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I'm messing around with guard lists because i'm considering building a small detachment and I'm wondering what is better, a minimum sized guard platoon featuring 2 infantry squads and a command squad which comes in at 130pts or 2 veteran squads which come in at 120pts together?

is one better than the other or is one better in some situations while not in others?

Feel free to go nuts with your thoughts on these too because I'm pretty naive when it comes to guard and always keen to learn.

Both have their +s and -s, one thing is for sure you won't be running either of them without some kind of upgrade.

The platoon can blob together but you'll probably want to consider another squad to make a blob of 30, add something like a commissar to mitigate morale and a vox if you play an order heavy style. The veterans want to use melta/plasma to make use of their higher BS rating and the fact that they can take several for redundancy, consider getting them a ride like a Chimera too.

Typically i think Vet squads should be mechanised with plasma or melta and platoons should just be blobbed up on an obj with a commisar or priest and either grenade launchers or flamers (so that weaker BS doesn't matter so much)

Well in my little 1000pts with scions here:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/662268.page

I was planning on having a little guard gunline with a CCS with autocannon, and a basic platoon all with autocannons to hold the line until some vendetta's and scions arrive.

But then i realised that i could get 2 veteran squads with autocannons for 20 points cheaper. So i'd loose a PCS and a 3rd autocannon but gain BS4.

What do you think would be better?

you don't want to pay for vets if they aren't using that bs4 for something important, an autocannon getting 2-3 more hits a game isn't worth that especially when you drop an autocannon to pay for it

If you want vets they carry melta, plasma or VERY occasionally 2 flamers and a demo charge and you drop em out the back of a valkyrie to mess with people but not at 1000pts i think

With how cheap IG heavy weapons are you can spam them in amounts to where BS doesn't matter. You know what's better than 10 guys with 1x BS4 AC? 6 guys with 3x BS3 AC. Orders can also make up for BS.

Minimum platoons are underwhelming I feel. The main use for a platoon is to put 8+ OBSEC units into the same FOC slot. The answer is always MORE MEN!

2/3*4=8/3

1/2*6=3

BS 4 loses out on every level.

Naked Platoons are good for bubblewrapping units, and unfortunately their utility ends there.

Ether wrote:
2/3*4=8/3

1/2*6=3

BS 4 loses out on every level.

Except when you have very few shots too far forward to receive orders, such as Vets forward with special weapons.

To OP, in your case, I would suggest vets, with special weapons, possibly in a chimera. Basically it boils down to a minimum platoon not being enough bodies to matter, while the vets get the good gear and the special rules and BS to use that gear. Also, a minimum platoon is only one troops choice, so if it's a CAD, you will need another one.