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Im just getting into the game, i've only been looking up stuff for the last 4 or 5 days but... Im beginning to think I mightve picked the most popular race. I dont really care, they're the ones that caught my eye and I like the idea of them. I am just curious if thats what everyone else is going to be playing too.

Don't worry - no matter how popular any other race is, Space Marines will always remain number 1.

Imperial Guard are really popular right now, because their Codex was just redone. Orks, Chaos and Space Marines are at least as popular as IG.

I would probably say more so (in regards to MinMax and Orks, SM, and the Khaos). There is a lot of IG threads nowadays, but I don't believe it represents the overall popularity of IG. You go to a tourney and you probably see maybe one or two more IG players with the usual mix in place.

I think the new codex will increase the popularity, but once people realize that you need either a butt-load of troops or tanks, they'll stick with their bolters or choppas.

IG have always been a bit of second tier army in terms of popularity, but much like Orks before them, they are getting a huge shot in the arm. Lots of guys are digging their armies out, others are starting long dreamed of armies. Some of the popularity will last, a lot won't.

I'm psyched enough to have pulled out all my unassembled, unpainted IG I've collected over the years...

But the thought of actually PAINTING all of them is making me hyperventilate with terror!

I heard that the codex was new so I figured thats where a lot of it came from... as for painting all these units lol... these things are so tiny, I have no idea how im going to do it. Im not much of a painter so we'll see. Do you guys paint with a magnifying glass?

I kind of want to give them all white uniforms but I guess Cadians need to look like Cadians...

Cadians can look how ever you want them to man. Make up your own army. Make up your own back stories, make it ridiculous like your commander eats hive tyrants for breakfast (literally) ITs all in your field now. Guard are actually rather simple once you figure out the tips on them. They look great with a base coat/dry brush highlight and then a wash. So go ahead and paint them white. Go CRAZY!! you paid for the buggers, at least make the decisions on them.
Good luck BTW, IG can be a real bad ass army with a few smart choices. (AND LOTS OF TERRAIN TO HIDE IN)

I have an IG army painted in the colors of the Cadian 8th. It took a long time. For what its worth, however, I've done some test models with a hap-hazard camo pattern. It easy, faster, and looks decent on the table top. If I had to start an IG army from scratch, I'd probably do a camo pattern.

Theres a good tutorial on "woodland camo IG" or something in the modeling and painting section.

IG are a mid-pack army. Nowhere near Marines, but fairly popular, similar to the other second-tier armies of Orks & Eldar.

What do you mean by "second tier" ?

First tier of sales is Marines
Second tier of sales is Guard, Orks, Eldar
...
Bottom tier of sales is Dark Eldar

and a negative tier is squats...

I think the Imperial Guard are one of the more popular armies at the moment for several reasons. They have a lot of tatical flexability in their lists and they have a ton of very unique army factions to choose from. They are basicly like several armies in one. 2 Guard armies can have completely opposite lists and 2 different schemes and both win and look great doing it. The variety gives them a lot of appeal. A lot of new Chaos loyalist armies popping up which is a fun idea too.

There's a surge of interest in IG right now as they have their first really interesting codex.

However, I suspect that the interest will die down shortly and there'll be lots of half-finished IG armies on eBay.

JRedbeard wrote:I heard that the codex was new so I figured thats where a lot of it came from... as for painting all these units lol... these things are so tiny, I have no idea how im going to do it. Im not much of a painter so we'll see. Do you guys paint with a magnifying glass?

I kind of want to give them all white uniforms but I guess Cadians need to look like Cadians...

You don't need to paint them the same. There are millions of different regiments and only the 8th Cadian looks like the 8th Cadian. You could paint the 127th Cadian, with purple sleeves and pink helmets. In fact I remember that in 4th ed IG there was a Cadian Orbital Defence force that was kinda white and grey.

