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Hi guys,

I run a White Scars list (link in sig for blog - check it out) and i plan on taking the CM with Khan. Now i was looking at the Honor Guard unit and they seem rather attractive. However, seeing as the CM is on a bike, they'll likely be just a straight up unit of 5 guys, for a total of 135 points.

The problem is, how would I effectively get them into range for assault? Their target / role would be wiping out 3+ save units (preferably troops). How would you get them where they needed to be?

While i appreciate that Assault isn't great. And that command squads are better for the bikes. I'd appreciate some comments about how to make this viable.

Zambro

I don't have any experience with Honour Guard, so this is purely academic, but the first (and frankly only) things that come to mind are a Land Raider or a Storm Raven. Everything else involves significantly more risk.

Some things to keep in mind:

There is no feasible way to get them into assault on turn 1.

They cannot assault in the turn they come in from Reserve, regardless of the method.

So your best bet is putting them in the thickest metal bawks you can get your hands on and rush them at the enemy. Since your stated purpose is to use them to clear objectives, I'm liking the Storm Raven, as it'll keep them out of the fight for a couple of turns while the rest of your force gets battered and bruised. It also gives you a turn or two to put some firepower on the things which can take out their transport; because while they can't get into assault on turn 1, your opponent can potentially pop their transport on turn one and leave them on foot.

LRC led by a captain (AA and burning blade is a great little bad ass).

I've run 6 honor guard (5 power axes and champ with powermaul) with said captain in a land raider successfully. They are a fire and forget missile though as they will kill most anything they attack, but will likely be killed once stuck in the open.

Honor guard, on paper, are great units with 25pts getting you AA and a powerweapon. They need an expensive delivery system, namely a land raider, and a tank to adsorb low AP wounds. When they hit though, they are awesome.

Well, i'm fortunate to own both a land raider and a stormraven, so when the time comes i may try both

I'm liking the SR more. The LR isn't a DT, so it doesn't get the scout move from khan, so it'll be behind my main force. The SR however, hides in reserve until turn 2 (hopefully) then i can blast across the board, drop to hover mode and assault out of it in turn 3. It also fits thematically with White Scars. One massive drawback is the shot out of the sky issue... Eating S10 wounds aren't good for the health.

No body sees taking a rhino as DT and scout moving / flat-outing into their face as an option?

Most epic way to run honor guard:

10 with a chapter master and a chaplain, assaulting out of a Ceastus assault ram.

Zambro wrote:
Well, i'm fortunate to own both a land raider and a stormraven, so when the time comes i may try both

I'm liking the SR more. The LR isn't a DT, so it doesn't get the scout move from khan, so it'll be behind my main force. The SR however, hides in reserve until turn 2 (hopefully) then i can blast across the board, drop to hover mode and assault out of it in turn 3. It also fits thematically with White Scars. One massive drawback is the shot out of the sky issue... Eating S10 wounds aren't good for the health.

No body sees taking a rhino as DT and scout moving / flat-outing into their face as an option?

4 choices obviously;

1. Storm Raven. Solid for White Scars for the reasons mentioned, and also contributes solid anti-air firepower. It's kind of redundant if you are using multiple Storm Talons though, as you leave too many units in reserve and have excessive anti-air at that point. The S10 splat if you get shot down is unpleasant.

2. Land Raider. Expensive as hell. Turns your 135 point squad into nearly 400. It also doesn't fit the White Scars battle style very well, as you are likely to be armor light, and the LR will eat every anti-tank weapon on the board.

3. Drop pod. Gets you up in their face first turn, and if you are scouting up close it works as a solid distraction from the bikes. Their 2+ save and cheap cost (170 points?) means they are both expendable and reasonably resilient.

4. Rhino/Razor. The vehicle is fragile and you can't charge out of it. Not awful, but I wouldn't suggest it unless you are running vehicle heavy.

#3 is the way to go. With a scouting force, you'll have a large number of models to in a good threat range on turn 1 to support your disembarking honor guard. This gives your honor guard some added protection from the number of models the opponent has to shoot at.

I've used them a few times, and I think you don't need an expensive delivery system to send them in. A drop pod will do the trick.

What you need is to have multiple threats in your army. You can't just bring 5 honor guard and a CM in a pod and call it a day. You need to have 30 bikes bristling with grav guns also in front of your opponents face.

Your forcing him to choose to shoot at the honor guard, or shoot at the bikes. Its a lose-lose situation for him.

Honor guard have bolters, LD 10, and a 2+ save. That alone makes them pretty darn good. Just stick them in ruins when you land to help eat any AP2 shots and you should be good to go.