Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, I'm starting IG and I could use some help with all the upgrade options for stuff like CCS, and PCS. I'd like to do 3 Plasma Guns with medic or 4 Melta Guns in the CCS but what about the officer? Just a plain Las pistol and CCW?

Plasma Pistol works well with the 3 PGs and Medic. Given that ID for guard is S6 though, I don't think you'll be benefiting all that often. Instead, consider a vox-caster; crazy? Maybe, but it allows you to reroll failed orders the CCS gives to itself. I'm not even kidding, that actually works.

Forcing targets to reroll cover saves if they succeed, or giving your plasma TL to avoid gets hot and hit more is also an advantage to giving orders. Making damn sure they pass is the purpose of the Vox.

id consider taking a heavy wepon to take advantage of BS4

There's something other then Gun-line Guard?

There was. In 5th edition. Look for power blobs...

Do you want vehicles or infantry? If the CCS is outside a Chimera, I tend to like to keep them cheap so they're a lower priority target.

I run a hybrid list with Plasma-Vet forward Element, and Gunline quarterbacking and transport popping.

Truthfully, as good as it looks on paper, relying on precision shots from single-character squads is pretty shaky. Putting them on a mobile blob is one thing, because you have four chances to roll a 6 in a 31 man blob.

My CCS sits with a Lascannon next to my lascannon gunline blob passing out BiD. I have found a lot of success with this, because you can reliably keep transports away with that volume of S9AP2 twin linking, and once the squishy contents of the metal boxes come into range, FrfSrf does quite nicely. Keeping your CCS back there also keeps the Warlord Killing VP relatively out of your opponent's reach.

PCS' are really more of a filler squad, five customizable dudes you can kit out for whatever you need. Need some sexy Anti-infantry killyness? 4Flamers does wild things, even with the low AP. Short on plasma, or got enough points for another chimera? 4xPlasmagun in a box. 4xmelta is still viable as well. Me though, I run them with either an Autocannon or a Lascannon and just merge them with the Wall of AT behind my aegis.

As I said above, I don't find much use to waste points on an officer to make him capable of handling challenges. What with every other codice's excellent IC's and Characters, the chances of an Officer actually doing much seem so negligible that I'd rather just take another plasmagun somewhere, or even some camo netting. Then again, I keep my warlord behind a blob behind an aegis behind a wall of Chimeras, so he doesn't see much action anyways Which, if you think about it, is how a good general would operate.

Always take weapon upgrades over non-weapon upgrades. There are a few exceptions to this, but in the case of 4x plasma vs. 3x plasma and a medic, there isn't. Just take the extra guns.

Gunlines in general are a weaker form of army in a game that is concerned by objectives. In order to make them work, you're going to have to be willing and able to move things around starting at roughly mid-game.

As for setting them up, it's a matter of figuring out how to pack as many weapons (mostly long-range ones) as you possibly can into your lists.

'Fireball' PCS with 4 flamers, eery time. Theyre only 50 points, and theyre an awesome counter-attack and scoring unit. Either on foot out of sight, or in a chimera. Keep them near the back and use them to rush out and roast a unit that gets too close. 4 flamers can cripple almost anything, even marines.
Also good now that buildings are a thing.

I run my CCS in two ways usually. 4 plasmaguns in a chimera (I feel the extra 1-2 plasmagun shots outweigh the medic. some will die from overheat, its just a thing that happens) as a hard counter to 2+ infantry.
Or, as a support squad with a lascannon, vox, and master of ordinance. They basically become a cheap, squishy, innaccurate leman russ. Against hoard armies, the MoO can do great, and even though he scatters all the time, you can twin link him with BiD, when you shoot the lascannon at vehicles.

I'm used to playing xeno or space marines so guard, and their pcs being able to split as well as all their options is a bit overwhelming at first glance.

I know Power blob and melta vets are the the 2 most popular builds but I'm not sure which is better for 6th.

With all the stuff I have coming in from trades I should be able to build either list. Though with all the Leman Russ and artillery I'm leaning more towards a mech spam list. Need more meltas and plasma, maybe a Vendetta or two possibly a few chimeras but that's about it. So any links to builds and tactics for those would be great as well as any insight from you guys who have played guard with 6th edition rules.