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Hey, I was thinking of getting my nephew some Guardsmen, and I'm not sure I'm reading the codex right. Obviously, you need 1 HQ and 2 troops. The command squad is a HQ choice. For troops on guardsmen, it indicates a "infantry platoon", which requires, among other things, a command squad. Is this in addition to the one for HQ? Would one command squad and 20 guardsmen satisfy one HQ and 2 troops? I don't understand why there are asterisks next to these choices.

Thanks!

You would need a 2 command squads and 2 infantry squads, if I understand correctly, But I don't play guard, So I am not sure..

The Platoon Command Squad is NOT an HQ choice. It is 1 part of a Troop choice. If you were going straight platoon choices, you would have the Company Command Squad (HQ), Platoon Command Squad + Platoon (Troop 1) and Platoon Command Squad + Platoon (Troop 2). The 2 Platoon Command Squads are Troops and thus count as scoring units.

It all depends on how the models are squadded. If you're bringing a platoon, you need a CCS and a separate HQ, because platoons are Troops choices. Since the platoon's CCS is in a Troops slot along with the rest of the platoon, it can't be in the HQ slot at the same time. Therefore, if you only have one CCS in your army list and no other HQs, you are obviously not fielding a platoon, and your infantry squads are two separate units. That said, forming a platoon is entirely optional. If you have all the needed elements to form a platoon, nothing is stopping you from saying that the various components are separate FOC slots all by themselves or part of a platoon--both are valid choices, and perfectly legal.

Well, you only need one platoon command squad (PCS) for every Infantry Platoon troops choice. The troops choice encompasses multiple smaller units, which make up a "platoon".

If you were just giving him a troops choice and an HQ, then you would need two command squads (which can be used as either PCSs or CCSs) and two infantry 'squads'.

Although I bet he'd appreciate a chimera and a Heavy weapons team too

As far as i've always understood it, there are two similarly named, similarly sized units in the imperial guard codex that you need to bring the Company Command Squad and Platoon Command Squad
Company is an HQ where as Platoon is a necessary part of a troops choice.
So the absolute minimum of an Troop choice is 1 Platoon Command Squad and 2 Infantry Squad. Which would mean that the minimum 1 HQ, 2 Troops would be
a Command Command Squad, 1 Platoon Command Squad w/ 2 Infantry Squads and 1 Platoon Command Squad w/ 2 Infantry Squads. (1 Command, 2 Platoon, 4 Infantry)

Joetaco wrote:As far as i've always understood it, there are two similarly named, similarly sized units in the imperial guard codex that you need to bring the Company Command Squad and Platoon Command Squad
Company is an HQ where as Platoon is a necessary part of a troops choice.
So the absolute minimum of an Troop choice is 1 Platoon Command Squad and 2 Infantry Squad. Which would mean that the minimum 1 HQ, 2 Troops would be
a Command Command Squad, 1 Platoon Command Squad w/ 2 Infantry Squads and 1 Platoon Command Squad w/ 2 Infantry Squads. (1 Command, 2 Platoon, 4 Infantry)

That's correct.

Forgot that it was to 2 Infantry squads per platoon minimum.

Ouze wrote:Would one command squad and 20 guardsmen satisfy one HQ and 2 troops? I don't understand why there are asterisks next to these choices. Thanks!

One Company Command Squad and two Infantry squads would actually be one HQ and zero Troops. A platoon needs at minimum one Platoon Command Squad and two Infantry squads which would count as only one choice.

Heck the following:

1 PCS
5 Infantry Squads
5 Heavy Weapon Squads
2 Special Weapons Squads
1 Squad of 50 conscripts

would still just be one troop choice.


Veteran Squads and Penal Legion Squads aren't part of a platoon so a Company Command Squad and two Veteran Squads would work.

Well, truthfully, I feel better in that from the responses, I see it was legitimately somewhat confusing on it's face, and it's not simply that I'm an idiot.

Perhaps I asked the wrong question. A better question would have been this: My nephew asked for IG for Christmas. I doubt very much he wants to paint up a ton of troops since he's really fascinated with tanks. I am not yet sure of his commitment to actually playing with them, vs losing or smashing them, so I don't want to spend a ton of cash yet. I see there are snap-together guardsmen for $8. What's the minimum legal configuration for IG to satisfy the 1 HQ 2 troops requirement, where the end result will be, over time, mechanized?

You could get a lord commissar mini for the HQ and 2 squads of 10 mini's for 2 veteran squad troop choices.That would be bare minimum,then,if he enjoys playing those,look to acquire a couple of chimera and / or a tank or 2.

You can count them as vets. 10 man squad = 1troops choice. You just need the company command squad as the HQ. you could even go for just a Lord Commissar if you really want to minimize models. This can be mechanized at will later.

Ouze wrote:What's the minimum legal configuration for IG to satisfy the 1 HQ 2 troops requirement, where the end result will be, over time, mechanized?

Well a CCS/Lord Commisar/Primaris Psyker and two veteran squads probably.

I wouldn't take a Lord Commissar for the goal of a mechanized list. CCS or Primaris Psyker would be the way to go.

Awesome, awesome help. Thanks a lot, guys.

Company command squad only needs to be 5 guys as well, so that is still quite small, and can take a bunch of weapons.