I played IG back in the day, and I'll be using part of my summer vacation to get my all new army up and running.
They're the easiest to identify with for me. 10+ years ago you couldn't give them the armoured punch they needed. Now you can, so I'm looking forward to some interesting battles.

Yes, you need loads of troopers. They're definitely not the cheapest army around. So be it. I managed to get hold of two of the former Catachan battleforce box sets (with two Sentinels and no command squad) just before they replaced them with the current ones, so my basic troop needs are settled. If GW doesn't release Veteran models, I'll use Cadians to fill that slot. It fits in the fluff I made up for my army structure.

Why should your Cadians be Cadians, if you get my drift. Paint them any way you like!
My IG army is the 94th Helgio Expeditionary Battlegroup, consisting of several regiments and battalions. Armoured infantry, Airborne, Light Armoured Cav, Heavy Armoured Cav and Arty are all seperate regiments, allowing me loads of flexibility as to which models to use and how to paint them.

My IG are the personal army of an Inquisitor. I have a common paint scheme of red and white, but I use Armeggedon steel Legion (Penal Legion), Cadians for the main thrust of the army, and Catachans for Veterans. You can mix it up however you want and that is appealing to me. Plus the range of models for IG allow for cross conversions and mixed units.

barlio wrote:I would probably say more so (in regards to MinMax and Orks, SM, and the Khaos). There is a lot of IG threads nowadays, but I don't believe it represents the overall popularity of IG. You go to a tourney and you probably see maybe one or two more IG players with the usual mix in place.

I think the new codex will increase the popularity, but once people realize that you need either a butt-load of troops or tanks, they'll stick with their bolters or choppas.

Hmmm...I don't want to paint too many bodies or tanks..go back to Orks...um, Orks are a bigger tank/guy spam than IG


Automatically Appended Next Post:

barlio wrote:My IG are the personal army of an Inquisitor. I have a common paint scheme of red and white, but I use Armeggedon steel Legion (Penal Legion), Cadians for the main thrust of the army, and Catachans for Veterans.

You're using ASL models for Penal Legion?????!!!!!! SHAME!!!!!!!

Scott-S6 wrote:There's a surge of interest in IG right now as they have their first really interesting codex.

However, I suspect that the interest will die down shortly and there'll be lots of half-finished IG armies on eBay.

I agree with this for two reasons:

1. Guard is an expensive army!!! Both Mech and Foot guard cost a ton of money expecially now that the basic infantry squad has suffered such a massive price increase. I have already dropped $1400 on mine and have another 200 planned in purchases to crank it up to Ard Boyz Level.

2. Guard is a big army, and lots of people buy more than they are willing to paint.

I do think this will not see as high of a loss as usual. Depite the fact that Guard has always been my favorite army I have never used them except as a secondary army. Not any more!

This is the first time in 15 years of playing that I feel I am really playing with a top level army and not an also ran when I break out my guardsmen. That is a huge change for me!!! No question that I will be playing guard as my primary army for a long time to come!!!

IG are very popular, especially for those military fanatics.

They are very similar to modern soldiers.

Scott-S6 wrote:There's a surge of interest in IG right now as they have their first really interesting codex.

i dunno, the last one wasnt too bad

dirkthe1 wrote:

Scott-S6 wrote:There's a surge of interest in IG right now as they have their first really interesting codex.

i dunno, the last one wasnt too bad

The last one was "ok" and if you liked the play style you would enjoy it. The reason it was not so popular was because there were a very limited number of competitive builds, none that were tier 1. If you did not enjoy a drop style army or a huge guyspam army then you would not enjoy guard.

The new book allows for a moblie style of army that has never been possible before. This works especially well as 5th eddition favors mech builds, and IG has one of the best.

I think IG is popular and all and people bought the codex and stuff, but when people realized how many models they had to buy and how much they would have to paint....

I don't even want to paint 17 terminators and 3 LR's, I couldn't even imagine having to paint 50 guardsmen + all their transports.