500 points

[commissarbob]

Hey all, there is an event this weekend using restricted 500 point 'combat patrol' lists. Lists require one HQ, one Troop choice. Lists cannot use any vehicle with a total armor value exceeding 33. No named characters. May have 2 additional troop choices. You may include one each fast attack, elites, or heavy choice.

Within these restrictions I am torn between two lists with my beloved Imperial Guard, er, Astra Militarum. First is a footslogger detachment with a rather large group of autocannons. Next is a Steel Legion force outfitted with the classic box contents of missile and grenade launchers in a chimera:

Iron Dogs
HQ:
CCS with bolt pistol, regimental standard, 3x grenade launchers.

Troop:
PCS with bolt pistol.
3x squad with bolt pistol.
3x heavy weapon squad with 3x autocannon.

Total 500 points.

OR:

Steel Legion
HQ:
Lord Commissar

Troop:
Veteran squad, grenade launcher, missile launcher, Chimera.

Veteran squad, grenade launcher, missile launcher, Chimera.

Veteran squad, grenade launcher, missile launcher, Chimera.

Total 500 points.

Each has its charms, but I would like to hear your thoughts too.

[Casiarius]

In List #1, what is the point of taking three naked infantry squads, and then spending extra points to have a heavy weapons squad? This makes your heavy weapons extremely fragile, unlikely to take orders due to low leadership, and it costs you nearly 10% of your total points. I would arm those Infantry Squads with the autocannons, grenade launchers, blob them up and give them a commissar. They will follow orders much more reliably and dish out more damage than the current setup.

In List #2, is the force simply going to park in the deployment zone and shoot from the hatches of the Chimeras? If so, it seems like the BS3 Chimeras are the real army and the BS4 Veterans are just accessories. If that's the case you could take a PCS and two Infantry Squads in three Chimeras. You'd lose one point of Ballistic Skill on the Troops, but gain 50 points that could be put into more and better weapons, or another unit like a Sentinel. If, on the other hand, the Veterans are really supposed to be getting their money's worth out of their BS4, then they need to fight dismounted and fill all of their special weapon slots.

If it were me, I would probably go mechanized but include a squadron of Armored Sentinels. They're thematic for Combat Patrol and this is a rare situation where they are comparatively "heavy" vehicles that might survive the game.

[commissarbob]

Switching the veterans to 2x squads and a PCS with the Lord Commissar would indeed free up just enough points to have an Armageddon pattern armored Sentinel (lascannon), which would fit great with the classic theme.

If I abandon my attachment with deploying them exactly as they were in their original squad boxes and just go with bare bones squads I could squeeze in a 4th Chimera...

HQ:
CCS with Chimera

Troop:
PCS with Chimera
Squad with Chimera
Squad with Chimera

Fast Attack:
Armored Sentinel with Lascannon

Total is exactly 500 points.

[treadiculous]

yes.. this last list is great!

You have armoured heavy weapons and lots of fleshy things that are nice and cheap.

I may borrow this list at some point.