# best Infantry Platoon build



## Widowmaker666 (Jul 30, 2008)

what is the best way to build an Imperial Guard Infantry Platoon?


----------



## Katie Drake (Nov 28, 2007)

It depends. What sort of role are you looking for the Platoon to play?


----------



## Alexious (Apr 13, 2009)

Hi Widow,

Best Inf Platoon build really does depend on the type of Guard Army your playing. 

A standard defensive build could look a little bit like this.

PCS.
x4 Special Weapons

Platoon 1.
Sgt
HWT Autocannon
Special Weapon

Platoon 2.
Sgt
HWT Autocannon
Special Weapon
Commissar Attached

Combine both Platoons to make squad of 21 men including Commissar.

I wont debate here the merits of which SW to take, as it depends on what your facing. If your unsure of what your facing the GL is a good all round choice as with krak your able to use a fairly high str attack and also still do a blast with frag. The autocannon is a versatile HW able to deal a good rate of fire at adequete strength and is capable of destroying most transports. (I am answering your enquiry generally to face a multitude of opponents). This can change in loadouts for your platoon depending on whom you are facing. The ML is also a good all round choice. Combining the platoons also gives you a large unit to soak fire and the Commissar will stop your men running. The PCS should be armed with special weapons to act as a counter force to stop whatever gets close enough to attack the platoon or act in a fire support role.

The above is a bare bones defensive set up for a typical platoon. Adding HWS will enable you to have a great deal of effective firepower which is platoon protected, SWS have their own specializations ranging from Demo charges in Valks, through to flamer squads to stop outflankers hitting the platoon. But by taking a platoon instead of say 2 or 3 vetran squads, your unlocking the ability to use the HWS and SWS and its a useful addition to your army. 

Offensively the above also works if the units are placed in a chimera to advance as a group of 3. However I would then replace the GL with a meltagun for the squads as your advancing toward your enemy. (Vetrans in Chimera's are better at this note)

Current Metagame thinking is that the gunline is not the BEST idea for platoon management and game winning strategy. However, it is still an option, a fun one, and it can be still a challenging opponent for people to play against when used in concert with other forces, such as Storm Troopers, Ogryns and SWS or other guard units.

If you give us more details about why you want a platoon, and what you wish to achieve with it, more specific advice can be given. 

Lex.


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

:goodpost:



> A standard defensive build could look a little bit like this.
> 
> PCS.
> x4 Special Weapons
> ...


I was under the impression (falsely perhaps) that the minimum number to build an effective 'blob' was 3 infantry Squads + the Commissar.
I have 2 Squads that I basically use as a small firebase with a HWT embedded, but I haven't included a Commissar because I didn't want to waste his points on an ineffective (read small) combined unit.

Also, I usually shy away from giving my lists any c/c weapons, so PW/PF's etc...is it a good idea (read worth it) to give a Commissar a PW, and by extension the vet/Sgts one as well to help him in a fight, or just keep it to the WS4 Commissar?



> I wont debate here the merits of which SW to take, as it depends on what your facing. If your unsure of what your facing the GL is a good all round choice as with krak your able to use a fairly high str attack and also still do a blast with frag. The autocannon is a versatile HW able to deal a good rate of fire at adequete strength and is capable of destroying most transports. (I am answering your enquiry generally to face a multitude of opponents). This can change in loadouts for your platoon depending on whom you are facing. The ML is also a good all round choice. Combining the platoons also gives you a large unit to soak fire and the Commissar will stop your men running. The PCS should be armed with special weapons to act as a counter force to stop whatever gets close enough to attack the platoon or act in a fire support role.


Totally agree, and as far as SW's go I think it depends on whether the list is lacking in anti-tank, anti-heavy infantry, or anti-light infantry.



> The above is a bare bones defensive set up for a typical platoon. Adding HWS will enable you to have a great deal of effective firepower which is platoon protected, SWS have their own specializations ranging from Demo charges in Valks, through to flamer squads to stop outflankers hitting the platoon. But by taking a platoon instead of say 2 or 3 vetran squads, your unlocking the ability to use the HWS and SWS and its a useful addition to your army.


Agree again...I love putting SWS's into my Vendettas, makes them scoring plus can add a punch late-game to help contest an objective.

Not that keen on HWT's but I do have one w/ AC's to bolster my 2 Infantry Sqauds firepower output.



> Offensively the above also works if the units are placed in a chimera to advance as a group of 3. However I would then replace the GL with a meltagun for the squads as your advancing toward your enemy. (Vetrans in Chimera's are better at this note)


Being a Mech(ie) I agree wholeheartedly:biggrin:


----------



## fynn (Sep 19, 2008)

just to hlep clear things up, a platoon must have a minimum of a platoon command squad, and 2 infantry squads, and you can only combine infantry squads from the same platoon.
Idealy you want you infantry squads moblie (either on foot or in apc's) so only have special weapons in the squads and no heavy weapons (guard are easy enough to kill as it is, without haveing the squads sitting still so that heavy weapons can fire)
if you have the models, take at least 1 heavy weapon squad to sit in cover and provide fire surport and maybe a special weapons squads.
so the build will be something like this:
1PCS
2 Infantry squads (1xspecial weapon each)
1 heavy weapon squad (type depending on opponent)
1 Special weapons squad (as heavy weapon squad)
with that build you can conbine the 2 infantry squads for more fire power with orders plus they have basic surport from the HW squad and SW squad


----------



## lawrence96 (Sep 1, 2008)

HOBO said:


> Also, I usually shy away from giving my lists any c/c weapons, so PW/PF's etc...is it a good idea (read worth it) to give a Commissar a PW, and by extension the vet/Sgts one as well to help him in a fight, or just keep it to the WS4 Commissar?


