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Alright, I've decided to take the plunge. I've always wanted an army of regular human grunts so I am getting it started. My IG playing friend plays vet spam in chimeras which, while effective, seems super cheesy. So I would like to start out with a core of platoons and HWTs. So far I manage to buy from eBay the following on sprue: 60x guardsmen, 3x command squads, 6x HWT. I'm working on getting some additional meltaguns and plasmaguns. I also hope to get a few more bodies and bases to make more heavy weapons.

Here are my thoughts so far:

HQ
CCS - Vox, Medic, 3x plasma, power weapon, bolt pistol - 67

Troops
Platoon #1
PCS - Vox 2x plasma - 65
PIS - vox, Grenade launcher, autocannon - 65
PIS - vox, Grenade launcher, autocannon - 65
HWT - 3x missile launcher - 90
HWT - 3x missile launcher - 90

Platoon #2
PCS - vox, 2x melta - 55
PIS - vox, Grenade launcher, autocannon - 65
PIS - vox, Grenade launcher, autocannon - 65
HWT - 3x lascannons - 105
HWT - 3x lascannons - 105

Total - 847 points

Which leaves me just enough room to buy a LRBT in the future

Is this at all a good army setup? I guess another option would be to move the autocannons out of the squads and into HWTs to make the squads more mobile. The main problem I see is this is a pretty static list.

Thoughts? Especially from Ailaros and the other IG experts?

I may not be an Ailaros level expert, but I think I know a bit about IG, so let's see if I can help you....

HQ
Medic, power weapon and bolt pistol are all kinda a waste. If you want close combat abilities with a CCS give them a power fist instead. Power weapons belong in IS powerblobs. The bolt pistol just isn't going to be that big a deal, so unless you have a few spare points with nothing useful to buy don't get it. And finally the medic...it's just not worth it, even with plasma Guardsmen. Well, it might be, but bear in mind your load out for your CCS is currently illegal. A CCS has the Company Command and 4 Guardsmen. You've got one with a vox, one with a medikit...you can take a max of 2 plasma guns. I'd recommend droping the medi kit to legalize your CCS.

Troops
With platoon infantry squads, my recommendation is to blob up. IN that case, you only need one vox caster. However, especially with infantry heavy Guard like this you WILL want a Commissar. You don't want those 20 man blobs running away the second an assault marine give them an angry look do you? I would also say drop the grenade launchers. At s6, ap4, they djust don't have enough punch. Sure you MIGHT be able to ding a Rhino or something, but it's a pretty unlikely scenario. Drop'em. I'd also say that both your PCS should be outfitted with melta...never have just one unit to do a job. Guardsmen (especiall non mech Guardsmen) are vulnerable as all hell, and you have to take that into account.

I'd say firing line Guard is all well and good. It can work quite well, and has for me in the past.

On a final note, I'd actually say DON'T get the Leman Russ. Like I said, the Guardsman run off of redundancy...one of anything isn't really going to get much done. More importantly, the Leman Russ will be your ONE vehicle in the list. That means every single AT weapon in the enemies force will be aiming and shooting at that poor little Leman. Vehicles are an all or nothing affair with the Guard. Either you go vehicle heavy, or you don't run any at all. Besides, going all infantry (especially in this mech heavy environment) is quite a nice change. Imagine the look on your opponents faces when they realize all their lascannons, meltaguns and other AT weapons will only be able to kill one Guardsmen a turn!

Instead, why don't you use those points to both upgrade and buy more infantry? My recommendation (besides more bodies) is both Commissars and power weapons. While it may seem silly to buy power weapons for Guardsmen who won't be moving about, it's atually quite nice to have, what i call, a 'prickly firing line'. Even if you get charged, you're likely to at least do SOMETHING to the enemy charging you with your power weapons, and if you've got a Commissar in there as well, you may just be able to grind them down with sheer numbers.

Hope this helps.

Pretty much what was said above me.

Remember that a full two thirds of every standard game you will play will be objective based. This means your scoring forces will have to be mobile to get to the various objectives. Heavy weapons inside infantry squads have always seemed off to me, since we have these great heavy weapons squads. Every time you move your infantry squads, the heavy weapon can't shoot, and you should be moving more often than not.

Commissars, power swords, melta guns for the PCS and possibly the infantry squads.

Oh, and don't get a vehicle unless you have three for target saturation, or two bassies if you can hide them well enough.

So perhaps split the autocannons out into two HWTs and leave the infantry with plasma, melta, or grenades? (I liked the idea of grenade launchers as a cheap assault weapon).

Well, if you like the idea go ahead, but I happen to think that it's not always the best weapon. I'd say either plasma or melta. DEFINITELY a Commissar, and potential power weapons if you have the poiints.

If you're willing to do some conversion work/shell out for Forge World, I'd recommend the Hydra as a nice way to get both target saturation for vehicles and autocannons on the field.

Okay... how about something like this...

HQ
CCS - Vox, 3x plasma - 100

Troops
Platoon #1
PCS - Vox 3x melta - 65
PIS - vox, commissar - 100
PIS - 50
HWT - 3x missile launcher - 90
HWT - 3x missile launcher - 90
HWT - 3x autocannon - 75

Platoon #2
PCS - vox, 3x melta - 65
PIS - vox, commissar - 100
PIS - 50
HWT - 3x lascannons - 105
HWT - 3x lascannons - 105
HWT - 3x autocannon - 75

Total - 970 points

With the remaining 30 points I could upgrade some sergeants, the commissars, or add some flamers/grenade launchers to the infantry. Is that a bit better?

I personally feel you have too many heavy weapons and not enough bodies that can do anything effective. You could drop two heavy weapon teams and add power weapons to each sergeant and commissar in the blobs, and afford another squad to make a 30man blob and a 20man blob with 30pts to spare! (assuming you drop the two autocannon HWS) If you drop two of the more expensive HWS, you'll have more points to spend on making your scoring units durable.

The way I see it is this. A shooty/gunline army may work against some opponents, but against a DoA list, you will be assaulted on turn 2, and it won't be enjoyable for your 40 guardsmen. You have plenty of long range anti tank with 2x Missile HWS, and 2x Lascannon HWS, you just need your infantry to stay on the board and hold objectives, and possibly kill enemy units in assault.

It looks better than before though.

Looks quite good though. I'd agree with blacksails....I'd say drop one of the autocannon heavy weapons teams, and use the points to buy power weapons for your sergeants, and some extra bodies. With 75 points and your existing 30 extra, you could buy a power weapon for both Commissars, all 4 Sergeants, and have 45 points left over for other toys. Flamers in the infantry squads maybe? Melta bombs for the sergeants? You choose!

LC and ML belong in squads where they have 8 ablative wounds, not in HWSes.

To the extent that MLs belong at all...

Doctor Optimal wrote:LC and ML belong in squads where they have 8 ablative wounds, not in HWSes.

To the extent that MLs belong at all...

I would disagree. See my above reasoning for heavy weapons in squads, but they essentially kill mobility, or become a point sink. HWS allow an independent, scoring, unit who's only purpose is to sit still and drop armour at range. It also forces your opponent to split fire between the angry blob rushing towards him/an objective, or taking down the HWS, instead of just targeting the blobs that have everything inside them.

Dump one of those HWSs in favor of liberal commissar and plasma/power weapon upgrades to your PISs, and you're looking at a decent list in the making.

Thank you all for your suggestions I really appreciate it! Any thoughts on which to drop? ML, lascannon, or autocannon?

I mostly face IG chimera vet spam, mech tau, MC nids, and khornate CSM.