Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello new to 40k and I could really use some help/advice on building my army to a playable size. I’ve chosen the Imperial Guard and here is what I have so far.

Troops
27 Guardsmen with lasguns
4 Guardsmen with VOX
3 Guardsmen with Gernade launchers
2 Guardsmen with Flammers
4 Sergeants with laspistols and chainswords

Fast Attack
1 sentinel with lascannon

HQ
2 officers, one with laspistol and chainsword and one with bolt pistol and chainsword
Vets
1 Sniper
1 metla
1 regimental banner with powersword
1 Plasma gun
1 medic
2 VOX with lasguns
1 plasma pistol

From what I’ve read on the forum it seems the autocannon is the best choice on a sentinel. It was actually the first model I put together and I was about halfway through before I realized I could only put one gun on.

I’m guessing the HQ is terrible too. I pretty much just randomly put the models together with no thought to a battleplan.

and I have a few questions:

1.) Do all guardsmen squads come with frag grenades by default? I know some of my guardsmen don’t have frags on them because I thought they were for show. Do I need them on each model?

2.) With the command squads I put a the peice that is laspistol in its holster on the sniper because I thought it looked good. Do I need to remove this because it counts as a functional laspistol or is it just for show?

3.) Are the VOX guardsmen a waste? So far with every squad I put a VOX in with them because of the ability to use the highest leadership.

I have no experience in playing a game yet so any advice would be greatly helpful.

Hmm i dont have my dex with me but i think you HQ is illegal. To many men or something haha cant place it. Also wouldnt worry about the pistols or stuff like that chances are you wont be playing with anyone who would care maybe in tournaments it would but i dont think you will be there for a while maybe some day. And about the grenades i put them on for show and just in case i want to give them to the squad so it's really a win win . Just tell me if you have any other questions ill get my codex for your questions later if you have any. O and also you have to much stuff for each squad you can only have one sergeant per squad also only one special weapon and one vox. Each squad has to have 10 men. You have roughly enough to make three, so three sarges, 3 vox and 3 special weapons all of this per squad.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Hmm i dont have my dex with me but i think you HQ is illegal. To many men or something haha cant place it. Also wouldnt worry about the pistols or stuff like that chances are you wont be playing with anyone who would care maybe in tournaments it would but i dont think you will be there for a while maybe some day. And about the grenades i put them on for show and just in case i want to give them to the squad so it's really a win win . Just tell me if you have any other questions ill get my codex for your questions later if you have any. O and also you have to much stuff for each squad you can only have one sergeant per squad also only one special weapon and one vox. Each squad has to have 10 men. You have roughly enough to make three, so three sarges, 3 vox and 3 special weapons all of this per squad.

I meant them as two HQs a CCS and a PCS I wasn't sure of the terminology so I just lumped them together. Wasn't aware of the one special weapon per squad thats helpful guess I'll need some more guardsmen.

oo okay yeah sorry for the confusion. On a reg guard squad you can only have a grenade launcher or Flame thrower. Also have a choice of a heavy weapon team so you have to think about that too i normally run a sarge with cc weapon and las-pistol. Then a flame thrower and either a Auto-cannon team or a Heavy bolter team. Either way just think about your choices carefully. any other question hit me up.
And on your CCS and PCS i would put as much plasma as you can. also get rid of the sniper wasted points and option.

Thanks for your help. Luckly I had a guardsmen box I didn't mess with so I dug up my remaining HQ bits and got the spare plasma gun and metla. For my CCS I managed to tear off the commandes las pistol and give him a plasma pistol instead. Also have 2 plasma guns (need to get some more). Are heavy flamers a good choice for CCS?


So far this is what I have. I figure once I throw in 2 heavy weapons and a chimera or two I'll be ready for my first game.

217 pts

HQ 52 pts
PCS with commander with bolt pistol and 4 flamers

Troops 165 pts
3 infantry squad with 3 GL

Try and get some heavies such as Autocannons or even Lascannons.


You can have a melta or a plasma in a guard squad but these are probably wasted. GL/AC is a good combination to use.

Kit up your CCS with flamers and maybe kit your PCS out as tank/MEQ hunting unit with plasma/melta.

Also, drop one of the Infantry squads and make it a veteran squad and you have a legal army (1HQ and two troops).

zorro wrote:
1.) Do all guardsmen squads come with frag grenades by default? I know some of my guardsmen don’t have frags on them because I thought they were for show. Do I need them on each model?

2.) With the command squads I put a the peice that is laspistol in its holster on the sniper because I thought it looked good. Do I need to remove this because it counts as a functional laspistol or is it just for show?

3.) Are the VOX guardsmen a waste? So far with every squad I put a VOX in with them because of the ability to use the highest leadership.

I have no experience in playing a game yet so any advice would be greatly helpful.

1.) most, but not all do. The codex tells you who has them.

2.) anyone who gives you crap about decorative weapons on your minis belts that you're not ever going to use isn't worth playing with.

