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Hi, all. I'm making an Imperial Guard army list and I need some advice.

HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Carapace Armour, Regimental Standerd, and Vox Caster, Company Commander has Power Weapon.....130

Elites:
Storm Trooper Squad.....85
Ratling Squad (5).....50
Ogryn Squad.....130

Troops:
Infantry Platoon.....350
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster.....135
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster.....55
Infantry Squad.....50
Infantry Squad.....50
Heavy Weapons Squad.....60
Veteran Squad w/ Grenadiers and Vox Casters.....105 Chimera.....55

Fast Attack:
Vendeta.....130

Heavy Support:
Leamon russ Squad
Leman Russ w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Leman Russ w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Basilisk.....125

Armadeus wrote:Hi, all. I'm making an Imperial Guard army list and I need some advice.

HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Carapace Armour, Regimental Standerd, and Vox Caster, Company Commander has Power Weapon.....130

Elites:
Storm Trooper Squad.....85
Ratling Squad (5).....50
Ogryn Squad.....130

Troops:
Infantry Platoon.....350
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster.....135
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster.....55
Infantry Squad.....50
Infantry Squad.....50
Heavy Weapons Squad.....60
Veteran Squad w/ Grenadiers and Vox Casters.....105 Chimera.....55

Fast Attack:
Vendeta.....130

Heavy Support:
Leamon russ Squad
Leman Russ w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Leman Russ w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Basilisk.....125

Your list is all over the place.You got a little of everything that you're losing focus on what you want to do. Focus on at least some strategies of IG(Power Blob, Mechanized, Air cav, Parking lot etc.)
Once you've got your strategy you can build on the core units first before putting in some upgrades. (e.g. Platoons and commissars for Power blobs, mech vets in chimeras for AV 12 spam, etc.)

The only things you have that can threaten vehicles are on a small number of vehicles. Meanwhile you're running a lot of troops with just lasguns. This is particularly strange with veterans. One of the strengths of the Imperial Guard is its ability to hide upgrade weapons in squads. To make up the points I'd cut into the elites, the sponsons, and the upgrades that aren't guns.

Oh boy.....ok, let's see where I can go with this.

FOC Analysis

HQ: Drop the carapace. It's not worth it. AP4 weaponary is very prevalent, and your CCS should be in cover anyway. Similarly, drop the power weapon! A lone power weapon isn't going to do anything, and the CCS biggest strength is not in HTH...but in a list like this? Sitting back and giving orders. Vox and standard good.

Elites: ....one word. Why? Why do you need Ogryns? Why do you need unupgraded Storm Troopers? S3, AP3 weaponary isn't going to do very much, no matter where you put it. Stormies are expensive, and are better run by Vets in almost any circumstance. ESPECIALLY like this when you run them empty. Finally...Ogryns have their place! But they need to be heavily supported. From the rest of your list, they're not supported by any other clsoe combat formation. They are jsut a 130 point sink that will get cut to pieces. The Ratlings are the only decent choice, just ebcause Ratlings are generally a decent addition to almost any Imperial Guard army.

Troops: Ok ok ok. A 40 man blob? With no upgrades? No Commissar? It's a pile of bodies that will do absolutely NOTHING. If they get caught in close combat? They're going to lose, and then you get to watch 40 Guardsmen run screaming off the board. I see a vox net whic is good, but....naked blobs are a bad thing! Give them some purpose! Buy them melta guns, or power weapons, and with a blob this size a COmmisssar is a must have.

Your Veterans....ok. Your Veterans, like your Storm Troopers and your Ogryns are a useless point sink. They are alone in their Chimera, and will die to enemy light anti tank very quickly. 4+ Armor Save? Once again, not going to be much help. Also...they're naked. They have no purpose. You have 10 BS4 lasguns woop de fething do. Veterans aren't awesome by themselves. They're awesome because you get BS4 special weapons. BS4 melta guns, BS4 plasma guns, all kinds of nice options that you are just ignoring!

Mortars can be useful, but in your case? I'd recommend something...probably autocannons.

Fast Attack: I am going to repeat this, and hammer it in hard. Your. Vendetta. Is. Alone. It is by itself and it will die, just like your Stormies, and your Ogryns, and your Veterans.

Heavy Support: WHY OH WHY ARE YOUR LEMANS SQUADRONED?!?! WHAT IS THE POINT?!?! You have 3 heavy support choices, and you're squadronning your 2 Leman Russes?!? Why!? Keep tehm seperate! They are much more durable that way. The lone Basilisk...ok, that's fine. Though I will say Bassies work best when they have company.

