I've been going over my new, shiny Imperial Guard Codex, and aside from how cool it would be to drop Sisters of Battle out of Valkyries with Missile pods on unsuspecting troops, I keep trying various force ideas in my head. I love the idea of the elite force backed by big artillery, and tanks... (2Medusa and griffon, with 2Russes, and Vets for troops) Sandwyrm is kind of going down that path...I'm sure some of you have seen his Battlereports and both of our thoughts on how good LRBT's are with a Battlecannon and lascannon. He's got the tanks to play with some of those lists. I've got 2 Russ, 2 chimera (1 of those partly assembled), and a partial assembled Basilisk. I don't have enough IG tanks to pull of a good armored list, without making a WH inducted list.
I'm wanting to go a different direction. I still want my old 4th ed Light infantry company back. I got to thinking of what a 5th ed dynamic footslogging force might look like.... and I came up with something like this:
Co. Command 150
2snipers
Cammo
Astropath
Fleet Officer
Pl. Co. 40
Autocannon
Platoon Squad (ML/GL) 70
Platoon Squad (ML/GL) 70
Platoon Squad (LC/GL) 75
Platoon Squad (LC/GL) 75
Pl. Co. 110
Al Raheem
Autocannon
Platoon Squad (ML/GL) 70
Platoon Squad (ML/GL) 70
Platoon Squad (LC/GL) 75
Platoon Squad (LC/GL) 75
Special Weapon Squad (Demo Charge) 55
DH Inq. Lord w/psycannon, psychic hood 222
1plasma cannon Servitor
2Hbolter servitors
2Sages
2mystic
Marbo 65
Shelia the Callidus 120
Harker's Vets 155
Missile Launcher / 3GL's
for 1497pts. I still could give someone a bolter.
The unit I'm really not sure about is the Special Weapon team w/Demo charge. It turns out, I miscalculated, and was under by 50pts. I wasn't sure if I should get another vanilla squad to run for the roses, or get the demo. or to get lascannons, and give Harker a Demo.
So the concept is based around having a base of units for the enemy to fire at. That is the purpose of the first platoon. I'm thinking that in a lot of games, they will be in a corner, as in a denied flank type of setup.
The Capn' Al platoon is there to come in on the advantageous flank, depending on which one it is. Some opponents, I'll want reinforcements on my strong side, other times I may want them to come on and act as a split deployment. Most likely, the Demo charge team will come on wherever the enemy is located, the other squads will come onto the other table edge.
Inq. Lord squad is a mean dakka, anti-Deepstrike anti-psyker squad. enough said. I use them a lot. probably my most used unit. As psykers rise in popularity, a WH Inq. Lord with Hammer of the witches might find its way into the list, but I think it might be too specialized a unit.
Marbo and Shelia are there to tag team the backfield suprise market. They should be able to neutralize threats between the two of them. plus, Shelia can move someone strategically at the beginning of the game.
Harker's boys are there for crazy early game backfield havoc wreaking. either sit and hit something with the lascannon, Hbolter, and GL's, or move and loose only the LC. I expect them to get killed. if they can take out a tank, I'm happy. I might drop the Demo charge team, and get Harker Meltas.
I'm hoping this will give me the feel of a light infantry company. It should have plenty of suprises in store. I hope it's got enough firepower. For Killpoint missions, it can drop to a nice 10KP's it can be as high as 16kp's.
Any thoughts?
You'll chew up an Ork Horde list just fine. But against any list with more than 2 tanks you're gonna wish you had a lot more AT. A few missile launchers and demo charges here and there won't help you with AV 12/13/14. Remember how frustrated I get with Land Raiders even when I've got 9 lascannons firing at them. That's what you're facing when you use Autocannons on AV12.
ReplyDeleteOk, I see you have some lascannons in there. But I think you'll need some melta too.
ReplyDeleteThe more I think about it the more I'm inclined to drop the Demo Charge.
ReplyDeleteI forgot 2 wargear:
Co. Standard
Emperor's Tarot
and upgrade Harker to a Lascannon, and Melta, maybe one other of Al's squads to Lascannon
How are you planning on dealing with Land Raiders and thier cargo?
ReplyDeleteI can see my rat army haveing simliar problems...
It's hard to balance an army for all comers. I think the all infantry IG have some issues. I think big Nob biker squads will be an issue, as well as LRC's full of TH/SS termies and Calgar-take-me-away.
ReplyDeleteI think for now the answer is hit the can with lascannons, to MAYBE immobilize, then perhaps Marbo and Shelia could move in. The Inq. Lord should help whittle down termies too.
this force doesn't really have ANY counter-charge.. well, maybe lil' Al.
but then again, I'd rather stick to what IG can do, bring more guns.
Which, I might have too many bells and whistles, and need more line squads. maybe Rough Riders from reserve with meltaguns and lances
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ReplyDeletePutting Meltas on Rough Riders won't help you. Unless they're charging, they're no faster than regular guardsmen, while being much easier to target, more expensive, and only BS3. No, stick to running RR in from reserve as a counter-charge unit with lances only. Ideally, to smack around troops that you've just blown out of their transports with lascannons.
ReplyDeleteHere's the math:
Walk + Run + Charge = 19 - 24" Charge Threat
Walk + Melta/Flamer shooting = 14 - 18" shooting threat. With a 12 - 18" Charge Threat.
You'd be better served by putting a troop screen with meltas as far forward as possible. They could then shoot up vehicles as they advance. Better yet, put vets with meltas in a couple of Chimeras so they can both harass Trukks and Land Raiders and block their movement.