3.) generally. They're really only useful if you absolutely NEED to get the order off. Unfortunately the squads the benefit most from voxes can't take them (SWSs, HWSs, etc.), which means they're usually a waste.

As for sentinels, the best weapon you can take for them is the heavy flamer, as that keeps them cheap and nicely dovetails with their abilities against S3 infantry in close combat. After that, I'd probably say the lascannon, as it's still pretty cheap, but it actually poses a viable threat to your opponent that they can't ignore (thus they make nice distractions).

As for what you have so far, the best list you can put together looks like this:

CCS: bolt pistol, standard 2x flamers.

PCS: meltagun, plasma gun
PIS: grenade launcher
PIS: grenade launcher
PIS: grenade launcher

Sentinel: lascannon

For 352 points. Unfortunately, you still don't have a legal list yet. I'd focus next no making another PIS and getting some more, better special weapons (more melta and perhaps plasma).

After that, it's a matter of where you want to branch out, now that you have your army's core.

Moving to lists

instead of standard squads i perfer to have vetran squads a bit more expensive but 3 secial weps and bs 4 is good

Vulkan_He'stan wrote:instead of standard squads i perfer to have vetran squads a bit more expensive but 3 secial weps and bs 4 is good

Praise the Emperor!

Ailaros wrote:I'd focus next no making another PIS and getting some more, better special weapons (more melta and perhaps plasma).

On special weapons where exactly is the best place to obtain them? Buying command squads just for the melta and plasma doesn't seem reasonable. Also reading other member's IG list I see some include shotguns, where can you get those?

Personally, I bought a bunch of plastic meltagun bitz and mounted them in grenade launcher arms. I did them in plastic from the war store (back when they were $5 a pop), but I know you can do it with the 5x metal melgatun thing tat GW has on direct order (it's just that converting metal is much more obnoxious).

Ailaros wrote:Personally, I bought a bunch of plastic meltagun bitz and mounted them in grenade launcher arms. I did them in plastic from the war store (back when they were $5 a pop), but I know you can do it with the 5x metal melgatun thing tat GW has on direct order (it's just that converting metal is much more obnoxious).

$6, I see why building your army is a long process Thanks for all your help.

I highly recommend you get a Leman Russ tank, or 9. IG tanks are easily the best and make things so much easier for you to stomp all over the other guy.
My personal bane is the Executioner with Plasma sponsons. Its quite pricey but in small battles its proved itself by wiping out Tactical squads and Boyz mobs quickly.

Also consider the Banewolf when facing MEQ for making MEQ disappear. The Valkyrie/Vendetta is another goody, very flexible with options and lets you redeploy units when things go a bit off course.

Eyclonus wrote:I highly recommend you get a Leman Russ tank, or 9. IG tanks are easily the best and make things so much easier for you to stomp all over the other guy.
My personal bane is the Executioner with Plasma sponsons. Its quite pricey but in small battles its proved itself by wiping out Tactical squads and Boyz mobs quickly.

Also consider the Banewolf when facing MEQ for making MEQ disappear. The Valkyrie/Vendetta is another goody, very flexible with options and lets you redeploy units when things go a bit off course.

Haha I'd love to have a Leman Russ but I'm focusing on having a legal army. I have yet to play my fist game yet just trying to field an army.

What kind of sentinel do you have, is it armoured or a scout patten, just out of interest?

If it is an armoured sentinel, then here is a 500pt legal list based on Ailaros' one.

HQ: CCS: bolt pistol, regemental standard, two flamers

Troops: Infantry Platoon
PCS: Meltagun, plasmagun, grenade launcher
PIS: grenade launcher
PIS: grenade launcher
HWS: 3x autocannons

Veteran squad
3 meltaguns

armoured sentinel
lascannon


The items in red you'd have to buy.

wizard12 wrote:What kind of sentinel do you have, is it armoured or a scout patten, just out of interest?

It's a armored sentinel forgot to mention that

Also would a heavy flamers or 2 worth adding?

Been awhile since I've posted but I finally was able to add some more models to my growing IG force.

Heres all the models I currently have.

Troops

32 Guardsmen with lasguns
4 Guardsmen with VOX
4 Guardsmen with Gernade launchers
4 Guardsmen with Flammers
5 Sergeants with laspistols and chainswords

Fast Attack

1 armored sentinal with lascannon

Support

1 heavy weapons team autocannon

HQ

2 officers, one with plasmapistol and chainsword and one with bolt pistol and chainsword

Vets/command squad

1 Sniper
2 metla
1 regimental banner with powersword
2 Plasma gun
1 medic
2 VOX with lasguns
1 plasma pistol

I have some more heavy weapon squads on the way. I was planning on making two of them AC and was wondering what I should make the others? Another AC or maybe a HB or LC?

I think you definitely need to add some HWS or tanks. Long Range Fire Power is really where it is at with the IG codex.

OverwatchCNC wrote:I think you definitely need to add some HWS or tanks. Long Range Fire Power is really where it is at with the IG codex.

