Imperial Guard only a static line army?

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**J0kerrMT**

Are Imperial Guard only competitive as a static line...or can they be competitive using other tactics?

Example..

My 500 point is

1 Command squad in a Chimera with the guy that makes reserves get +1 on roll
2 Veteran squads in Chimeras with Heavy Stubbers
1 Vendetta

**ShatteredBlade**

What did you arm your vets with, as well as your command squad?

**J0kerrMT**

Nothing...as the Vendetta and Chimeras take the points

**ShatteredBlade**

In all honesty I see you having a difficult time against MEQ or even the bugs. Mayhaps drop the Astropath and put in some special/heavy weapons.

**J0kerrMT**

Really my main question is does Imp gaurd have to be a static line army to remain competitive?

And if not, what does a good mobile army look like?

**Ailaros**

I managed to make two non-static things work with guard over the last year. The first was to take 30 stormtroopers and a bunch of veterans with carapace armor. They had numbers, special mobility (rerollable deepstriking), and decent enough durability... mostly.

The second was to take mechvets and then spam hellhound-chassised vehicles. Everything sprinted forwards turn one, and then the rest of the game was in multimelta-inferno cannon range in my opponent's deployment zone (or wherever).

That or you could vendetta spam.

Guard used to have lots more options to be less gunliney, but 6th ed killed a bunch of them off.

**kinratha**

Well, with the new DKoK assault brigade you can play as aggressive as you want.

Sure my opponent just killed a whole platoon,but next turn there coming back.

**J0kerrMT**

I should say excluding FW rules.

So I really shouldn't plan outside of the static gun line if I want to win tournaments then?

**Ailaros**

If all you want to do is play the game on the easiest possible difficulty setting so you can win the most possible games, then don't play guard.

**gealgain**

yeah, IG can easily sit in back with its big guns and blast away. IG can be a source of some fast moving firepower.hellhounds, valkyries and vendettas are obvious go- tos, but don't forget the value of weapons with good range. leman russes, though not fast, can deliver a good payload of damage and keep moving steadily forward. Guard can do mobile well, but other armies do it better.

**Brother SRM**

Guard need special weapons. That's how they do their damage, especially if you don't have the bodies to put down tons of las fire. The stock, boring, uncreative, and cookie cutter competitive IG lists have been centered around Vendettas and melta/plasma veterans in Chimeras. Sometimes, the veterans are in Vendettas too. Regardless, I'm yawning just thinking about it.

**Comrade**

I use the inexpensive points costs of Ig as a strength.

For the amount of point one army spends on an army, IG can have 3x the models,

I buy the 3x models and create 3 spear points, mainly LRMBTs supported by infantry, the enemy can either focus on one or maybe 2 and defeat it, or they can try to focus on all 3 and are overwhelmed.

but you have to push forward and push forward with those spearheads, to answer your question, no static is not the only way to win and be competitive.

**Peregrine**

Comrade wrote:
I buy the 3x models and create 3 spear points, mainly LRMBTs supported by infantry, the enemy can either focus on one or maybe 2 and defeat it, or they can try to focus on all 3 and are overwhelmed.

What exactly is the point in "pushing forward" with a LRBT that has 72" range?

**Makumba**

LoS , contesting objectives , scoring them when hvy is scoring

**liquidjoshi**

Better Russ options for that than the LRMBT. Demolishers come to mind. Exterminators, Punishers...

**BryllCream**

Peregrine wrote:
Comrade wrote:
I buy the 3x models and create 3 spear points, mainly LRMBTs supported by infantry, the enemy can either focus on one or maybe 2 and defeat it, or they can try to focus on all 3 and are overwhelmed.

What exactly is the point in "pushing forward" with a LRBT that has 72" range?

It shows fighting spirit.

**UnadoptedPuppy**

BryllCream wrote:
Peregrine wrote:
Comrade wrote:
I buy the 3x models and create 3 spear points, mainly LRMBTs supported by infantry, the enemy can either focus on one or maybe 2 and defeat it, or they can try to focus on all 3 and are overwhelmed.

