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I've always wanted to create a 2K points Imperial Guard Artillery Company, but I'm having trouble picking out certain pieces and choosing whether or not to use Ordonance Barrage artillery (majority of which cannot fire directly), which means they have a considerable blind spot (The Basilisk has a whopping 36" blind spot).

While the Medusa and Collossus look promising, (the former's lack of barrage and the latter's 24" blind arc (and cannot fire directly), its a frustrating downside.

Well before I get into the Nitty Gritty of Artillery, let me show you the complimenting army:

HQ

Company Command Squad - 97 Points
Power Fist, Bolt Pistol, Regimental Standard Standard, Plasma Gun

Elites

Psker Battle Squad - 110 Points
Five Psykers

Troops

Platoon Command One - 37 Points
Bolt Pistol, Grenade Launcher

Infantry Squad - 65 Points (x4 Squads)
Grenade Launcher, AutoCannons

Heavy Weapons Squad - 60 Points (x2 Squads)
Mortars

Heavy Weapons Squad - 75 Points (x2 Squads)
AutoCannons


Platoon Command Two - 37 Points
Bolt Pistol, Grenade Launcher

Infantry Squad - 65 Points (x4 Squads)
Grenade Launcher, Heavy Bolter

Heavy Weapons Squad - 60 Points (x2 Squads)
Mortars

Heavy Weapons Squad - 75 Points (x2 Squads)
AutoCannons

*This leaves me at 1341, which is 669 Points left for artillery. So here's an option I was thinking about:

Griffon, Colossus - 245 (x2) Points
Camo Netting

Medusa - 170 Points
Bastion Breacher Shells, Enclosed Crew Compartment, Extra Armor

Or

Medusa - 165 points
Enclosed Crew Compartment, Extra Armor

Medusa - 170 Points
Bastion Breacher Shells, Enclosed Crew Compartment, Extra Armor

Basilisks (x2)- 310
Enclased Crew Compartments, Extra Armor

Or

Basilisk - 155 Points
Encased Crew Compartment, Extra Armor

Griffon, Colossus, Griffon - 320 Points
Camo Netting

Basilisk - 155 Points
Encased Crew Compartment, Extra Armor


*And I have enough left over to spend on any extras I might want to take before hitting the 2K gap, so which artillery group would be best in an all around situation?*

camo netting rarely works and costs too much.

X armor is worthless on a arty piece that can't move if it wants to fire.

Baston braker shells are 50/50 IMO, longer range but smaller template

Not sure about ECC on arty

manticore manticore LRBT or manticore basilisk LRBT. Manticore is something I dont leave home without warhammer related or not.

FeindusMaximus wrote:camo netting rarely works and costs too much.

X armor is worthless on a arty piece that can't move if it wants to fire.

Baston braker shells are 50/50 IMO, longer range but smaller template

Not sure about ECC on arty

I think it would make it a bit easier if they get assaulted, as with ECC the arty no longer has the open-topped rule.

Also, how experienced are you with IG (directed towards the OP, or any other experienced IG player)? I am just starting them, and would like some input on a Air Cav and Mech list.
If interested please go here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/406734.page
Would help me a ton

And sorry 'bout the thread jack...

Personally I would max out Basilisks if you want to make use of artillery. Hard hitting (S9), an infantry killer (AP3, large template), ridiculous range outside of Apocalypse (0"-240" direct fire*, 36"-240" indirect fire), cheapest bar the Griffon.

With your 669 points you could fit 5 of the blessed things in with 44 points left to spend.

*To clear this up, the Colossus and Griffon have notes in their unit entry stating specifically that they can only fire indirectly, whilst the Basilisk & Medusa do not have any notes forbidding their firing directly. So you'd fire a Basilisk directly as you would a LRBT. To quote from pg58 of current 5thEd;

Differently from other unit types, vehicles carrying ordnance barrage weapons can choose to fire them either directly or as a barrage - declare before you fire.

If fired directly at the target, they are treated exactly like normal ordnance weapons (ignoring the minimum range in the weapon's profile)

Sparks_Havelock wrote:Personally I would max out Basilisks if you want to make use of artillery. Hard hitting (S9), an infantry killer (AP3, large template), ridiculous range outside of Apocalypse (0"-36" direct fire*, 36"-240" indirect fire), cheapest bar the Griffon.

With your 669 points you could fit 5 of the blessed things in with 44 points left to spend.

