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Sup guys

I'm considering swapping a reasonable starting eldar army for an imperial guard army. It's always a moral choice whether to field the eldar. I never started because they're op... just because I liked the iyanden armies. But it's almost a case of... 'okay I'm getting my ass handed to me while using dark angels, time to crack out the eldar'

Now don't get me wrong... I know which army is more powerful. But that's not why we all play the game. I don't care for winning.... but I don't want to get curbed. I don't wanna be tabled straight away...

Are the Imperial guard a fun, fluffy army to play? Would I stand a chance against the likes of Tau or Admech? I love the idea of a steel company backed by blobs of guard. Also, I think I'd have pask as an auto include. What's the internal balance of the dex like???

Thanks guys

If you want to do it but I will warn you now: You do not see us Imperial Guard players complaining for no reason.

The Imperial Guard is currently stuck in a nasty position as the worst (or possibly second to worst) codex in the game. Even ORKS laugh at us.
If you are going in to it for the fluff and for a laugh then the Imperial Guard can perform, though you will have a harder time against most opponents. As you mentioned Tau and AdMech I shall assume that some of your regulars are Tau and AdMech players. in all honesty do not bother setting up against Tau, they will wipe the floor with you. AdMech are supposed to be powerful but I have yet to face them so I cannot comment.

As to performance, it all depends on you. If you know what you are doing and are willing to pull every last scratch and fibre out then you will be able to put up a good fight and even win against Space Marine players. On the other hand if you set up poorly or make a few wrong moves you could quite easily be curbstomped.

Do not let me put you off though, the Guard can be really fun to play (just place a Shadowsword on the table and watch your opponent panic) but they can be tough too. But stick with them, after all we may just be getting our new codex next.

As silly as it might sound, flip a coin. The moment the coin is in the air you know which way you want it to land.

If you want to play Guard you have to realize that you will be fighting an uphill battle against a lot of Codices no matter what you play. But you can sweeten the odds f or yourself. Take allies. Cult Mechanicus, Skitarii, Imperial Knights, Officio Assasinorum and Inquisition can all boost your armies power significantly. Avoid the ordnance Leman Russes and the Vanquisher. The rest are alright but try to avoid festooning them with upgrades beyond more guns. Camo netting is already really good.

What you really want for Guad is artillery. Medusas, Wyverns and Manticores are all solid choices. Look into the Earthshaker/medusa carriages. They are counter-intuitively more durable than their tank counter parts while being cheaper. Buy some 1/48 Flak 88s if FW prices are putting you off.

Guard...need help. Badly. There are a few tricks they can pull in conjunction with allies, generally inquisition or a Librarius Conclave, but they're really desperate for a new Dex.

The tools that kind of work are as follows:

1) Melta Vets in a chimera. The closest thing to mobility we've got. More mandatory than ever.

2) Forgeworld Earthshaker carriages. If you get Basilisks, run them as this. S9 AP3 ignores cover pie plates for 75 points are no joke.

3) Wyverns. Our best anti infantry tool bar none.

4) Pask punisher. Kills anything it wants within 24".

It really depends on your opponents. It sounds like they complain loudly about your Eldar-how much do they care about winning? Are we talkin "Devilfish and fire warriors with crisis suits and stealth suits" tau, or "triple riptide firebase cadre" tau? Regular AdMech, or Convocation with double grav servitors? If it's the latter, do not make the switch and continues playing your Eldar, just do anything other than bikes and wraiths and they have no reason to complain.

It's not just that... but all I'm thinking is.... when guard do get re done. I can't see the formations not being fun. I can't see them not getting the love they need. I love the super heavy tanks and steel legions. And the idea of humanities last stand. Then you get elfdar. It's just... I don't like the idea of playing the most overpowered armies. I have my dark angels. They can compete. Imperial guard may not be able to be super competitive.. but people play them due to the theme surely? Like I said, I know eldar are more powerful... but I don't think playing a cheese army makes them more fun :/

If you like superheavy tanks (and your local meta allows it) you should look into the Solar Auxilia.

