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I need some guidance as to what would be the best choice for selection and how some rules work, I'm new.

I like the idea of having a bunch of chimeras fielded but what should they be used on or should every single INF unit have one ?
And should I have 4 veteran squads or a platoon?
Should I have voxs on every squad?

HQ Command Squad 3 Meltas Regimental Standard

Platoon Command 2 Grenade 2 Flame

Option 1
Squad 1 Melta
Squad 2 Melta
Squad 3 Plasma
Squad 4 Plasma

Storm Trooper Squad 2 Melta
Storm Trooper Squad 2 Melta

HWS 3x Autocannons

Option 2

Squad 1 3x Melta Sergeant with Shotgun
Squad 2 3x Melta Sergeant with Shotgun
Squad 3 3x Plasma Sergeant with Shotgun
Squad 4 3x Plasma Sergeant with Shotgun

Storm Trooper Squad 2 Melta
Storm Trooper Squad 2 Melta

HWS 3x Autocannons

Heavy Support
2 Standard Leman Russ Battle, Las, Bolter Sponsons
1 Leman Russ Executioner Las, Bolter Sponsons

3 Basilisks Bolter on hull

Now do I really need to field 9 chimeras?
Should I lose some of my weapons for Vox Casters? What are the pros and cons?
Should I get another 3 Autocannons?

Thank you any advice, change, recommendation is very welcomed

I'd probably get rid of the regimental standard (+1 to combat res?)if that unit is in CC its probably the least of you worries. Also consider the basilisks minimum range of, I think 36" personally id swap the basilisks for any other artillery. If you already have 3 basilisks You could cut down the barrels and run them as medusas or something....

Regimental Standard allows you to re roll morale tests, I never leave home without one.

The platoon Standard is the one that only gives an extra assault wound

Okay what about basilisk with direct fire? How well does that work out ?

So in the codex it says within 12" eevery unit inside that gets reroll for morale and pinning. Is 12" enough to run along with 4 squads and a platoon command?

Do veterans need Platoon command or anything at all or are they considered a solo troop?

Drop the sponsons on the main LRBTs, with the new rules the only thing you are paying for is snap shots.

A single regimental standard is fine.

Basilisks are fun, but if you want effective artillery, consider taking a Griffon or two, a re-rollable heavy mortar is pretty handy to have.

Okay so should I have a 40 man Platoon blob with Storm Troopers

or

4 Vets with Storm Troopers all with Chimeras?

There are two main styles that guard plays use.

The first is called blob or horde IG, this usually mean you play with massed infantry and some minor support units.

The second is called Mech IG, this consists of, depending on points taking as many Veteran Squads as possible with chimeras

what i'm referring to here is mainly troops choices not all your other options like.

these are the two main and thus competitive play styles for IG at this time

If you're going all chimeras, then the regimental standards not necessary since they're effectively fearless whilst embarked. But in taking a blob style army with platoons, its very useful or alternatively take a lord commissar for the same effect(but better).

Voxes are moderately useful but its a bit situation dependant. In a chimera army they're nearly useless since you cant issue orders to embarked units. So they are really only taken in blob style platoons. Even then the most useful are FRFSRF and bring it down. The re-roll voxes give is kinda cool, but not too often used and not often game changing either. But if there is points to spare, sure.

For chimera based armies, vets work better since they can take more specials and have BS4. Whether or not to give them heavies like autocannons depends on your play style. If you intend to sit a pillbox sure, but often you're moving around so there's not too much point. Also I would stick with lasguns over shotguns, you dont really want to be assaulting and the chimeras not an assault vehicle anyway.

Basilisks direct fire when within maximum range and LOS. So just the normal 2d6-BS scatter. The minimum range 36" only is for barrage shots. So the basilisk cant fire indirectly (i.e a barrage shot) within 36" but can fire at something directly within that range so stuff can get cover saves from walls and the like.

If you are going with squads not in chimeras, split the HWT between the squads so they'll last longer. If everything is in a chimera, it seems strange to have them as they'll be out by themself. And comparing 40man blob to 40chimera vets is kinda unfair due to the massive points difference. Really from what else you've got I say you could go either way effectively, it just depends on what style you want.

