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Post by Comrade on Apr 18, 2014 7:33:04 GMT -5
Storm Troopers/Scions Composition: 1-3 squads of 5-10 men, and 0-1 Command squads Comments: Similar to their previous iteration these boys have gotten cheaper and now deploy in platoons. The price cut did come with a loss of our spec ops traits however they still have Deep Strike and move through cover. They have access to chimeras and taurox primes, if you wish to use these men as a mechanized element of the army (Though 10 man units of veterans in carapace would be cheaper if you wanted to do this.) Tactics: These guys when you use them, you have to have to have a specific mission in mind, whatever your ground forces weakness is, these guys should be able to be the remedy to it whether its anti-tank, anti-personnel, anti-TEQ, Assassination squad, or Anti-MC. Anti-Tank- 5 man squad, 2 melta guns / or a SCS with 4 melta guns <- slight overkill Anti-Personnel- 5 man, 3 flamers Anti-TEQ – 5-10 man, 2 Plasmaguns + Plasma pistol Assassination Squad: 10 man squad, w 2 plasmaguns, 1 plasma pistol Anti-MC: CMC w/ 4 plasma guns Or any other combination you can think of, these are just examples. Deep strike will probably be your greatest asset with these guys, you’ll want them to show up behind enemy lines and cause havoc, destruction. Doing this will force your enemy to focus on more then one front, always an advantage for yodu. Deepstriking can be used in conjunction with Inquisitors Servo-skulls, and the Augur Relay on say a scout sentinel that happened to have outflanked. Either of these will increase the accuracy of your troops arriving where you want them. I have no comment on the transports, you can use them if you wish, but really why should you be using your stormtroopers on the ground in a transport, when you can have a Veteran squad, in a transport in carapace for about the same price but with more men? I’m not saying stormies are bad at this, its just a waste imo to use them in such a way. On platoon size: The scion platoon has the potential for being just 5 men, or 35 men dropping in from reserve, and a note has to go out to the SCS in the fact that the officer can give out orders and it can take 4 special weapons, just depends on what you want to do, but dropping 35 carapace armoured troopers onto the field and causing damage is a good image in my mind. Evaluation: 8/10 (red) stars Competitive
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 18, 2014 8:36:09 GMT -5
Leman Russ Squadrons, by Julian Sharps
The Leman Russ is the heaviest tank in the Imperial arsenal short of a Land Raider or a super-heavy vehicle. Each one carries immense firepower for its size, at the expense of speed. Leman Russ tanks typically move no faster than infantry, but it takes specialized weapons and concentrated firepower to bring one down.
Leman Russ Main Battle Tank: Semi-Competitive The classic Leman Russ, the MBT packs a Battle Cannon as its turret gun - a weapon essentially built to fight Space Marines of any flavor. Its ideal targets are medium and heavy infantry, Monstrous Creatures, and most non-skimmer vehicles AV 13 and below.
Because the Battle Cannon is an Ordnance weapon, any other weapons the MBT fires must fire as snap shots if the Battle Cannon is fired as well in that shooting phase. As a result, I do not advise outfitting the MBT with any weapon upgrades.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Exterminator: Semi-Competitive The Leman Russ Exterminator exchanges the MBT's Battle Cannon for a twin-linked autocannon with double the rate of fire, as well as a substantial price drop. While the Exterminator is good against infantry, its high strength, improved accuracy and higher rate of fire, the Exterminator excels at killing light and medium transport vehicles.
An Exterminator outfitted with a lascannon hull mount and multi-melta sponsons is well suited to taking on vehicles up to AV 13 for only 10% more than the cost of a bare-bones Russ MBT, while the same tank, equipped with heavy bolters on the hull and sponson mounts is an effective counter to GEQ infantry and the lightest of transports, such as what the Orks and Dark Eldar bring to the table.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Vanquisher: Situational The Leman Russ Vanquisher is a dedicated tank killer. On average, the Vanquisher Battle Cannon will score a penetrating hit with a +1 bonus on the damage chart against all armor values. This translates to a 1-in-3 chance of making the target explode, but all of this is dependent on the Vanquisher actually hitting its target.
The ideal outfit for a Vanquisher is with a lascannon hull mount, and multi-melta sponsons - this maximizes its tank killing firepower. The sponsons are optional, if you're strapped for points.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Eradicator: Situational The Leman Russ Eradicator is in many ways on the opposite end of the Leman Russ MBT from the Vanquisher. With its Nova Cannon's ability to ignore cover completely, the Eradicator is a dedicated GEQ infantry killer, for substantially cheaper than the standard MBT.
While hull and sponson-mounted heavy flamers meshes well with the Eradicator's ability to ignore cover, putting heavy bolters in those same mountings fits with the Nova Cannon's range and, ultimately, the purpose of the heavy bolter mounts is to mop up any stragglers left over from the Nova Cannon blast.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Demolisher: Semi-Competitive The Leman Russ Demolisher does exactly what it says on the tin; with its Demolisher Siege Cannon, it can threaten even more targets than a standard MBT (in other words, anything that doesn't fly) at the cost of a third of the range and a higher point cost. In order to help mitigate the significantly increased chance of being assaulted, the Demolisher has improved rear armor.