*To clear this up, the Colossus and Griffon have notes in their unit entry stating specifically that they can only fire indirectly, whilst the Basilisk & Medusa do not have any notes forbidding their firing directly. So you'd fire a Basilisk directly as you would a LRBT. To quote from pg58 of current 5thEd;

Differently from other unit types, vehicles carrying ordnance barrage weapons can choose to fire them either directly or as a barrage - declare before you fire.

If fired directly at the target, they are treated exactly like normal ordnance weapons (ignoring the minimum range in the weapon's profile)

Basilisks do have a very nice appeal to them, however, do they lose their 'barrage' characteristic firing directly, or is that for the purposes of the scatter die? The -1 to Leadership and the negating of cover (if the center lands in the terrain) is a reall nice plus...

Just use 3 manticores and use the extra points for something else.

Yeah... 2 Manticores and 2 Collosus to target cover save troops should do it IMO.

But you really need to fix the rest of your list. You have empty special weapon slots, some questionable choices for HWSs (mortors?), and poor equipment load outs for the troops you did give stuff to (PF on the commander?).

If you want a cheap Basilisk, get a MoO for your CCS. Then you get a second CCS. Bamn, two Basilisks for 60pts and no heavy slots taken up with no minimum range. Give the CCS Camo Cloaks, a Lascannon, and two plasma guns and you have a hard little fire point. Give one Creed and the other a OotF and you screw over their reserve units and Creed makes the rest of your foot troops good, specially with 'Bring it Down!' on HWSs to pop transports. If you go two CCSs, you can't fit in a Lord Commissar for your HWSs, so I will suggest Kell with Creed. If you target a vehicle with your MoO and you give the CCS 'Bring it Down!', not only is your Lascannon twin linked, but so is your MoO's shot! Read up on the rules (pg 30 BRB, blast re-rolls). If you go with just one CCS, get a Lord Commissar for your HWSs. I would still go Creed either way.

Blobs I feel are your best bet for your infantry. Properly built and equipped, they can withstand a ton of punishment and properly defend your artillery from DSing terminators, drop pod dreads or something like Vanguard Vets. ACs added on give them the ability to throw fire down range if there isn't a target close enough for their melta guns. Yes, melta guns. Your GLs will just annoy a terminator and can't hurt a dread, much less an outflanking vehicle.
You 'bubble' wrap your artillery with your blob, so nothing can DS within 6" (melta range) or assault it for those auto-hits in CC. Properly kitted out blobs (IMO) have a Commissar, power weapons on everyone who can use them, melta guns, and melta bombs on the sergeants. Defensive blobs add in ACs, and your defensive. This /does/ give you the option though to attack and be effective doing it (even though your picking up the ACs to do it), where speed bump squads would be hard pressed to actually press forward. Just be careful with your artillery if you do go on the offensive.

PCSs in a gunline list scream for long range weapons. You can ignore this and give them melta guns to make them a 'fast responce' unit for DSers. Personally, I normally run them with 4x Flamers for anti-hoard, but since your really not attacking, 4x Sniper Rifles or 2x Sniper Rifles and a AC for MC targeting and extra chances for pinning infantry fits in with your theme. If you have some extra points, giving the Officer a Plasma Pistol for a 12" Str 7 punch (specially if you go 4x Sniper Rifles) gives them some tactical flexibility.

There are really two choices of heavy weapons for Guard. Any other choice is a fluff choice or it is inefficient. ACs for 10pts with 2 shots at Str 7 should be your choice for AV 12 or less vehicles on down to troops. LCs for AV 12 plus is the only choice at range. Heavy Bolters are nice at Str 5 with 3 shots, but due to the low Str, they are pretty much strictly anti-infantry. For 10pts, the AC gives you more versitility. The Missile Launcher with only a Str 8 krak ends up shooting at the same targets the AC would shoot at, but for 5pts more and one less shot. The frag shot can be argued the AC will kill just as many troops as the Str 4 Frag will. Mortors have the same problem as Heavy bolters... you end up only targeting troops with it, but it is for more inaccurate due to the scatter, even with the higher Str. Now, if it is part of a theme (you want to blow the enemy off of the table), then you need more than one unit.

Bolt pistols should really be used as a point filler. Guard works out so well in 5pt incraments that you should only have something like 5pts left over... and when every special weapon also breaks down in 5pts.... really no excuse.

I am not sold on a single PBS in a gunline list, specially on foot. Also at 2,000pts, Librarians and other units that can shut down psychic powers are not uncommon. Either take 2 of them or take none. 7-8 Psykers should give you enough of a punch to wound anything or even damage light armor. Personally, I wouldn't take any. I feel the points can go more to your troops to make them better.

Good luck.... maybe I will throw a list together for you later with what I am talking about.