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Been out of the loop for about ever, have played maybe 2 games since the latest 40k rulebook(not an expert). Was reopening the storage boxes and viola, guardsmen. So, passion rekindled, I churned out a list.

Purpose:
I'm aiming a 'something for everyone' kind of setup which hopefully won't equate to 'not enough for any one' because these are still squishy little guardsmen.

Key points of discussion:
Which advisor? Provided I do end up in a legitimate series of games where I can't pick and choose, I'm not positive which one provides the most benefit to this list.
Not enough anti tank?
Flying Things? I'm in a ground£ mentality as skepticism tells me that the valk is a cool model, so(following trend) on the table top it gets killed, the passengers die in the ensuing fireball, and I waste the points I spent on the whole shebang in turn 1.
Do sponson HB's get to kill stuff now? I've browsed several lists on here with them.
Missile launchers suck last I checked, yes, but I have 3 painstakingly modeled missile teams and I figure army comp at 1000pts + orders = mild chance of benefit for no real life $. They'll be scrapped for a las crew I'm already working on when the build goes to 1250.
Where do I add as I go up? Ideas for a balanced expansion to 1500 are much appreciated.

Total: 995

List:
Co. Command 110
Plasma x2
Advisorx1

Plt Command 85
Flame x4
Commissar

Squad 60
Autocannon

Squad 60
Autocannon

HWT 90
Missile Launchers

Veterans 155
Melta x3
Harker

Leman Russ 150
(Stock)

Leman Russ 150
(Stock)

Medusa 135

-IF- you were going to take sponsons, either take HB or HF, but I usually just leave my lemans stock.

I don't even think I would use an advisor with this list at all. If you take an astropath you have to keep things off the table which makes it easier for your opponent to wipe you out (especially considering your model count isn't very high at all.) If you take an officer of the fleet, it's too easy for someone to hold some badass unit in reserve that will come out on turn 3+ and just mop the floor with whatever you have left. Bodyguards and MoO, meh, no good.

Vendettas are great sources of anti-tank, maneuverability and a great outflanking option. They aren't necessary to win games, but in most situations, if you play them well, they will perform well.

ML are fine. They aren't great by any means, but they're cheaper than lascannons and have 2 modes of fire that work pretty well en masse.

Anyway, my problem with your list is that you have a lot of stuff that needs to sit still in order to do anything, and that just doesn't work very well. Half of your infantry squads have to sit still to fire, your CCS has to stay in range to issue orders splitting them and leaving them vulnerable and your veterans are left out in front to be blasted away by bolter fire on turn 1.

I would suggest better mobility and consider options that protect each rank as they advance whether it be more troops or better armed tanks, (maybe another leman instead of the medusa, for example.)

Troz wrote:
Which advisor? Provided I do end up in a legitimate series of games where I can't pick and choose, I'm not positive which one provides the most benefit to this list.

Meh, with your army and these points, you don't need them. Overall the Officer of the Fleet gets you the most. Master of Ordinance can't aim and makes your squad too static. Astropath is only needed in reserve lists which aren't very common for IG.

Not enough anti tank?

No, you don't have a reliable way to deliver your melta unharmed to your target. Generally take 3 units to handle 1 task because the first will die, the second will miss, and the third will actually do the job. Note that this doesn't have to mean spam the same type of unit.

In your list you really only have the melta squad on foot (bad, even with harker) and the Medusa (bad, because it's so easy to kill or stop from shooting).

Flying Things? I'm in a ground£ mentality as skepticism tells me that the valk is a cool model, so(following trend) on the table top it gets killed, the passengers die in the ensuing fireball, and I waste the points I spent on the whole shebang in turn 1.

Vendettas are great. Yes troops will die if the vehicle explodes, same goes for chimeras.....that's why you take 2-3 at a minimum to get the job done.

Do sponson HB's get to kill stuff now? I've browsed several lists on here with them.

Never take sponsons except on an executioner. Here is the reason why:

http://theback40k.blogspot.com/2009/05/get-your-armor-up-in-their-face.html

Missile launchers suck last I checked, yes, but I have 3 painstakingly modeled missile teams and I figure army comp at 1000pts + orders = mild chance of benefit for no real life $. They'll be scrapped for a las crew I'm already working on when the build goes to 1250.

They're okay, but autocannons out preform them overall. Missile Launchers probably have the best use against monstrous creatures.

Where do I add as I go up? Ideas for a balanced expansion to 1500 are much appreciated.

You need more bodies. Optimize the current list before jumping up on points.

List:
Co. Command 110
Plasma x2
Advisorx1

Don't need an advisor, get more guns instead. This squad is going to have a giant "Shoot Me" sign on it and will also be easy to avoid. If you want a plasma bomb, you'll need a chimera.

Plt Command 85
Flame x4
Commissar

Not bad, hide them within the infantry squads to act as a deterant. Never, ever put a commissar on a Platoon Command squad. There is no point what-so-ever. Save them for blobs of 20-30 guardsmen.

Personally I'd get some more mobility in your list. x4 Melta and a chimera or x4 flamers and a chimera would be good. Melta would be preferable.

Squad 60
Autocannon

Squad 60
Autocannon

Good

HWT 90
Missile Launchers

Low BS, Low LD, and very easy to kill. Remember that S6 will insta-kill an entire team. One chimera, warwalker, or assault cannon could wipe out the entire squad in a single round of shooting and force the rest to flee.

If you take these guys, hide them in cover.

Veterans 155
Melta x3
Harker

This is your only real anti-tank squad and it's on foot. Yes you can infiltrate/outflank and yes you get stealth.......they'll still be easy to avoid, kill in CC, or burn to death with flamers. Melta should be in a transport.

Leman Russ 150
(Stock)

Leman Russ 150
(Stock)

Good. Since you don't have a very offensive list, lascannons might be an okay choice for the hull. I personally prefer demolishers, but you don't really have any units to support them (chimeras/Vendettas/Sentinels).

Medusa 135

I'd drop this and get more bodies on the field. Remember that this vehicle must fire directly so it will always be in line of sight if you want to shoot. AV12, open-topped is easy to kill and S10 is a priority target. This guy will be one of the first to die.

Not a bad start, but needs some work.

Remove either the medusa or the harker squad (or both), and get some real troops choices. This means vets with chimeras, or infantry platoons with commissars, and either power weapons or plasma guns.

Nungunz wrote:
...Not a bad start, but needs some work.

That was awesomely helpful, particularly liked the link, thanks.

Resultant Changes:
Total still 995

CCS 80
Plasma x2

PCS 50
Flame x4

Squad 105
Autocannon
Commissar w/Power Weap.

Squad 60
Autocannon

HWT 90
Missile Launchers

Veterans 155
Melta x3
Chimera, ML/H.Flame

Veterans 155
Melta x3
Chimera, ML/H.Flame

Leman Russ 150

Leman Russ 150

5 points left, random 5 point assault weapon somewhere, probably for a flamer in the 20man infantry wad.

I am not an expert on guard but if you plan on taking the infantry platoon run them as a blob and give them a priest, flamers and give the sergeants a pw to make an ok tarpit. no autocannons.

a hydra would not be a bad idea in this list