Like with the MBT, the Demolisher Cannon is an Ordnance weapon, and so weapon upgrades are ill-advised. However, due to its need to get close, it might not hurt to outfit it with a hull-mounted heavy flamer.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Punisher: Casual The Leman Russ Punisher is a Demolisher with the main gun replaced with a rotary cannon with a truly insane rate of fire. While this sounds good for use against infantry and light armor, the MBT and Demolisher can threaten both of those targets, as well as others, and the Exterminator and Eradicator compete with the Punisher for both roles and price. Possibly its ideal role would be to force Grounding tests on Flying Monstrous Creatures, but since Grounding tests only require that you hit the target, that role can be better left to the infantry that you're required to take anyway, the only real reason for taking a Punisher seems to be for the coolness factor.
As for weapon upgrades, the ones with the best synergy with the main gun are the hull and sponson-mounted heavy bolters.
Rebuttal:
Leman Russ Executioner: Semi-Competitive The Leman Russ Executioner is a Demolisher with a Plasma Cannon with three times the fire rate in its turret mount. It is a specialized anti-Terminator gun, but it comes with the risk of the tank destroying itself due to the Gets Hot! USR. Its reasonably high strength also makes it a good transport killer, in the event that there are no Terminators for this thing to shoot at.
The obvious weapon upgrades to the Executioner are a lascannon hull mount and plasma cannons on the sponsons, but this build dramatically decreases the Executioner's battlefield life expectancy. If you do take this build, bring a Techpriest or two along to patch up any damage caused by plasma overheats.
Rebuttal:
Squadrons: Situational While a single Leman Russ is formidable in its own right, the Imperial Guard is capable of taking them in squadrons for added destructive capability. However, the firepower of a single Russ is such that in most cases a squadron of them firing at a single target is simply overkill. Squadroning is probably best left for when you've run out of Heavy Support slots or are taking Tank Command Squadrons (below).
Rebuttal:
Tank Commander: Situational The Imperial Guard can, unlike any other faction in the game so far, take one of its heavy tanks as an HQ choice and potential Warlord, at the cost of a companion tank and a modest price increase to pay for improved Ballistic Skill, Precision Shots and a 4+ Look Out Sir! save on the Commander's tank. Furthermore, the Tank Commander can issue one of the following orders to his squadron on a successful roll of 9 or less on 2d6 at the beginning of the Shooting Phase:
- Full Throttle: Situational The squadron immediately moves Flat Out up to 6+d6", despite the fact that they're in heavy vehicles. Good for those Russes with short range weapons, like Demolishers and Punishers.
- Gunners, Kill on Sight: Semi-Competitive The Tank Commander's vehicle shoots at a different target from the rest of his squadron. The rest of his squadron cannot target any unit disembarked by the Commander's fire. Good for situations where more than one tank would be overkill against a given target.
- Strike and Shroud: Semi-Competitive The squadron must immediately shoot, then pop their smoke launchers. Good for covering an advance where movement would leave your forces vulnerable for a turn.
Bear in mind that as the Tank Commander does not have the Voice of Command special rule, and cannot get it through the Warlord Traits table, the Tank Commander cannot issue orders to infantry.
Tank Commander in Leman Russ MBT: Semi-Competitive Tank Commander in Exterminator: Competitive Tank Commander in Vanquisher: Semi-Competitive Tank Commander in Eradicator: Semi-Competitive Tank Commander in Demolisher: Competitive Tank Commander in Punisher: Situational Tank Commander in Executioner: Semi-Competitive
Rebuttal:
Knight Commander Pask: Competitive As an upgrade to the Tank Command Squadron HQ unit, Pask is a little pricey. However, since he does everything that a normal Tank Commander does, comes with the Old Grudges Warlord Trait (meaning that he and his squadron gain Preferred Enemy against all units from a codex of your choice), and has his own special rules on top of that, I would say that he is well worth it.
His special rule, Crack Shot, allows his tank to re-roll armor penetration rolls against vehicles, and grants an additional ability based on what Leman Russ variant he is riding in.
If he is firing a Leman Russ Battle Cannon, Vanquisher Battle Cannon, Demolisher Siege Cannon or Eradicator Nova Cannon, he can re-roll to-hit rolls. This is exceptionally good for the Vanquisher, as it has no problem with killing its target once it hits.
If he is firing an Exterminator Autocannon or Punisher Gatling Cannon, the weapon gains the Rending USR. While a Rending autocannon is a nasty anti-tank weapon, a Heavy 20 weapon with Rending, which is what you get with Pask commanding a Punisher, vastly improves its capability to destroy the targets it was supposedly designed to fight. With an average of three Rending hits per turn of shooting, this makes a Punisher an excellent transport slayer. Additionally, due to the Precision Shots special rule, all three of those Rending hits can be placed wherever you like on the target unit, making it an excellent choice for picking out heavy weapons from enemy infantry squads. While the Punisher is a lackluster tank, it seems that it becomes truly scary with an ace in the commander's seat.
If he is firing an Executioner Plasma Cannon, he can fire it in another mode that exchanges its rate of fire for a large blast with the Blind USR. This ability is helpful in mitigating the threat of plasma overheats.
Pask in Leman Russ MBT: Semi-Competitive Pask in Exterminator: Competitive Pask in Vanquisher: Competitive Pask in Eradicator: Semi-Competitive Pask in Demolisher: Competitive Pask in Punisher: Competitive Pask in Executioner: Competitive
Rebuttal:
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Post by yvain on Apr 18, 2014 9:18:42 GMT -5
Leman Russ Exterminator Rebuttal: While the Exterminator is cheap and effective, the main weapon is rather common in the IG arsenal. There are other tank variants that will get you more mileage for similar price.
Situational
Leman Russ Vanquisher Rebuttal: Because of price reductions and the relative cheapness of the Vanquisher, this tank is an effective single target killer. In addition, the relative commonness of twin linking abilities in IG make it easy to ensure this tanks effectiveness.
