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I'm playing in an escalation league, where we're limited on available units based on what we've purchased from my FLGS working within a dollar limit per month as we build our army. I'm building a list from the following available units that I've aquired based on using the models/options available from purchasing the Cadian Battle Force, 2 Chimeras, the Leman Russ Demolisher kit, and my Bitz box:

Command Squad

Commissar

Vet Squad
Vet Squad

Chimera
Chimera

Stromtrooper squad (built using the Weapons team figures in the Battle Force)

Leman Russ (Demolisher kit)

Armored Sentinel

We're at the 1000 point stage, and this is my list in progress (no point totals, I'm doing this w/o my Codex in hand and off of the top of my head)

Command Squad
Cdr w PP and PW
Vox Caster
Regt Standard
2x Body Guard
2x Vet w/Plasma
Chimera,w/ Flamer

Lord Commissar(attached to Plasma Vets)
w/PF and Carapace

Vet Squad
Sgt w/PW
3x Plasma gun
Vox
Chimera, w/Flamer

Vet Squad
Sgt Harker
Vox
2x Melta
Flamer


Storm Trooper Sq (5)
2x Melta

Lehman Russ Executioner
HB on hull
Plasma Sponsons

Sentinel
Autocannon
Smoke Launchers

If memory serves, this puts me right around 980.

I'm playing against SMs, Tau, Orcs, and Demons. Figure the plasma and meltas help with SM's and Demons, but I worry about not having enough anti-horde. At this point, my only options are to adjust the Russ type(within the options available in the Demolisher kit) and Special Weapon allocation in the Vets and CCS. I had considered squeezing in Straken (and removing the Commissar) and making the CCS more of a Close Combat squad.

Thoughts; this will be my 2nd game ever with IG, so I'm feeling out the Codex options.

You don't really need Vox Casters, seeing as one Veteran Squad already has a Lord Commissar in it and the likelyhood of all your Chimeras sticking close enough for orders (in an objective based game) will be rather minimal, so that's 15 points that could be spent on weapons.

I'm kind of leery about kitting out a vet squad with plasma guns, they tend to overheat and kill their operators moreso than enemy fire.

I recommend not taking a Power Fist for your Lord Commissar. He is an independent character that'll easily get singled out in close combat and more than likely get squashed before he gets to use it. A Power Weapon maybe, but a Power Fist is just not worth it.

Other than that I can't really say much about it. The Executioner has horde killing potential and the Storm Troopers can suicide heavy tanks. The rest can handle elite infantry and MEQ armor...

You might want to use the excess points to up the Armored Setinel with a Plasma Cannon...

Thanks. Since I can't add any more models, ('d love to stick in an extra Vet squad), but I need to have enough points to hit 1000, I think I'll drop the Commissar(after looking at some tactics online, I understand independent commissars are a waste), add plasma to the Sentinel, and made my Cdr a special choice(Creed or Straken). I'll dump whatever is left over into Carapace armor for my plasma vets and CCS. I know carapace is usually a waste, but I'm kind forced into tricking out my two squads. Thanks for the advice!

Unless it's a lord comissar ,you can't just "take" a commissar. It has to be assigned to a squad, and veterans can't take him.

It was a Lord Commissar; but you're saying I can't attach him to a Vet Squad? Wouldn't he be treated just like any other IC/HQ choice?

He simply misread.

Oh, OK.

What are your thoughts on the use of Lord Commissars? I need to find creative (if somewhat wasteful) ways to get my list to 1000. That and the MEQ-killing potential is why I splurged on things like the Executioner and the Plasma Gun Squad.

I should be more balanced when we move up to 1500 points, My next move is to definitely buy more troops and a cheaper Russ, like maybe an Exterminator.

Lord Commissars are nice for their Leadership and 'Aura of Discipline', which units can use his Leadership for passing Orders. While it may seem alluring to give him a fancy array of upgrades, I usually don't, barring the cheap Carapace Armor, and plop him in with a blob of Heavy Weapon Teams to keep them from running and to pass Order checks.

That and the MEQ-killing potential is why I splurged on things like the Executioner and the Plasma Gun Squad.

Acutally the Executioner can multi-role as a Space Marine and Horde killer, so does the Plasma Cannon on the Armored Setinel. Plasma Guns are a good decision, however, they are a liability unto themselves. Overheating plasma can ruin your day. But of course, most people risk that for the S7 AP2 shots.