I will also point out that if you do platoons, you need at least /two/ platoons to meet the minimum troop requirements and that you can only have a max of 6 troop choices. For some players who want a mechanized force, mixing 3-4 Vetsquads in Chimeras with a single Platoon for heavy weapon support can be effective.

Since your new and seem to be having a issue with Platoons, I will break it down for you some. A minimum Platoon is a Platoon Command Squad (PCS) and two Platoon infantry squads (PIS). A Platoon can have Special Weapon Squads (SWS), Heavy Weapon Squads (HWS), and even Whiteshields/Conscripts. That maximum and minimum numbers for each are listed on pg 96 of your IG codex at the top of the page.

To form a combined squad (or blob squad as they are called), as per page 37, you can only use PISs. Thus, if you buy 5 PISs in a single platoon, you can have 1 combined squad of 50 men, 1 at 20 and one of 30, or 2 at 20 and one at 10. Note you can not split that last squad and you can not add any other units to the combined squad (such as the PCS). You can not buy two Platoons at 5 PIS each and have 5 20 man blobs, because the last 10 man squad of each platoon can not be combined because they are seperate Platoons.

The benifit of the combined squad (blob) is that to force a morale check, it is 25% of the squad...so alot more guys. They also benifit from a single Order and a single Commissar bought for one PIS gives his effect for all of the PISs that are combined together (Stubborn and Leadership 9). Do note that the Commissar will execute a Sergeant automaticly if you fail /any/ leadership roll (including Orders) and give you a single re-roll. If you have a Regimental Banner within 12" (that also gives you a re-roll) you can choose which re-roll to use, but you only ever get to re-roll a any dice once, as per the base rule book (BRB) page 5 rule on re-rolls. It is a neat little trick IG can pull off. Also, in terms of a Challenege system, the Sergeants and Commissars all count as Characters. IG Blob squads can actually have the most Characters in them of any list, so while one guy is fighting in a Challenge (and probably dying), your other Characters can be doing damage to the enemy or safe in the back. Because of the size of a blob (20-50 men), you can hide heavy and special weapons toward the middle of the blob. They can still be sniped out so this isn't as effective as 5th Ed, but they are probably safer than normal HWSs. Just remember that the entire blob is shooting at the same target.. even combined your now treated as a single unit and thus you can not split your fire. This may effect your special weapon and heavy weapon load-outs. IMO, Lascannons (LCs) and Autocannons (ACs) with Melta and Plasma guns are the weapons of choice. LC heavy and Plasma Special are very popular for a stationary blob... as most blobs are.

As for the Conscripts, HWSs and SWSs... the knock on them is that while they are giving you the special and heavy weapons you need (or raw bodies in the form of the Conscripts), they have a terrible leadership and human stat-line. Even if your HWSs have 2 wounds, they are killed via Instant Death by a Str 6+ weapon because it doubles out thier toughness...so they can die to a single shot. Now your squad suffered at least 25% casualties and has to make a morale check or run away at Ld 7... even if they are within the Regimental banner rolling over a 7 twice is not hard. SWSsare pretty much views as suicide teams in flyers because of this. A trick around this is get a Lord Commissar as a 2nd HQ slot and have him stand within 6" of a HWS (or several) and give him a Camo-Cloak or something to stay alive. Those teams are now within his 'Aura of Discipline' and all leadership and pinnings tests are made using his Ld 10. You can even attach him to a HWS, but you risk 'Execution' for doing so even though he would give the whole squad his Camo-Cloak benifit (+1 Cover save). The huge benifit to these squads? They all count as troops for scoring (even the PCS). A blob with several units can give you double or triple the amount of scoring units that your enemy has with a single troop choice and 3 times the firepower.

When rolling reserves, the entire platoon is rolled as a single unit if the entire unit is held in reserves. If you have your PCS, for example, in a Vendetta as the only part of the Platoon in Reserve, then that unit comes in with the Vendetta. But if you got Al'Rahem as your PCS commander, he makes his entire Platoon Outflank and thus the whole platoon would come in together on a single roll, no matter how many units it is made up of.

I hope this explains platoons for you so you can use them better (or not use them) for your list.