Semi-Competitive
Leman Russ Eradicator Rebuttal: While its main weapon is weaker that the other variants, it is does naturally ignore cover, which is still relied upon by the half the armies in the game. It is a great for light infantry for pesky annoyances like camo scouts in bolstered terrain or pathfinders. In addition, it is so cheap it is easy to fit into army. Adding an AV 14 unit to any army for its price is a huge asset.
Semi-Competitive
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Post by yvain on Apr 18, 2014 9:32:49 GMT -5
Tank Commander: Competitive Rebutal: Competitive
Tank Commander in Leman Russ MBT: Competitive Tank Commander in Exterminator: Situational Tank Commander in Vanquisher: Competitive Tank Commander in Eradicator: Situational Tank Commander in Demolisher: Semi-Competitive Tank Commander in Punisher: Casual Tank Commander in Executioner: Semi-Competitive
Rebuttal: The tank commander itself is a great addition to the IG arsenal. The ability to use an AV 14 vehicle as your warlord is very powerful. He should almost always replace your Company Commander in that regard. Doings so protects against the Slay The Warlord problem while also providing an extra slot for heavy vehicles allowing your heavy support to be more flexible. In addition, it shortens the roll on the warlord trait table. Increasing the chances of getting the one you prefer. Even in a less optimal choice of vehicle the Tank Commander is still a great addition. Because of the increased in ballistic skill and importance, it is wise to place the Commander in a stronger long range tank. This insures the commander survives longer, uses BS to maximum effect, and makes the most of the split fire order.
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Post by yvain on Apr 18, 2014 9:43:51 GMT -5
Knight Commander Pask Rebuttal: While Pask is a very powerful upgrade in almost any situation, Pask in an Eradicator is a less optimal choice. This is mostly because all the other choices are much better for only a few points extra. The Eradicator has the least killing power of the tanks because the Exterminator and Punisher are both buffed by Pask's abilities. In addition, the Eradicator is highly unlikely to utilize the crack shot reroll penetration rule, where as even the Punisher tank which is normally not at all suited for vehicle hunting can possibly and fairly reliably glance armor 14 due to rending and rerolls.
Pask in Eradicator: Casual
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 19, 2014 0:56:09 GMT -5
Incidentally, I rated both the Eradicator and Vanquisher Situational due to the possibility of running into Space Marines (for the Eradicator) and all-infantry lists (for the Vanquisher), based on the assumption that one is building a list for tournament games.
Also, I may have misinterpreted what "Situational" is supposed to mean.
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Post by Comrade on Apr 19, 2014 6:43:41 GMT -5
Incidentally, I rated both the Eradicator and Vanquisher Situational due to the possibility of running into Space Marines (for the Eradicator) and all-infantry lists (for the Vanquisher), based on the assumption that one is building a list for tournament games. Also, I may have misinterpreted what "Situational" is supposed to mean. Rankings usually go about: Poor, Situational, Average, semi-comp, comp (from what I've gathered) Sure the Vanq isn't good for say anti infantry, but having one is a hard counter for say.... wraithknights/riptides/knight titans, etc And if you do face infantry horde, its useful against TEQ, think of it more as 4 AP2 shots at 24" that wound most infantry models on a 2+, how much do 4 lascannons cost nowadays?
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Post by yvain on Apr 19, 2014 6:54:19 GMT -5
Your rating is fine, the rebuttal is just there to get a second opinion. So one of us isn't doing all the deciding on what is good or bad. (in my opinion its all Vultures all the time)
Situational is a not a full negative comment, but a special case. A situational unit is like I would really never take this or it would never work except in situation A or B. I think you have it the other way around. Even in a less optimal match up the Vanquisher or Eradicator would still have a several purposes it is just not be the best choice. I think that is where semi-competitive comes in. Still useful, just not as useful all the time. Does my logic make sense?
Competitive units are just strong for price and utility in nearly all lists. Casual is basically poor units for fluffy play only.
I don't think there is really an average because it is hard to establish a baseline of what is average. Its more always really useful, less optimal but pretty strong still, rarely useful unless against perfect match up, and fluffy. If we need to add an average we could.
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Post by yvain on Apr 20, 2014 11:20:04 GMT -5
Company Command Squad
Composition: 1 Commander and 4 Veterans upgradable with advisers and Nork.
Comments: The Company Command Squad is the one of the three HQ choices in the guard codex and certainly the most complex. The sheer number of useful combinations and abilities that can be added into the squad is unparalleled. As a result, this unit can be tailored to whatever suits your needs.
Starting with the downside, the squad is rather fragile. None of the great warlord traits increase its survivability and it is very obviously a prime target for fire. It can be upgraded to give certain units armor or camo cloaks, however this save is still rather easily circumvented and increases the point cost of the unit. In addition, the upgrades no longer affect the adviser members automatically (or ever). Leaving the unit inside a chimera does increase its staying power, but increases cost and restricts the ability to order its own unit. As for positives, there is so much to like about this unit it is almost a must include. Nearly every warlord trait will have serious positive enhancement to every build. In addition, they have the ability to take 4 special weapons of any kind including a heavy weapon team. It can be set up as a long range harasser unit with long range heavy weapons or a hard hitting attacker with the ability to add +4 saves to only the members that require them (plasma gunners. Advisers then add some useful abilities to help support either the squad or the entire army. The most important strength of this unit is the ability to give orders including the powerful senior officer orders. Issuing two per turn at a range of 12 inch, this unit can make any infantry unit in the codex much more effective. Combined with other organic codex enhancements like priests, commissars, and psykers, the CCS can turn relatively weak and cheap guardsmen unit into powerhouse proving the guard adage of when in doubt more troops.