They can get HQ tank commanders with more reasonable rules who can ride in any tank in the army (including superheavies) and they get access to the Leviathan FOC allowing them to field a superheavy company as a bound list with formation benefits with opponent's permission of course.

If your local area is REALLY generous you could use guard models for them. I would be okay with it but for some it would be a major sticking point. (And not unreasonably so).

I have good success with the guard! In fact there are a couple guard players in my area that consistently beat the most "competitive" lists.

Guard have hope! I haven't lost a game to tau ever with my guard. Or space marines.

Even when I lose i have fun losing in the name of the emperor.

Our strength is in our firepower, numbers, and durability. Dropping high str low ap templates from 60inches away is amazing. So is showing up to a 500point game with 80models.

Guard are also amazing with inquisition splashed in. Psybacks are still a thing from them.. And psykers. Inquisitors add so much. So do the henchmen.

Give them a try and have fun! The next codex is going to be great.

Thudd guns, bring batteries of them, I have beaten a lot of people with thud guns, pask, coteaz and Valkyrie vets I played against skitarii and 300pts of thud guns cleared nearly 1200pts off the table, they are amazing.

It sounds like you like your Eldar. Don't give up on them because the community makes you feel guilty for running them. That's their problem, not yours.

That being said, if you want to start a new army to have a new challenge and another faction to pick from, do that. But don't give away your space elves because of someone else's issues.

I like to play hard armies. If you were local I would just use it as a chance to get better. Losing makes us better.

As stated above... Guard are very viable!

Rather than swapping your Codex army, why not just play it with less terrifying cheese? Not everything sprinkled with Eldar dust turns to solid gold. Make a list that doesn't exploit the faction's strongest combos and discover new ways to play Eldar.

It's kind of like being a CSM player... you run Nurgle or Slaanesh to win or be a jerk. You run Berserkers and Thousand Sons if you want a challenge.

Not everything sprinkled with Eldar dust turns to solid gold.

Can't realy make an army out those. eldar have 3 realy bad units, spears, banshees and the avatar. And no middle units. Even stupid ones like scorpions can be made ok, just by spaming ally or serpents. Everything else is more powerful then what other armies get for the same points.

Guard are not -that- weak.

Guard have tabled me the last two times I played them with my CSMs. I'm essentially held in place by Leman Russ battle cannons - I can only sit in cover and hope to die slow rather than fast. Pask was intrinsic to one of the times I got tabled.

I wouldn't ditch Eldar though; why not both?

 ChazSexington wrote:
Guard are not -that- weak.

Guard have tabled me the last two times I played them with my CSMs. I'm essentially held in place by Leman Russ battle cannons - I can only sit in cover and hope to die slow rather than fast. Pask was intrinsic to one of the times I got tabled.

I wouldn't ditch Eldar though; why not both?

Put your marines in Rhinos - battle cannons can neither blow them up and also their blast is wasted.

Makumba wrote:

Not everything sprinkled with Eldar dust turns to solid gold.

Can't realy make an army out those. eldar have 3 realy bad units, spears, banshees and the avatar. And no middle units. Even stupid ones like scorpions can be made ok, just by spaming ally or serpents. Everything else is more powerful then what other armies get for the same points.

Storm guardians? Rangers? Vypers? War walkers? Falcons? Fire prisms? Wraithlords? Never heard anyone try to say any of those are nuts.

You know what I would do? A melee Eldar army. Storm guardians, avatar, banshees, scorpions, Wraithblades, all with DE allies for transports. That'd be awesome.

Eldar is my favorite army, it always was.
However, atm I've shelved them for obvious reasons.
Never would trade them.

Don't spam any unit. Take one of each unit and see how they they all play. This makes for a fun army to play and give s you a hurdle. Do it without a wraith knight too. Only one of each unit. Try different gear combos as well.

I've seen some really good lists come out of this before.