What exactly is the point in "pushing forward" with a LRBT that has 72" range?

It shows fighting spirit.

Spoken like a true guard player.

**Skinnereal**

Peregrine wrote:
Comrade wrote:
I buy the 3x models and create 3 spear points, mainly LRMBTs supported by infantry, the enemy can either focus on one or maybe 2 and defeat it, or they can try to focus on all 3 and are overwhelmed.

What exactly is the point in "pushing forward" with a LRBT that has 72" range?

If the stuff threatening the troops is at the back, the LRBT will provide cover, draw fire, and get in range to fire all its guns.
Send in more than 1, and they cover each-other's weaker sides.

**Dakkamite**

Brother SRM wrote:
Guard need special weapons. That's how they do their damage, especially if you don't have the bodies to put down tons of las fire. The stock, boring, uncreative, and cookie cutter competitive IG lists have been centered around Vendettas and melta/plasma veterans in Chimeras. Sometimes, the veterans are in Vendettas too. Regardless, I'm yawning just thinking about it.

Really? I'd welcome that. I see nothing but variations of "Corner fort full of Manticores". Win or lose (typically lose, because good god thats a lot of pie plates) that rubbish is no fun to play against.

BryllCream wrote:

It shows fighting spirit.

Good god, we need more IG players like this.

**Dannyevilguy**

IG are probably among the most flexible armies. Want to be the king of reserves and outflanking? Take CPT Alharam (pronounced Alabamadingdong) and Creed with an astropath.
Want the gun line that never fails? Lord Commissar aegis defense lines and manticores/basilisks/artillery of your choice. You can rule the skies with a fleet of vendettas.

You can play a different kind of guard army each game and always keep your opponents guessing (even ones you play regularly).

**General Annoyance**

Dannyevilguy wrote:
IG are probably among the most flexible armies. Want to be the king of reserves and outflanking? Take CPT Alharam (pronounced Alabamadingdong) and Creed with an astropath.
Want the gun line that never fails? Lord Commissar aegis defense lines and manticores/basilisks/artillery of your choice. You can rule the skies with a fleet of vendettas.

You can play a different kind of guard army each game and always keep your opponents guessing (even ones you play regularly).

only thing I'd change on that is that, in my opinion, IG IS the most flexible army. with so many units to choose, if you have a nice collection (which most IG players do) then you will be giving all your opponents very little opportunities to find loopholes in your army. in my experience IG can counter any strategy with tides of infantry, fast and flexible air support or dead hard heavy firepower. us underdogs have it all

also, have you ever heard of the leafblower? its vendettas and chimerae filled with vets with a PG, MG and HF each. its so powerful that it has been banned from certain tournaments.

and with that, never dare ask if IG are flexible again.

GA

**Peregrine**

General Annoyance wrote:
also, have you ever heard of the leafblower? its vendettas and chimerae filled with vets with a PG, MG and HF each. its so powerful that it has been banned from certain tournaments.

Everything in this sentence is false.

Dakkamite wrote:
Good god, we need more IG players like this.

You mean IG players who move their long-range units up for the sole purpose of letting you shoot at them more easily? This makes about as much sense as saying that we need more ork players who just set up a gunline with lots of boyz and never attempt to assault.

**Talore**

No, he meant IG players with a good fighting spirit! Where is your gusto? Your tanks do not need brakes, or even steering! They will drive straight to the Eye of Terror! URA!

**Bludbaff**

Seconding al'Rahem. I don't know how effective he is, but I would love to try him if I only had enough Chimeras. If you're not familiar, he replaces a Platoon Commander and can outflank his entire platoon.

**AlmightyWalrus**

Peregrine wrote:
General Annoyance wrote:
also, have you ever heard of the leafblower? its vendettas and chimerae filled with vets with a PG, MG and HF each. its so powerful that it has been banned from certain tournaments.

Everything in this sentence is false.

Pretty much. Actually, not even pretty much, it's completely, utterly inaccurate.