Suggested Combos: The Company Command Squad works best in the presence of guardsmen. The more the better. The BS4 of the Veterans means you can feel comfortable taking any weapon combination. Pick the one that best supports your troops.
Tactics: The construction of the CCS depends on your play style. The relative cheapness of the unit makes taking a second CCS or taking it as a support HQ a very viable tactic. In the gunline, a four sniper or two sniper and autocannon combo can be very effective especially with the addition of the Master of Ordinance. A squad with four plasma guns can be effective as a counter to heavy infantry deep striking near your lines. This would also work as a harder hitting forward unit. The relative cheapness of the medic can be a very effective way of keeping the squad alive and 3 plasma guns and a medic is an attractive build.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
Regimental Advisers and Body Guard
Composition: Additions to the basic Company Command Squad unit
Comments: The Company Command Squad is already a versatile unit and with the addition of advisers even more so. The relative cheapness of each means they can make an attractive choice with little risk verse reward. The addition of Nork the body guard can add some durability to the assault variant of the unit.
The first adviser, the Astropath, is a psyker with mastery in telepathy level one. At a dirty cheap point cost, the Astropath is an easy way to add some psychic power to the squad. Unfortunately, his stats are low and by only being level one he loses access to the best telepathy ability which is invisibility. With a leadership 7, he is likely to fail his test half of the time and worse having only one wound means he is possible to pop his own brain before he is of any use. Still he is dirt cheap has BS 4 and the only unit in the codex that adds in telepathy with some useful powers to choose from that could be advantageous in the right build. The Master of Ordinance adds a single Earthshaker shell to the attack profile of the squad. It always scatters sometimes even larger than the regular scatter. It is likely that the shot will miss and miss big. This mostly limits the MOO’s usefulness to the first two rounds of the game where the shot is unlikely to cause damage to your own units. However, he is like the Astropath dirt cheap and the Earthshaker shell is a very powerful weapon even against vehicles due to the ordinance rule. Because he is an infantry unit, the MOO's Earthshaker can be effected by both Bring it down and Fire on my target. By using these orders you can make sure the damage is actually inflicted. In addition, you can also use smite at will separating the Earthshaker shot to something farther away from your other weapon systems. (Potential making him more useful in later turns) The officer of the fleet is an interesting choice that effects the reserves of both armies. For a leadership test, an OOF can at +1 or -1 to your own reserve tests or your opponents. This is a cheap method of both increasing your army power as well as limiting your enemies by delaying their force. The downside is the need to take a leadership test at 7 before each. This potentially means the OOF could do nothing in a game. In addition, after reserves arrive the OOF simply becomes a body. Still, the potential of disrupting your opponent’s entire plan for next to no points is something that shouldn’t be ignored. Nork Deddog is the last upgrade to the CCS and is by far the most expensive. Nork is an Ogryn bodyguard unit that is designed to protect your important Commander adding some serious durability and close combat power to the squad. At more than the base price of the squad, you get a powerful CC character with a high toughness, multiple wounds, and decent armor save. The problem is that the majority toughness rule damages his ability to effectively protect the squad. You cannot have Nork stand in front of everyone absorbing shots with T5. Worse still is that Nork only has an armor save and not an invulnerable save. So it is still rather easy to cause wounds to Nork. All of this in addition, to price makes Nork a complex choice. On the plus side, he has +4 armor and feel no pain. His high toughness does ensure he will not get instant killed and he gets to use that FNP roll in nearly all situations. Most small arms including flamers will bounce right off. Because of the Look Out Sir…Argh rule, Nork is effective at shielding his friends from harm. Once in close combat, Nork is a pretty strong character generating up to 5 high strength hits at INT 3 with a decent weapon skill. Since he automatically passes glorious intervention, Nork is a good unit for tanking a strong CC character while your other units go to town. Especially since he can take a powerfist hit and possible even laugh it off. And when he dies, you get either his full attacks or a S8 AP 3 attack that will instant kill most MEQ characters making people a bit wary about charging a unit with Nork inside.
Suggested Combos: The Astropath is best suited in a CCS that is expected to get in the midrange fight. All of his abilities are close to mid-range so he is useless in a backfield support CCS. The OOF and MOO both excel in the backfield support role where they can make the most of their abilities unchallenged. An OOF should only be taken when you have some reserves of your own. Counting on the enemy to always have reserves will in general be a waste of points. The converse is that a pair of CCS with an OOF in each can force reserves to arrive on a 5+. Nork should always be partnered with a priest if not two to increase his survivability.
Tactics: The MOO and OOF should be far away from the enemy preferably in a gunline. The closer they are to the enemy the more likely hood they will not be able to use their ability. An astropath and Nork should really be including in a CCS that is going to get into close combat or at least in range of it. A well timed psychic shriek or puppet master can be a really damage the plans of your enemy especially if they are eying your CCS for a charge. Nork can take hits and dish them out especially in CC. Nork and a priest against many targets, will be very resistant to damage re-rolling saves and utilizing FNP. Outside of the challenge, 5 attacks plus Hammer of wrath all re-rolling due to the priests hatred rule is a solid combination while charging.
Evaluation Astropath: Situational Master of Ordinance: Semi-Competitive Officer of the Fleet: Situational Nork Deddog: Situational
Rebuttal:
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 20, 2014 17:32:07 GMT -5
Command Squad Rebuttal: Yvain included Nork, but forgot Creed, Straken and Kell.