I find it depends upon who i'm fighting- 
Against my brothers CSMs i take PWs, as many as i can take. Just to remove those pesky 3+ saves and hopefully allow me to kill some CSMs.

Against his Orks then i don't bother.

So in a nutshell it depends on the save of the enemy i'll be fighting and if a decide it's worth 10pts to remove it's save. though i would say giving the commisar a PF might be worth it- the ability to go head-to-haed with a light vehicle shouldn't be underated.


----------



## ItsPug (Apr 5, 2009)

IIRC commissars can't take PF only PW.

Its worth taking PW if you plan the army that way, putting a PW here and there isn't going to reap large rewards but if you give all the sgts and commissars PWs and have straken or creed for furious charge they do a hell of a lot more.

In my platoons I just take autocannons. 2 40 man combined squads with one commissar and one vox in each and a CCS close by to issue BiD is a nasty combination for the price.


----------



## Alexious (Apr 13, 2009)

On a side note, the issue of PW really is debatable. I have found that the shooting is always going to outweigh the PW use or PF use in 90% of situations.

If I choose to give my Sgts a weapon its usually a PP. The ability to deliver a str 7 hit before something closes is usually more valuable to me than a PW will be in CC. Of course its situational, and you run the dual risk of a Commissar shooting him and it getting hot. 

The main issue which a lot of players fail to address with the Inf platoon is its placement on the board and what its actually supposed to do. Inf platoons that are gunliners aer there not to neccessarily do your killing, but to protect what is. (hydra, russ, HWS, manticores, medusas etc) 

Hobo, (3 vs 2 squads combined). 

Its situational for me, I use 20 men as I have found even when facing mass firepower back 20 men can soak quite a bit, especially if you go to ground and are just blocking the way. People forget that cover saves although they do make the lasgun and HW harder to use than they once were, work in exactly the reverse too, its not that difficult to be giving 20 men a 4+ cover save. This will stop a LOT in the current metagame environment where your not dealing with pie plates as much as melta, lance, etc.

My general rule is, the platoon is the stop there thanks.... to anything coming at my killing units. 

However its only my own personal taste and designed for my own playstyle and army. As for the platoon being useful offensively...

1). Creed is a usual suspect. (4 orders cant go wrong and the scout ability is invaluable)
2). Captain Al. Moving a full platoon on with SWS onto a flank will create mayhem in most lists. I love a landraider flank for this exact use, you can melt terminators just as effectively as they pour out of their now slag and rather expensive super tanks.
3). Penal legions make excellent stop right there thanks, your not going to touch me for turn and are cheap speed bumps and picket lines. (I have yet to see them really used well as an offensive CC force, as they dont come large enough to do enough even with some of the abilities they can have)
4). There is an argument there for massed guard rush across the board slogging it. However I don't think its fun or even worthwhile. (Personal choice as I hate the idea of painting 300 odd figures just to scoop em up and plonk em in the dead pile in games.)


However as a final note, the guard vet squad with Chimera will now continue to dominate guard lists as its just far too good to say no dont want it. The Chimera is probably the best all round inf transport vehicle in game at this time with bang for points paid in either a pillbox set up or a advancing unit sweep. 

I quiver in fear the day Space Marine Chapter Masters say... bloody hell, thats a much better APC! Give us 200 of them thanks! to the local Forge World. LOL..... A tactical squad roaming about in a Chimera would be bad enough as a pillbox let alone what a decent SM player could do with them offensively for the points. I can't imagine why the GK havent said... hey IST... that Inq wants a word over there.... (10 seconds later)... VROOOOOOOOOM seeya! LOL. fluff aside of course.


----------



## GWLlosa (Sep 27, 2009)

My personal Platoon is composed of the following:

Platoon Command Squad
- One ordinary PCS
- 4x Flamers

Infantry Squad 1
- PW on Sarge
- Extra Comissar, with PW
- Grenade Launcher

Infantry Squad 2
- PW on Sarge
- Extra Comissar, with PW
- Grenade Launcher

Heavy Weapon Squad
- 3x Lascannons

Ministorium Priest (IC, Attached)

I also run Straken in a CCS, and keep him in a chimera nearby. Deploy the platoon between and around your artillery platforms (I run 2x Bassie and a Manticore) and let the arty rain. When the enemy gets close to your platoon, move the PCS, fire the flamers. You should get at least 4 guys under a template, and 4 templates, is 16 hits. Fire off the pistols and the grenade launchers, as they are Assault 1. Then.... Charge. 

Yea, charge. With or without straken.

You have 18 guys with 2 attacks each. Against most people, you'll need 5+ to hit and 5+ to wound. You have re-rollable hits. Probably like 2-3 wounds.

Then you have 4 guys, with 4 attacks each (2 for being sarge/commisars, +1 for CCW/pistol, +1 for charge). That's 16 attacks, re-rolling to hit. Probably another 4 or 5 wounds, which are POWER WEAPON wounds. 

Don't forget that this group has furious charge, so +1 I and +1 S.

Now you get hit back. BFD. Put all the wounds on those 18 or so meatshields. You lose combat, probably. So what? You've got a commissar, so you're stubborn, and you get a re-roll for the bargain price of one sarge. Note, that this is NOT counting Straken, who, with his personal command squad filled with bodyguards and medics, charging with furious charge and feeling no pain, is probably another 6-8 wounds on top of that. 

Suddenly, you find IG winning fights against things like Plague Marines and Terminators in assault. Yes, they're not necessarily points-efficient, but that's what your artillery is for.


----------