Conclusion
Ok, I can identify your biggest problem with this list. You are buying. Too. Much. Crap. You are buying so many units that each unit is next to useless doing anything...your Stormies? Useless! Oh god, 5 rapidfiring S3 AP3 lasguns on a T3 4+ models, whatever shall I do? I know! I can ignore them cause they are no threat to me, and I can kill them at my convenience. Your Veterans? Once again...oh god 10 lasguns in a Chimera. I'll kill them when I get the chance. At 1500 points you have exactly 6 dangerous weapons in the army. The 3 lascannons on the Vendetta, the 2 Battlecannons and the Earthshaker cannon. And all of those go down easily enough if I wnat them to die. Once those are gone there's just an amorphous mass of infantry and a few useless squads that I can pick apart as I see fit.

Your second problem is that you have no army wide cohesion. This is closely tied with your first problem. You have bough so many things doing so many different things that any decent player will be able to contain you with out a struggle. The Imperial Guard can do almost any job very well. The trick is you need to focus on doing that job well in order to do it, otherwise you'll be crippled by others who are better than that. Ogryns are good in close combat, but they're not so good that they'll be able to carry the day for you. With no support, they'll be cut to tiny little bits very, VERY quiclkly by a good enemy.

Basically, nothing is supporting anything else. THis is a flaw that will lead to your army falling apart against almost any good enemy.

And I've already mentioned this before in my first conclusion point, but I'll mention it again. You have NO killing power, and you have no staying power. Those 40 blobsmen will run off oh so quickly if they get in close combat. The Veterans and Vendetta will be easily picked off. The Lemans and the Basilisk will be killed easily as well, and the smattering of elites you have will be picked off at the enemy's convenience. LIke I said you have 6 decent ranged weapons in a 1500 point army. Does that seem like a problem to you? It should be.

Here's my advice to you. First, pick a way you want to play. You can't just try and cover all the bases and do everything unless you're playing ridiculouslly massive Apocalypse games. The way the Imperial Guard wins is by just swamping the enemy in one aspect so that they can't beat you. The IG Codex is so awesome because you can do so many things with it. You can drown your enemy in wave after wave of powerblobs. You can gunthem down from afar with a firiing line. You can smash them apart with either air cav or meched out Veterans. Or you could go for the big guns and annhilate them with either massed armor or heavy artillery. So, first things first. Scrap this list, and start from scratch. First, pick one or two of the many many paths open to you. Don't try and do too much, or you'll end up like you are now, with little detachments running everywhere unable to do anything effectively.

Once you have a basic plan for WHAT you want your army to be, start picking units. All the units you chose are good, but only if you equip and use them properly. Have a plan in mind for each unit you choose. Here's an example...your Stormies, they're not gonna hurt anyone right now! So, how do you solve that? Think about what you want your Stormies to do. Drop down and pick off an enemy tank with melta guns? Kill some Long Fangs with plasma guns? Have a plan that considers the strength and weakneesses of each unit. Continuing on with the Storm Troopers, their strength is their ability to accurately deep strike, while their biggest weakness is expense. So, take that into calculation, and think if any job can be done cheaper by another unit. For example, those Storm Troopers? Maybe their job could be done better with some melta SWS....or maybe some Vets....pay attention to that. You'll need the points you shave off doing so to buy upgrades to make yur units useful.

Finally, I will have to drive a couple more points home. Redundancy. Redundancy. Redundncy. One thing out there will be killed. That one Vendetta will be swatted from the sky, that one Chimera will be killed far too easily. Buy them in wave. One Vendetta is harmless. But what about 3? 4? You can take up to 9! THis is why you need to choose an aspect and stick with it. You have to be able to buy redundancy, and trying to buy something of everything leaves you with one or two units trying to do everything.

The last point I will make is that, ESPECIALLY with IG Troops choices, running them naked is a horrible decision. A blob of 40 Guardsmen is not that threatening. Their lasguns are, after all, lasguns. SPace Flashlights. So, you need to give them some punch! Same with the Veterans. Their strength is BS4, and you're wasting it on lasguns? Give them something dangerous to shoot! 10 BS4 lasguns? I could care less! 3 bs4 melta guns? Suddenly they're a major threat.

That massive blob squad. You can outfit them as a power blob, with a Commissar, a Priest, and as many power weapons as you can squeeze in. 40 Guardsmen with lasguns? Not scary. 40 Guardsmen comming at you with 20 power weapon attacks on the charge? Attacks that are rerollable? And they're stubborn, rerollable Leadership 9?!?! THAT is a threat that even the most hardened Marine armies will fear. Or maybe, if you're going firing line give them heavy weapons (the Commissar is still a MUST). 4 autocannons that can be made twin linked with orders is very, very dangerous, especially if the Guardsmen firing them are not going to be running away anytime soon thanks to the not so friendly neighborhood Commissar.