Lord Castellan Creed: Situational One Company Command Squad has the option of replacing its Company Commander with Creed. In addition to Creed's improved Leadership and Armor Save, Creed's Supreme Commander special rule allows him to issue up to three Junior Officer and Senior Officer orders, and failed orders issued by Creed must be re-rolled. In addition, his Tactical Genius rule gives him two Warlord traits, either from one list or two, although if you choose from only one list, you re-roll any duplicate results (so no, it's not possible to get Master of Command twice so that Creed can issue five orders per turn).
Creed's Command Squad is necessarily one that needs to be issuing orders to things in order to be useful, and so works best as a backfield or midfield support unit. However, Creed's price tag might be prohibitively high for small games.
Color Sergeant Kell: Casual One Company Command Squad that contains Creed has the option of replacing a Veteran with Kell. Kell comes with a Regimental Standard and a Power Fist for free, so that mitigates his point cost when you consider what you're getting. Kell's "Listen Up, Maggots!" special rule allows units to use Kell's unimpressive Leadership 8 instead of their own, which given that Commissars are cheap and can be assigned to almost any unit in the game, and that you can buy three Commissars for Kell's cost, means that there are more cost-effective ways to get those orders off. Like with Nork, Kell has the "Look Out - Arghh!" and special rule, but unlike Nork, Kell lacks Toughness 5 and Feel No Pain to mitigate the damage it would inflict on him. Likewise, Glorious Intervention is less helpful when you're not as likely to survive combat. While Kell is nice and fluffy, he just doesn't match up to Nork or a trio of Commissars, both of which come at around his own points cost.
Colonel "Iron Hand" Straken: Situational One Company Command Squad has the option of replacing its Company Commander with Straken. Straken is the closest thing the Imperial Guard have to a close combat beast; He and his squad can shoot and then assault no matter what weapons they have (as Straken comes with the Warlord trait that gives him and his unit Relentless), and with his high Weapon Skill and Strength, he can put quite a bit of hurt on whatever infantry or light vehicle is in his way, but where he really shines is when he uses his Smash attack to strike a Strength 10 AP 2 blow that re-rolls to penetrate vehicle armor; he hits in close combat like a Leman Russ Demolisher does from range. On top of this, he gets to issue orders and re-roll to wound against Monstrous Creatures, and he's Fearless to boot. If that's not enough, all friendly Imperial Guard units within 6" of him gain Counter-Attack and Furious Charge. One possible combination is to use Straken in an aggressive mechanized army escorted by Armored Sentinels; use the Sentinels as a vanguard to protect your advancing Chimeras from Assault Terminators and the like.
However, even someone as badass as Straken has his flaws. For one, he can never go to ground, ever. For another, he must always issue and accept challenges whenever possible. These tend to reduce his battlefield life expectancy, despite his 3+ armor save, elevated Toughness, and reasonably priced access to Feel No Pain, Priests, and even Nork. Straken cannot take on a dedicated assault unit like Assault Terminators and expect to win. However, he makes for a great lynchpin for an assault Guard build.
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Post by yvain on Apr 21, 2014 10:10:25 GMT -5
I just had not gotten to them yet I agree with most of what you said so I think you took care of it.
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Post by yvain on Apr 23, 2014 13:22:06 GMT -5
Commissar
Composition: 1 model per platoon or company command squad
Comments: The Commissar is an attachment that is designed to support your infantry units. They have above average stats, stubborn, and the summary execution rule. The summary execution rule allows you to reroll a morale test at the expense of a model. Attaching a commissar to a unit effectively ensures it will stay in the fight to the last man. In addition, they can take special melee weapons adding another layer of close combat power to the unit. There is one major downside of the commissar. For the same price, you can purchase a priest unit that is in many ways far better. With the exclusion of the HWS, any unit that can take a commissar can take a priest whom which would provide more useful abilities than a commissar for the same point value. In that respect, why take a Commissar at all? The main reason is redundancy. A commissar can take special weapons and has better stats. He makes a good unit to carve up the enemy while another character eats a challenge. The priest is also unreliable in close combat. He can possibly fail his leadership test doing little damage where a commissar with a power weapon is always effective. He also has the added bonus of increasing leadership and by extension the likely hood of an order succeeding, making him a great candidate to support a heavy weapon squad.
Suggested Combos: The Commissar is an infantry support unit. He works well when attached to a blob or HWT. A Commissar and priest team can turn any infantry unit into a powerful close combat force.
Tactics: A commissar is a great addition to any infantry unit especially a forward one. A power blob should always have a commissar support in addition to the priest.
Evaluation: Semi-competitive
Rebuttal:
Lord Commissar
Composition: 1 independent character
Comments: The Lord Commissar is a hybrid support/combat HQ choice that dramatically increases the effectiveness of infantry. For a few more points a LC, has all the abilities of a Commissar as well as the utility of a morale test bubble. Being an independent character also him to protect himself in a stronger squad making him a good choice as warlord. He is also the strongest non-character unit the guard have with high scores all around. He can also take the Heirlooms of Conquest upgrades further increasing his effectiveness. Nearly every warlord trait is a great improvement since he can transfer any abilities to his attached unit as well as possibly make use of orders traits, which is his one weakness over the CCS.
Suggested Combos: The Lord Commissar attached to a blob is a great way to protect all your infantry units as well as the LC.
