Redditch Tabletop Gamers Forum

If you're wanting tanks AND infantry I recommend a Veteran army in Chimeras, backed by the heavy support tanks and helhounds/valks/vends. Not discounting the quad melta/plasma command squads :p

Was originally planning to take a bit of everything, some cannon fodder, some elite infantry/veterans, few tanks, some artillery. Was just going to swap out bits every so often, depending on how i liked to use it and who i'm fighting. Gimme a few mins, will post a mock list

---

HQ

Company Command Squad: Regimental Standard, Vox-caster, Medic, Plasma gun, Master of ordinance
145 points

Elites

Storm Trooper Squad: 10 Storm Troopers, Meltagun, Plasma gun
190 points

Troops

Platoon Command Squad: Vox-caster, Plasma gun
50 points

Platoon Command Squad: Vox-caster, Meltagun
45 points

4x Infantry Squad: Vox-caster, Grenade Launcher
240 points

Veteran Squad: Vox-caster, Carapace armour, Grenade launcher, Plasma gun, Meltagun
135 points

3x Heavy Weapons Teams: 3 Missile launchers, 3 Mortars, 3 Heavy Bolters
225 points

Fast Attack

Valkyrie: Rocket pods, Heavy Bolters
140 points

Heavy Support

Leman Russ: Lascannon, Heavy Bolters
185 points

Basilisk
125 points


Total 1480 points (very early build, will tweak it when i have more time to think it through)

Only three vehicles?!?! Heresy!

more than 60 guardsmen strong though, hard to shift if i get dug in

---

The great thing about imperial guard is that everything is cheap in points, so the list can easily be tailored and refocused to play different oponents, that one was just a sample one

Lol, i have heard footman lists can be a nightmare if you're not prepared for them.

Like is said, its what i plan to start with until i get a feel for the army. It's pretty much just 2-3 battle forces with some bits added on.

Another thing that might be worth doing is having 3 Leman Russ's with Heavy Bolters and Lascannons, because 3 Str: 8 AP: 3 Large Blast Ordance shots would obliterate a 10 man squad of Terminators! And you wouldn't even need to get up close because with a range of 72" you won't even need to use a tape measure! Also, I've discovered that the Heavy Bolters can be life-savers when there's just one or two straddles that refuse to die when you tell them to, and the Lascannon can get that winning shot in on a dreadnaught (as Ross discovered last week). Personally, even for an Infantry-heavy force, 3 Leman Russ's are a must-have!

Also, a Manticore Missile Launcher is always a good addition, as the Limited Ammunition of just 4 shots doesn't particularly matter, as usually you don't even get to the 5th turn with a Str: 10 Ap: 4 Large Blast, Ordnance Barrage D3! 10-men Terminator squads can't usually stand up to that! Even though the Basilisk is a mean and nasty piece of artillery, I can personally recommend the Manticore, just because of that one extra strength and D3 Blast!

Infantry-wise, I think that you've got the perfect troops, as the Storm Troopers/Kasrkins are excellent at taking down models with 3+ saves (*cough Space Marines *cough) as their Hot-Shot Lasguns have an AP: 3 shot! Coupled with the First Rank, FIRE! Second Rank, FIRE! order (Unit with Rapid Fire gets 3 shots at 12" and 2 shots at 24"), they can obliterate anything with a save of 3+!

It's worth experimenting with, but there are a few great combinations in the Imperial Guard army that are worth trying out, but I guess that in the end it all comes down to what people are comfortable playing with, for instance, I like playing Tank Heavy and Infantry lightish, as I usually have one platoon with a couple of Heavy Weapons Teams and a couple of Special Weapons Teams (MELTAGUNS!), then a Veterans squad to get in my 2 Troops Choices. If you wnat to go Infantry Heavy, then a couple of platoons might be worth it. Anyway, I think that in the end it all comes down to what you want to use and how you want to use it.

Hope this helps .

3 Leman Russ's are 450 points with no upgrades. It's lots of points to put into one basket, esspecially in smaller games, where a few stray lascannons or bright lances can see 450 points, almost a third of the army, go up in a rather large fireball. Infantry as a core gives me a cheap, flexible firebase, and because of the low core points cost of the basic units i take, i can add whatever i want as support. Veterans, tanks, artillery, storm troopers.......anything, the list i posted is not tailored to fight anything in particular, its just something Vince asked me to post. Don't forget that manticores are very expensive too, and an easy target for lots of anti tank weapons. I would take them vs orks maybe, or tyranids, where the really large blast areas would be usefull, but for everything else i'll stick with Basilisks, Griffons and Collossus Siege Mortars. And i think "First rank, FIRE! Second rank, FIRE!" only works with standard lasguns.

Problem with tank heavy list as Nick said is That they are a glass cannon. I dread to think what my planned imp guard army would do against Nick's Dark eldar or Robs eldar.
Either could reserve everthing to get first round of shooting in, stun lock/destroy all your vehivles before you get a shot in!
I can see why Nick wants a Strong core of troops(i myself am going tank heavy but still have around 70 infantry models all in with around 7 tanks), the idea being that you still have a lot of troops to worry about before you can get my vehicles.
Plus got to be done anyway Luke, want to see Nick's horde Guard against Horde orks/Tyranids!

Like i said, dont forget the actual core of the army is 55 guardsmen at 480 points, including my HQ. That gives me an AWEFUL lot of points to play around with to support it.