So, there you have it. My advice on your list, I hope it helps, and I look forward to seeing modified lists from you in the future!

The Emperor Protects!


tl;dr: What the two above me said.

Here's the new list. What do you think?

HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Boddy Guards (2) Carapace Armour, Regimental Standerd, and Vox Caster, Company Commander has Power Weapon.....160

Elites:
Storm Trooper Squad.....85

Troops:
Infantry Platoon
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster.....35
Infantry Squad w/ Commissar and Vox Caster.....90
Infantry Squad.....50
Infantry Squad.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Commissar w/ Power Weapon and Vox Caster.....90
Infantry Squad.....50
Heavy Weapons Squad.....60
Infantry Platoon
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster.....35
Infantry Squad w/ Commissar and Vox Caster.....90
Infantry Squad.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Commissar w/ Power Weapon and Vox Caster.....90
Infantry Squad.....50
Heavy Weapons Squad.....60

Fast Attack:
Vendetta.....130

Heavy Support:
Leman Russ.....150
Basilisk.....125

You're on the right path, but you've still got a lot of problems. Those infantry are still armed with nothing but lasguns and a couple power weapons, still not that much of a threat. Either go all out with power blobs, or go down a different path. You don't get pay offs with the IG for half arseing it.

You still have problems with your Storm Troopers and Heavy Weapons teams. The Storm Troopers still aren't a threat, and the Heavy Weapons teams are mild annoyances at best. Give both those units some teeth.

Your heavy support is a bit better, but hell I'm afraid to say it, but this list is WORSE than the last one in the firepower department. Now I have to kill a grand total of 3 units, and all your firepower is gone, and I jsut focus on driving around killing Guardsmen left and right. I COULD see a possibility to win in objective based games just because you have so many Guardsmen the enemy won't be able to kill you fast enough, but that's doubtful to say the least. The 2 or 3 power weapons just arent enough to be a real threat to anyone, and your lack of anti tank will just get you massacred.

You're doing better with inter-unit support, and the list has improvements in that regard, but you still have no hitting power. I see you're going the infantry assault wave plan, so I'm going to give you one of my own lists, maybe to give you some ideas on where to take it? However, it is a 2k list, so you'll have to kepe that in mind. Also, you might want to look in the battle reports sections for the Blood Conqueror's series by Ailaros. That will give you more ideas on where to take your army.

HQ
CCS: Standard, Lascannon
Lord Commissar: Carapace, PW, Melta Bombs
2x Priest: Eviscerator

Elites
Ratling Snipers

Troops
2x Infantry Platoon
PCS: Heavy Bolter
IS: Flamer, Melta Bomb, Power Weapon, Commissar w/ Power Weapon
IS: Flamer, Melta Bomb, Power Weapon
IS: Flamer, Melta Bomb, Power Weapon
SWS: 3x Melta
HWS: 3x Missile Launchers
HWS: 3x Lascannons

Heavy Support
3x LRBT: Lascannon, Heavy Bolters

Er what's your troops meant to be doing?

Firstly get rid of ALL elites, well maybe keep the Ratlings as they suit the foot theme.

CCS get Creed in as his multiple orders will make a foot list rock. Give them some ranged weapon. Take a Lord Commissar to keep HWT in check.

Give Platoons wargear. PCS are best with flamers, Platoons with autocannons and grenade launchers if you have the points consider a Priest as you can charge if someone is close enough. Add power weapons so when someone charges you you can then tackle them with power weapons and chip them down and a Commissar per blob is a must.

Drop the Vendetta.

Switch the armour to artilliery

Now with all that you have a foot list which ok isn't mobile but all your infantry should be in cover and your vehicles hidden.

Here's the next list. What do you think, and what should I do with the 40 extra points?

HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Regimental Standard, Vox caster, power weapon.....80
Lord Commissar w/ Carapace Armour, melta boms and power weapon.....95

Troops:
Infantry Platoon.....495
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade launcher.....115
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade launcher.....115
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75
Infantry Platoon.....495
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade launcher.....115
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade launcher.....115
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75

Heavy Support:
Leamon Russs Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Basilisk.....125

That looks similar to directions I'm going with my own guard list, so I've got to say it's good.

The thing to do with the 40 points is to upgrade the rest of your grenade launchers to meltaguns and a power fist for the lord commissar.

There we go! Now THAT is a good infantry Guard list. My only recommendation would be with the heavy support? Go either 2 Lemans, or 2 Bassies, not one of each, but in all honesty? That still me nitpicking. You've got a good list here.