Tactics: Everywhere there is infantry a LC excels. The more the better.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
Commissar Yarrick
Composition: 1 independent character
Comments: The Commissar Yarrick is a hybrid support/combat HQ choice that dramatically increases the effectiveness of infantry. He costs more than two LC, but adds many abilities that more than make up for his cost. Everything that is strong about a lord commissar is even better on Yarrick, since he can also give orders he makes a great replacement for all other HQ choices mean can take Yarrick and feel comfortable you are getting the best of all worlds.
He is the most durable character in the guard with strong saves and powerful natural weapons as well as his ability to get back up after his death. The ability to hide inside the blob or a group of Ogryn/Bullgryn makes him even more durable. He is also a strong damage dealer with his power claw weapon. He won’t one shot characters like Straken will, however combined with the right units it is likely that Yarrick maybe unkillable even before his revive ability is activated. Suggested Combos: Yarrick attached to a blob is a great way to protect all your infantry units as well as Yarrick. Yarrick himself should always be partnered with a unit that has a priest. It dramatically increases his longevity. Yarrick and Straken make a good team in a high points game.
Tactics: Yarrick in a blob is a hard to remove unit. As such, he should be your vanguard unit charging forth absorbing wounds allowing for other units to accomplish your goals. Though he is a powerhouse in CC, he is not always the best choice in a challenge against a CC based enemy character. He is not invincible (though near to it) and his damage potential is better served destroying the enemy squad since he cannot instant kill most MEQ or TEQ characters. It may be more wise to a Sgt absorb the challenge especially if the enemy is not using an unwieldy weapon.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
Ministorum Priest
Composition: 1 independent character
Comments: The priest is a support unit assists you infantry in close combat. The priest is a power house. For very cheap, you get a character that is durable with a +4 invulnerable save and grants fearless to the unit he supports. This alone is a huge bonus to any infantry unit. He is extra effective in close combat. In addition, he war hymns ability grants a smash, reroll armor/invulnerable saves, or reroll failed wounds on a leadership test. He also naturally applies hatred due to the Zealot rule. This makes him an auto include to any close combat oriented unit as well as just a large unit that needs support.
His downside is his leadership is low. The war hymn ability might fail so relying on his smash attack is not a great idea. However, his other abilities are so great he is hard not to like, especially at his bargain price.
Suggested Combos: A priest with a blob is a great choice. Priests also support dedicated combat units like Ogryn/Bullgryns or a Straken CCS. A PCS with flamers or Veteran squad with shotguns is also a good choice. Tactics: Any forward infantry unit would benefit greatly from having a priest. Because of his utility, he is not the best pick for a challenge. It is better to sit back and reroll saves or chew up units with his smash attack. Combined with Straken’s FC bonus, his smash attack can one hit most characters and hatred ensures he will get at least one of his attacks through. Even if it fails, the risk is not much since the unit is so cheap.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 24, 2014 1:22:46 GMT -5
Commissar Rebuttal: While a Priest is good for making Guard infantry more capable in an assault, the Commissar adds a second layer of redundancy to a properly constructed gunline. The Summary Execution rule only takes effect after a test has been failed, including any re-rolls that the unit in question is entitled to. A unit with a Commissar within 12" of a Regimental Standard rolls against a re-rollable Ld 9 for Morale, Fear, and Pinning tests. If that test is somehow failed, the player can choose to have one of his models executed in order to automatically pass the test. Needless to say, this is huge. A unit that is essentially guaranteed to never run away or be pinned is a unit that needs to be wiped off the table in order to be moved. Add to this the fact that your Commissars do not need to be assigned to specific units until Warlord traits have been chosen, and you have a lot of options when it comes to picking the right place for your political officers.
Evaluation: Competitive
Lord Commissar Rebuttal: The only circumstance in which a Lord Commissar can be your Warlord is if you do not have a Company Command Squad or Commissar Yarrick in your primary detachment. As a result, the Lord Commissar will tend not to benefit from Warlord traits, and any list below 2,000 points that has a Lord Commissar as its Warlord will have a severely diminished Orders capacity, especially when it comes to access to the Senior Officer orders.
Evaluation: Semi-Competitive
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Post by yvain on Apr 24, 2014 5:49:28 GMT -5
Since the priest already makes the unit fearless I feel like these rules while great don't contribute much more to the squad. I mean, I think its great for the other reasons I mentinoed, but it most cases I would just take the priest. Hence the semi competitive rating.
I did read something the other day I have been playing wrong. Everytime it says take a leadership test (minus psykic powers) you must take it on the highest model. So even though it may say the priest makes a leadership test of war hymn specifically it is really saying he takes highest leadership then makes the test. This includes the OOF, who always uses the company commander.
In this case, a priest and commissar buddy cop team lets the priest use his powers at leadership 9, which is pretty awesome.
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Post by Comrade on Apr 24, 2014 6:30:24 GMT -5
I'm with sharps on this, and would actually suggest against the team combo, for the cost to benefit ratio I believe we are better off with one, or the other.
Commissar = Ld9 w/ sudo-fearless (with added bonus of going to ground.... if thats your thing) Priest= Hatred/Fearless w/ Ld7
Both are competitive
Commissar comes with a 75% initial pass rate for LD tests + fearless for the low low cost of 3-5 pts per reroll (<---sort of) he is optimal for shooting/ranged squads / defensive
Priests come with 58% ld pass rate, but come with fearless + hatred, better for CC units
pretty sure War Hymnns are on the priests LD, kind of like Psychic powers are based off the psyker not the highest ld in squad.