Ya I could use some help with what types of heavy weapons squads to use. Going to add two more AC. Want to know if I should add more AC or some LC or HB.

as for which heavy weapons, get them on vehicles before you bother with getting them for infantry. HWSs put out worse firepower than their vehicular counterparts. If you want long range firepower, start with treads, and if you have points left over that you want to blow, give them to infantrymen.

Ailaros wrote:as for which heavy weapons, get them on vehicles before you bother with getting them for infantry. HWSs put out worse firepower than their vehicular counterparts. If you want long range firepower, start with treads, and if you have points left over that you want to blow, give them to infantrymen.

Working on getting vehicles but unfortunately I already purchased the HWS. So any ideas on what I should make them?

Autocannons or Lascannons are really to only viable option when it comes to heavy weapons. Personally I'd go all autocannons. They're pretty good at taking out light transports and sometimes MCs. Lascannons are good but for the number of points it is to put a lascannon in a squad is kind of a downside. Autocannons are cheap and they're good so I would go with them. Heavy bolters are meh. You can basically put them on other things like tanks or valks if you want when you eventually get there. I've heard mortars can be good when taken in mass, but that's more for a gimmicky army if anything (probably when you get more guys and armor I would only try that out). Missile launchers are good but if you're going to use those you might as well just upgrade them to Lascannons for the extra 5pts. There is an easy way to allow you some flexibility in making your heavy weapon teams. Don't glue the gun down on the tripod. Simple as that. It will allow you to switch between Autocannon and Lascannon (or heavy bolter if you really want).

Thanks for the help everyone. Still working on getting to play my first game. Working on a 500 point list. Heres what I have so far. I still need to get 2 meltaguns for the CCS.

Troops 312pts

PCS: bolt pistol, 4 flamers
PIS: grenade launcher, AC
PIS: grenade launcher, AC
PIS: grenade launcher, AC
PIS: grenade launcher, AC

HQ 100pts
CCS: plasma pistol, 4 meltas

Fast Attack 70pts
armored sentinel w/ lascannon

total 482pts

I was thinking about dropping a PIS and getting a chimera with heavy bolters and flamers to use with my CCS. Any suggestions?

Looking good. But that's still an illegal list. You need to fill 2 troops choices. Your current PCS plus all those PIS are still just one Troops slot on the FOC. I suggest splitting it up some how if you have the troops into 2 PCS and 2 PIS each. Or have 1 PCS + 3 PIS and 1 Vet squad. At least then you'll be able to start playing games.
Also a chimera would be good for your HQ if they have melta. You can get them in front of armor faster and it is added protection against enemy foot sloggers.

That and you've really got to get some real power in your infantry list. Just a couple GLs and ACs won't cut it.

Also, you're going to want a commissar or some other form of stubborn.

Well seeing that he's eventually going to get a Russ or 2 there is an easy way to get melta guns (i.e. "real power") out of that to save you some dough. The Multimelta sponsons that come with the LR will probably never be used. I have never seen anyone use them so what you can do is split it down the middle of the barrels and right there you have 2 melta gun barrels you can attach to the end of a Flammer (after cutting off the Flamer barrel) or GL. So with one LR kit you can get 4 melta guns out of it. Easy way of getting those without shelling out 15 some dollars to get a Plasma and Melta gun unit. Plasma guns on the other hand are going to be more difficult. Try looking around bitz websellers or bitz trading at your FLGS.

For low point games I'm a big fan of the hydra. 4 twinlinked autocannon shots are an extremely effective means of light-armor hunting for 75 points. I made mine from Aegis defense line quad gun turrets and a chimera chassis. It took very little real modeling, and was a lot cheaper than going to forgeworld. Another good option would be a hellhound. Hellhounds with multimelta make for an excellent front runner, either popping front running enemy vehicles or laying the hurt on any quickly advancing enemy infantry. This gives you the luxury of choosing targets from your unmolested back field while your enemy has to focus some of his anti-tank on your hellhound. Hellhounds with flamers make for a very potent anti-infantry, and have the speed and armor to ram or tankshock a surprising number of other units.

That said, there really is no replacement for the Leman Russ and the Vendetta gunship. Both would make excellent additions to your growing army, arguably more effective ones when your army starts reaching higher point values than the hydra or the hellhound.

Also: Ailaros is right, get a commissar. Having your infantry run off the field is no fun. Stubborn is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY in an infantry focused army.

Ok so I'll get a couple commissars. For vets are shotguns a good choice or should I get something else? I know I still need some meltas waiting to find some cheap ones. Also I read that starting out its best to focus on troops or vechicles if this a good idea?

Being a fledgling IG player myself, I've found its good to pick either one BEFORE you start buying. I've got a pretty big balance of vehicles and troops because I just bought willy-nilly, resulting in 2 russes unbuilt and most things proxying other things. But balanced lists aren't bad.

I don't personally like shotguns because if you're in range to shoot you're in range to assault and a 10 man guard squad isn't gonna cut it in the assault, veterans or not.

if you're just gonna shoot you don't want to HAVE to get within assault range to do it, IMO