I feel very good right now, we managed to take an originally poor list, and turn it into a pretty damn good list!

Yes, that newest list is much better! Chris WWII (and all the other posters) deserve congrats for giving solid advice here!

I'm not sure 20 men is enough for a proper combined squad, but you should try it like that and you can always reorganise to different configurations. I don't think you should mix special weapons in squads though - each needs 2 meltaguns.

I think the best loadout for any PCS is just 4xspecial weapon. Their orders aren't really good enough to need voxes desperately. And meltabombs/powerswords, on such a small fragile unit, will hardly ever come into play.

Yeah, so just weapon quibbles really. I would like to see some flamers in the list, lasguns are good but orks in cover etc really would appreciate a nice broiling more.

And agree with the others, go 2 artillery pieces or 2 leman russ. My choices for this kind of list would be manticores, or demolishers (obviously you'd need to free up a few points for those). Both provide the S10 you won't get elsewhere. Manticores would reach targets your infantry will have a hard time getting at. Demolishers could advance with the infantry, who would wrap around the tanks to prevent anyone closing int (many armies can only threaten an AV 14/13/11 tank by using meltaguns or assault).

Here's the list. What do I need to change, and how should I cut 15 points?
HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Regimental Standard, Vox caster, power weapon.....80
Lord Commissar w/ Carapace Armour, melta boms and power weapon.....95

Troops:
Infantry Platoon.....500
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75
Infantry Platoon.....500
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75

Heavy Support:.....340
Leman Russs Squadron
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolters.....170

Hmm, to clear points I'd say drop the carapace armor and melta bombs on the Lord Commissar. That wold be where I cut it.

And don't squadron your Leman Russes. Two seperate choices = good. Much more durabl.e

Congratulations on putting together a very good, rather terrifying list!

Well, here it is. The (hopefully) final version of my Imperial Guard army list!
HQ:
Company Command Squad w/ Regimental Standard, Vox caster, power weapon.....80
Lord Commissar w/ power weapon.....80

Troops:
Infantry Platoon.....500
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75
Infantry Platoon.....500
Platoon Command Squad w/ Vox Caster, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs.....50
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Infantry Squad w/ Vox Caster, Commissar, 2 power weapons (Commissar and sargent), Grenade Melta Gun.....120
Infantry Squad w/ Power Weapon (sargent), Meltagun.....70
Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Autocannons.....75

Heavy Support
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolters.....170
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolters.....170

That is a pretty good list. 2 things I would change:

I think the PCS would be better with special weapons than with a power weapon and meltabomb each. A PSC w/4 flamers (or 3 and a vox) is the same cost and much more dangerous.

I think the lord commissar serves little point in a list where all big squads already (very sensibly) have embedded commisssars. I would replace the lord commissar with Colonel Straken, who will help power blobs much more. You'd have to drop some 5pt upgrade somewhere else for the points (since you'd save 10 on the current commander's power weapon).

Up to you though, of course.

Looks like a good core - 4 powerful blobs, with HW and tank support.

I'd cut the whole vox network and the HB sponsons. Orders aren't critical, and you've got enough flashlights to deal with hordes. That would give you the 15 points you're looking for, and I think enough to put lascannons on the tanks, to make them more reliable against vehicles.

I think I'd trade the lord's carapace for a camo cloak. I play with HWS's almost all the time, and often stash the lord in with the CCS. You'll want the CCS near them anyways, for the standard and the orders. With the standard + lord, those HWS's are rerolling morale on ld10, meaning they basically aren't going anywhere. Getting orders on ld10 as well is a really, really nice bonus, but the morale is critical for those ld7, 3 model squads. Make sure they have priority for cover during deployment. The point is the camo cloak gives stealth to the whole unit, and I'd be using the lord with the CCS/HWS firebase. Maybe you're thinking about CC.

I'd also slightly disagree and say that one bassy/one russ is a pretty good combo, as you'll always be able to deploy with the russ in front of the bassy, just in case terrain and the board edges aren't going to cut it. I personally never leave home without Papa Boom. I just love my indirect s9 pinning pie, and his little brother Leman makes such a good complement, what with his Cannon that's an also an (obscenely) long-ranged, kill anything weapon. When the enemy gets too close for indirect, you you can just move the tank if you want.

Then again I usually have some other vehicles as well, and with only two your list is probably better off with tanks. They are probably better for supporting a general powerblob assault anyways. Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents.

I'm happy with this list, and I'm happy to have been a part of it. But yeah, I personally think the Lord Commissar would be best suited to standing in the back making sure the stupid heavy weapons teams pass their bloody orders!