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Post by yvain on Apr 24, 2014 6:42:13 GMT -5
Both the war hymn and the intercept reserves simply state they take a leadership test, which under the rule book states you always use the highest leadership. Psy powers have a line that said only the psyker can ever take the test. There is nothing specific indicated by either the Hymn or the intercept power that makes it different than a regular LD test. So as far as I can see, it works highest Leadership. I still think I agree with you guys, but that is what the rebuttal section is for
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Post by AshotNINJA on Apr 24, 2014 6:54:22 GMT -5
Will you be including forge world releases into this list aswell?... like the leman russ annialator... vulture... the forgotten ordanance medusa bombard griffon etc?... they are still very much valid units and still allowed
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 24, 2014 13:28:38 GMT -5
Will you be including forge world releases into this list aswell?... like the leman russ annialator... vulture... the forgotten ordanance medusa bombard griffon etc?... they are still very much valid units and still allowed As it says in the OP, we're sticking to codex units only for simplicity. Incidentally, we're not even reviewing Codex: Militarum Tempestus.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 24, 2014 19:36:51 GMT -5
I'm compiling all of this into a .doc file as we speak. Let's try to get some more reviewers, shall we?
Techpriests, by Julian Sharps
Composition: 1 Techpriest
Techpriests are a good unit to have around if you have a lot of tanks and other vehicles. For the reasonable price of four meltaguns, you have a unit that does two amazing things. First, there's his always useful repair ability, which if he gives up his shooting (which he usually should anyway), can restore one lost Hull Point or repair an Immobilized or Weapon Destroyed result on any one friendly vehicle that he is in base contact with in your Shooting Phase. While normally it only happens on a d6 roll of 5+, you can put him in a unit of up to five Servitors to help lower that minimum roll, by 1 per Servitor equipped with a Servo-Arm. As a result, for a mere 90 points, you can have a Techpriest unit that is guaranteed to make a repair on a vehicle that needs it.
The second amazing thing is that, if he gives up his shooting, he can give a nearby friendly vehicle from Codex: Astra Militarum the Power of the Machine Spirit USR, which allows the vehicle to fire one additional weapon at full BS, at either the same or another target from the rest of the vehicle's shooting attacks. This is helpful if you're using a Leman Russ MBT or a Leman Russ Demolisher, as it allows the tank to fire the hull mount at full BS even though the rest of the tank is firing an Ordnance weapon. If you're within range, you could even let a fast tank like a Hellhound move Flat Out and still fire a weapon.
Additionally, and this is an additionally that is often overlooked by other reviews of this unit, the Servo Arm that every Techpriest and Servitor comes with is an AP 1 power fist. This means that a Techpriest, with a Servitor retinue, can and will wreck any vehicle short of a Land Raider that they can catch in an assault. It makes for a decent counter-assault unit, too, all for the price of a barebones combat squad of Space Marine Tactical Marines.
Granted, the Servitors that accompany him are dumber than a bag of hammers if he's not with them, and they're more useful with their Servo-Arms repairing things than shooting, but this unit is certainly worth considering, especially if you like your tanks.
Evaluation: Semi-Competitive
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 27, 2014 23:30:04 GMT -5
Infantry Platoon, by Julian Sharps The Infantry Platoon is the defining Troops choice available to the Imperial Guard. For most sides, taking a command squad, several basic infantry units and heavy support elements constitutes an entire army; this is certainly true for Space Marines. The Imperial Guard call all of that a Troops choice.
An Imperial Guard Infantry Platoon consists of no less than one Platoon Command Squad and two Infantry Squads. Optionally, an Infantry Platoon can add up to an additional three Infantry Squads, up to five Heavy Weapon Squads, up to three Special Weapon Squads, and up to one unit of 20-50 Conscripts. A potential 173 infantry (counting heavy weapon teams as the two-man teams they are and not the single two-wound model that GW seems to think they are), with up to 20 heavy weapons and up to 18 special weapons, and six dedicated transports in a single Troops choice is a truly glorious thing. The Infantry Platoon is the Troops choice of choice for Imperial Guard players who intend to hold an objective, come what may.
However, even such a formidable array of wounds and firepower is not indestructible or immovable. These brave (and ultimately expendable) men and women are not Space Marines, although with the proper support they can become the next best thing. With a paltry Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, and Toughness of 3, a merely average Leadership value of 7, and a laughably low 5+ Armor Save, an individual Guardsman is no match for a Space Marine, or an Ork, or an Eldar, or just about anything they will be up against. This is why they come in such large numbers, and this is why they must be outfitted accordingly. In order to be effective, the Platoon must be set up to have the odds in its favor when it strikes. One lascannon can miss; two are statistically likely to score a hit, three have a chance to do damage, while six are likely to severely damage or kill a single target.
Furthermore, the sheer variety of options available to an Infantry Platoon means that it can be specialized toward a specific function in your army; one platoon may be equipped to hold objectives, another may be your primary firebase, while yet another may be mounted up in Chimeras or Tauroxen to serve as a fast-moving spearhead for an armored assault.
In any event, target overload is critical. Infantry Platoons enable you to field an intimidating mass of warm bodies with guns, or enough AV 12 vehicles to overwhelm most other lists' anti-transport capability. Use this ability – the psychology of being outnumbered and outgunned can cause all but the most competent players to start second-guessing their tactics, especially when most of the units they're shooting at cost less than a hundred points and are essentially expendable. Most metagames tend to focus on fighting 30-40 Space Marines and a couple tanks; the same lists built to fight these usually balk at fighting over 100 men plus a dozen mid-to-high AV tanks.
