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sup, i'm an aspiring IG player and i had some questions about army builds.

*what purpose do non-veteran squads serve? for +2 points a model you get BS4, and the ability to add a heavy weapon to that squad (also at BS4). Seems silly to go for platoons over veterans

*why do so many people hate kaskrin? BS4 AP3 Rapid Fire tear MEQs a new donkey-cave, they more than make up their cost.

*How big is a "standard" gaming table? Most of my opponents play close combat heavy armies and tend to insist on 2 foot by 4, meaning I have one turn of shooting, max two if i go first. And obviously there's not much i can do when i'm being charged by Khorne beserkers and a chaos lord. Seems a tad unfair.

I may well think of other questions, in the mean time thanks in advice.

Non-Veteran Squads -
Blob - 10-51 ( with commissar ) models with so many potential shots that BS doesn't matter all that much and they take longer to take down.

Heavy weapon squad - 3 HWS whose purpose won't be interfered with. IE having a lascannon in a group of Vets that has to shoot at Berserkers instead of a Rhino.

Platoon Command Squad - Orders to improve other squads.

Kaskrins - I think it's their points cost.

Table Size - I think your opponents are full of gak. I don't believe I've played on anything close to 2x4. I think it depends on your situation ( not enough space in an area ).


I'm still new, but I've answered to the best of my ability.

Cheers for the replies, Piz!

Piz wrote:Non-Veteran Squads -
Blob - 10-51 ( with commissar ) models with so many potential shots that BS doesn't matter all that much and they take longer to take down.

well 140 points of veteran squads is 2 squads with 18 lasguns. Which is...
2/3 of 18=12 hits
1/3 of 12=4 wounds
1/3 of 4=1.3 casualties
140 points of normal squads is 2.8 squads, or 25 shots (minus the sargents laspistols for convenience' sake) gives us-
1/3 of 25=8 hits (rounded down)
1/3 of 8=2.6 wounds
1/3 of 2.6=0.9 (rounded up)
That's 0.4 casualties more with veteran squads, just using lasguns.
When we factor in additional cost for command squad and practicalities of getting so many squads in range of the enemy, it's difficult to justify platoons. Sure it'll take longer for the enemy to destroy, but so what? They'll only be shot at by weapons that are useless against vehicles anyway, bolters, assault cannons etc. So they don't really offer any way of protecting those leman russes.
Additionally for +30 points veteran squads can take camo cloaks and defensive grendates (snare mines) giving them a +1 cover save. With 4+ cover saves the norm in the modern game, this gives them a 3+ cover save against pretty much everything. If you really want to soak up fire, you can make them go to ground for +1 cover save, giving them a 2+ cover save. For an imperial guard squad, this is pretty neat.

Piz wrote:
Heavy weapon squad - 3 HWS whose purpose won't be interfered with. IE having a lascannon in a group of Vets that has to shoot at Berserkers instead of a Rhino.

As an individual squad that can easily be targetted and destroyed? And is still BS3? Not worth it imo.

Piz wrote:
Platoon Command Squad - Orders to improve other squads.

Orders are pretty cool, but with IGs leadership they should never be relied on. And just not worth the cost for a BS3 unit.

Piz wrote:
Kaskrins - I think it's their points cost.

well. 1 squad of stormtroopers is 165 points.
1 squad of marines is 170 points so for all intents are purposes they are equal. Now, the shooting phase...
9 stormtroopers shoot (remember the sarge's las pistol)
2/3 of 9=6 hits
1/3 of 6=2 wounds
with no armour save gives 2 casualties.
the marines shoot back
2/3 of 9=6 hits
2/3 of 6=4 wounds
1/2 of 4=2 casualties
So they are completely equal with standard weapons. Add in Stormtroopers' special abilities and you've got an alright unit. Not a gamechanger sure, but something to worry devestators and beserkers.

Piz wrote:
Table Size - I think your opponents are full of gak. I don't believe I've played on anything close to 2x4. I think it depends on your situation ( not enough space in an area ).

Yeah that's what I thought.

Piz wrote:
I'm still new, but I've answered to the best of my ability.

I appreciate it dude.

Standard table size is 6x4 as far as I remember?

I don't really have enough experience to argue my point effectively, but I think it really comes down to a) what you like and b) how your list is made up. Hell, I've been running blobs with plasma guns and pistol because I think they add in a little fun and random factor. It's not ultra competitive, but it can be damn funny.

Yes 6x4 is a normal sized battlefield. 2x4 is the coffee table i found in the garbage last week