad 167 
Chimera - extra armour, pintle mounted heavy stubber, 
meltagun, vox 

Ok major problem, im not seeing smoke launchers on that Chimera! EA and SL should be standard on ALL transports. Never ever cheap out on them. Ps i hope you paid for the HB, coz its cheaper and better than the heavy stubber! 

Fast Attack 
7 Rough Riders -hunting lances 77 
7 Rough Riders -hunting lances 77 

Again these are fine, they would benefit from a more survivable chimera, and in IMO you should never take an odd number unit if you can avoid it. To get 8 models under half strength you have to kill 5 models. To get 7 under you only have to kill 4. Killing 4 while its 8 models puts the unit ON half and still able to contest objectives.the only other thing is rough riders are a one hit wonder. You really need to have a plan for them after they butcher the first unit they hit 

Heavy Support 
Leman Russ - Battle cannon, lascannon 155 
Leman Russ - Battle cannon, lascannon 155 
Demolisher - Demolisher Cannon, lascannon, plasma cannons 185 


This is a bit of a mixed bag. I think you might consider ditching a russ and putting in a basilisk. Indirect fire is so useful. The Demolisher is a problem. You need to decide what you want to do with it. Personally, i'd make it a problem for my opponent. Keep the las on it. Strip down the plasma, add EA and SL's to it. bomb up the table, blow smoke and put the riders up behind it. It's now an armour14 vehicle that cannot be penetrated. That will attract every lascannon that can physically see it! This will buy precious time for the other russ.
1500 

I hope this help! Good luck with the Guard.

MarzM


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## uberschveinen (Dec 29, 2006)

MarzM said:


> give much of the army Ld10.


This is getting awfully tedious.

Commisars can't yell down Comlinks. Ld9.


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## the cabbage (Dec 29, 2006)

It looks good to me,

If I was you I would max out a little more on infantry heavy weapons as these are what does the killing on many occasions.

I love the idea of a couple of squads of rough riders. In five years or so playing the game I have never played against them.

On the tanks I would mount three heavy bolters. There are many armies which only have armour 4 and these as ussually low toughness and so are killed by the HB's on 2's. The nine shots you get give you a better chance of killing than one pie plate which will scatter when you need it most. The other expensive weapons are a little bit of a points sink as they can only fire when the turret doesn't.

IMO the stormtroopers could be replaced by some special or heavy weapons toting infantry. You already have six mobile units and stormtroopers just find it hard to stay alive within 12" of the enemy which is where they need to be to effectively use thier weaponry.


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

the stormtroopers are for suicide missions, nothing else. the squad should probably smaller but apart from that i see no problem with them


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## MarzM (Jan 26, 2007)

"This is getting awfully tedious.

Commisars can't yell down Comlinks. Ld9."


Actually, if you read the guard FAQ, it sez that the commissars leadership bonus applies to the leadership special rule. The vox and the master vox is according to the guard codex an extention of that rule so the commissars bonus does apply!

Only items and Iron Dis do not go down a vox.

MarzM


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

i think we have already had the commisar/vox link argument in a different thread and established that it does work. 

does anyone else have something useful to say, rather than going through the same tedous argument over and over again?


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## LongBeard (Dec 22, 2006)

Personally I never tend to bother with stormies theres that much AP4 weaponry out their you might as well fill out on guardsmen and stick them In cover. The hidden power fist Is usefull but I'd stick to your roughriders for your counter charge, Just make sure they stay hidden untill something significant hits you lines or comes within your 24" charge range.
As an alternative a minimum sized Vet squad similar to this would be far more efficient for those suicide runs:

5 x Veterans
3 x Plasma Guns / Melta Guns
Vet Sgt Bolter / Plasma Pistol
76pts / 85pts

As an alternative adding 4 x plasma guns to a command squad gives you a nice Indirect threat, another DS option could be a couple of demo charge squads at 45pts each they make a great throw away unit that can be potentially lethal!
As for the rest of your list extra plasma guns would obviously be nice as they excell against all armies not Just MEQ's.
As for your heavies I'd be tempted to cover all the bases and try out the following spec If you have the mdels:

Basilisk: Indirect
Lehman Russ: 3 x HB's EA, Smokes
Demolisher: 3 x HB's EA, Smokes

Plasma cannons are a bit too pricy for what they do especially at BS3 so again I'd go with the tri-HB's for the reasons already mentioned above.
If your going with heavy Infantry I'd always go with the Basilisk as It makes your opponents spread out and advance within that 36" range which you can use to your advantage, It also gives you a lethal weapon against pesky Tau suits, fast skimmers and the like.
Hope I helped!

LongBeard


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