Beginning an Army

[Deleted]

Hey guys,

I'm starting an Imperial Guard army (duh) and I was just looking for tips or sample army lists for a 500pt army. If anybody would be kind enough to help, thank you.

[Deleted]

Hello and welcome to the IG message board. What type of army are you planning on, are you looking at lots of tanks supported by meat shield guardsman or guardsman en masse loaded up with special and heavy weapons. Also do you have any fluff planned that could be reflected on doctrines. Try looking at the army list section to get some ideas on a 500pt list. Again welcome and enjoy yourself.

[Deleted]

Well, I was looking to create an army that is based off of a US Army Mechanized unit. So, my doctrine would most definitely be Mechanized. I'm also looking to create a camo theme similar to the ACU pattern of the US Army.

[9th Company]

I think you`ll struggle to have a 500 point mechanised army. The only way I could see you doing that would be to take the grenadiers doctrine and have 2 stormtrooper squads with chimeras and a HQ with a chimera.

I`m not familiar with the structure of US military units so I can`t give you any advice in that area, sorry. Hope I`ve helped though.

[Deleted]

Well, the army won't be mechanized YET. 500 pts is just what I want to start off with to get used to the Guard style. When I expand the army, it will be mechanized.

[9th Company]

Ah, I see, that makes more sense. I`d suggest you build a basic army of one normal platoon and one armoured fist squad then. That way you can see and compare how mechanised troops perform compared to normal troops.
I started collecting Guard the same way as you. I wanted a mechanised army based off the current British model (my profile picture is of a Warrior tank)

[Deleted]

The battleforce would be an excellent way to start the mechanized army, coming with a russ, 2 squads (buy 2 chimeras, and voila!), and the heavy weps teams could be used to kit out your soon-to-be armoured fist squads with heavy weps, buying you just enough extra bitz for a command section of your platoon in the meantime.

That, and the BF is a great deal!!

Oh, and welcome to the board

[Srgt. Master]

I would suggest the platoons, loaded with doctrines ([glow=red,2,300] carapace, iron displine, Die hards,sharpshooters,and close-order, my favs , they can save your troops and give them a better chance to make some kills ;Dhehehe....[/glow]) and then if you can sqeeze it in, 2 heavy wepons teams ( !!!lascannon & mortar!!! ) thats how I started

[lordcastellenjon]

the way I started was 2 HW teams one with 2 AC and 1 HB and in the secound 2 LC and 1 ML with 2 HQ squads kitted up for CQC and 3 squads of normal troops with PR's (was gona be 4 but the tourny data hit faster then I could get them assembled in the methood I wanted) so insted I used 1 squad of kaskrins as well (who in the tournament took down 2 demon lords OO) and finaly I had 1 demolisher and 1 chiemera all with carapace armour all with sharpshooters and MAN they put up one hell of a fight first time around ( i came 4th in that tourny ment not bad considering that was my first time of using gaurd

[Turtleboy(AWOL)]

you gotta be careful with how you work it if you want a mechanized approach.

at the outset, the mechanized doctrine seems appealing but you have to realize that that's committing to a chimera for every heavy weapon squad too! this means if you have a command squad and only 2 or 3 supporting heavy weapon squads (totally common) then you're looking at 3 or 4 chimerae right there - 1 for each squad.

this can really cripple your point budgeting as the points get sheared off in 100pt whacks for chimerae that you really didnt factor into your army in the first place.

another point to think of is this: when you get troops up into no-man's land, and you dismount, do you want an armor save against enemy anti-infantry small arms fire? the standard issue guardsman >does not< get a save in this situation.

this brings me in to my point - you might consider grenadiers, for the ability to take up to 3 squads of up-armored, up-gunned, up-skilled troops who are geared for mechanized warfare (increased special weapons options at the cost of the heavy weapon option). in support, you are free to take those heavy weapon support squads without having the obligation of buying them each a 100-ish point chimera.

if you want more chimera troops, you can always take the stormtroopers doctrine and unlock another 3 squads worth of these guys to be taken as elite choices.