Don't buy an Exterminator, their not worth the points and Hydras are alot cheaper. Just buy a vanilla Leman Russ, it's weapons can handle multiple roles.

Thanks, 2 Hydras at the cost of an Exterminator does sound good, especially with the added bonus of the Anti-skimmer abilities. Appreciate the help. This escalation stuff and the dollar limit in our games really makes you have to think out of the box, which I guess is the whole point.

On a side note, you can't give Orders to units in vehicles anyways. You can't issue them from vehicles either, but the Chimera has a special 'Command vehicle' rule.

You want a cheap way to spend points but not money, buy doctrines for your vets. In fact, Plasma Vets with Demolitions are a great combo, and Harker's unit should also have them. For your Chimera Vets, you can also give them Grenadiers to give them a better save vs 'Get's Hot!' and when your Chimera gets blown up. Also... a flamer on your vets /in/ a Chimera? Really? That is a waste of the BS 4 and if your attacking (as most mech lists are), that is what a hull heavy flamer is for. Something else you can do is get a HWT for your Vets. I actually like putting a heavy bolter in Harker's squad and then infiltrating them 18" away (in cover since he gives them 3+ cover saves) and using them as a dedicated anti-infantry squad (with 3 plasma guns and Demolitions). Throwing a AC or LC in the other Vet squad gives them a long rang option if you do decide to camp a rear objective or something.

Marbro is a easy fig to convert and is a great choice for 65pts. He is also very useful in any list.

Since your starting on a mech guard list, you should look at getting more Chimeras and more Vets (plasma or melta). I understand your looking to waste points to keep from buying more stuff, but there is a fine line between buying expensive things and wasting points on useless things.

Get a Medic for your CCS, ditch the Standard and the PW. Three plasma guns should be fine. Get Carapace armor, even Camo Cloaks (where it is useful if you do disembark). A Astropath and a Officer of the Fleet are actually useful buys that normally you shouldn't get because they are to expensive points-wise (at this level). This fits in perfectly for your RL goals and still helps your list (specially with the STs and if you Outflank Harker and even get Marbro).

I don't like sponsons on my LRBTs because of the Lumbering Behemoth rule. If you move and your not shooting, your wasting points. And a LRBT that doesn't move is a dead LRBT, specially in a Mech list. I can understand why you have them, but I hope you used magnets so you can take them off.

Armored Sentinels are eh. Do not be fooled by the front AV 12, as they are incredibly easy to get AV 10 side shots on. Big weapons with BS 3 make them unreliable (they only hit 50% of the time). Scatterable weapons even more so. It is an ok way to spend points, and in mass can be decent, but there are usally better choices for that Force Org slot. I can understand using it since you got the battle force, but in the long term you might be better off selling or trading it off.

Good luck.

I had that CCS configured that way from our 500 point game last week; I didn't even think about them firing out of the Chimera-those flamers ARE a waste. I like the idea of swapping duties, and having Harker's squad carry the Plasma, and using my other Vets as the Melta squad. Why ditch the standard, is it because of points cost? The extra wound in CC came in handy a couple times last week when I tarpitted a SM Squad (granted, I had whittled it down to a SGT and one Marine before I assaulted). We can only spend $125 a month on this army the way the rules are set up, which limits me buying what I'd like; the two Chimeras and the Russ ate up my limit this month! Guard seems to be WAAYYY more expensive to build lists from than SMs.
I did magnetize the Russ, I learned my lesson on that with Marines. My Rhinos frequently turn into Preds and RBs.

It's hard going from playing SM's for the last year and switching to squishy IG! Thanks for the advice.

The Chimera has 5 fire ports, so that is another reason why melta vets in Chimeras are used alot... all 3 can fire. On a side note, a HWT counts as taking up 2 spots, so a vet squad can fire 3 special weapons and the HWT. This means most do not use the Sarge.

The Standard is usally best for ground troops, specially the Regimental Standard the CCS uses that gives the re-roll for morale and pinning tests. The PCS standard doesn't do that, and is only the extra wound. Since you have ran Guard in CC, you can hopefully understand that their real strength is in numbers. This is why something like a power blob is actually pretty effective. The Standard also takes away a special weapon slot, and most folk feel that a 4th melta/plasma is more effective for less or equal points.

To bad you didn't go power blob instead of mech vets, then you could have sunk your points into troops, HWSs, and special characters. That is the one thing about Mech, special character really are not worth it.