A serious downside, though, is that platoons no longer count as a single unit for purposes of Reserves; this makes it troublesome for Warlords with the Grand Strategist Warlord trait to bring a substantial force in by Outflanking. Until the FAQ says otherwise, platoon-based lists should bring a number of small, hard-hitting units such as Veterans, Hellhounds, or Leman Russes in the event that this Warlord trait is rolled. Regardless, there is always a place for the infantry in any Imperial Guard list.
Evaluation: Competitive
This one's just for the Platoon as a whole; others can write the reviews for their individual elements.
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Post by yvain on Apr 29, 2014 11:55:22 GMT -5
If you're within range, you could even let a fast tank like a Hellhound move Flat Out and still fire a weapon. Evaluation: Semi-Competitive I don't think POTMS works that way. I am not sure you are allowed to do this.
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Post by yvain on Apr 29, 2014 19:40:14 GMT -5
Manticore
Composition: 1 Vehicle
Comments: The Manticore is the most expensive artillery piece in the guard arsenal and also the most versatile. Its main weapon is a Strength 10 AP 4 large blast that has the potential to increase to three blast total. This extra fire power makes the Manticore dangerous to every target in the game. The ability to score multiple wounds on a target as well as instant death wounds on T5 and below ensures something will die if a hit is scored. In addition, the weapon is ordnance with barrage. With Strength 10 and rolling 2 dice picking the highest for penetration on side armor, the Manticore is likely to kill most vehicles outright simply from hits. This is something most dedicated tank killer units cannot do. The Manticore does have drawbacks. It is pricy and cannot be placed in a squadron. In addition, it has a low armor value so is easily taken out. It also cannot be fired directly so never gains assistance from its ballistic skill. Lastly, it only has 4 shots from its main weapon though it most games 4 will be enough. Regardless of these weaknesses, the sheer versatility of the weapon system makes the Manticore a very effective artillery system. It is a true all arounder that can easily find a place in most lists. Suggested Combo: Pskyers with divination really help the Manticore shine.
Tactics: Because of the potential three blast, you can possible use the extra shots to walk onto a missed target. Because of its price and weak armor, the Manticore should be hidden far away from any attacks preferably behind LOS.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
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Post by Julian Sharps on Apr 30, 2014 0:42:19 GMT -5
If you're within range, you could even let a fast tank like a Hellhound move Flat Out and still fire a weapon. Evaluation: Semi-Competitive I don't think POTMS works that way. I am not sure you are allowed to do this. So it would seem. It will be stricken from the finished product.
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Post by yvain on Apr 30, 2014 10:46:25 GMT -5
Basilisk
Composition: 1 Vehicle up to a squadron of 3
Comments: The Basilisk is a heavy artillery weapon designed to target MEQ infantry. The primary weapon is a large blast at Strength 9 Ap 3 ordinance weapon. The high strength and ordinance makes striking vehicles a good choice as well. The Basilisk hits very hard and will kill most MEQ and special characters out right. The Basilisk itself is lightly armored and open topped, which means it will fall easy to enemy fire. In addition, the short minimum range means that it is likely the Basilisk will be unable to to direct fire. Against small targets the Basilisk is likely to miss and by around turn 3 it is possible to wear out its usefulness due to friendly fire possibilities. Against lighter infantry it loses out to the Wyvern due to the latter’s price and killing power. Over all the Basilisk is a solid vehicle that brings a powerful weapon for a relatively low cost. A few of these can find their way into most lists comfortably. Suggested Combo: Basilisk are good taking with other artillery. Squadron Basilisks with Psyker support are devastating. Tactics: A single basilisk is a good way to add some long distance killing power to your list. Hiding behind a defense line or out of line of sight gives the Basilisk the protection it needs. Basilisks with their extreme range and barrage rule give guard the power to outshoot every army out there. This killing power is hard for the enemy to ignore and will force him to commit resources to hunt it down lest he lose whole squads every turn.
Evaluation: Semi-Competitive
Rebuttal:
Wyvern
Composition: 1 Vehicle up to a squadron of 3
Comments: The Wyvern is an infantry killer. While its main weapon is weak, the special rules and multiple shots ensure it is a threat nearly all infantry on the battlefield. The main weapons are 4 twin-linked Strength 4 AP 6 small blasts with shred and ignore cover. The key rules here are twin-linking and shred. The multiple twin linked blast templates ensure that your attacks gain hits. And shred ensures that they wound regardless of the enemies toughness. It is not uncommon to score more wounds than there are models in the target due to these combinations. The AP is low, however this is not as bad as it sounds. Because of wound saturation, it is likely that even high armor save targets will not make every save. In addition, several annoying key units that increase their saves with cover (scouts, pathfinders, guardsmen) will fall quickly to the Wyvern barrage for the same reason. The Wyvern does have two serious disadvantages. Its main weapon is short ranged for an artillery piece and its armor value and open topped status mean it is easy to kill. This problem is of little concern because of the Wyvern's price. It is so cheap that it can be thrown away with littler fear. For something so effective, it is almost a must include in most lists.
Suggested Combo: The Wyvern works best when teamed up with other artillery pieces to ensure your first turn strike is powerful. It can be powerful as support for Leman Russ tank squads or Chimeras.
Tactics: Because it is so weak and short ranged, the Wyvern needs to be places into cover and behind LOS. Insure that it has a shot before placing and then watch it wreck havoc upon the enemy. It also is a good vehicle to hide behind you mechanized line to support you infantry. Since it is twin linked, it lessens the chance for friendly fire.
Evaluation: Competitive
Rebuttal:
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Post by yvain on May 9, 2014 10:34:11 GMT -5
We could use some more people to contribute to this.
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